Let me set the scene. I’m in Dallas, Texas. Plano actually. It’s a balmy 89 degrees. I’m visiting restaurant clients in the area as usual and had 20 minutes of free time. So, like I normally do, I decide to grab some goodies and take them into a brand I have been trying to connect with.
I realize Zoës Kitchen is headquartered in Plano right near Tiff’s Treats, a cookie company with amazing cookies (duh). This’ll be perfect, I’ll grab some cookies, walk over to Zoës, up the stairs and drop them off. No pressure to talk to me. Just walk in, drop them at the receptionists desk and move on.
Pretty standard move and process I’ve done who knows how many times. No way this time would be eventful or different, right?
As I open the doors to the building lobby I’m picturing walking through the lobby, up two flights to their suite and back to the car to hustle to my next meeting.
Instead, as I open the door, I am greeted by 50-75 passionate Zoës team members cheering at the top of their lungs. For me.
I walk in and these team members are cheering, saying “YEAH, COOKIE GUY!”, clapping, and carrying on. I take it in stride and do a 360 while holding the cookies, join in the cheering as I continue on. I think a guy even playfully shoved me. I get up the first flight of stairs to a landing where more people were watching and still are cheering me on. I play along and say “Thanks, but I’m just some asshole dropping off cookies! That was awesome, though.” What a rush to have random people cheering you on as you go do a super mundane task!
Things die down as I reach the top of the next flight and their suite entry. And then, ANOTHER eruption happens as a deliver guy walks in. And, then another.
I quickly drop my cookies off and head back through the lobby as I’m greeted with another round of cheers (armed with an extra box of cookies for another brand, I tease the mob with ‘I kept a box with me since you didn’t cheer loud enough”). We share a laugh and I exit with the LARGEST smile I’ve ever had walking out of a business.
The Zoes team was clearly waiting on someone else to come through. But, instead of standing around like a bunch of jerks, they seized the moment to be loud and boisterous while making every person that entered feel like they were the reason for the party and the noise.
Kudos to the Zoës team. I’ve been in many Zoës locations to eat. The attitudes of employees, food, and cleanliness bring me back as a consumer. Looks like that energy starts at the top at the corporate office.
I probably won’t get my conversation any time soon. But, the way they made me feel and the energy the team carried makes me want to work with them even more. And, it also brought an important concept back to my attention: I can impact the day of those around me and do it without even thinking. Imagine if we did it all day and actually thought about it.
I just hope they enjoyed the cookies as much as I enjoyed my 30 seconds of Zoës fame. And, you bet your ass, the next time I see a Zoës and I’m hungry, they’re getting my money.