National Dipper May June 2023

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THE MAGAZINE FOR FROZEN DESSERT RETAILERS

by Michael & Robert Frisina

by Mark E. Battersby

Page 5 - Joe and Linda Watt are the new owners of No Water Bath.

Page 10 - Kathy Turek, (left) Giuseppe Lollino (center) and Maria Liliana Biondo (right) are the winners of the Chicago Gelato Challenge.

Page 11 - United Foodservice Solutions is Carpigiani’s new distributor in Michigan.

Where is Spring???

Where IS Spring? Here in the Midwest, temperatures have been below normal except for the week of April 10-14, when temperatures were well above average, in the 80s. All of the flowers started to bloom and the trees started to leaf out, then it got cold and rainy, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s and we even had frost warnings at night. And temperatures are not looking all that good for the next two weeks, until the middle of May.

In some areas of the country it is still snowing and there has been very violent weather in the south. Hopefully, temperatures will warm up very soon and the ice cream season will be in full swing!

It saddens me to tell you that after 76 years, the New England Ice Cream Restaurant Association’s (NEICRA) Board of Directors voted to dissolve the association. The good news here is that the unused scholarship money was gifted to the Great Lakes Ice Cream & Fast Food Association (GLIC & FFA), another regional association in the ice cream industry. And the scholarship will continue to honor Dick Warren, a past president of NEICRA. GLIC & FFA is giving any former member of NEICRA a special membership offer for the first year. Read all about it on page 6.

In This Issue

This is the time of year when most of you are hiring new employees for the coming season. I wrote an article about hiring new employees. It includes tips on writing an ad to attract new employees; what to do before, during and after the interview; staying in control of the interview; asking specific questions and checking references. You don’t want to miss this article beginning on page 12.

The next article written by Michael and Robert Frisina talks about engaging Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, ages 11 to 26. This is

the largest generation now that is in the workforce and will continue to be present in a big way.

Most experts agree that beyond fair pay (which is just the price of entry), Gen Zers want an empathetic workplace that puts people before profits. They want a sense of community and belonging. They want employers that value diversity and inclusion, allow flexibility and work/life balance, develop them, prioritize their mental health, and provide meaningful work that advances social justice—or, at the very least, doesn’t detract from it.

It’s a tall order, but not to worry, Michael and Robert tell you how to engage their upper brain. The article starts on page 16.

We asked ice cream stores to tell us what they are planning to do for National Ice Cream Month. Unfortunatley, only three store owners responded to our inquiry: Cookie Cookie Ice Cream, McKees Rocks, Penn.; Main Street Sweets, Tarrytown, N.Y.; and Malley’s Chocolates, Cleveland, Ohio. Their responses are on page 19.

Payroll is typically one of the biggest expenses of every ice cream business, even seasonal. An employer is responsible for its share of certain federal payroll taxes, including employer contributions under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). Mark E. Battersby explains the types of payroll costs, deductions, penalties, state and local payroll taxes and gives a few tips on controlling payroll costs. His article begins on page 20.

Finally, Ron Kaufman gives you 11 tips for building a strong service team. Service is taking action to create value for someone else, and when that is the driving force for yourt staff and your organizaion, everyone will be happier.

Lynda Utterback Publisher/Editor

THE MAGAZINE FOR FROZEN DESSERT RETAILERS

LYNDA UTTERBACK Publisher/Editor

Editorial and Sales Office

1532 Oregon Trail

Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Phone: 847/301-8400

e-mail:lynda@nationaldipper.com

Web: www.nationaldipper.com

This publication is a member of:

• Great Lakes Ice Cream & Fast Food Assn.

• National Ice Cream Mix Association

• The Ice Screamers

The National Dipper is published six times a year, (Jan/Feb; Mar/Apr; May/June; Jul/Aug: Sep/Oct; Nov/Dec) by United States Exposition Corp., 1532 Oregon Trail, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. 847/301-8400. The National Dipper serves ice cream retailers in the United States and Canada.

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In new product items and trade news this publication acts only as a news reporting service and assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims or statements. Unsolicited material should be accompanied by return postage. The publisher assumes no responsibility for such material. All letters/e-mails sent to The National Dipper will be considered the property of The National Dipper.

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JOE AND LINDA WATT have taken over ownership and the day to day operations and manufacturing of No Water Bath Thermal Transfer Pads as of January 2023.

As the previous owners of the Cone Corral & Pizzeria in Elk Rapids and Rapid City Michigan, we are very familiar with the value of the No Water Bath system in maintaining food warmers.

We were first introduced to No Water Bath at a GLIC+FFA trades how in 2016. Billy Marchal, the owner and developer of the No Water Bath Thermal pad, was there and convinced both of us that this system would benefit our hot fudge warmer. It would provide an evenly warmed product and help extend the life of the warmer. We were convinced! We bought some on the spot and continued using them for 6 years.

The two Cone Corrals were sold in 2021 and 2022. We reignited our hobbies and home projects for 8 months. Then an email came in that Billy was selling his business. We hopped in our car and drove to Lima, Ohio to check it out. We gave Billy a good faith deposit the same day.

We have used these pads for years. They really make a difference in maintaining and dispensing hot fudge. We were able to extend the life of the warmers as the use of water for warming was eliminated.

Today we are getting the word out that we are the new owners! We would like to make some changes to the website to make it easier for customers to place orders. In addition, we would like to grow the catering side of the business with the chafing pan thermal transfer pad.

For more information or to place an order, call 231/6323082 or go to our website at: nowaterbath.com

ANDY’S FROZEN Custard®, the award-winning frozen custard and treat shop is on track to open 28 new stores this year and has more than 100 in development.

New Store Openings:

La Grange Park, IL: Andy’s™ continues to expand in Chicagoland with the opening of its newest Chicago location at 531 N. La Grange Road on January 22, 2023.

Prosper, TX: Andy’s Frozen Custard opened its doors at 1151 East First Street on Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Overland Park, KS: Andy’s will open its 12th store in the Kansas City area on March 1, 2023, to be located at 11220 Nall Avenue in Overland Park, Kansas. The store will become part of the growing Galleria 115 mixed-use development that also includes residences, retail and entertainment.

Edmond, OK: Andy’s Frozen Custard will open its second Edmond location on March 8, 2023, to be located at 1200 E. 15th Street.

IN DECEMBER 2022, after much thought and consideration, the Directors of the Board of the New England Ice Cream Restaurant Association (NEICRA), voted to dissolve the association after 76 years.

Over the past few months NEICRA has reached an agreement to gift the unused scholarship monies to the Great Lakes Ice Cream and Fast Food Association (GLIC&FFA). This scholarship monies will be awarded in honor of long time NEICRA member and Past President, Dick Warren.

Dick was known to all in the ice cream world as the owner of Four Seas Ice Cream in Centerville, Mass. He was a teacher and guidance counselor for 15 years at Barnstable High School where he taught English and public speaking.

In 1960 he purchased Four Seas Ice Cream in Centerville. Dick had a special affection for the youngsters who worked at Four Seas. He was affectionately known as “Chief” by his employees, who became part of his extended family. He hosted an annual ski weekend for employees during the off-season and traveled around the country visiting his employees at their colleges to reinforce the tight-knit culture and exemplary student workforce for which Four Seas is known. He truly was known as a friend to all.

The Dick Warren scholarship will be awarded annually at the Great Lakes Ice Cream & Fast Food Annual Convention commencing in 2024, honoring his contribution to the ice cream industry.

Great Lakes Ice Cream and Fast Food Association is giving any members of the former NEICRA who want to join GLIC&FFA, a special membership offer for the first year. Membership includes free admission to the annual trade show, including free admission to all educational seminars at the show, association newsletter, mentor program, Constant Contact discount and much more. Contact GLIC&FFA at 810/618-0605 or www.glicffa.com for more information.

Great Lakes Ice Cream and Fast Food Association was founded in 1967 by Ward J. Anderson then a sales manager for the former McDonald Dairy in Chesaning, Michigan.

THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT Association and the Restaurant Law Center (Law Center) submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to withdraw its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on non-compete clauses. In the comments, the organizations assert that should this proposed rule go into effect, there are likely to be unanticipated consequences that could harm employees and consumers in the restaurant industry rather than helping them, and could reduce competition rather than increasing it.

The joint opposition to the proposal is based on three grounds: Restaurant owners use non-competes sparingly with senior-level employees to protect confidential information. The proposed change is unnecessary and counterproductive because restaurant owners do not typically use them with restaurant managers or hourly employees.

