Rothacker Reviews

Retail Business: We are really busy!

As a retailer, did you ever think about the message that you send to your customer when you tell them how busy you are? We've had two businesses in the last three days tell us how busy they were. One in person and the other over the phone.

Business in person - Best Buy, Wesley Chapel, Florida. Rosemary and I took our vehicle in to have a stereo installed. There was one person working in the mobile installation department. This fellow had to answer phones, wait on customers and in between he was installing audio gear in a car. He acknowledged our presence and got to us as soon as he could. While we were filling out a form he dashed back to the car for a couple minutes of work.

I don't recall this gentleman's exact words, but he said they were busy. Stevie Wonder could see this guy was busier than a one arm paper hanger, but he maintained a pleasant tone with us. When I asked if he could get to the car before closing, he said he'd be finished with it even if it meant staying.

So, what do you suppose Rosemary and I, two people with a combined fifty plus years in management think of this situation? From where we stood this dude is an outstanding employee. Secondly, we question management. To have one person answering phones, waiting on customers and installing gear, is bad business. Of course we were exposed to a ten minute window in this operation. Perhaps they normally have two people working in this department. A pleasant employee who acted as if he wanted to be there and acted as if he wanted us to be there, overcame this slip in operations. And speaking of operations, the smart and clean way the installation shop was kept speaks volumes for this business.

Business over the phone - I am going to be a little critical here. Basically this person was pleasant and maybe what she said would not effect most people. We called to have service performed at our house. She said, "I guess everyone waited till the holidays to call. We are very busy."

To Dave-the-former-manager, this comment neon signs these sentiments: 

• We are a poorly run company
• We are short of help
• We can't keep competent help
• Dispatcher: I'm stressed
• Dispatcher: I don't like my job

Unless you are able to overcome your we are so busy comment like the Best Buy guy did, it's better if you do not mention how busy you are to your customer.

New Tampa: Grabbing Some Coffee

The following are locations in New Tampa where you might consider stopping in for a cup of coffee. Taco Bell and Wendy's might sell coffee, but would you really stop in either location to grab some?

My tastebuds are fairly flexible when it comes to the flavor of coffee. They are not flexible when it comes to burnt coffee or coffee that has been left on the warmer too long. If any of these locations have served burnt coffee to you, please let us know.

19090 Bruce B. Downs Blvd

19080 Bruce B. Downs Blvd 

Tampa Plumbers: Chuck's Plumbing

I had been out running some errands when I returned home and was immediately overwhelmed by three forces of nature: My daughter, my wife and raw sewage. Two were in a panic and the other was advancing on all fronts.

We needed a plumber - like yesterday. It was 4:30 p.m. and we had to be somewhere by 7:00 p.m. We didn't have time to phone friends for referrals. Rosemary got on the computer and came up with three choices. She explained our predicament to the first contractor that she called. She ended up speaking to the owner, who when hearing our story, said he would come out himself.

Flashback to earlier in the day. Rosemary and I met Donna Cutting for coffee to talk about her book The Celebrity Experience. Ironically, Donna spoke about the superb customer service exploits of a Boston plumber who she profiled in the book. She said this guy's technicians wore shoe covers and laid out a red carpet at the customer's front door...

At 5:15 p.m. that day I answer our front door. There stands Chuck, owner of Chuck's Plumbing. Chuck introduced himself, handed me his business card and laid down a red carpet. Chuck was wearing shoe covers.

Chuck repaired the problem and cleaned up in time for us to make our 7:00 p.m. engagement.

Discovering Chuck was like finding a needle in a hay stack. Getting him to our house within an hour was no less spectacular. That he was clean, courteous and knowledgeable was almost too much to believe.

Hopefully this message will spare you from the anxiety that grips one around the neck and chokes one's airways when trying to find a competent plumber in Tampa. Hopefully our good fortune will be yours too.

Chuck's Plumbing in Tampa Bay

Why Listen to dave?

About dave:  From the tag line underneath my site's name you can see I write reviews on books, businesses and folks.  You can also see that I am neither a celebrity, leader or expert.  Why then should you read my stuff and take action on my recommendations?

