What I learnt About Streamlining Business From A Simple (but clever) Dumpling House

The last thing I would expect was to get a business lesson from a night out with my daughter, but that’s exactly what happened. Strangely enough, if you’re a tradie who would like to improve efficiency and productivity within your business, you might get a lesson from this too… read on…

I recently had dinner with my daughter at the Din Tai Fung Dumpling House at the Star Casino in Sydney.

It served it’s purpose for a quick, fresh and some what healthy option that I knew we would enjoy. The thing that shocked me (for want of a better term), was the lesson I got from a simple (but clever) dumpling house. Let me share with you what I learnt…

For starters, they had made the process of ordering really SIMPLE. They even had a form that you completed to make your selection. That way, when you approached the counter, the exchange was quick and efficient. We were handed a ‘buzzer’ and waited for our order.
Result: turnover was greater ($). No confusion for the customer.

My daughter, Hannah, was drawn to the glass to watch the ‘team in action’. Yes, they had their ‘wonton making team’ in full health regulation uniforms, facing the glass in full view whilst they made the wontons.

I mean a serious man-powered, very organised and structured assembly line of 4 actions that was repeated over and over and over again.
There were 4 very specific steps:
1. The first guy was taking a pre-cut (all the same) ball of dough, adding flour and flattening it out in a perfect circle, using a very specific technique with a rolling pin.

2. The second guy was adding the port mince, weighing it on scales, removing or adding more to make it a precise weight.

3, The third guy (there were 2 at this step) was sealing the mince within the pastry by pinching the top in a circle. Then placing 5 into a bamboo steamer.

4. The fourth and last guy was cooking them per order.

They weren’t tripping over each other. They didn’t look confused about how much pork mince to add, and production didn’t slow down because each step was so precise.

Instead it worked like clock-work. Streamlined. Order. They were quick because everyone knew the steps involved, and each had their key responsibility.

There were no mistakes. No wasted time. They were just productive thanks to the streamlined business systems they had in place.

It made me think about our trade business and how we can all learn from my Dumpling House experience.

Each tradie needs to know their job. What steps to follow, in what order to maximize their time with the customer and collect payment at the end of the job. It’s very specific. It’s starts literally from the moment they open their eyes in the morning.

They all have a clean and professional uniform to represent the business well.

Their first job is visible on their tablet so they know where to go, they collect the fully charged tablet and phone and head to their first job to arrive by 7am in their clean and fully stocked vehicle.
They know exactly what comes with them to the front door, what to say to the customer, what steps to follow to ensure they have authorisation to complete work and receive payment at the end.

There are plenty more steps within, but the point here is this: there is a process. Steps, in a very specific order, to follow. And all our tradies know them well. In fact, they have even been documented into a simple 1 page flowchart.

Makes it really easy to train new staff, prevent errors, keep everyone following the same set of rules and save time, which in the end helps to make better money.
You’ve probably seen us talk about these before. If not, comment below asking for a copy of one of ours and I’ll happily send you one

It’s what makes the difference from one business to another. You can maximize each job by following a very set flow of events. It’s what you want right? Because time is MONEY!
The Dumpling House was certainly a great reminder that to have a streamlined business, where there are no bottlenecks to slow you down, will only improve efficiency and productivity in the business. Which, at the end of the day = PROFIT!

What’s next?

  1. Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
  2. Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.

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