The Commission lacks clear Congressional authorization to ban or regulate non-compete agreements, which would be required for a Commission’s NPRM on non-competes.

LEANDRA OLIVOTTI, Director of Sales and Network Development at Carpigiani North America, an Ali Group company, announced that Tyler George has joined the group as West Coast Business Development Manager. George will be responsible for managing the distributors’ network and developing sales in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tyler to the Carpigiani team. His 20+ years of experience in the frozen dessert industry and multi-store operations make him a great addition to our sales team,” Olivotti said.

“I am extremely honored to join the Carpigiani team in North America, as I am able to provide value and a deep understanding for artisanal ice cream, gelato and frozen desserts.

Additionally, I am excited for the opportunity to share 25 years of passion and experience with our clients and future partners, while continuing my journey in this amazing, high-growth category,” George stated.

George brings to Carpigiani 25 years of experience in the frozen dessert industry, ranging from establishing one of the first gelaterias in the U.S. to opening 100 Italian gelato stores, acting as professional consultant. Most recently, he worked in the Italian ingredient category with MEC3 as an Area Manager, Corporate Chef and National Key Account Manager. In addition to his operations and sales background, George is a Master Gelato Chef, trained in Italy. He specializes in Italian gelaterias and all varieties of American frozen desserts. In the last five years, he has focused on the health and wellness category, which includes alternative plant-based milks, vegan proteins and alternative clean-label sweeteners.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF Food Science Short Course covers the core concepts of Food Science and will be held at the Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building on the University Park Campus, Penn State University, June 26-30, 2023.

It is designed for technical personnel from other disciplines (chemistry, biology, engineering) and nontechnical personnel who have little or no experience in the food industry. You will learn vocabulary associated with food science and manufacturing, and learn the core principles of food chemistry, engineering, microbiology, nutrition, sensory science and packaging taught in the context for real-world food examples.

For more information and to register call 877/778-2937.

RETURNING TO AN in-person meeting at the Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club for the first time since 2020, NICMA held its 78th Annual Meeting and Convention Jan. 15-18. Nearly 70 members, speakers, and guests joined the educational, business, and social events, organized under the leadership of President David Catalana (Cumberland Dairy LLC). During the NICMA Board meeting Scott Nicholas (Taylor Company) and Brett Tanttu (Saputo Dairy Foods USA) were elected to the open Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer positions respectively.

2023-2024 NICMA Board of Directors:

David Catalana (President) – Cumberland Dairy LLC

Scott Nicholas (Vice President) – Taylor Company

Brett Tanttu (Secretary/Treasurer) – Saputo Dairy Foods USA

Craig Colonno – Anderson Erickson Dairy

Dean Angott – C.F. Burger Creamery

Pat Galloway – Classic Mix Partners

Tony Coryn – Dairy-Mix, Inc.

Kevin Grow – KanPak, LLC

Joe Gomoll – Meadowvale, Inc.

Bob Kmetz – Prairie Farms Dairy

Donald Tiller III – Tiller Foods Inc/Southeast Dairy Processors, Inc.

Randy Carr – Turner Dairy Farms

Joe Duscher – Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.

Kevin Harrah – Corbion

Kevin Griffin – Liquibox

JOE TAKHAR, Senior Director of Customer Care at Carpigiani North America, an Ali Group company, announced that Kelly Milbrecht has joined the group as Director of Service. Milbrecht will be responsible for ensuring the highest level of after-sales technical service support to strategic accounts and general market customers.

“We are eager to welcome Kelly to the Carpigiani team. His 22 years of service management experience in the professional foodservice equipment industry make him a valuable addition to our Customer Care team,” Takhar said.

“I’m excited to be joining the Carpigiani family. I’m looking forward to increasing customer satisfaction by strengthening and expanding the service side of the business,” said Milbrecht.

His extensive background includes technical expertise in warewashing, refrigeration, and cooking equipment manufactured in North America and Europe. Milbrecht was most recently with Electrolux Professional Group in North America and previously worked with Hobart Service. He will report directly to Takhar. His addition to the Customer Care team signals the continued growth of Carpigiani in the North American market.

BRUSTER’S REAL ICE Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is introducing Cold Brew Brownie to their loyal customer base beginning April 1st

Cold Brew Brownie Ice Cream starts with a base of creamy, homemade coffee ice cream. From there, they add in ripples of rich chocolate fudge and pieces of decadent brownie bites. It’s the perfect combination for coffee and chocolate lovers. The flavor joins Bruster’s list of over 150 rotating flavors.

“We are constantly looking for new flavor combinations to introduce to our customers,” said Bruster’s Real Ice Cream VP of Marketing, Jennifer Brinker. “The Cold Brew Brownie flavor is a perfect example of an ice cream that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Chocolate, coffee, and caffeine. It’s delicious morning, noon, and night.”

In addition to the new flavor, Bruster’s will also feature fan favorite Banana Nut Bread Ice Cream during the month of April. Limited Time Offers will be on rotation at all Bruster’s locations throughout the promotional month.

Bruster’s Sweet Rewards Loyalty Members can check their apps for the latest updates to limited time offerings, as well as any other promotions happening at their local Bruster’s. Bruster’s offers an immediate $3 reward to each new Sweet Rewards Member.

CARPIGIANI NORTH America, an Ali Group company, announced changes in its sales and marketing organization structure designed to tap into its talented leadership bench and accelerate the company’s growth. The new structure consists of five pillars: Global Strategic Accounts, North America Chain Solutions, Sales Network Development, Carpigiani Education and Marketing.

“We are empowering our team to better serve our business partners. This new structure will leverage the strengths of our people, provide a greater focus and sharpen our approach to lead generation, communication, education, innovation and sales growth,” said Penny Klingler, President of Carpigiani North America.

The company is pleased to announce the following organizational changes and introduce the pillars:

Dianna Nielsen will assume the role of Vice President, Global Strategic Accounts, U.S. and Canada. Dianna brings 31 years of experience in the industry to this position. Her extensive background includes 18 years with The Delfield Company, a division of Welbilt, in National Account Management including McDonald’s, where she was instrumental in growing the Delfield business within the McDonald’s organization. Dianna served as Vice President, McDonald’s Global Account for nine years with the Taylor Company as well as the last four years with Carpigiani, where she also held the position of Vice President of McDonald’s Global Account.

Kami Poppen will assume the role of Vice President, Chain Solution Development U.S. and Canada. Kami brings 27 years of experience in the commercial foodservice industry to this role. She has been instrumental in Carpigiani’s growth, joining the team in 2011 and helming the U.S. marketing and sales division since 2020. Prior to joining Carpigiani, Kami held several positions in Product Development, Food Applications, Global Chain Sales, and Equipment Project Management for ACP Inc., an Ali Group company.

Leandra Olivotti will assume the role of Director of Sales and Network Development North and Central America

Leandra has 18 years of experience in the foodservice equipment industry. Since joining Carpigiani in 2019, she has led Business Development in North and Central America. Her exten-

sive global background includes expertise in the refrigeration equipment sector and restaurant chain operations.

Giacomo Paccione will assume the role of Director of Marketing and Trade Marketing Giacomo brings 12 years of global experience in the banking and food equipment industry to this position. His background includes Category Management and Business Development with Electrolux Professional, where he was responsible for combi ovens, blast chillers, and accelerated cooking equipment for the Americas.

Marco Filippelli will assume the role of Product and Training Manager. Marco has 8 years of international experience with Carpigiani. During his tenure with the organization, he managed operations and training for Carpigiani’s flagship gelato store, was production manager for global Carpigiani events, and has been responsible of building the frozen dessert education network in the U.S., including Frozen Dessert University, Gelato University and Foodservice and Pastry educational classes.

About Carpigiani

Established in 1946 in Italy and present in the North American market since 1963, Carpigiani enjoys an unrivaled market position, thanks to top-quality products, customer service, education programs, and technological innovation. The company supports its equipment with a worldwide network of highly skilled sales and service technicians. The premier brand name in frozen-dessert machines, the company has built a reputation as the essence of quality, education through their Carpigiani Gelato University and Frozen Dessert University and service in the foodservice industry. Carpigiani has seven subsidiaries and four manufacturing facilities serving the global market with one located in High Point, N.C.

