I’m satisfied stepping from one plateau to the next, making sure we’re doing everything right before moving on …” he said.Ģ. “I wholeheartedly believe in this philosophy, which is why in all my years in the restaurant business, I have never tried to overextend. Climb with care and confidence.Cathy’s daughter, Trudy, gave him a poster of a mountain climber with these words framed on the photo. He often cited a five-step “recipe for business success,” which includes:ġ. Thus, a business, successful or not, is merely a reflection of the character of its leadership.” Businesses are not dishonest or greedy, people are. On the subject of leadership, Cathy said: “I believe no amount of business school training or work experience can teach what is ultimately a matter of personal character. We must motivate ourselves to do our very best, and by our example lead others to do their best as well.” He shared a number of business lessons from his years of experience in the restaurant industry, and once said “It is when we stop doing our best work that our enthusiasm for the job wanes. Additionally, Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Scholarship Program has given more than $32 million in financial assistance to employees since 1973, according to a news release.Ĭathy was a prolific author who penned books such as It's Easier to Succeed Than to Fail Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People It's Better to Build Boys Than Mend Men How Did You Do It, Truett? and Wealth, Is It Worth It? Chick-fil-A franchisees frequently host family-friendly events at their restaurants – such as Daddy/Daughter date nights – and support local schools and organizations.Ĭathy also created the WinShape Foundation in 1984, which mostly supposed youth through scholarship assistance. We want to make our customers feel valued."Ĭathy extended his philosophy from customer service to philanthropy and community involvement. "We have to make our customers happy and bring them back again and again. The 'it's been a pleasure serving you' - we picked that up from Chick-fil-A and built that into our brand of service experience," he said.
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"We want to help people and thank people for coming in, just like they do at Chick-fil-A.
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Novak said the program mirrors Chick-fil-A's training system. During a recent earnings call from parent company Yum! Brands, CEO David Novak said KFC is developing a stronger focus on the consumer experience that includes a systemwide training program applied to each team member in China. "They're doing a lot of things from a cultural and service standpoint and they're hiring the right people to fit the brand."Įven chicken rival KFC looks to Chick-fil-A for customer service pointers. Instead of selling a product, they are asking them to think about what's going on," Knight said. "That's a tough video to watch if you're a 17- or 18-year-old kid. The company is repeatedly named at the top of a number of customer service benchmark lists and has been cited by industry insiders as the standard-bearer.įor example, Jim Knight, former training and development director at Hard Rock International, said Chick-fil-A creates an ideal culture through its employee orientation and training, which includes the “ Every life has a story” video series.Īccording to Chick-fil-A, the video was created to "remind us that everyone we interact with is a chance to create a remarkable experience." The Atlanta-based company has set the bar high not only for its sales performance, but also for its customer service model. The chain is currently riding a record 47th consecutive year of annual sales increases.
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It has the highest same-store sales and is the country’s largest chicken QSR based on annual systemwide sales, according to the company. chain by sales in 2013, according to Technomic data, despite only being open six days a week. The chain is now an 1,800-unit, $5 billion-plus business. His imprint on the restaurant industry – particularly the quick-service segment – is indelible: Chick-fil-A claims to have introduced the original chicken sandwich 50 years ago. Setting the standard for customer service In late 2013, Cathy created a new Hawaiian-themed concept, Truett's Luau. He served as the chain's chairman emeritus until his death. He opened a diner in 1946, which eventually evolved into Chick-fil-A. He was 93.Ĭathy was born in 1921 in Eatonton, Ga., and grew up in Atlanta. Truett Cathy, who founded the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain in 1967, died early this morning at his home.