I noticed this stall just today while walking to the restaurant for lunch. There was some peculiarity about it that I decided I’m going to stop by on my way back and have something.
When I came back, the man at the stall was as busy in his work as I saw him before. Never shifting his gaze from his table. He was a muslim with a grey-white beard, probably 50+ or something with his stall stationed on the outside of the mosque. What was peculiar was that he put on an apron, wore clean white clothes, sleeves carefully pulled back and had a chef’s cap, not the religious one. How often do you see fruit sellers wearing aprons? On the road side in India?
I never really wanted to have a fruit salad but I wanted give this enterprising man a chance for business. His stall was so clean, boxes and other condiments logically arranged and surfaces clear of unnecessary objects. The menu hanging in the middle was a whiteboard with only 3 items spelled out clearly. Item names on the left in block letters, prices on the right carefully aligned. That just reminded of the number of boards at restaurants that just scribbled away ‘Today’s special: Biryani’ in some alien handwriting.
To be honest, the salad itself wasn’t that great. A bit too sweet I guess. When I was finished and was putting away the cup(and spoon, both disposable plastics) I noticed the dustbin. It wasn’t a box. It was a proper dustbin. And credit this man’s foresight, there was boulder inside it that prevented it from toppling in the wind. I know these are extremely small details, but isn’t meticulousness that what makes a great business? On the other side was a kettle that held water, probably cold too. Quite surprising for a fruit stall. It felt like he wanted the experience to be complete.
No this isn’t about all the small superhit roadside stalls that have patronage of the people even from ‘Audi’s. I know enough of them. It’s about being professional. It’s about not giving into the ‘whatever’ attitude. It’s about taking the time to setup things. It’s not just about doing something, but doing it right.
We are so used to delivering and receiving second rate services that we often start to believe that is all there is. Unless some very unexpected people come along and show us how it can done better.
Whether its writing code, running a restaurant or flying an airplane I think we should never forget that our work is a reflection of us. And let us never forget that we should be raising the bar, not adhering to it.