FOUNDER JENI BRITTON has perfected her homemade banana bread recipe and what better to put her spin on the classic than by doing what Jeni’s does best – turning it into an ice cream. Jeni’s Homemade Banana Bread features ultra creamy banana custard, chocolate chip banana bread pieces, and lots of walnuts. All of its fruity & nutty glory will be available with early access to rewards members from 4/20 - 4/26, with the official scoop shop and e-commerce launch beginning 4/27.

CARPIGIANI is proud to announce the top three winners of its Chicago gelato challenge, held in Vernon Hills, Ill., on February 21.

First place: Giuseppe Lollino of Vero Gelato in Franklin Park (IL) with the flavor “Tribute to Setteveli”. Description: chocolate gelato made with homemade hazelnut praline, a hazelnut cookie crunch and a dark chocolate ganache

Second place: Kathy Turek of The Knotted Cone in Appleton (WI) with the flavor “Pink Peaches & Cream”. Description: a blended peach, strawberry, and blood orange sorbet twisted with a cream gelato infused with Madagascar vanilla beans and fresh zested lemon peel

Third place: Maria Liliana Biondo of Ugogelato in Cincinnati (OH) with the flavor “Mandorland”. Description: a base made out of natural almond, toasted almond and bitter almond, 70% Venezuelan chococolate, blood orange glaze, almond nougat and finishing with an orange zest spray

Juan Gutierrez, Corporate Pastry Chef at Lettuce Entertain You

The Gelato Festival debuted in Florence, Italy, in 2010, and soon expanded throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. The first North American challenge was held in Colorado in 2017. After more than 80 regional festivals and more than 3,500 gelato artisans participating, the winner of the most recent Gelato Festival was Ádám Fazekas of Budapest, Hungary, with his Frutta di Pistacchio (Pistachio Fruit) gelato in 2021.

THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, the foodservice industry’s premier event, announced the 20 recipients of the 2023 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards. Each year, the KI Awards program recognizes the year’s most forward-thinking and cutting-edge kitchen equipment and product innovations that meaningfully improve foodservice operations. The National Restaurant Association Show brings together more restaurant and hospitality buyers and equipment manufacturers than any other industry event and will be held May 20-23, 2023, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s recipients of the 2023 Kitchen Innovations Award,” said Tom Cindric, President of Winsight Exhibitions. “Each year we see innovative products that revolutionize kitchen and foodservice operations, and this year is no different. These equipment advancements address many of the challenges impacting operations today—including workforce shortages and labor costs—and create a new generation of kitchens that improve operations and safety through increased efficiency, versatility and productivity to help boost the bottom line.”

The Chicago gelato challenge is one of four North America regional gelato challenges to be held in 2023 as part of the Gelato Festival World Masters. Three winners from each of the regional challenges will advance to the North America semi-finals to be held in Los Angeles in September 2023. The Gelato Festival World Masters, sponsored by Carpigiani and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group, is holding a four-year series of competitions to find the world’s best gelato. Over the 2022-2025 time period, a series of regional competitions will be held, with the final global competition to be held in 2025 in Italy.

The gelato creations are judged on the choice of ingredients used, technical structure, craftsmanship in creating the recipe and visual impact. At each competition, the gelati will be judged by a panel of esteemed judges. Judges for the North America challenge in Vernon Hills were:

Tom O’Brien, Contributing Editor for Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine and Principal of O’Brien

Culinary Communications

Tony Priolo, Owner of Piccolo Sogno restaurant and Nonnina in Chicago

Giacomo Pettinari, Executive chef at Soho House Chicago

Nicole Guini, Pastry chef at Adalina restaurant Chicago

The KI Awards program has earned a reputation for defining the gold standard of foodservice equipment innovations. This year’s recipients reflect the trends and topics most important to foodservice operators today, while generating industry growth through a focus on automation, efficiency, safety improvements, sustainability, and more. The KI Award recipients were selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders and internationally recognized food facility consultants, multi-unit executives and design experts.

Among the most notable winners was Taylor’s latest Hydra Rinse which now features a configurable pro-controller that allows users to clean different soft-serve/shake machine models with one system. As before, without disassembling the machine, just attach the Hydra Rinse system and auto clean--in half the typical cycle time, regardless of staff skill level, for a cleaner machine and better tasting mix.

ST. LOUIS BASED microcreamery, Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Ice Cream, announced, the Zodiac Series, a new monthly flavor release with an ice cream inspired by each new season’s astrological sign. Just in time for the beginning of the astrological year and the turn of spring, Clementine’s will officially launch the Aries season ice cream on Tuesday,

March 21. At the start of every new astrological season, Clementine’s will introduce a flavor, highlighting the personality profiles of each of the twelve zodiac signs. As the first 2023 Zodiac release, “Pandan” represents the fearless and confident Aries willing to try new things. Made with fresh pandan leaves from Southeast Asia in a custom sweet cream base, the brilliant green hued ice cream is as magnetizing as Aries themselves. All Zodiac releases will be available for a limited time for nationwide shipping here at the start of their season in 4-pint mix-and-match packs or in-person at Clementine’s six St. Louis-based scoop shops.

“Our Zodiac series allows us to flex our creativity, pairing some of our favorite returning and new ice creams with our customers’ astrological signs,” says Clementine’s Founder and Flavor Temptress Tamara Keefe. “It’s a different way to connect with ice cream. We can all find a little bit of ourselves in our horoscope readings, so it will be a fun test to see if we hit the mark of your favorite ice cream flavor profiles. We chose flavor profiles that represent the characteristics of an astrological sign, like the reliability of a Virgo is reflected in the timeless flavor of an apple pie with the Baked Apple Betty ice cream.”

CARPIGIANI, an Ali Group company, is pleased to announce the expansion of their partner network by adding United Foodservice Solutions as their distributor for the state of Michigan. United joins Carpigiani’s distributor network to offer frozen dessert solutions to ice cream and gelato parlors, bakeries, retailers, and QSRs looking to expand their menu with soft-serve, frozen beverage and other dessert options.

United Foodservice Solutions has been providing exceptional sales and service in the foodservice industry for over 64 years. As a third-generation company, UFS specializes in sales, service and repair, and has a combined total of 160 years in the industry serving more than 1200 customers in the Michigan market.

“We are now going to be able to supply our longterm customers with gelato, softserve ice cream, shake, and frozen drink options, making us an even more wellrounded supplier,”

United Foodservice Solutions President Aaron Hubbard said.

“The Carpigiani culture and equipment fits very well with the UFS company model and their stellar commitment to customer service and support,” said Josanne Kanipe, Director of Business Development at Carpigiani North America.

The UFS group of in-house sales and service technicians is theadquartered in Grand Ledge, Mich., along with a showroom and test kitchen ready to accommodate customer demonstrations.

Hiring New Employees

by Lynda Utterback

There comes a point in every business when an owner can no longer “do it all,” so he or she must hire someone to help expand the business. As a small business owner, one of the most important decisions you will make will be who you hire. This, more than any other decision you make, will have a tremendous impact on the success of your business.

Hiring would be a simple procedure if you could “clone” yourself. Unfortunately it isn’t that simple. But there are some guidelines and interviewing techniques you can use to help you find the right people for the job.

Before the Interview

The very first thing you will want to do is familiarize yourself with the state laws regarding the Equal Opportunity Act. Companies that have less than 15 employees are exempt from this act but it is a good idea to be aware of these laws. The local branch office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will have a copy of the law and will tell you what you can and cannot do as an employer. Or you can go online at https://www.eeoc.

gov

Each state is different, so if you have stores in more than one state, be sure to obtain a copy of the law from each state. The EEOC investigates all complaints, so it is important for you to know the law; ignorance is no defense.

Begin preparing for the interviews by listing the job requirements. In order to hire the right person for the job, you have to know what the job is going to be. Are there physical duties involved in the job? Will the employee be lifting three-gallon tubs of ice cream from the bottom of the dipping cabinet? Will they be moping floors and washing windows?

What type of personality is needed? Are you looking for someone who is outgoing? Is there a need for an educational requirement? Will this individual be handling money or totaling

customer receipts? If so, you will want them to have some basic math skills. Do you prefer the applicant have some experience or are you willing to train?

Sit down and make a list of these requirements. Many employers make the mistake of hiring someone because they like the person. While it is nice, you don’t have to like your employees. It is not necessary or advisable to become friends with your employees. What is important is that they fulfill the requirement of the job and are able to do the work, as well as interact with customers and fellow employees.

