Optics & Activity Plan

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1) Check Cleaning of Store

The Manager’s first task when arriving at the store to begin opening procedures…

Before starting the opening procedures it’s essential to first check the condition of the store based on the previous day’s close. There are 2 reasons for this;

1. To ensure that everything is in place to be able to work optimally for the current day
2. Avoid realizing later at a more inconvenient time you are missing items or lacking the correct bar set-up. This can disrupt the flow of the store & team during the day when busy.

REMEMBER – that it is easier to check for and then recover missing closing tasks before opening than after while also serving guests at the same time.

When opening the store, if you discover a bad close - take photos and inform the responsible people with actions to improve for next closing shift. When giving feedback, the message should reflect the completion of the task. Only focusing on the negative will turn out as demotivating, whereas giving positive and constructive feedback will motivate the Juicer to perfect their tasks.

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2) Set-Up the Customer Area

Start from the outside and work your way into the bar…

It is most time-efficient to completely set-up the Customer Area before continuing the opening procedures behind the bar. Doing so, completes all tasks leaving only those behind the bar. It is also not acceptable to open the store with the customer area not completely set-up as it implies we are not prepared for the guests which ruins the experience.

Even if the opening Juicers have not completed all prep before opening, by getting the Customer Area ready first, it secures the perception of the bar still being ready to the guests.

REMEMBER – that it is much easier to finish off prep and other BTC tasks behind the bar after opening, instead of trying to set-up the Customer Area while serving guests.

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3) Enter the Bar

Let’s get all the necessary & time-consuming tasks out of the way before we start prepping…

As with the Customer Area, the following should be set-up as first tasks once behind the bar to avoid forgetting once open and potentially disrupting the workflow & guest experience.

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TURN ON MUSIC

It stimulates the mood at work and create the ideal working environment. It will signify to any guests entering that we are ready for them!

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TURN ON GRILL & DISHWASHER

Done as early as possible to ensure they are ready in time when needed.

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OPEN TILL

Avoid unnecessary inconveniences when serving guests while also trying to start up the till and count the money.

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CHECK CORRECT AMOUNT OF STOCK IN BAR

To ensure that everything is in place to be able to work optimally for the current day and avoid realizing later at a more inconvenient time you are missing items or lacking the correct bar set-up which can disrupt the flow of the store & team.

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CHECK RISKPROOF (CROSS OFF TEMPERATURES & MORNING ROUTINES)

We need to validate that we are in control of our Trail system and to prove that all food and safety requirements are being upheld daily to maintain solid cleaning & hygiene standards. We check temperatures first thing in the morning to be sure we are not serving food that has been stored at the incorrect temperature during the night.

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OPEN WASTE ON THE LIST & 3RD-PARTY DELIVERY SYSTEMS

By opening these platforms, we then have time to fix any potential problems

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4) Prepare Counter Products

Counter Products are mainly a morning ‘side’ product to go with our coffee. Therefore, ensure they are ready and placed in the display in time for our morning guests, so they are able to see, crave and select them when ordering at the till.

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5) Prep before the store opens

Instruct the team in how much prep that is needed for the day, following Ideal Prep. Remind the team to take more time consuming & messy prep tasks first…

Finish off stations with smaller items: Before the store opens, check each station is filled for the ENTIRE DAY with smaller items such as olive oil, wrapping paper, straws and ice cubes even if the team isn’t finished with all prep. These tasks are quick, but often forgotten. That’s why it is good to take care of them all just before the store opens.

Step out from the bar and check guest perspective: Once all stations are fully prepped, make a final check over the Customer Area. Are cushions fluffed and neatly set? Does the till station and displays look neat & tidy? Sign-off the look from the guest’s perspective.

Hygiene Check: Lastly, check all soap dispensers, hand towels and gloves are filled before opening. It is not accepted by the hygiene authorities if these items are not filled for opening, because then we cannot prove how we wash our hands.

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6) Open bar

The store is all set-up and looks inviting…so now what?

Once the store is open for guests make sure music is playing from the morning lists – ONLY FROM JOE’S OFFICIAL MUSIC SYSTEM.

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CLEANING TASKS

Instruct and delegate the daily cleaning tasks to the team whenever there are no guests to serve. Be sure to constantly check and keep an overview of the store in case any guests do arrive. Remind the team to stop the cleaning tasks immediately to welcome and attend to the guests.

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DELIVER ORDERS TO TABLES

When the opportunity is there, instruct the team to deliver orders to tables because we have time and it can be awkward to shout the names in the morning with fewer guests in the store.

