Should Your Business Strive To Be More Like Waffle House?

Blog Post - Stephen Wicks

So, I was perusing the internet this morning and saw a news story about how a Waffle House restaurant in Travelers Rest, SC. closed down due to snowy conditions.  Some of you may not know why that's significant while others may know exactly why that's important.  It turns out that there is such a thing called the "Waffle House Index."  The federal emergency management authorities determine how bad a storm is based on if a Waffle House location will be opened or closed.

Waffle House, which has over 1500 locations across the Southeastern United States, is so consistent with being opened 24 hours a day / 365 days per year that the feds actually use their closings in their assessments.  Wow!  How incredible is that!???

Waffle House has built such a reputation as being "always open" that people have come to think of them when you ask "Where's a place open that we can go to?"  It doesn't matter what time of day it is or if it's a holiday or not... they will be open.

That level of consistency should be a business goal that we all share as entrepreneurs.  Waffle House has a loyal customer base because they have a non written contract with their customers.  Not only are they a restaurant, but they have become a consistent and steadfast institution in the communities that they serve.

It's my goal to develop that level of trust with my customers here at Stephen Wicks Internet Development Company.  We have not always been that or even had that aspiration as a focus, but we do now.  Our company wants  to have a similar "unwritten contract" with our customers.  We want them to know that we will always be committed to being consistent with a high level of customer service, professionalism, and skill.

I've learned a lot from the "Waffle House Index."  Do you also think that what Waffle House has accompished is a great example for us all?  Let me know in the comments.

As the great John Noird, would say.. "Go be great!"

Stephen Wicks
Lead Designer / CEO
Stephen Wicks Internet Development Company
stephen@stephenwicks.com