Prepare an Ad

Many ice cream store owners just post a message on their Facebook page that they are hiring. That’s fine and there should be a link to the application. But before they begin to fill out the application, you need to prepare an ad that will bring you the kind of employee you want to work for you. This is where you can be creative. Use words that suggest challenge, a fun environment, chance for advancement. Find an exciting job title, something that people will want to be involved in. If your ad is dull, it will attract dull people.

When you write the ad, keep in mind the requirements you have listed. Include educational and experience related qualifications but don’t ask for personality characteristics. When you list these traits in the ad, people who interview for the job will be sure to exhibit these characteristics.

You can also include things like: a great opportunity to meet people; close to public transportation, friendly staff; clean working environment. If you are located in a larger city you may want to give a general location such as “northwest side” of city or near a familiar landmark. Mention all of the positive aspects of your business. Don’t skimp on the ad. A few extra positive statements about your business may be the thing you need to attract the right person.

Pre-Interview

You have decided on the job requirements, personality traits and you have written and placed the ad on you website. It is an excellent idea to preinterview by telephone.

Your time is extremely valuable and many of the people who respond to your ad will not be qualified for the job. You will only be wasting your time if you interview everyone who fills out an application. A few questions in a phone interview will determine whether or not you want to interview this person.

Again, refer to your list of requirements. Ask specific questions like, “Have you had any experience in a small retail store? What did you do? How long were you employed?” If you are looking for someone without experience, you can ask when they are available to work, how many hours a week, do they have any objection to working weekends and evenings.

If the pre-interview indicates that this is not the right person for the job, explain that you are looking for someone with more experience or better math skills or what they are lacking.

The Interview

Within 20 to 30 minutes you will have to determine whether the person you are interviewing is reliable, mature, stable, honest, hard-working, punctual, friendly and dependable. Impossible you say. No, not if you follow a few simple guidelines and ask some revealing questions.

Have the person fill out the application online and submit it before the interview so you have a chance to look it over. If someone refuses to fill out the form completely, you may be asking for trouble if you hire that type of person. An job has unpleasant tasks. If the person can’t fill out a form, you don’t want them as an employee.

A resume is a sales tool for a person looking for a job. It is meant to sell you on the good points of that person. It takes the control of the interview out of your hands. Read the resume be-

cause it can tell much about a person from the way they write but don’t base your entire decision to hire that person on the basis of the resume.

Stay in Control

Try to make the interview as relaxed as possible. Make sure you are not disturbed except in an emergency. This will make the person feel important. Don’t sit behind a desk, it could intimidate the person you are interviewing. Set up two chairs and sit down and talk to the person.

While you are interviewing take notes but don’t continue to write through the entire interview. If a negative comment is made, don’t write it down immediately, wait until the next time something positive is said and make note of both comments.

You should control the interview. You want the person interviewed to do the talking. You should talk very little. Ask the questions and let them answer. When you have enough information or they are beginning to ramble, interrupt and ask another question. If they ask about the job or the hours or benefits, tell them you will talk about that at the end of the interview. Keep control of the situation.

Ask Specific Questions

A good way to begin the interview is to tell the person that you want to get to know them. The better you know the person, the better the chance that person has to get the job. Tell them to brag about themselves. Start by asking them about their first employment experience. What was it like? What was your boss like? Was he or she a good boss? What was the company like? This will give you a feeling of how that person views authority and how they feel about working. Ask them if there were any problems on the job. Were there conflicts with the boss or other employees.

If they have not had a job, ask them about school. What subject do you like? What is the teacher like? Is he or she a good teacher? How were your grades? Were you in the upper 15 percent of you class? Do you have much homework? When do you get it done.

Maintain eye contact with the person you are interviewing. If they are not telling you the truth, you may notice them begin to shift in their chair, their pupils may become larger, they may fidget. Body language is very important.

Now ask about their family. What is this person’s position in the family? Are they the oldest child, middle, or youngest. Studies have shown that the older child usually accepts responsibility better.

What about the person’s health? Are they sick very often? This is important in the food service industry. You don’t want someone who is constantly sick in your dipping store. If you are offering health insurance ask what kind of medicine is taken regularly. Have they been hospitalized in the last few years? Do they have food allergies? In a small business it is critical that everyone is there when they are scheduled.

Finally, ask the person if they have any goals. What do they want to do with their life. This will show you a level of maturity.

References

In most states you will need to have permission from the person to check references. Again check the laws of your state to be sure. If you had the person fill out an application, it should have included a place for them to list at least three references and a place for them to sign giving permission for you to check these references.

You can ask the reference for the dates of employment, the salary, reason for leaving, whether the company would re-hire that person and the responsibilities of the job. Most companies will not or cannot legally give you any more information than that.

At this point, you will have to rely on your own judgment. You have asked questions that are very revealing. Analyze the answers carefully and make your decision. If you have prepared for the interview, asked revealing questions and studied the answers, you chances of choosing the right person for the job will be increased.

Finding the right person is not an easy task. Occasionally, you will make the wrong decision or discover that you did not read a person correctly in the interview. If that happens, it is best to terminate that person and find someone else. Don’t let a bad situation get worse. It can affect the success of your business. v

Promotion of the Year Contest

The Promotion of the Year Contest is now open to ALL ice cream store owners in the United States.

Just submit your promotion to The National Dipper by September 20, 2023 to enter the contest.

Win a beautiful plaque engraved with your store name, suitable to hang in your store for all to see. AND the promotion will be featured in an upcoming issue of The National Dipper.

Promotion must have taken place in 2023. Entries must be received by September 20, 2023. Include a detailed description of your promotion. Include your name, store name, address, phone and email. State the objectives and results that were met by your promotion.

Entries are judged on the basis of ORIGINALITY, creativity, objectives accomplished, presentation to the consumer and how easily the promotion can be adapted in other ice cream retail businesses.

Send your promotion to:

Lynda Utterback

The National Dipper

lynda@nationaldipper.com

Questions? Please call 847/301-8400

Deadline: September 20, 2023

Want Gen Z Talent to Stick Around? Help Them Access Their Upper Brain

Are you setting younger employees up to thrive—or are you shutting them down, burning them out, and ultimately driving them away? Michael Frisina says it all depends on which part of their brain leaders are triggering.

There’s a lot of buzz around what Gen Z employees expect. No wonder. They’re the largest generation now and will soon hit the workforce in a big way. Most experts agree that beyond fair pay (which is just the price of entry), Gen Zers want an empathetic workplace that puts people before profits. They want a sense of community and belonging. They want employers that value diversity and inclusion, allow flexibility and work/life balance, develop them, prioritize their mental health, and provide meaningful work that advances social justice—or, at the very least, doesn’t detract from it.

It’s a tall order—not to mention an urgent one in light of Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell’s recent remarks on America’s structural labor shortage—and many employers don’t know where to start. Michael E. Frisina, PhD, has an unexpected suggestion: Help younger employees learn to access their upper brain.

“If you look at this Gen Z ‘wish list’ in a holistic way, you can see young employees crave a work experience that’s enriching and energizing,” says Frisina, who, along with Robert Frisina, wrote Leading With Your Upper Brain: How to Create the Behaviors That Unlock Performance Excellence. “They put purpose before passion. They want strong relationships with leaders who not only support them but genuinely care for them. They want to belong. They want to thrive.”

“All of this requires employees to operate in their upper brain— and that requires leaders to behave in ways that allow it to happen,” he says.

First things first: What is the upper brain? In short, it’s the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that controls

critical reasoning, judgment, growth, creativity, and performance. The lower brain, on the other hand, is built for survival. It helps us respond to external threats, both real and imagined. When the lower brain is triggered, we have a mental reaction (confusion, loss, doubt), an emotional reaction (fear, anger, disgust), and a physical reaction (fight, flight, or freeze).

“Leaders often behave in ways that trigger this fear/survival mode in their employees,” says Frisina. “When this happens over and over, they get stuck in their lower brain. This is the antithesis of engagement. Morale falls, motivation falters, performance suffers, and employees quickly become burned out. No one wants to work in these conditions, and they shouldn’t have to—but younger employees in particular won’t stand for it.”

As Frisina emphasizes again and again, individual leader behavior is the single most important predictor of a team’s performance (far more so than technical competency). The leader as an “expert” who directs a team to execution (the old paradigm) is now relevant only in times of exceptional crisis. Most daily operational challenges require the leader to function as a “coach”—assisting team members in their own critical thinking, assessment, and decision-making in building consensus prior to execution.