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7) 1 Hour before Rush Period

We need to maximize the full potential during our rush periods! In order to do so, we need to make sure that we are fully ready and the store is set-up to get busy. Therefore, 1 hour before the anticipated rush period we activate ourselves to replenish the bar and finish up all other tasks to be 100% focused ONLY on executing fast orders and till handling.

First, instruct the team to check the Customer Area, toilets & trash cans.

Run chopping boards and equipment through the dishwasher and wipe down the stations while they are cleaning. Remember that you will have less time to do this during the rush!

Check that all stations are fully stocked to handle the entire rush period also re-filling the less obvious elements which are annoying to deal with in the middle of a rush such as the till rolls and coffee stirrers.

Be sure to finish up any daily cleaning tasks already started in time for the rush.

When the stations are all fully stocked, spotless and all tasks are out the way, the team is 100% focused on executing orders. Then there is no size of rush a skilled team cannot handle!

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8) Rush Period

It’s all about peak performance…

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PEAK MUSIC!

15 minutes before the rush normally starts, get your music ready! We have the Peak Playlist because it sets the mood for the team to get ready when high energy and a fast pace is needed. We want the mood of the bar to turn into a higher tempo as we indicate to our guests that this is our time to perform!

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TEAM POSITION

The winning team always has a tactical plan. Be sure all team members have been onboarded and remind them of their role goals for the day. To prepare well and be sure we will fully optimize this key period, the team needs to be well-positioned to take full advantage.

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ACTIVATING 2ONTILL!

Fundamentally, it needs to be clear who is the Till Captain. Instruct the Till Captain to be responsible for activating 2 on till every time the line exceeds 3, and inform the Juicer who will be involved with activating 2onTill.

This is the most important exercise during the rush because it is the time of day which determines the overall performance of the day. During this period, it is purely about taking the orders as fast as possible to kill the queue.

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KEY POINT!

When there are more than 3 people in line waiting to order, there are many potential guests walking past deciding not to order because they perceive a long waiting time from the queue. The problem with this is that we actually don’t see these potential guests because they simply give a quick glance and make an immediate decision to go elsewhere without us even spotting them. Therefore, our number 1 priority is simply to have no queue at all times!

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BREAKS IN THE TRAFFIC

As a Manager you need to see the opportunity of gaps in the traffic to maintain guest areas. When one work-station is ahead of the remaining production team, instruct the Juicer to tidy their station and check the guest areas. In the Customer Area, first, tidy and wipe down tables, re-arrange furniture, empty trash cans, and wipe around the sides of the trash cans. Afterward check the customer toilets for general cleaning, empty trash, and re-fill paper towels and soap before returning behind the bar.

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9) After rush / Shiftchange

A Manager’s task is not only to secure strong performance while they are on shift, it is just as important to setup the next period of the day for success.

After the rush is the time of day where naturally our Juicers quickly lose their momentum once the busy period is over and suddenly they become slack. It is also very hard to pick their energy levels back up once they drop! So, it is important to keep them active and not allow them to decline!

The shiftchange allows for a smooth transition between teams finishing shifts and others entering the bar to start their shift. It is a key process during the day and determines the performance of the team for the rest of the day. The afternoon team should arrive in a well-set-up bar to welcome them, enhance their motivation and performance. If they arrive in a messy bar, under-stocked and under-prepped it will instantly demotivate the team and create a bad circle for the rest of the day. As a result, they will automatically feel they have less time to perform, create the JOE vibe for both colleagues and guests.

Therefore, it is the Manager’s task to remind the Juicer(s) to carry out the shift-change and follow up on if all steps of the shift-change have been carried out.

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Shiftchange Part 1

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AFTERNOON MUSIC:

Start with switching the music to the afternoon playlists and alter the volume to suit the current atmosphere.

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TIDY & REFRESH ALL STATIONS:

Begin the shiftchange procedures by first tidying and refreshing all stations. This should be done first to ensure the bar is well prepared for further busy periods during the rest of the day that can appear unexpectedly. So, everything is spotless making it easier for the closing team to clean on the go and eventually close the bar.

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RE-STOCK BAR:

Once all stations have been refreshed, check there is enough stock in the bar for the rest of the day, otherwise make a list of extras to bring up from the stockroom.

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CHECK TEMPERATURES:

It is possible that the cooling elements have been accidentally turned off or have not maintained the right temperatures during the day. The products in the cooling grave are more exposed to higher temperatures due to lids being taken on and off. So, we need to make a second temperature check after the rush to ensure all products are stored correctly at the right temperature.

