Can Popcorn Improve the Bottom Line?

In business, when something is working or doing what it is supposed to do, we tend not to look at it. When it breaks, we will fix it. There are more pressing issues to focus on that requires our time and attention.

Take the self-service popcorn machine in the corner of the local pub. It’s been doing its job for many years; maybe decades. It makes popcorn. If the light bulb burns out or the stirring mechanism in the pot stops, you fix it. Although it may have seen better days, its working fine.

Let’s think about it as it is part of a business process.  

·       Is it portraying the image that we want to our customers?

·       Can we increase customers if we had a better (and cleaner) image?

·       Can we reduce down-time with regular maintenance and cleaning?

·       Can we increase popcorn production?  

·       Can we produce better tasting popcorn?

·       Can better tasting popcorn increase sales? (Studies show that customers stay longer if pubs offer food. The salt from the popcorn will often increase drink sales.)

Healthy businesses look at processes and systems for opportunities to improve customer satisfaction, increase employee engagement, and operational efficiencies regularly; not just when something breaks or fails. In doing so, businesses will have a better understanding what is working well and where to focus improvement efforts. The result will have a positive impact on your customers, employees and the bottom line.