The good news is when leaders become aware of what they’re doing (and not doing), they can shift their thinking—and ultimately their behavior—in healthy ways. They learn how to encourage and coach, set clear expectations, and make deep connections. All of this transforms the culture to one in which employees can more readily access their upper brain. When this happens, employees (Gen Zers, yes, but also ALL employees) benefit in many ways:

Leader/employee relationships improve. Because leaders are better able to make authentic one-on-one connections, people feel genuinely

cared for, nurtured, challenged, and invested in. This is true regardless of differences in race, culture, gender, orientation, and so forth, notes Frisina. “In my mind, DEI issues are symptoms of the lack of effective leadership,” he says. “If we focus on creating effective leaders, these symptoms disappear in the dynamic culture these leaders create.”

Fundamental human needs like trust, compassion, security and stability, and hope get met. Frisina says hope is the biggest need of all. It is the absence of hope that most profoundly undermines mental health and resilience.

Engagement improves. Frisina points out that engaged employees— far more so than merely “satisfied” ones—love their jobs, seek continuous improvement, and feel a sense of meaning, value, and purpose in their work.

People start learning and growing and living up to their potential. This deeply matters to Generation Z, who prioritize development and career advancement opportunities.

Mental and emotional well-being improve. This is vital for Zers, who are members of the most stressed generation due to COVID’s disruptions to their lives, economic upheaval, political unrest, the constant onslaught of “bad news” from social media, and more.

Interpersonal skills grow. “Younger employees are the first generation raised entirely in the digital age,” notes Frisina. “This comes with the unintended consequence of not knowing how to create deep, meaningful connections that social media relationships lack. When leaders instigate these authentic connections, employees respond in kind, honing their own relationship skills in the process.”

Employees feel a renewed sense of purpose. This is more than just “passion” says Frisina: “Passion is fueled by emotions,” he says. “It ebbs and flows. Purpose is fueled by meaning and value. Neuroscience research con-

firms that constancy of purpose—what you care about—will keep you ‘in it to win it’ when life circumstances get very hard.”

All of the above benefits boost performance—individual and organizational—and everyone reaps the rewards.

Helping people access and operate in their upper brain is the greatest gift you can give them, says Frisina. It pays lifelong dividends. It’s especially valuable for young Gen Zers starting out in their first job. Why? Because if they’re under 25, their prefrontal cortex is not fully developed. Helping them develop it the right way so that effective behaviors are engrained early benefits everyone.

“The prefrontal cortex is responsible for all aspects of what we call executive functions,” he explains. “These include working toward a defined goal, predicting outcomes, planning, decision-making, moderating social behavior, and mitigating behavior choices against future consequences. When team members can do these well, of course it benefits the organization, but also the individual employee. These are life skills everyone must master.”

The bottom line? When you teach Gen Z employees to tap into their upper brain and maximize its functions early on, you set them up for a lifetime of success. What’s more, because they’re getting a fulfilling work experience, they’re more likely to stick around for a while.

The good news is there are practical, doable actions we implement that keep employees in upper brain mode and—if we happen to trigger them— lead them back there. For example:

Start and end every meeting with what’s going well. Getting everyone into their upper brain right away (“Thanks to all your hard work, the client presentation yesterday was a huge success!”) leads to a more joyful and collaborative meeting. Ending on a positive note (“I’m so grateful to be part of such a smart, creative team!”) sends people off to do the work feeling good about themselves and excited for the next step.

Reframe a stressful project. First ask employees, “What is it about

this project that feels hard or stressful?” Then ask them, “Is what you are thinking about in your control or out of your control?” This shifts them away from skeptical, confusing, fearprovoking “what if” thinking and into productive, energized thinking. Rather than focusing on the negative outcome they want to avoid, they focus on the positive outcome they will create.

Set clear expectations and reasonable deadlines. Clarity inspires people and makes them feel good

about working on a project. Vagueness and open-endedness are anxiety-producing. So are unrealistic time frames, which only set people up to fail and instill a sense of dread. When people know exactly what they’re supposed to do and have time to do it, they’ll excel.

When people ask questions, lead them to the answers. Don’t say, “This is why we pay you the big bucks. You figure it out.” Statements like this trigger the lower brain. Instead, describe the outcome you want and ask

questions to guide them in a discovery exercise. Reinforce the belief that by working together, the collective intelligence of the team can achieve amazing outcomes.

Keep them thankful during provoking events. When we are fixated on, What’s going to happen to me? we tend to get overwhelmed. When we’re in a state of gratitude, it gets the focus off ourselves. Help people refresh and refocus by asking them to make a list of three things they’re grateful for. This is a good way to start and end meetings.

Help them attend to what’s important by spelling out priorities… An out-of-control to-do list plunges people into their lower brain and confuses activity with progress. Limit the number of assigned projects to groups of three and prioritize them from “most important” to “least important.” You’ll get far better results and give people the satisfaction of completing goals that really matter.

…and declutter their to-do list. Stop overworking people with non-

essential objectives and crisis management events. Once you’ve magnified what’s important (previous tip), remove what’s not. Act as a shield to keep low-value objectives out of their way. The less distracting “noise” they must field, the more likely they are to be focused, engaged, and productive.

Celebrate to create a working memory of success and achievement. Get into a flow of recognizing wins and success stories: in conversations, at every meeting, as a part of every process improvement initiative, etc. The more we emphasize what’s going well, the more likely people are to stay in their upper brain—and the more likely success is to be repeated.

“These days, employers must use every tool at hand to retain good employees,” notes Frisina. “A solid understanding of how to leverage brain science is a powerful tool indeed. When someone lands in a place where they can excel professionally, feel a sense of belonging, and be excited about their work—well, they’d have to think long and hard about leaving.” v

About the Authors:

Michael E. Frisina, PhD, has authored more than 50 papers and published articles on leadership and organizational effectiveness. He is a contributing author to the Borden Institute’s highly acclaimed textbook series on military medicine. He is a visiting scholar at the Hastings Center in New York, a visiting fellow in medical humanities at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and a John C. Maxwell Top 100 Transformational Leader.

Robert W. Frisina, MA, is a principal in the Frisina Group and executive director at the Center for Influential Leadership, with primary responsibility for program development and research in leadership effectiveness and organizational development. He is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and served as a civil affairs specialist with the Second Brigade Combat Team in the 101st Airborne Division in southern Afghanistan.

National Ice Cream Month Celebrations

Cookie Cookie Ice Cream

Connie Freda from Cookie Cookie Ice Cream in McKees Rocks, Penn. is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a month of international flavors. On the docket are:

Black Sesame & Lemon

Thai Sweet Chili

Curry Coconut

Crazy Caprese Salad

Toasted Pine Nut Pesto

Ube

Tamarind

Matcha Mint

Lemon Ginger Sorbet

I’m sure there will be a few others.

Main Street Sweets

We are located in Tarrytown, NY Store name is Main Street Sweets and we are woman/family owned by Marlaina Bertolacci, Kathy Buonanno and Corie Buonanno (Mom and daughters)

We have been opened since May 2000.

For National Ice cream month, we host daily specials ranging from free toppings, free extra scoop, discounted items...For National Ice Cream day (July 17th), we will be offering 50% off any cup/cone from 12-4!

Malley’s Chocolates

At Malley’s, we strive to provide our customers with quality ice cream and sweet experiences. This National Ice Cream Month will be a big one for Malley’s as we roll out our refined parlor menu, a new line of sodas, and fun, family, events throughout the month.

Malley’s Chocolates, based out of Cleveland Ohio, is a local family owned chocolatier, crafting fine confections since 1935. We operate 19 retail candy store locations throughout northeastern Ohio, with 4 of these also containing year round ice cream parlors in Lakewood, North Olmsted, Mentor, and Bay Village, Ohio.

We are always looking for new ideas and great products which is

why this summer we are proud to start working with Perry’s Ice Cream company to share their amazing flavors with our communities. We will be developing new monthly sundae and milkshake specials that will showcase our handmade candies, paired with wonderful flavors from Perry’s. One of our featured items for July will be our Malley Oh! Sundae, featuring cookiesn-cream ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and topped America’s favorite chocolate sandwich cookie covered in decadent Malley’s chocolate.

We are also happy to announce that our new Pure Cane Sugar soda line will roll out at all parlor locations for National Ice Cream Month. We decided to step away from the high fructose

corn syrup to provide a product with a classic taste and feel. Our classic ice cream sodas and floats have stood the test of time so it only makes sense to pair it with a classic soda pop base.

