We are doing the research that is not getting done!
Foodservice operators, especially the leaders, are very busy people, gathered around their already proven mission. Continued growth now depends on a flow of innovation, fueled by new perspectives, data, and targeted research studies.
Leaders already have a team of open-minded believers, creating a fertile environment to pursue creative thinking. They wear their operational pride on their sleeves. A vision of success permeates all corners of their operations, including onboarding practices that guarantee business continuity.
A study of innovation history commonly recalls the models of Apple or FEDEX. They both identified a path of sustainable growth by seeking, finding, and understanding an unmet consumer need. Foodservice too has successfully followed this formula in creating an impressive list of leaders to emulate.
Chick-fil-A’s original innovation of cooking tasty chicken sandwiches as fast as burgers provided them with a growth compass that has earned labels as Best-In-Class for quality, and food safety. Their culture of caring creates enduring careers and rewards franchisees with the highest single restaurant income.
Every store of their 3,000+ inventory is treated as a research site with team members continually scanning for improvements in their “culture of care”. This national account, and 19 more, are periodically surveyed, gathering interest in areas of handwashing research. Studies are developed and the hefty expense that normally pose a hurdle too high, are divided into more achievable levels. (link to crowd funding page)
Funding is sought from those foodservice leaders and their suppliers, wishing to give operators evidence-based options for their continuous improvement endeavors. Governmental agencies and universities provide funding options but are deeply compromised by excessive costs, conflicts in protocol design, and their inability to make timely decisions.
Handwashing Leadership Forum® Suggestions
- “Get ‘em to the sink”. Self-motivation.
- Develop and test an alarm feature to the electronic faucet to alert the person-in-charge when a purse or backpack is parked in a handsink.
- Prove SaniOnce is the best handwashing process when faced with norovirus risk?
- Comparative assessment in handwashing process and frequency. “A risk meter” for decision makers to manage by risk.
