I can't say I had warm and fuzzies after this episode, but I felt like Undercover Boss is back on track after the disturbing episode with Hooters.  Read HR Bartender or Great Leadership for some excellent responses to the Hooters fail.  However, there is just as much to learn in an episode without a disaster employee like Jimbo, and places where I feel Joe DePinto both shined and missed the boat.

My favorite moment in this episode is when Joe travels to the one store that outsells all other stores in coffee sales.  He wanted to know what made that store different and how he can duplicate that success at the other stores.  It didn't take him long to learn that there wasn't a special brewing technique or coffee station setup that brought in customers.  The answer was simple- it's all about Delores.  The customers at Delores' store felt like it was home.  She knew her customers by name and they greeted her with hugs.  I was thrilled that Joe recognized how Delores was the key to that store's success.

The next positive moment was when he met with Igor from Kazakhstan (yes, the Borat Kasakhstan).  Igor is the kind of person with a positive outlook on life no matter what challenges are laid before him.  He makes deliveries fun.  He treats his job like it's the highest priority.  He even finds the silver lining in the schedule challenges that only allow him to see his wife two days a week.

We should all be so lucky to have employees like Delores and Igor.

Of course, the episode would be too fluffy if we didn't see some missed opportunities.  Joe was able to see the challenge of franchise support first-hand when he ordered new light bulbs for one store and realized it could take 30 days to solve the safety issue.  Then, he met with a promising young man who has worked at 7 Eleven for 4 years while working on his bachelor's degree.  He tells Joe that he does not see a future for himself after he graduates.  Joe realizes he needs to do more to help sales associates work towards a future at 7 Eleven.

He also sees how 7 Eleven's charity efforts have not been adopted at the franchise level.  Who knows what the real breakdown in this process is, but this is the kind of thing you can't discover without communicating with front-line employees.

Joe's solutions included creating a foundation in Delores' name for organ donation awareness, giving Igor a vacation with his wife, and making an aspiring artist a freelance addition to the marketing team.  I wasn't overly impressed by any of those solutions.  I thought it was very nice that he gave a franchise to Igor, though.  Something tells me his customers will love him.

For all of those great lessons, I still think Joe missed some opportunities.  Granted, the show is only 1 hour long so Joe may have addressed these issues behind the scenes already.  If one single employee can create such an environment that her store is able to outsell all of the others in coffee, then you must try to replicate that across all stores.  Help franchise owners learn how to select individuals who are outgoing, caring, and friendly.  Train them to engage with customers on a personal level.  Stress the importance of making every transaction friendly.  It's about the people, Joe.  Now how do you find more Delores'?

Joe said that 7 Eleven has trouble finding people who want to work the night shift.  You just heard a great place to recruit night shift employees!  Go to college campus recruiting events and find more eager students who are paying their way through school.  Next, you need to sell them on a future with 7 Eleven.  Don't expect your employees to be satisfied with one role for the rest of their lives, and don't expect them to know what the next step is or how to get there.  

Joe also missed the opportunity to streamline his stores.  He mentioned how much easier it would be to take care of the coffee if there were a sink on the counter.  Well then do that!  The less time it takes for the employees to stock the shelves, change the coffee filters, and wash the windows, the more time they have to make the customers feel appreciated.

However, where 7 Eleven really impressed me is their use of Twitter immediately after the show.  They are doing a great job of promoting the brand after the episode and talking about the changes they've made.  Follow them at @7elevencareers.

This show continues to prove that there needs to be better communication between front-line employees and top level management.  As HR Bartender said, Management By Walking Around (MBWA) still works and is crucial.  I don't believe that it needs to be done "undercover" like on this show, but this show makes the rewards clear.

I also believe this show makes it clear that HR needs a seat at the executive table.  A good HR person would have already managed succession plans for sales associates and decided that Jimbo from Hooters needed to go.  I'd love to hear more about what HR has to say after each episode.

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