Shep Hyken interviews Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. They discuss Cameron’s customer service philosophies and his new book, Yes is the Answer! What is the Question?.

The Interview with Cameron Mitchell:Be goal-oriented. Know the difference between working for a paycheck and working for your career.Define your company’s core values and culture first. Then, build the company for the people, by the people.Rather than putting the guests/customers first, put your employees first. This sets up a triangular relationship: you take care of your employees, your employees take care of your customers, and your customers take care of your company. This all stems from an internal people-first culture.Mitchell shared his company’s Five Pillars of Culture, which are in the form of questions. These questions must be answered with authority and conviction. They are as follows:What do we want to be?How do we define ourselves?What is our mission?What is your role?What is our goal?There should be an almost even split between cultural and fiscal responsibility, the scales tipped in favor of culture. The number one goal should be to maintain your company’s culture and values. Making a profit should be second to that. Never sacrifice your culture for the sake of profit.Your company will have many goals that come and go, but the one constant goal should be to be better today than you were yesterday, and better tomorrow than you are today. This creates a culture of positive change within your organization. Stagnation is a death sentence.The phrase “yes is the answer; what’s the question?” creates an attitude of action. It motivates people to find creative solutions to problems rather than just saying “no.”Attaching an image, symbol, or picture to your company mantra can make for a powerful reminder. Implement and integrate this company-wide to ensure everyone is on the same page.Quote:
 “We take care of our people, our people take care of our guests, and our guests then take care of our company.” - Cameron Mitchell
About:
Cameron Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. He has enjoyed success as a lifelong entrepreneur, accomplished businessman, culinary expert, and nationally recognized restauranteur.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio.
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