The Starbucks Experience

On all of our expansion projects, we seem to find ourselves at Starbucks interviewing potential Founding Fathers for the chapter. It's a great location to have conversations, plus it has coffee, food, music, and internet access. When browsing around the local Barnes & Noble, I ran into this book. I love reading up on corporate strategy and how they create core competencies to stand out. When reading these types of books, my mind always races about how we apply many of these principles to Phi Delta Theta. Looking at our operations in a business sense can allow all of us to learn about where we need to go. The Starbucks experince lays out five key principles that they follow on an everyday basis. I'm going to try to lay them out, one principle at a time, and relate them to Fraternity operations.

Principle # 1 - Make It Your Own

Starbucks encourages its employees to "make it their own" through what they call the "five ways of being". If you are a vistor to Starbucks, you'll notice that every employee "or partner as they call it" has great pride in their job, because they are each empowered to improve the organization as a whole.

Be Welcoming - The book explains how Starbucks' "partners" are always trying to forge a bond that invites customers back to visit again and again. Is your chapter doing this? If not, no wonder why potential new members and alumni show up and never come back. People want to feel welcome both through appearance of the location and through the actions of individuals who are a part of the organization.

1. Is your facility maintained well enough to make people feel welcome inside of it?
2. Do you take time to welcome alumni, parents, and other guests when they are around?
3. When potential new members are around, do you huddle around your brothers and stay in your comfort zone rather than welcoming guests.
4. Are people reluctant to approach your chapter?

Be Genuine - Starbucks does a great job of caring about their customers. You may notice that their "partners" call you by name, listen to your needs, and respond to feedback. This genuine feeling that their "partners" portray causes many of us to come back often.

1. Are you genuine and truthful about joining Phi Delta Theta with potential new members?
2. Do you take time to listen to their concerns and needs, or do you treat every individual the same?
3. Do you make an effort to connect with potential new members prior to pitching the Fraternity?

Be Considerate - Starbucks explains being considerate as being more than polite. It mentions that you must be mindful of needs. Yes, being polite is important, but without figuring out the needs of their customer, your not being considerate.

1. Are you considerate to your neighbors, other Greeks, non-Greeks, parents, administration, etc?
2. Are you considerate to those people who look after your well-being? (i.e. Greek advisor, chapter advisers, consultatns, GHQ)

Be Knowledgable - Try this out. Go into a Starbucks and ask about the details of one of thier products. You'll be amazed how knowledgable the "partners" are about what their selling. Why? Because they train the hell out of them. I am always amused when I ask our members about the benefits of joining Phi Delta Theta. Number 1 answer? The brotherhood... Well, no crap, every other chapter is saying the same thing.

1. Do all of your members know the local benefits of joining your chapter?
2. Are all of you members knowledgable of the initiatives and benefits of being a part of the General Fraternity?
3. Do you train your members on how to explain these benefits to potential new members?
4. Do your members know the rebuttal to common concerns to new members joining?

Be Involved - We all had or have those members who are no more than warm bodies. The old saying "You're only as strong as your weakest link" is so true in Fraternity life. Starbucks "partners" are very involved in their local store, the corporations initiative, their local community, and the common business world.

1. Are all of your members involved in your chapter's operations? If not, sit down with them to why not, or get rid of them.
2. Are all of your members involved in bringing new ideas to the table and moving your chapter forward?
3. Are your members involved in the General Fraternity's programs and offerings? (i.e. - conferences, the Accolade, PDT Daily, Phi Delt Circle, etc.)
4. Do your members involve themselves in what the Greek community has to offer, or do they stay within the walls of Phi Delta Theta?
5. Do your members involve themselves in the local community?

If you're not making the Phi Delta experience your own, why are you even involved?