Businesses open and close all the time, in big cities and small. As global giants with deep pockets extend their reach into every market, it makes it tougher for smaller operators to survive. The pressure to stay competitive often means cutting costs amid efforts to retain good service and customers.
Awards nights provide the opportunity to highlight community players who excel. There have been two such events held recently to recognize local standouts — the Canadian Home Builders’ Association Central Interior Home Builder Awards and this past weekend’s Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
Such attention is always a thrill for those receiving it, but a particularly heartwarming tale emerged Saturday night.
Scott’s Inn and Restaurant has been owned by the Patel family since 1989.
Owner Al Patel told those gathered that the family came to Kamloops after their supermarket and theatre tanked in Vancouver — they took a risk by mortgaging their house to buy the property here.
He said the award is a point of pride for all the staff, some of whom have been loyal employees for 20 years, and it appears there is good reason for that.
Even when times were tough, the Patels say they put value on making sure employees were paid and thus stayed, by serving home-cooked food and giving good customer service.
He said it’s possible to “compete in the marketplace and improve your properties, give the people what they want, keep the standards up and do not let a piece of that service be compromised.”
And it is due to that attitude that the family business has flourished under their attention for nearly a quarter century.
Every business — retail or otherwise — could take a page from this recipe for success. Treat staff well and your happy, loyal employees feel a sense of pride. Their success becomes your success.
Treat your workers poorly and they’re apt to not want to go the extra mile. They may also spread word about your miserly/miserable ways, turning people off before even giving your business a chance.
Anyone with a struggling business might want to consider if they’re really giving their all, like the Patels have, or talk to one of the other winners at the chamber or home builders awards about what they’re doing that works. These leaders of industry are right in our community and only a phone call away.
We Say editorials represent the viewpoint of The Daily News and are written by editor Robert Koopmans, city editor Tracy Gilchrist, news editor Mike Cornell or associate news editors Dan Spark and Mark Rogers.