For the first time, Malley’s will be hosting a new “Dog Days of Summer” series of events. Every Wednesday in July from 5-9pm, we invite you to stop at one of our outdoor patios with your dogs to enjoy some ice cream and sunshine (weather permitting)!!! Enjoy either $1 off your ice cream cone/dish, or a free whipped treat for your four legged friend (must come with dog to be eligible for promotional items/coupons, limit 2 per customer). You might even have a chance to be featured with your pup on our Malley’s social media channels (with your permission, of course). v

Payroll 2023 Style

by Mark E. Battersby

Payroll, typically the biggest expense of every ice cream and frozen dessert business, even seasonal and smaller operations, has come a long way since its creation in 1913. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution gives Congress the “power to lay and collect taxes on incomes.” The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established the minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and youth employment standards further complicating payrolls.

In general, an employer is responsible for its share of certain federal payroll taxes, including employer contributions under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA).

Social Security is financed by a 12.4% payroll tax on wages up to the taxable earnings cap, with half (6.2%) paid by workers and the other half paid by employers. Self-employed ice cream retailers pay the entire 12.4%. For 2023, the FICA tax is composed on a Social Security Tax of 6.2% on a wage base of $160,200 (up from $147,000 in 2022) with the 1.45% Medicare tax applying to all wages.

The above payroll tax rates do not include an additional 0.9% in Medicare tax paid by highly compensated employees on earnings that exceed threshold amounts based on their filing status. Employers must withhold the additional Medicare tax from wages of employees earning more than $200,000 in a calendar year.

Those Other Payroll Costs and Deductions

Among the responsibilities of every employer are other payroll costs that are based on legal requirements or optional benefits offered by the ice cream and frozen yogurt operation. These can include:

• Worker’s Compensation Insurance: All states require worker’s compensation insurance for workers in a business. Although most states make an exception for owners, sole shareholders or only employees, it is the

states that set the rates for worker’s compensation insurance based on the industry, size and number of employees

• State disability insurance. California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico have mandatory requirements for employers to support programs that pay a portion of worker wages for work missed due to caregiving or a disability

• Paid Leave. If the ice cream business is able to offer time off for personal days, vacation, sick days, parental leave or other purposes, these are part of the payroll process. Paychecks usually list compensation paid as part of an employee’s paid leave benefits, even when the employee’s pay is the same as normal

• Health Care Costs. Health care plans are also an option in many smaller businesses but any ice cream or frozen dessert business with 50 or more employees is almost always required to provide a health plan for employees under the Affordable Care Act. As part of the payroll process, the employer will deduct any portion of the premiums paid by the workers, as well as being responsible for the employer’s portion

• Retirement Plan Contributions. If the business sponsors an employee retirement plan, it must manage contributions via the payroll process. Employee contributions will be deducted from their pay with the employer responsible for its matching share

• Employee Reimbursements. A frozen dessert business that funds or reimburses the expense of a home office or work-related travel, generally handle them as part of the payroll process and include them with the employee’s paycheck. Income tax rates for reimbursements and other stipends are different from those for regular income and should be classified as such

• Extra Withholding. If an employee has indicated on their Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, an additional amount that should be withheld each pay period it should

be included with their federal income tax payment

• Bonuses: Bonuses are a way of compensating employees for a good year without becoming locked into increased wages. For withholding purposes, bonuses can be lumped together under the heading of “supplemental wages,” a heading that includes commissions, overtime pay, payments for accumulated sick leave, awards and prizes, back pay as well as payments for nondeductible moving expenses

• Gifts: The IRS considers most gifts made to employees to be compensation. As a result, those gifts are included in income for tax purposes and withholding rules generally apply. It is a similar story for gifts, such as cash and cash-equivalent gifts such as gift cards and gift certificates. Gifts, usually of minimal value, are exempt

• Other Benefits. Other benefits offered by the ice cream or frozen yogurt business, including charity matching, HSA contributions and wellness programs may, depending on the program, involve deductions for employee contributions or require payments into an associated account or include a stipend with the employee’s paycheck

Penalties for Tardiness

The IRS charges a late fee if an employer doesn’t deposit the employment tax owed on time. Called a Failure to Deposit Penalty, the penalties are:

• One to 5 days, 2% of unpaid amount

• Six to 15 days, 5% of unpaid amount

• More than 15 days, 10% of unpaid amount, and

• More than ten days after receipt of the first IRS notice, 15% of the unpaid amount.

State and Local Payroll Taxes

In addition to federal payroll taxes, most businesses are responsible for state payroll taxes. The most common state payroll tax is for state unemployment insurance (SUTA), of which employers cover a full 100%. Unemployment insurance is based on a tax base

that varies state-by-state. Depending on the state agency, unemployment tax payments are made along with payroll taxes or as a separate payment each taxing period.

Some states collect additional payroll taxes for such things as workforce development, disability insurance and transit, which the ice cream business is responsible for paying and deducting from payroll.

Seasonal Workers

All employers must file a quarterly tax form, Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, to report employee wages and withholding. Seasonal employers don’t have to file Form 941 for quarters where no wages have been paid and, therefore, no tax liability. In fact, there is a line on Form 941 with a box indicating they are a seasonal employer and will not have to file a return for every quarter of the year.

Certain benefits are required for seasonal workers by laws that may vary by state. These include workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits (with exceptions that depend on the period worked by the employee).

Misclassification

Employers, especially those in the ice cream or frozen dessert industry, have long preferred to treat workers as independent contractors, reaping payroll tax savings, no fringe benefits or other expenses associated with employees. Although California and several other states have cracked down on who is and who isn’t an independent contractor and the IRS announced its own misclassification of workers crackdown, many businesses continue to lower their tax bills by shifting from having employees to using increasing numbers of independent contractors.

Whether on the federal or state level, the key question is usually the degree of control over the work and who exercises that control that determines the “independent” status. To help, an employer can submit a Form SS-8, Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Tax and Income Tax Withholding, for a worker classification determination. There is also the IRS’s 20-factor com-

mon-law test for employers to ensure they are in compliance with both federal and state laws.

Controlling Payroll Costs

In addition to the increasingly risky use of independent contractors, there are other strategies for keeping payroll costs manageable. One tax credit, a direct reduction of the operation’s tax bill rather than the income on which it is based, is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit or WOTC.

The WOTC is designed to encourage employers to hire workers from certain targeted groups that historically have found it challenging to find employment. Generally, the credit equals 40% of the qualified first-year wages, ranging from $2,400 to $8,600, for individuals who work at least 400 hours that first year.

To qualify for the credit an employer must first request certification by submitting IRS Form 8850, PreScreening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Credit, to their state workforce agency (SWA). It must be submitted to the SWA within 28 days after the eligible worker begins work. Employers should not submit Form 8850 to the IRS.

Reimbursing employees for jobrelated or other expenses typically incurs payroll taxes. However, by establishing an accountable plan, an

ice cream business can avoid paying payroll taxes on these payments, thereby excluding them from employees’ taxable income. Naturally, the plan should require employees to provide proper documentation confirming that each expense is work-related.

An ice cream or frozen dessert business might consider offering taxexempt fringe benefits such as health care or education assistance instead of the more traditional monetary raises which can be deducted similarly to wages and bonuses without a payroll tax obligation. What’s more, employees will not owe income or payroll taxes on the benefits.

Obviously, understanding the basic rules for withholding payroll taxes -– and paying over withheld amounts –- on the wages of all employees in the ice cream or frozen dessert business is a good start. Guidance and advice from a competent, qualified advisor is virtually a necessity. v

About the Author

Mark Battersby’s columns, provide a wealth of topical information. Mark writes and sells more than 200 features for trade magazines and journals every year in addition to writing and syndicating a column of general business tax information to over 45 business journals each week, newspapers and periodicals.

Make ‘Em Say Wow 11 Tips for Building a Strong Service Team

by Ron Kaufman

We love receiving great customer service. That’s no surprise. But did you know that great service can actually elicit a physical reaction? Well, it can. A recent American Express Service Study found that 63% of its 1,620 respondents said they felt an increased heart rate when they just thought about great service. And for 53% of those studied, great service caused them to have the same cerebral response that results from feeling loved. The trick, of course says Ron Kaufman, is developing a customer service team that has the skills to provide for such an overwhelming reaction amongst your customers.

