“I’ll have what she’s having.” — from the movie When Harry Met Sally
There’s something about a good diner, isn’t there?
And maybe that’s why I’ve always believed you can learn a lot about business in places that have nothing to do with boardrooms or strategy meetings.
Between Me and You
I always liked visiting a good diner. They usually have a warm and welcoming atmosphere. And I just love that smell of toast, coffee and bacon when you enter. The one we recently visited had old photos of what the place used to look like on the wall, and photos of the previous generations who ran the diner before. Plus, the waiters often knew almost everyone who came to have breakfast like they were family.
We arrived and had to wait to get seated. When it was our turn, the maitre d’ took us to our table to be seated. Our waiter came over shortly after.
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” we said.
My husband added, “And two waters with no ice, please.”
She said sure and went ahead to get that for us. While she stepped away, we looked at the menu so that we could be ready to order when she came back.
When she came back, I asked about the soup of the day since it was raining and a bit chilly.
“Two options,” she said. “Beef Barley or French Onion.”
“Ooooh,” I said. “I haven’t had French Onion in a long time. I think I might try that one.”
Good for Business or Bad for Business?
She pushed her glasses up onto her head, looked at me and said quietly:
“Between me and you… the French onion soup is okay. The cook who makes it the best is on vacation.”
I laughed.
“Oh, thank you.”
“You can get it if you want,” she added, “but just my opinion.”
And without hesitation, I smiled and said:
“I’ll trust your opinion. Let’s go with the beef barley.”
She could’ve simply taken our order and moved on. Instead, she gave me her honest opinion. Then I wondered if they’ll probably have an excess of French Onion soup in the back since she was discouraging others from ordering. What she was doing, was that good for business or bad for business?
What She Was Really Serving
My husband said that maybe the beef barley soup is old and they’re just trying to get rid of it. I said that I didn’t get that feeling from her. It felt like she cared. (I always listen to my gut feeling. Or was that hunger?)
Later we found out that she’d been working there for 9 years part-time so she must be doing something right. She wanted to make sure that people were satisfied when they left so that they would return. Not once did I get a feeling that she was speaking poorly about the people who worked there or the establishment.
And between me and you, that’s how I believe our business should work.
Sometimes that means helping a client stay organized or keeping the moving pieces of their business flowing behind the scenes. But sometimes it also means saying:
“That strategy may not be worth your time.”
“You don’t need another tool.”
Or even…
“I think there’s a better way.”
I don’t ever want to hand my clients a metaphorical French onion soup if I know there’s a better option available.
Final Thoughts
The waitress probably forgot our conversation by the end of her shift. But I didn’t because the beef barley soup was deliciously delicious, and that little honest moment was at the forefront of my memory. My husband and I talked about it on our drive home. We both thought that was nice of her.
They’re the reason why we return to certain businesses and recommend certain people. That’s the heart of meaningful work. We should all aim to become the kind of trusted support that helps others make clearer decisions, and let them know when there may be a better option to solving a problem.
Now, which team are you? French Onion or Beef Barley?
Shamayne Brown is a virtual assistant and the founder of Camp Virtual Assistance.
She works with busy executives and solo professionals who are ready to invest in their business and need the support that she offers.
She specializes in creating email newsletters as well as other admin and creative design tasks.
Click here to connect on LinkedIn.
Click here to set up a discovery call.