I like to think that I have an eye and ear for people who are sincere, authentic and want to succeed. I am attracted to people or things who travel in the opposite direction of status-quo.  In a world of change, status-quo was yesterday.  And in a world of change, status-quo is a greased rope that survivors do not trust.  The opposite?  Those are people who are constantly learning and evolving.  They walk about in the world eyes wide open.  They observe, they listen, they synthesize and then they produce (or try to with all of their might), stuff that makes the world a better place.

As a dad, husband and Baby Boomer, I care very deeply about this:  I passionately want the younger generations to succeed and the older generation to be valued!  To know and understand me then, is to know the lens in which I view the world. 

Tampa Romance Authors / Writing

Do you have a soft and warm spot in your heart for Romance?  Can you, dear Tampa Bay neighbor, envision cuddling up with a good Romance novel in front of the fireplace...even though you only get to actually use that fireplace once a year?  Sure you can!  Can you envision yourself as the leading female character in that book?  You can do that too!  And why not?  Fantasy is therapy for the challenges we face in everyday life.

Girl yearns for guy.  But girl plays hard to get.  Guy starts suddenly slipping away.  Girl concocts mad scheme to win guy.  Girl gets taste of guy.  Sex involved.  Exquisite amenities cloak every scene. Guy begins to really dig girl.  More sex.  Guy suddenly kidnapped by bad guys.  Conflict sets in.  Girl saves Guy.  Mad, passionate sex involved.  Guy and Girl marry.  Happy ending. (my wife tells me in the real world of romance writing there is probably a little more sex involved :)

Did you ever wonder who writes these heart-throbbing, page-turning tales of love?  How would you like to meet Virginia, C.L., Elissa, Ann and LInnea?...a few accomplished and very successful authors.  You can.  And they'll even autograph one of their books for you!  Stop out Saturday, November 8th between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m., to the Barnes & Noble located in the Carrollwood neighborhood.

But that's not all!

If you buy a book at Barnes and Noble that day, you'll help the folks who help our sick children.  You'll be helping All Children's Hospital - Tampa Guild.  All that you have to do is mention this number to the cashier when you buy your books that day:  376236

Why not nurture that warm spot in your heart and help kids in need at the same time!!  See you there!

To the rest of my friends throughout the United States: Shop at ANY Barnes and Noble Nov.5 - Nov. 10 and a portion of your sale will be donated to All Children's Hospital Tampa Branch!  Just mention this number to the cashier that day:  376236 and you will be helping kids in need!

Tampa: Basketball Training

"Dad!  I kept my eyes on her feet just like Scott told me to do.  It worked, I stole the ball.  I couldn't believe it!"

"You know mom, I'm really starting to think about college!"

Scott Savor is responsible for initiating both of the above remarks.

Scott is a Human Performance Specialist, who works out of Sport's + Field's, Athletic Performance Center.  We are sending Carla to work with Scott to improve her basketball skills.  We think we're getting more.

Victoria, our older daughter started playing basketball in 1991.  Rosemary and I have been around girl's basketball coaches ever since, including the prestigious Trinity High School teams of the mid-nineties. With the exception of crossing paths with Pat Summitt, at Trinity while she was recruiting for the University of Tennessee, we have never met anyone who knows basketball like Scott Savor.

One of Scott's main performance enhancing philosophies is that over ninety percent of an athlete's potential for improvement can be found above the neck. If you are a parent, you don't even have to wonder how refreshing this point of view is, you instinctively feel it.

Although Scott trains professionals, he is still taking on high school and college athletes. If you or your sons/daughters are interested in one, free complimentary workout with Scott, please contact me by e-mail and I'll hook you up.  david(dot)rothacker(at)gmail(dot)com.  Please contact me if you'd like to help your student athlete improve more than their vertical jump, say like their desire to go to college!!

Scott's credentials.

Update 8/3/2009 - In a mind blowing twist of fate, Scott left Tampa, Florida, last week to work with Pat Summitt and other coaches in a strength and conditioning role at UT.  I am sure that UT put in careful diligence in selecting Scott.  They are well aware of the wisdom that he brings above and beyond the science required of his position.  They are well aware of his coaching philosophies and his passion to help develop young people's minds.  I know they know, but they don't quite know how much they really are getting with Scott.  Please allow me to paint a more clear picture:

New York Met's Scout in 1965: That Nolan Ryan is a talented young man with a blazing fast ball.  Let's draft him.