“The truth is, in many of today’s industries and many of the world’s biggest companies, service can be downright disappointing,” says Kaufman, author of the New York Times bestseller Uplifting Service: The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet. “We spend hours on hold when we just need an answer to a simple question. Store clerks seem angry with us when we tell them a mistake was made. And the list could on and on.

“If you want to combat this at your business, you have to make providing great service a point of pride for your employees. Service is taking action to create value for someone else, and when that is the driving force for your staff and your organization, everyone will be happier.”

What can you do right now to strengthen your service team? Read on for tips from Kaufman.

Give Them The Leeway to Make InThe-Moment Decisions

“Empowerment” is a buzzword in business, and in theory, we all understand that improved service is unlikely to happen inside or outside of an organization without it. Yet many leaders and employees seem to fear it. If a leader is not confident in her people, she doesn’t want to empower

them with greater authority or a larger budget. And if an employee is not confident in his abilities and decisions, he often does not want the responsibility of being empowered.

“Don’t over complicate service,” says Kaufman. “Work with your employees to switch their focus from ‘What should I do?’ to ‘Who am I serving and what do they value?’ And then let them know you trust them to make the right decision so that they feel empowered to act. If an employee feels a customer should get a discount, either because a mistake was made or because they’re a great and loyal customer, then let them. You can monitor this system by reviewing situations with your team to ensure that in-themoment decisions lead to the result everyone wants: happy and loyal customers, confident staff and a successful organization.”

Have Mistake Meet-Ups

Another big part of empowerment is demystifying the fear that comes along with making a mistake, adds Kaufman.

“Have a meeting and say, ‘We want learning from mistakes to be part of our culture,’” he advises. “Have your leaders kick off the meeting by saying, ‘I’ll go first. Here’s the biggest mistake I made last week. Here’s what I learned from it. What can I learn from you?’ Then, everyone shares in that way and, boy, does that make them feel safer. It gives them the freedom to try new ideas and to take new actions.”

Eradicate Cumbersome Policies and Procedures

In Uplifting Service, Kaufman writes about an experience he had while dining at a luxury resort in California. The waiter explained that there was a special menu that night, spotlighting several of the chef’s signature dishes. But Kaufman’s guests were vegetarians and had nothing to choose from on the menu and Kaufman himself had been craving a particular

salmon salad. So they asked to order from the regular menu. Obviously uncomfortable, the waiter whispered, “If you go back to your room and order room service, then you can order the salmon salad or anything else on the (room service) menu, but I can’t serve you those choices here tonight.”

“In trying to spotlight the chef’s menu, the restaurant had created a major roadblock for the people who worked there, the waiter wasn’t given permission to serve!” points out Kaufman. “Like this waiter, most frontline staff members are taught to follow policies and procedures and are hesitant to ‘break the rules.’ Yet some should be broken, changed, or at least seriously bent from time to time.”

Acknowledge Achievement

Compliments are highly motivating and inspire employees to keep coming up with newer and better service ideas. That’s why you should actively solicit feedback from customers and regularly share positive comments with employees. The great thing about acknowledging achievements is that you can get a big impact out of simple actions. For example, simply saying, “Thank you!” to an employee who handled a customer well or tweeting a message about the employee of the week can go a long way.

“LUX* Resorts excels at acknowledging employee achievements,” says Kaufman. “This group of hotels and resorts located in the Indian Ocean has a STAR Program. Through the program, each month, one team member from each resort wins and is awarded. Then, at the company wide gathering at the end of the year, the STARs are honored and each hotel awards a STAR Team Member of the Year. It is all part of CEO Paul Jones’ firm belief in cultivating an attitude of gratitude.

“In addition to this great program, LUX* Maldives implemented an Instant Recognition Program. When a team member goes above and beyond the call of duty, they have the oppor-

tunity to receive a STAR Card, which can be redeemed at one of the resort’s team food shops or cafes. Both programs have been very well received by LUX employees and have played a role in the hotel group’s rocket to service success in recent years.”

Educate and Inspire Them to Serve Each Other

When most companies set out to fix their service issues, they start with customer-facing employees. Big mistake. The fact is, frontline service people cannot give better service when they themselves aren’t being served internally.

When Kaufman worked with Air Mauritius to kick off its service revolution, they started by addressing the communication problems in its dysfunctional culture, which manifested as bickering, finger-pointing, withholding information, etc.

“First they had to realize that everyone on staff either directly serves the customer or serves those who serve the customer,” notes Kaufman.

“Everyone had to embrace the service improvement mindset, engineering, ground staff, the technical crew, registration and sales, people at the counters, people at the gate area, people on the aircraft. That meant they had to serve each other as well as the customer.”

Teach Them to Solicit Customer Feedback at Various Points of Contact

Asking, “Is there anything we can do better for you the next time?” accomplishes two important objectives. First, you gather valuable ideas. Second, you get the customer thinking about doing repeat business, the next time.

“Even if a customer doesn’t have a recommendation, trust that they’ll be glad your employee cared enough to ask,” says Kaufman. “When an employee engages a customer in this way, it’s yet another way to say, ‘We value you. We want to provide you with the best possible service and we would be delighted to serve you again.’ It also shows your customers that you aren’t

afraid of improvement. It shows just how dedicated you are to delivering on your promise of uplifting service.”

Help Them Find Way to UP Service

Imagine you are going up a ski lift and accidentally drop one of your gloves or ski poles into the woods below. At Deer Valley Ski Resort in Utah, the staff help you find the missing item and then give you a coupon for a free hot chocolate. Ski on!

A new Italian restaurant announced their grand opening with great fanfare in the press. Every table was reserved weeks in advance. On opening night, the ovens broke down and could not be restarted! The restaurant served an elegant buffet of cold dishes and plenty of wine. All free!

“And here’s an example from my own personal experience,” tells Kaufman. “I had a bad experience on an international airline many years ago. I wrote in to complain. They sent me back a nice letter with a $50 voucher attached! Is that a crazy waste of money? Not at all. It cost me hun-

By using a Rite-Temp water chiller there is ZERO WASTE WATER, which saves money. The chilled water also protects the investment made in the soft serve equipment by providing constant supply temperature regardless of ambient conditions. This keeps head pressure low for extended life of your equipment.

The simplistic design of the Rite-Temp manifold pictured, makes it easy to switch to back-up water supply in the event of chilled loop failure. This ensures that soft serve equipment and batch freezers experience no down time.

dreds more to buy a ticket and use the voucher. Plus, they got me back on board another flight to give the airline another chance. Today, years later, I am still a frequent flyer.

“These are great examples of businesses going the extra mile for their customers, and it’s important that you help your employees develop this kind of thinking. In your next staff meeting, review a few customer service recovery interactions, even those that went well. Then, have your staff brainstorm ways the recovery could have been improved.”

Train Them to Tell Customers What They Will Do

When there is a mistake or mishap, explain the steps you will take and when you will get back in touch with the results. Thank them for giving you the opportunity to set things right.

“Of course, the first step when a mistake has been made, or even just when a customer perceives that a mistake was made, is to apologize,” says Kaufman. “Once you’ve apologized, provide any useful information you can about what will happen next. Ask them if they have any questions and answer them to the best of your ability. If you don’t have an answer, let them know what steps you’re going to take to find it.

“And finally, show you are sincere about your commitment to do well in the areas the customer values,” he adds. “At the very least, you can say, ‘I’m going to make sure everyone in the company hears your story. We don’t want this to happen again.’ When you express the company’s desire to improve, you start on the path

to rebuilding its credibility with the customer.”

Encourage Them to Develop Their Own Signature Service Touch

Sometimes small service touches can have a big impact. Here’s a fundamental truth of service: Small changes can lead to big leaps in customer perception, and they don’t have to be costly at all.

“For example, Air Mauritius had captains to start greeting passengers as they board the plane,” says Kaufman. “This small gesture creates a huge impression of welcome and respect for passengers. It also asked captains to provide memorable information as they fly over certain areas, like descriptions of cities, landmarks, volcanoes and so forth. This literally turned flights into uniquely guided tours. Passengers loved these changes.”

Provide a Weekly Service Thought

Post or email a message about the importance of service or how to improve service each week. It can be as simple as an inspiring quote or a link to an article with an example of great service.

“This is something that LUX* Maldives has done very successfully,” tells Kaufman. “At the resort, every Monday morning the Training and QA Teams share a ‘weekly service thought,’ which highlights the importance of service or an idea around how to improve service. Not only does the weekly thought inspire employees, it also gets everyone on the same page and discussing the same service ideas.