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CHECK & TIDY CUSTOMER AREA:

One of the worst perceptions for any guest is to enter a store where the team is not busy but the store looks messy and the Customer Area is untidy. They will instantly be deterred from the condition of the store especially because they feel that the team is not busy so they should have time to tidy the place. It implies a lack of respect toward our guests and a lack of pride in the store we work in.

This is why it is important to immediately tidy the Customer Area after the rush to avoid guests experiencing the wrong conditions.

REMEMBER – the guests are not aware that you have just finished a busy rush period and can only see the store as it is at that moment.

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Shiftchange Part 2

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EMPTY ALL TRASH CANS INSIDE THE BAR

Regardless of how full they are. This way all the trash from the entire store can be taken away at the same time with all trash cans empty and ready for the rest of the day!

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CHANGE ALL CLOTHS

They have been used a lot so far during the day so they are carrying a lot of bacteria. If we continue using them they will spread bacteria across the bar, causing a risk of illness and infection. Additionally, due to the amount of dirt already on the cloths, they will be less effective for cleaning making it harder for the team to clean properly.

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SWEEP THE FLOOR

From a hygiene point of view, bacteria are building up within the food-making area, which needs to be removed to avoid risks of illness and infection. Secondly, it is more difficult to work behind a bar with a dirty floor.

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REMOVE ALL TRASH FROM THE BAR

Now that the store has been tidied up, all trash can be removed at the same time. Before taking out the trash, remember to fill up the apples and avocados and take the bread out of the boxes, so you can throw out unwanted cardboard boxes with the rest of the trash.

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CHECK ENOUGH PREP FOR REST OF DAY

The rush period can often be busier than expected and you’ll end up using more prep than estimated for the entire day. Opening Juicers can often make the mistake of not checking how much prep is left for the remainder of the day. They will then leave the bar, unaware of the fact that the closing team will run out of prep later on. This disrupts the flow of the bar by having to prep when there are fewer Juicers on shift and causes a longer waiting time for guests to receive products. To complete the shiftchange, check all stations thoroughly to make sure there is enough prep for the rest of the day and prep accordingly.

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12) Before final Juicer leaves the closing team

Get the most out of having a full team on shift…

We need to take full advantage while there are still more Juicers on shift at the same time. Once the store is left with only the closing team there will be limited capabilities for them such as collecting stock from the bar and prepping.

Therefore, Juicers who are not closing have 2 very important tasks before finishing their shift. To count the bar stock using the IDEAL BAR STOCK and fully re-stock the bar for the next day.

The Manager on shift should make a final check of the bar with the closing team before the last Juicer leaves.

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13) Pre-close Rules

Pre-close is a game of cleaning the bar without making it look closed and still maintaining a good guest experience throughout. If the guest asks; “Are you closed?”, then you have lost the game!

Remind the team that the pre-close tasks are only permitted to be carried out during the last hour of opening, and it is vital to follow the exact structure to maintain the right guest experience. Remember we are still open!

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14) Close

Close as if you were opening the next day…

The quality of the close has a significant impact on the team’s performance for the following day. The closing team should close the store with the mind-set of how they would want the store to be the next morning as if they were opening the store themselves.

The Manager is responsible for guiding the team in how to carry out a proper close. It will always be the Manager on shift who closes down the Trail app making sure all tasks are registered correctly, as well as closing down the till and depositing money bags.

When the close is done, the Manager is in charge of doing a final check of the store to sign off the close.

Practice learnings objectives: On-shift

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Learning objectives in practice:

Execute the Daily Concept Workflow (DCWF) on your assigned shift → Morning, pre-lunch rush, lunch rush, shift change, handover, pre-close & close.
Execute Opening Procedures Efficiently → Follow a structured approach to follow up on the close the day before  to ensuring that the Store is ready for the opening.
Pre-rush - Optimize Rush Period Performance → Stay ahead! Stock up, position the team, and keep energy high to smash peak hours.
Rush-period → Maintain a Guest-Centric Approach → Clean store, excellent product quality, fast service! Every move should make the guest experience better.
Manage Shift Handover → Ensure a seamless transition to the 'evening' manager on shift! Clean, restock, and update the next Manager so they start strong.
Execute Pre-Close & Closing Standards → Conduct structured pre-close and close to set up the store up for success the next day.

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Following exercises must be carried out as part of the training:

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