An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Treating team members with respect sets the tone for what expectations we have from our team to deliver to our guests.
As part of our series about the five things a business should do to create a Wow! customer experience, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sharon Arthofer, founder and CEO of Sip Fresh.
Ms. Arthofer is a dynamic business leader whose talents & business prowess were recognized early as Wetzel’s Pretzels first franchisee, where she was instrumental in growing the brand from one store into a national franchise. Arthofer opened the first Sip Fresh after recognizing a gap in the QSR beverage category for fresh and bold offerings. As a breast cancer survivor she is committed to related causes.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
Right out of college I was lucky to gain great marketing experience working for well-known packaged goods and publishing companies. The entrepreneurial bug bit me five years later and I started my first of three retail stores in Westchester County NY. Several years ago my husband was transferred to Los Angeles and I sold my business. Soon after, I met two men who had just opened their first Wetzels Pretzels in L.A. They asked me for operations advice- and the rest is history! Four years ago I saw this great opportunity in the beverage space, and Sip Fresh was born. It’s a high quality, fresh fruit-based beverage company that is an amazing sensory experience is every way. We just started franchising and have sold 9 units with additional multi-unit operators signing on soon.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
This isn’t a mistake, it was more of an “ah-ha” moment. We had just opened a new store and I stopped by to check in on how it was doing. I did my usual mental check list as I walked through the store and a guest needed something so I helped her. After the interaction with the guest, a team member came over to me, introduced herself to me and said, “ you are new so let me show you how to make some of our specialty drinks.” I let her “train” me with such pride and enthusiasm, I was very impressed. Eventually during the visit she found out I was the founder of the company and was very embarrassed. I told her I loved her energy and gave her big kudos for her initiative. I am proud of the culture that we are building and really grateful for our team throughout our organization.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Through my years of building businesses, my husband has been my biggest proponent, fan, and champion. He ran the chocolate and confections division for Nestle, so his insights on best practices and innovation are invaluable. He is also a great marketer so I can bounce ideas off of him and we can get into some pretty passionate discussions.
Thank you for that. Let’s now pivot to the main focus of our interview. This might be intuitive, but I think it’s helpful to specifically articulate it. In your words, can you share a few reasons why great customer service and a great customer experience is essential for success in business?
The guest experience is the foundation to building a successful business. When was the last time you purchased a beverage and remember getting amazing service? At Sip Fresh our model is focused on guest engagement from the moment they walk by our stores. The eye-catching design invites the guest to then sample the high quality fresh fruit juices on display before purchasing. Our team is part of the experience every step of the way, recommending samples, sharing “fan favorites,” and providing suggestions for a better Sip Fresh experience. We like to say the guest “sees it, samples it, and then sips it,” and we interact to provide a memorable experience that will be memorable for our guests.
We have all had times either in a store, or online, when we’ve had a very poor experience as a customer or user. If the importance of a good customer experience is so intuitive, and apparent, where is the disconnect? How is it that so many companies do not make this a priority?
There are a few reasons guest satisfaction and experience take a back seat at many companies. First is the issue of extremely quick service, which doesn’t always provide the opportunity to extend a memorable guest experience. Many quick-service concepts believe it’s all about getting the food to the customer, but at Sip Fresh we believe the journey is just as important as the destination. Other companies feel there is a great value to provide a good customer experience, however they don’t provide the proper training for employees to carry out that memorable visit, nor do they or follow up with appropriate guest interaction. In order to weave the guest experience into the culture, it begins with top leadership consistently setting the example. As you said, it is intuitive, a way of life, rather than the exception to the rule.
Do you think that more competition helps force companies to improve the customer experience they offer? Are there other external pressures that can force a company to improve the customer experience?
I think it depends on the industry and category within the industry. I do believe that post-COVID, we have come to expect less in regards to service. That may be because companies were so grateful that people visited the store during those very stressful times, often understaffed, so service may had taken a back seat in order to get the product out. We may need to get back to basics in order to provide great service again in some industries. As for external influence, when I personally have a great experience I seek out the management and leadership to let them know who and how their team member provided a great customer experience. That goes a long way in reinforcing the value of good service.
Can you share with us a story from your experience about a customer who was “Wowed” by the experience you provided?
At Sip Fresh we have a catering component whereby guests order a gallon or more of any flavor of Fresh Sip juice, and they can also rent our serving barrels and ladles for parties, barbecues, or any event. We had a guest order a couple of gallons for a party last spring and was hooked. She became a regular and ordered weekly for parties and gatherings. She loved our high-quality products and quick response to her order needs. We are happy to be a continued part of her events, parties, and gatherings!
Did that Wow! experience have any long-term ripple effects? Can you share the story?
In today’s environment, social media is a big factor in guests sharing their WOW moments. Fortunately we have many guests who let us know that they had a great experience, even naming their favorite Sipista (The Sip Fresh version of a barista). We are always happy when a guest takes the time to share their WOW experience.
Ok, here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should know in order to create a Wow! Customer Experience. Please share a story or an example for each.
1. You have to believe in it to deliver it- Great service has to be engrained in you, it’s not an on-again, off- again mentality.
2. Living by the Golden Rule, treat others how you would like to be treated. This will naturally provide great customer experience- who doesn’t want to be treated well?
3. Treating team members with respect sets the tone for what expectations we have from our team to deliver to our guests.
4. HAVE FUN at work. If you like what you do, it is infectious to the team and the guest.
5. If a guest experience goes awry, make it right. My philosophy begins with “I am sorry” and trying to remedy the situation immediately.
Are there a few things that can be done so that when a customer or client has a Wow! experience, they inspire others to reach out to you as well?
Social media is very powerful, we would love to hear from WOW guests any time. They can also reach us at: [email protected].
My particular expertise is in retail, so I’d like to ask a question about that. Amazon is going to exert pressure on all of retail for the foreseeable future. New Direct-To-Consumer companies based in China are emerging that offer prices that are much cheaper than US and European brands. What would you advise retail companies and eCommerce companies, for them to be successful in the face of such strong competition?
You have to continue to find ways to stand out and add value to the consumer that outweighs the pricing issue. This means providing exceptional quality, a key component that we can’t emphasize enough. Also working with consumers to provide reasonable and user-friendly terms such as return policies, etc. We all want it to be “hassle free” and I look at Nordstrom and am still amazed at how well they do this.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Living in Los Angeles, I see the challenges of our growing homeless population. This is true on both coasts and we have not been able to slay this dragon. It seems to get worse annually. Many people begin by getting temporarily displaced, and need help in the short term. There is an opportunity to convert out of service motels along the highway into short-term housing and training for the homeless to get them back on their feet and back into the workforce. Services such as resumes, interviews, job search, etc. would be provided.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: @sipfresh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sipfreshjuice
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sip-fresh-franchise/
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Sharon Arthofer Of Sip Fresh On 5 Ways To Create a Wow! Customer Experience was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
