Hot Topic’s “Daily Huddle”

A few years back, fashion retailer Hot Topic won first place in an ICMI video contest for a creative portrayal of their “secret to service success,” a daily communications huddle. In it, they compare the daily meeting, which keeps employees up to date, to the ingredients of a gourmet meal:

  • Main ingredient (lasagna noodles): Important information, such as current sales, and information that helps customers find great deals and contribute to the bottom line.shutterstock_129455564 lasagna
  • Meat: Critical events of the day, such as trends and special scheduling needs.
  • Ricotta: Tech updates, including Web or system upgrades, and details on future technology projects.
  • Sauce: Product knowledge, including music, fashion and the latest trends.
  • Mozzarella: Company info, i.e., daily sales plans or future business ventures.
  • Salad: Team feedback, the opportunity for reps to voice their opinions, e.g., on processes, new technology, and customer feedback.
  • Dessert: Recognition, the many reasons to recognize the team, including customer compliments, peer recognition, excellent performance, and “just being a Hot Topic rock star.”

Now, that’s a recipe worth sharing!

Excerpt from Call Center Management on Fast Forward by Brad Cleveland.