“The resort also sends out a daily quote. And they’ve become so popular

that if the resort manager misses a day, he gets calls from his staff members asking where the daily quote is. They value getting this daily motivation on how to be better and serve others better.”

Emphasize Service With New Hires

Unfortunately, many company orientation programs are far from uplifting. Often they are little more than robotic introductions: This is your station; this is your time card; those are our colleagues’ these are the tools, systems and processes we use; I am your boss’ and if you have any questions, ask. Welcome to the organization. Now get to work. These basic introductions and inductions are important, but they don’t connect new employees to the company or the service culture in a welcoming and motivating way.

“LUX* Maldives structures its orientation program around service,” says Kaufman. “They don’t waste time boring new hires with policies and procedures. Instead, 60% of new hire orientation is about service and providing a quality guest experience. And orientation is just the beginning of a LUX* employee’s service educations. LUX* provided an average of 75 service training hours to its employees. And of course, as employee training has improved, so have guest satisfaction scores. LUX* Resorts and Hotels has a Market Matrix Guest Satisfaction Percentage group average of 90.9%.

“Developing service-minded, service-driven employees will be worth every ounce of energy you put into it,” says Kaufman. “When you take steps to build a strong service team, everyone is fully engaged, encouraging each other, improving the customer experience and making the company more successful.”

About the Author

Ron Kaufman, UP! Your Service founder and chairman, believes service is the essence of humanity. He has helped companies on every continent build a culture of uplifting service that delivers real business results year after year. He is the author of Uplifting Service and 14 other books on service, business and inspiration.

Yellow Pages

The National Dipper Yellow pages is a complete resource guide for tthe frozen dessert retail industry and will appear in every issue. Listings are sold on an annual basis and rates are for six issues. Yellow pages are not commissionable and payment must accompany order. Send your order to: The National Dipper, 1532 Oregon Tail, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-7226. 847/301-8400.

Regular Listing: 1st line $415. year, additional lines, $395. year.

Maximum characters 40 characters per line.

Boldface Listing: 1st line $520. year, additional lines, $415. year.

Maximum 30 characters per line.

ALL CAP Listing: additional $95 a line per year, regular or boldface.

Maximum 30 characters per line.

ASSOCIATIONS

Great Lakes Ice Cream & Fast Food Assn. ..................810/618-0605

BATCH FREEZERS

Carpigiani…………icecream.carpigiani.com……..……800-648-4389

Emery Thompson……wwwemerythompson.com….….718/588-7300

BOOKS

Tips for Costing Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Cakes & Pies, plus: Tips for Costing Ice Cream Cones, Sundaes, Shakes & Other Goodies………………………..JLM Unlimited..............847-301-8400

BULK ICE CREAM CONTAINERS

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division

www.icecreamproducts.com……………....……800-Ice-Cream

Negus Packaging Solutions 3220 Kingsley Way, Madison, WI 53713

CONES

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…….....……………800-Ice-Cream

Joy Cone Co……...www.joycone.com……..............…..724/962-5747

PDI Cone-Dutch Treat…Sugar Cones & Toppings..…716/821-0698

DIPPING CABINETS

Carpigiani…………icecream.carpigiani.com……..……800-648-4389

FLAVORS

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division

www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream Green Mountain Flavors, Inc. ………………………..800-639-8653

FROZEN CUSTARD

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division

www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream

Classic Mix Partners...www.classicmixpartners.com.....800-722-8903

Award Winning Frozen Custard Mixes

FROZEN YOGURT MIX

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division

www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream

HARDENING CABINETS

Carpigiani…………icecream.carpigiani.com……..……800-648-4389

ICE CREAM CARTS & FREEZERS

Carpigiani…………icecream.carpigiani.com……..……800-648-4389

ICE CREAM CONTAINERS

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream Visstun Cups…………..www.visstuncups.com……..….702/251-8809

ICE CREAM MIX

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream

ICE CREAM MIX - VEGAN

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream

LUBRICANTS

HAYNES LUBRICANTS..WWW.HAYNESMFG.COM..800-922-2166

PLANT BASE HARD PACK MIX

Meadowvale…….www.meadowvale-inc.com…..…..800-953-0201

PHOTOGRAPHY

Stella Lorens Gallery…www.stellalorens.com...............630/730-8297

SODA FOUNTAINS

AMERICAN SODA FOUNATIN, INC............................312/733-5000 455 N. Oakley Bl...Chgo, IL 60612...www.americansodafountain.com

Parts-Sales-Service-Mixers-Pumps-DraftArms-SodaFount.Bev.Equip

SOFT SERVE FEEZERS

Carpigiani…………icecream.carpigiani.com……..……800-648-4389

TOPPINGS

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream TR Toppers ……. www.trtoppers.com…………......……800-748-4635

VANILLA

Prova Gourmet….www.provagourmet.com/us…...........401/480-1599

VEGAN ICE CREAM MIX

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream

Regional Yellow Pages

Regional Yellow Pages are available to companies that distribute products and/or services in a limited area of the country. Companies are listed in the state in which they are located. Regional Yellow Pages will appear in all six issues of The National Dipper and rates shown are for six issues. Regular Listing: 1st line, $310. per year, additional lines $175. per year. Maximum 40 characters per line. Boldface Listing: 1st line, $415. per year, additional lines $305. per year. Maximum 30 characters per line. ALL CAP Listing: additional $80. a line per year, regular or boldface. Maximum 30 characters per line. Payment must accompany order. Regional Yellow Pages are non-commissionable.

MASSACHUSETTS

Taylor New England …..800-245-4002…www.taylornewengland.com

NEW JERSEY

GlacierPoint Enterprises, Panza Division www.icecreamproducts.com…………………….800-Ice-Cream Dingman’s Dairy....www.dingmansdairy.biz...................800-958-6838

NEW YORK Hill & Markes…………….......................……….www.hillnmarkes.com

OHIO

Peck Food Service 17000 Rockside Rd…....................………..Maple Heights, OH 44137 216/587-6814…………www.peckfoodservice.com…...800-732-7325

The National Dipper

MAY

National Chocolate Custard Month

National Egg Month

National Hamburger Month

National Strawberry Month

1 – May Day

1 – National Chocolate Parfait Day

2 – National Chocolate Truffle Day

3 – National Chocolate Custard Day

5 – Cinco de Mayo

6 – National Beverage Day

8 – National Coconut Cream Pie Day

9 – Butterscotch Brownie Day

12 – National Nutty Fudge Day

13 – National Apple Pie Day

14 – Mothers’ Day

15 – National Chocolate Chip Day

17 – National Walnut Day

17 – National Cherry Cobbler Day 19 – National Devil’s Food Cake Day 19 – National Pizza Party Day 20 –

National Confectioners Association, 1101 – 30th St., NW, #200, Washington, DC 20007. 202/534–1440.

JUNE

National Candy Month

National Dairy Month

National Mango Month

2 – National Rocky Road Day

2 – National Donut Day

3 – National Egg Day

3 – National Chocolate Macaroons Day

7 – Chocolate Ice Cream Day

8 – Jelly–Filled Donut Day

Thompson Machine, 15350 Flight Path Dr., Brooksville, FL 34604. 718/588–7300. Fax: 352/796-0720. E–mail: christi@emerythompson.com

JULY

National Ice Cream Month

National Hot Dog Month

National Blueberry Month

National Watermelon Month

1 – Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day

3 – National Chocolate Wafer Day

4 – Independence Day

5 – Apple Turnover Day

5 – Graham Cracker Day

7 – Strawberry Sundae Day

7 – World Chocolate Day

8 – National Ice Cream Sundae Day

8 – Chocolate with Almonds Day

8 – National Blueberry Day

9 – National Sugar Cookie Day

11 – National Blueberry Muffin Day

12 – National Pecan Pie Day

15 – National Gummy Worm Day

15 – Tapioca Pudding Day

16 – National Ice Cream Day

19-22 – National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel–Motel Show. McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Contact: Winsight, LLC, e-mail: restaurant@maritz.com. 864/699-6935.

22-25 – Sweets & Snacks Expo. McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Contact:

7 – Make It Fresh! Seminar. Emery Thompson Machine, Brooksville, FL. Contact: Christi Brown, Emery

Great Lakes Ice Cream & Fast Food Association...............................14 Joy Cone Co....................................18 Stella Lorens Photography ..............25

This Advertisers’ Index is published as a service to you, the reader. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions.

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