Monday, February 21, 2011

SPOT BOB - in Dearborn !

Wow was that busy! Busiest ever actually. Steve was too busy behind the counter to make this picture, but you can see Sue (a BIGGBY operator from Allen Park) in the line. We had a great day.

Busy Buzzy Biggby

Monday, February 14, 2011

Spot Bob at Biggby – Get Free Coffee

Click Here for original DEARBORN FREE PRESS article and some great pictures :)

DEARBORN, Michigan – Any cold morning in February, you’re likely to be greeted with a cheerful smile and a hot cup of coffee at the Biggby Coffee shop on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. Thursday morning, Feb. 17th – Biggby CEO and co-founder Bob Fish will be there encouraging you to try anything on the menu – and he’s paying the tab. Go ahead and order the tallest ”Mellow Mellow” or “Mocha Mocha Chocolate Latte” - because Bob Fish is buying coffee for everyone who shows up on Thursday – Feb. 17th between 8:00 and 10:00 AM.


Steve Swinney - Biggby Coffee Manager and Franchise Owner
Franchise owner Steve Swinney knows many customers by name. He greets customers with a smile and chats about local news while filling orders. The local Biggby outlet on Michigan Avenue (near Military) in Dearborn was opened in the fall of 2010 and has seen a steady growth in regular customers.

The Biggby stores are designed with customer convenience in mind. The store offers free WiFi, and has great seating with plenty of wall outlets to keep your PC running. (More electrical wall outlets than any other coffee shop in Dearborn – from what we can see.)

Comfortable chairs are near the fireplace and a large flat screen TV is viewable from many of the tables. Plenty of free parking is available in the large strip-mall area.

Podcast: We interviewed Steve Swinney in an exclusive Dearborn Free Press podcast. You’ll hear Steve provide details about the Spot Bob promotion and a catch of glimpse of his enthusiastic attitude.


Click the arrow above to listen to the podcast (or download here). Special bonus: the podcast begins with the song “Morning Coffee” by Manolo Camp and ends with a song called (oddly enough) “Double Chocolate Mocha Espresso Coffee Frapacino” by Orb Gettarr.


David Chung runs the cash register while Nicole brews coffee at Biggby Coffee in Dearborn
Biggy CEO Bob Fish frequently travels to various Biggby locations to boost business for the fast growing Michigan based coffee franchise. In a promotion reminiscent of Where’s Waldo, he stops at local Biggby stores to provide free coffee for all the local guests. It provides him an opportunity to chat with customers, “check the pulse” of a community, and talk with local store owners about what’s working (and perhaps diagnose why something might not be working).

Biggby’s core values are clearly evident in the Thursday morning coffee give-away. “Engaging the community – giving is getting. For us, ROI is return on involvement,” Fish said. “We’re in a constant state of give.”

Biggby Coffee CEO Bob Fish recently shared his core values in a report by Crain’s Detroit Business:

Simplicity through systems. Having a system allows a small business to grow big.
Energy, excitement and enthusiasm. All three are equally important.
Faith, confidence and courage. Bob Fish called this one the most important.
Dedication, dependability and desire. There needs to be an insatiable want to improve.
Biggby has 126 stores, 90% of them in Michigan, and the rest in five other states
Click Here for original DEARBORN FREE PRESS article and some great pictures :)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Have fun, B-Happy, Make Friends, Love People....Drink Great Coffee

Coffee Company Keys on Creativity, Humor, Relationships

Click here for the original article
It’s always amazing to me how the media focuses on what’s wrong with businesses these days. From corrupt CEO’s to declining industries, it’s amazing how the negative stories far outweigh the good.

Here’s a positive story of growth and success that I was fortunate to be a part of. I *spoke at the annual franchise meeting for BIGGBY coffee. It was their 15th anniversary and the Lansing (MI) based company is experiencing a positive growth pattern. I must say that after observing and meeting many people involved within the organization, it doesn’t surprise me a bit that they’re bucking the trend and growing in today’s current economy.

I’d like to share with you three things BIGGBY is doing right that every business can learn from in today’s turbulent and quickly changing economy.

First, they allow creativity to flourish. I noticed before and during the meeting that new ideas were not only encouraged from the franchise owners, but also from the staff and customers. This is not only smart, but essential in a business that’s not only hyper competitive but also full of powerful competitors ranging from brand names such as Starbuck’s and McDonald’s fighting for caffeine loyalty.

Second, the culture is built on fun. What? Customers that actually have fun and enjoy spending money? Yes, in a crowded industry, BIGGBY has positioned itself as the happy place where people enjoy not only going to, but spending money at. From the company’s billboards that tout this message, to unique names for drinks, their culture is built on making people smile and laugh.

In my various travels as a speaker throughout North America and author of several books on the topics of marketing and sales, I can tell you that very few organizations pull this off. Employing humor and fun is a smart marketing strategy on many fronts and it also encourages repeat business, higher word-of-mouth and greater brand loyalty. I’ve often said that if you can get people laughing, you’ll get them buying. BIGGBY hits it out of the park in this area.

Finally, they build relationships with their customers. Yes, I know it sounds obvious, but again, so few businesses do this. I was stunned to see near the podium as I was setting up my notes a stuffed binder full of customer testimonials and comments raving about their favorite employee, drink, or story from their favorite BIGGBY store. I flipped through the thick black binder for several minutes and even mentioned it during my keynote address that this was incredibly powerful evidence that customers are responding favorably and feel great about spending money with the company.

*Mr. Rubleski received a paid honorarium for his keynote address on 8-26-10 in Lansing, MI at the BIGGBY annual franchise meeting

BIGGBY customers are so loyal...this one takes Dog Sled to her favorite location

Hi Bob!

I took my dog sled out this morning to get my morning coffee at the drive-through, since we have been warned that road conditions are not good for driving. Thought you might like to see these photos. Carlos, the store manager at my favorite Portage franchise, suggested I submit them.

My name is Lxxxxxx. My dogs are Pumpkin and Misha, and they sure love to run! I was glad to be able to get my morning coffee.

Lxxxxxx