Chapter 02: Camp Bow-Wow: Innovative Management

Summary

Sue, the owner of a Camp Bow Wow facility, dispels the myth of managers as idle, revealing the demanding role of managing people and honing interpersonal skills. She shares her journey from working in corporate environments to running her own business, emphasizing the importance of customer service and staff training. Sue discusses the challenges of balancing efficiency with a personal touch in customer interactions and the need for patience and coaching within her team. Her experience has evolved from handling every aspect of the business to now leading a supportive management team, allowing her to create a more relaxed culture for both staff and herself.

Takeaways

• 😮 Misunderstanding Management: Sue initially thought managers did little work, but later realized the complexity of managing people and tasks.
• 🐾 Dogs vs. People: Dogs are described as simple, loving, and sweet, contrasting with the more challenging nature of managing people.
• 🏢 Previous Experience: Sue's past work in GE and oil and gas industries provided her with valuable managerial experience.
• 👩‍🏫 A Difficult but Educational Manager: Sue learned a lot from a challenging manager who pushed her to think both about details and the bigger picture.
• 🌱 Starting a Business: Sue bought 'Camp' two and a half years ago, starting with a flat organizational structure.
• 🌟 Aiming for Excellence: Sue's goal is to make her business the best in Boulder and within the Camp Bow Wow system.
• 🛠️ Evolving Expectations: Customers now expect more value for their money, requiring higher levels of customer service and offerings.
• 🤹‍♂️ Multi-Tasking Staff: Camp Bow Wow's model involves staff doing a variety of tasks, from caring for dogs to handling customer service.
• 🔄 Balancing Efficiency and Care: Sue emphasizes the importance of effective customer service that conveys genuine care for both the customers and their dogs.
• 💡 Coaching for Improvement: Sue is focusing on coaching her team to address issues and improve interactions with both customers and dogs.
• 📈 Personal Growth: Sue is working on being more patient and understanding with her team, acknowledging the need for repeated communication for clarity.
• 🏆 Transition from Solo to Team: Sue has transitioned from doing everything herself to having a supportive management team, significantly easing her workload and allowing for better work-life balance.

Q & A

What was Sue's initial misconception about managers?

Sue initially thought that managers sat around in offices and did nothing, but she later realized that managing involves a lot of work, particularly in managing people and developing people skills.

How does Sue describe the difference between managing dogs and managing people?

Sue finds dogs to be simple, happy, loving, and sweet, whereas people are more difficult and harder to train.

What did Sue learn from her difficult manager at GE?

Despite the challenging experience, Sue learned a significant amount from her manager at GE, who pushed her to consider both the big picture and the details.

What was the initial structure of Sue's staff when she started her business?

When Sue started her business, it was just her and a staff at the same level with a very flat structure.

What is Sue's goal for her business in terms of customer service?

Sue aims to provide such a high level of customer service that even if customers have a difficult problem, they feel that everything possible has been done to address it.

How has customer expectation affected Sue's business?

Customer expectations have increased, requiring Sue's business to improve its level of customer service and offerings to match what customers are willing to pay for.

What is the role of camp counselors at Camp Bow Wow?

Camp counselors at Camp Bow Wow are responsible for a variety of tasks including taking care of the dogs, answering phones, booking reservations, and managing the front desk.

What was one of the best decisions Sue made for her camp?

One of the best decisions Sue made was establishing a position that focuses on customer service, which helped balance the efficiency and effectiveness of interactions with customers.

Why is effective customer service more important than efficiency in Sue's business?

Effective customer service is crucial because it communicates to customers that the business cares about them and their dogs, which encourages them to return, whereas efficiency alone might not foster the same connection.

What are some of Sue's self-improvement goals as a manager?

Sue's self-improvement goals include making more time to coach her team, addressing problems effectively, and being more patient with her team to ensure they fully understand her instructions.

How has Sue's experience changed from two years ago to the present?

Sue's experience has drastically improved due to the support of a management team that has taken on much of the burden, allowing her to establish better work-life boundaries.