WingHouse Tampa: Imagine

Imagine owning a restaurant.  Imagine for one day, the cash registers scream out in mercy, "boss I'm overworked. I can't take in anymore money."  Imagine for this to happen all you have to say to your employees is, "folks, we're going to honor our public and civil defenders.  Lets have some fun, and oh yeah, wear a costume."

A few of us from work eat lunch a couple times a month at the WingHouse on Route 301 in Tampa.  We always try to get there before noon to beat the lunch rush.  We pulled into the parking lot the other day at a quarter to twelve.  There were no parking spaces.  Burly pick up trucks had even invented a few of their own parking spaces - off pavement.   We quickly tried to figure out what was up.  Was Hillary Clinton in town?  Was Britney Spears in town?   Paris Hilton?

We were mystified, until the young lady opened the front door for us.  Costume day at the WingHouse.  You'll have to use your imagination, but I can start you off with young, fit women wearing slightly less than full uniforms.

The atmosphere inside was festive and cool.  Ownership was running a contest for the most favorite costumed girl.  Sitting there with my colleagues, my mind began to drift (I know, I am a little sick).  I thought of this one simple and brilliant decision that the owners made...to quadruple their business.  And aside from promoting the event, it didn't cost them a dime.  How could this work in my business?

WingHouse takes their product (wings are their other products), and basically, puts it on steroids.  This takes thought and imagination but think of what kind of move you could make with your own business, using this mindset.

Speaking of thought and imagination and increasing your revenues...   While dining that day, an announcement came over the loudspeaker asking people who had parked in the Red Roof Inn parking lot to move their cars or they would be towed.  Now we are talking the middle of the day at a hotel.  Were the cars disturbing the cleaning folks?  It seems to me that for folks smart enough to whip up an event that hardly costs them a dollar and makes them thousands more, they might be able to work out an arrangement with hotel.  It is also entirely possible that they have and Red Roof Inn is stonewalling.  No matter which company is doing what, the Red Roof Inn came away with egg on its face and the WingHouse was short on parking spaces.

I like this WingHouse.  No matter when we've been there, the staff has been friendly (in spite of the pressure to git ya out), they always demonstrate a sense of urgency - like they actually want you to be there, and the food is good.  And in an attempt to demonstrate that I am not sick, the girls are pretty.

Chili's: New Tampa

"Man!  There are so many to choose from.  Where should we go?"

There are seemingly a thousand restaurants within twenty minutes from our house.  Why choose one over the other?  Good food is the ticket to the concert.  Without good food you ain't getting in.  For us, that narrows down our choices to about eight-hundred.  Hey, we're normal people.  We're not some sort of Zagat zealots. 

The restaurant's environment determines whether or not we sit on the concert hall floor or up in general seating.  It must be clean and comfortable.  Knock off two-hundred more choices.  In all reality my numbers are skewered.  Selection is much less.  It is amazing how unclean some establishments are.  A very good friend of mine who is a connoisseur of customer service, goes into the restrooms prior to being seated in a restaurant.  If they are unclean, she leaves. 

So, what gets us seated in the front row?  Or more correctly, who?  Maritza Torres.  Maritza is the manager at the Chili's in New Tampa.  One word of caution prior to entering her restaurant though.  Wear sun glasses.  Because Maritza's smile just lights the place up! 

As connoisseurs of not only good customer service ourselves, Rosemary and I are connoisseurs of good management.  Good management is what we witnessed at our last visit to Chili's.  We watched Maritza supporting her staff.  The product of this support was obvious.  Nearly everyone working there acted as if they wanted to be there and that they wanted their customers to be there as well. 

One final observation.  We were waited on by a young lady and a gentleman working his first day.  She was sharp.  By her mannerisms, confidence and voice inflection, we could tell that she is in for a very successful career - in whatever line of work she chooses.  As for the gentleman, his level of customer service blew us away - considering it was his first day.  On that level he is already a seasoned professional.  I have also noticed a couple of other folks in the half dozen or so times that we've visited Chilis.  Their friendly personalities and sense of urgency stands out.

You just don't have folks like these working in an establishment unless you have a manager like Maritza Torres.  Stop into see them when you have a chance...but pack your sunglasses.

Fresh Meats: New Tampa Gourmet

I wasn't ready to write about New Tampa Gourmet but I had to, owner Alphonso Negroe left me no choice.

