When Barb and I became the proud owners of Hava Java Mesa, one of the biggest questions and worries was, will we be able to retain the staff?
Any new business venture is only as good as the people that run it. While Barb and I are hands-on owners and there every day to greet customers, we really needed the help of the existing staff to make sure the business transition was seamless.
We realized before we officially became the owners that we really needed these people. They have been running it every day, they knew all the customers by name and their drinks. Although the products a business provides may be great, without good people you have nothing. I’ve seen it many times when a business changes hands the new owners come in as the new sheriff in town.
Within the first week they start making changes to the business, they can’t wait to make it their own. After all they just spent a whole lot of money and it’s going to run my way!
That’s a sure way to lose valuable employees and customers as well. In contrast, our approach was just the opposite. We showed up every day and just worked with them side by side.
Barb helped in the kitchen, and I emptied the trash and mopped the floors (I’ve always had one rule as a manager.
I never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself ). We just let them do what they have been doing for three years. Serving great coffee and creating a great environment to drink it in.
I never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself ). We just let them do what they have been doing for three years. Serving great coffee and creating a great environment to drink it in.
Then after two months, we had a staff meeting and I just asked a simple question, “What do like about your job and what do you not like?”
How can Barb and I make it better? Everyone gave their input and we listened. By this time, we had a few ideas of our own which we reviewed with them. From there we started making slow changes, often getting the staff ’s opinion.
Customers are constantly coming up to us and saying how great our staff is, and I answer the same way every time. “We are blessed to have the staff we have.”
Hava Java Mesa is located at the northeast corner of Power and McDowell roads in The Village at Las Sendas, 2849 N. Power Road, Suite 103, in Mesa.