How Important is Consistency?

How Important is Consistency?

by Danny Summers

consistency

 noun
con·​sis·​ten·​cy |  \ kən-ˈsi-stən(t)-sē

definition: an agreement or harmony of parts, features or service to one another or a whole


We see, use and depend upon examples of consistency every day. Just think about your smartphone. Both Apple and Samsung each have a huge following that have confidence in their product's consistency. We depend on McDonald's and Chick-fil-A to be at the pinnacle of both their product and service. One of the most important features and benefits to a food chain is... you know what to expect.

One story on demanding consistency is about Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. When first introduced, KFC was a licensed product prepared and served at independent restaurants across the country. The restaurant was committed to preparing and serving the "Colonel's Secret Recipe" with demanding standards using equipment supplied by the Colonel. He would actually make inspection calls on the restaurants and on one such call, he found the standards in disarray. He reportedly took the equipment out back and smashed it so the restaurant could no longer produce his product.

With this in mind, I ask - Are you working hard at building a consistency standard into your business?

This actually relates to one of the sites we will see during The Fall Event tour day, Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Cheekwood - The Estate that Coffee Built: Allow me to introduce this as we step back in time...

It is 1896, and Leslie Cheek married Mabel Wood. Leslie worked in his family’s company, C.T. Cheek & Sons—the largest wholesale grocery distribution firm in the Southeast, located in Nashville. Another Nashville-based Cheek family business was the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, creators and brewers of MAXWELL HOUSE COFFEE and TEA.

The specialty blend of coffee we know so well was named after and marketed by the best hotel in Nashville at the time, the Maxwell House. The success of the brand launched the local business into nation-wide production and is said to have even captured the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt, who reportedly exclaimed that it was “good to the last drop!”



Cheek-Neal was created by Joel Cheek, the cousin of Leslie's father, C.T. Cheek. C.T. had been an early investor, and Leslie bought stock as well. In 1928, the Postum Company, later renamed General Foods, purchased Cheek-Neal Coffee Company for $45 million. A HUGE amount of money for 1928. As an investor, Leslie's fortune quickly expanded, likely doing the same for Leslie and Mabel's plans for their new home, a little place called Cheekwood. For this reason you might say, Cheekwood is the estate that coffee built!

Prior to Cheek-Neal Coffee Company creating a blending formula, consistency was not something often found in coffee. Their ability to create a consistent quality in their blended coffee set them apart and is exactly why we see Maxwell House Coffee today.

As you depend on and enjoy the benefits of consistency in products like Maxwell House Coffee, this is the perfect time to consider consistency as an important features and benefits of your business. Challenge your staff to focus on training and procedures to build consistency into your business for your customers to depend on and enjoy!

There is so much more to learn about Cheekwood. We will learn more about Leslie and Mabel Cheek's vision for its development, how their family offered the estate to become a public gardens and fine arts center and how in 1960, Cheekwood opened its gates and doors to the public. Today, Cheekwood serves as Nashville's primary destination for visual arts. The first floor of the mansion has been restored to its original beauty, including much of the Cheek Family furniture and art. The second floor is a dedicated art gallery with both permanent and temporary exhibits. To read more follow this link: Cheekwood.org

Want to learn more about our Tour Day? CLICK HERE

Don't Miss The Fall Event 2019!

GET STARTED HERE

 

 

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