Use a ‘punch list’ to knock out trouble spots before they get worse
I must admit I’m an old-school Reagan fan.
One classic quip of "The Gipper" Ronald Reagan was, “The most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” I like that and have even invoked Reagan and these words on certain produce-training occasions over the years. Always a good icebreaker.
But the guy I’m thinking more about this week is my old store assistant, Dennis Regan. (OK. Different spelling on the last name, I know.) Dennis taught me the importance of the “punch list.”
Ask any contractor-type — they know this term well, even if it isn’t normally stock and trade in the fresh produce aisle. Construction people use this system all the time on a job site, making notes of what needs to be done, both large and small.
With a clean legal pad and sharp No. 2 pencil at the ready, Dennis would walk around every part of my produce department, along with other areas, and create the grocery store punch list. “Leaking hand sink needs repair, got it,” he’d start, scribbling quickly. “Produce receiving dock doors sticking. Cooler reefer unit running too cold, the other dripping water.”
I’m a big believer in to-do lists: daily, weekly, quarterly. If it’s a goal, it should be written down. If it’s written, it stands a whole better chance of getting done. It also feels great to scratch off each task as it gets done.
Related: More insight from Armand Lobato
Then Dennis and I moved on. The two of us scanning the produce department for the obvious — and the not so obvious. “Cracked corner wet rack mirror needs replaced. Misting system heads clogged here and there. Melon knives chipped; ooh, safety hazard. That takes priority.” Within a half-hour or so, we managed to put together a tidy list for us to take care of internally, or to turn in, along with all the other areas needing attention throughout the store.
Everything was noted, from light bulb replacements to power-jack repairs.
Within days our internal store services team started to make their way in the store: electricians, plumbers, fixture vendors. You name it; if something was on the punch list, there was an equally qualified someone called to spend time fixing the issue. Tile replacement, refrigeration adjustments, copper pipes resoldered, broken bag holders repaired, produce scales adjusted.
Just like home, something always needs to be maintained, and if not done in a timely manner, things only get worse. The punch list walk happened like clockwork once every quarter and closely involved department managers, as it should. It teaches responsibility.
Why is this important for a retail produce operation?
Look at it from a consumer perspective: burned-out parking lot lights say a lot — negligence, safety compromised. The same goes for cracked front-store glass panels. Off-odors in cold cases can signal backed-up drains. Missing fixture parts and broken visible equipment, even debris or dirt only serves to repel sales. Alternatively, a clean and tidy-looking store is a welcome sight and inviting.
Both scenarios reflect how the store is managed and, subtly, how fresh the perishables are within, including (and especially) fresh produce.
Dennis Regan’s punch list helped everyone reinforce that things need to be regularly maintained. Every-thing. It makes a world of difference with your customers’ perception.
Meanwhile, here’s one of my favorite stories told by Ronald Reagan:
“In Soviet Russia a man arranges to buy a car. The seller asks, ‘You understand, there is a 10-year waiting list?’
The man nods and answers him sadly. ‘Yes.’ Then the man pays for the car in advance and just before he leaves, he stops, turns. and asks the seller, ‘Can I pick up the car in the morning or in the afternoon?’
‘It’s 10 years away,’ the seller says. ‘What does it matter?’
The man looks intently at the planner drawn from his coat and says, ‘Well, the plumber is coming in the morning.’”
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.
