"Jillian's: Welcome to our Team"
(1999)

     At CF, we love to get our hands on corporate literature that's never intended to be made public.  So often it reveals exactly how lame, stupid, or just plain evil, a company and its management can be.  I actually come across a lot of such stuff through my job but I can't show you any of that here (hey, I do have ethics, not to mention respect for a little thing called a nondisclosure agreement). But, anything from companies that are not my clients is fair game — and I put on my journalist hat.

     In our last episode, we explored the wonderful world of M&M/Mars, and its devious plan to get more people to eat their unhealthy products.  You may also want to read about Coca-Cola's "H2No" plan, which sought to encourage restaurant patrons to order income-generating soda pop, rather than that pesky source of life, water, which restaurants give out for free.

Today, we take a look at Jillian's, a chain of billiard-hall-sports/cigar-bar & grills.  The original Jillian's is in Boston and housed, if I recall correctly, in a former roller rink.  I went there numerous times in the late 80s and early 90s during visits to my relatives, and as I recall, it was basically just a pool hall.  The chain it spawned, however, is more like a pool hall with a TGI Fridays, a sports bar, and cigar lounge on the premises.

     Thanks to our secret supplier from a certain copy shop, CF found itself in receipt of the Staff Orientation manual which is distributed to all new Jillian's employees.  The enormity of this insane, yet amazing, volume is dumbfounding;  it's about three hundred pages (double sided) of 8 1/2 X 11 paper.  The extent of detail in its instruction is incredible as well.  A few quick examples to give you an idea:

1. There are at least 50 pages, each showing a picture of an appetizer or entrée as it is to be served, with explicit instruction as to how the food should be arranged on the plate; they use the image of a clock to indicate where food should be placed:
   
   Jillian's Chicken Sandwich
   
   Cooking procedures:
   Place chicken on grill and cook completely
   Top chicken with bacon then Swiss cheese Place in melter until cheese is melted
   Toast bun in salamander [? ]
   Remove and place chicken on bottom portion of bun
   Place bottom of bun at 5 o'clock on lined wicker basket
   Place LTO [lettuce tomato onion] setup at 2 o'clock with pickle half at 4 o'clock
   Spread mustard/honey mix on top portion of bun
   Put the top portion of the bun, face down, leaning on the sandwich at a 45 degree angle
   Place fries on unused part of plate
   
   
2. Many inspirational employee 'games' are described in full detail:
   
   Gladiators & Challengers
   
   
        Gladiators and Challengers is a "Jillian's Trivia" game we play before Dry Runs to pump up the staff. The game is a fun competition to find out how much Jillian's knowledge the new staff has remembered & gives the staff a fun way to memorize information they may have forgotten.

     The rules and questions for this 'game' go on for 9 pages. A 'Dry Run', by the way, is essentially a rehearsal for new staff, "where we simulate a 'LIVE' restaurant setting." Veteran staff act as 'guests' (customers) to drill new Gillian's 'team members.'

Ask your server a specific question about a menu item. Example: "Does the Caesar dressing have anchovies in it ?" Inform door host you have lost a token/credit in one of the race car games"...

     Similar to Dry Runs are "Friend's and Family Sessions," where employees are encouraged to invite friend's and family to a free lunch or dinner. In exchange, the guests fill out a customer service questionnaire. Dry Runs are conducted in 'closed session' as it were. The restaurant closes its doors to the public to conduct a Dry Run.

The Jillian's Experience

WELCOME — Or as we like to say "Welcome to the WOW Show." Let us take a moment to explain that sentence to the fullest so that you will understand the excitement and new challenge you have entered...Treat [each] person as a guest — NOT a customer (A customer has a specific reason to leave home; a GUEST will feel like they never left home!) Make it their second home! (Don't forget to Smile.)

WOW — As you look around you can see the WOW that is created by the upscale, cutting edge atmosphere. Realize, that is the tip of the iceberg. From the moment that our guests are greeted by the doorstaff to the moment they are thanked by the doorstaff, every time contact is made with an employee they must Wow them with Great Service ... (Don't forget to Smile.)

... SHOW — EAT DRINK AND PLAY — It is the title of our show. Guests enter our home and soon realize they are at a show and we as employees are on stage.  From the actors that are in front of the crowd, to the backstage employees who keep the show running, everybody is a valuable piece to the Show that we are performing.  Our stage faces are on and as actors and actresses we must give our best performance ... (Don't forget to Smile.)

[T]he following materials will clearly explain our expectations and guidelines to ensure your success in creating the best "WOW SHOW" possible ... (Don't forget to Smile.)

Training Module 1

Guest Service
Unit Information
Alcohol Awareness
& Cigar

... [Y]ou should be proud to work in the hospitality business.   The training and and experience you receive in dealing with people is invaluable ... If you are truly committed to providing good service, you will have a high level of concern for our guests and will maintain a positive attitude. REMEMBER: GOOD SERVICE = MORE GUESTS = MORE VOLUME = MORE DOLLARS & MORE TIPS

IDENTIFYING THE SPORTS FAN

Jillian's is a Sports Fan's paradise!...Beverage service is crucial, although these are the easiest guests to over-serve. Don't miss the opportunity to up your check average by offering food, especially appetizers. The Sports Fan is usually a fun guest to serve, interaction with the staff is a big reason they will be regulars.

[I like the fact that they feel it necessary to capitalize the words "sports fan".]

Okay that's enough for now...