Rosemary and I stopped in to check out the New Tampa Gourmet Meat & Seafood store yesterday.  Alphonso had just finished taking care of a couple and he came up to us and introduced himself.  A few minutes into the conversation and it was clear: we weren't dealing with your average meat store owner.  Unless that is, you have visions of a man talking about his crystal clean business as if it were his three kids who just won nine olympic games, three nobel peace prizes and a private audience with the Pope - as average. 

Alphonso didn't try to sell us.  He simply told us about his meat and seafoods.  Of course the manner in which he told us had me wanting to pay him.  It was Shakspearian.  Trust me, Alphonso's passion ensures value.

Alphonso's got stuff going on that no other meat and seafood market in Florida has even thought about yet.  I'll tell you more soon.  For now, take my lifetime of growing up in the grocery business and  Rosemary's master chef status has our credentials for recommending Alphonso, his ultra-clean market and the most unforgettable presentation of meat and seafoods in the area!

 Although our intent was to just scope out the place, we ended up buying filet mignon and then of course cooking them up last night.  Very tender and very succulent!

Taco Bell: New Tampa

"You don't even want to think of going in there!  It took us fifteen minutes to get a cup of cheese." 

I nervously smiled at the teenage couple as they walked by and shook their heads with one of those, go ahead, but we warned you looks.  This was my second bad omen in twenty minutes.  The first came when Rosemary gave me her order.  Rosemary's fast food orders wreak terror and havoc upon these establishments.  And my ensuing verbal instruction for these less than normal orders usually elicits a cow-looking-at-a-dollar stare.

Needless to say, when I walked into an empty lobby, I tentatively let out a sigh of relief.  The twelve cars backed up in the drive-thru line however, did eventually prove to be Taco Bell's undoing.

I mention in my About page there would be no negativity or criticism in Rothacker Reviews.  It is my hope that the Taco Bell-type stories I discuss here, be thought of as windows into real life classrooms.  The opportunities to learn from these businesses or people are yours for the taking.

My Taco Bell experience fell last night, on September 1, 2005.  Ironically, this is also the day that Rosa Say begins with the month long theme: Lifelong Learning at Talking Story.  Plan on joining our Ho'ohana Community for an intellectually stimulating month of conversation.

This Taco Bell was unique in that the only thing behind the registers was a block wall with one of those police interrogation-room windows in it.  All food preparation took place around the corner and out of sight.  This would have driven Rosemary nuts.  She watches food prep like a lion watches a wounded bison.  One wrong move and she pounces. 

A loud and vocal uproar began wafting from behind the wall one minute after I had given my order.  Near as I could tell, two managers were expecting eighth grade results from first grade students.  The frustration in one manager's voice was slightly masked by an incredible effort to be tolerant.  He was slowly losing the battle.  In the next five minutes, ten people swarm the lobby and the drive-thru line doesn't appear to be moving.  The pressure is mounting as the other manager sends a round of fire into two lads starting their shift.  "You got name badges? she asks.  Well put em' on!"  Those of us who were waiting exchanged worrisome smiles.  They couldn't really be killing small farm animals on the other side of the wall, could they?

Through the values of Managing With Aloha , here is my take:

Aloha - The outpouring and receiving of the spirit.  Unconditional love. The male manager appeared to be trying.  He was just overwhelmed.  Realistically, there was no Aloha present.

Ho'okipa - Welcome guests with your spirit of Aloha.  In spite of the noise, the girl who was taking drive-thru orders appeared to have a smile on her face, the only one I saw.  Still, I just had the feeling if this crew were better prepared there might have been a little Ho'okipa action going on.

Lokahi - Harmony and unity, the value of teamwork.  None evidenced. 

Ho'ohanohano - To honor the dignity of others.  I was most impacted by the neglect of this honorable value.

In spite of their vocal outbursts, I strongly sensed these two managers were trying to do the right thing and are capable of pulling this team together.  A good start would simply be for them to set clear expectations for their associates.  And then, make sure those associates are trained sufficiently enough to perform up to their expectations. 

After receiving my order, I didn't have the strength or stamina to open up each item to verify Rosemary's have-it-your-way request.  I ended up lucking out and avoided a tongue lashing myself.  They got her order right!