RyanJensen.com

My restaurants, The Pita Pit of Fargo, are currently hiring for all shifts at both locations (13th Avenue South and Broadway N) for the position of Pit Crew Member.

Pit Crew Members earn $10.00 per hour base wage after a brief but thorough training period.  We offer flexible schedules, a fun working environment and discounts on great food.

We are looking for the best and brightest Fargo has to offer. If that’s you, please fill out an application and bring it by either Fargo Pita Pit location:  4900 13th Avenue S or 206 Broadway N. You may also fax your application to (701) 356-7484.

I was rear-ended while driving the restaurant’s Scion XB on 13th Avenue S in Fargo on Friday the 13th of June.  Everything went well as far as the responding officer, the other driver and the other driver’s insurance company were concerned.  Where I seem to have run into trouble is Progressive Commercial not confirming that the vehicle I have had insured with them for two years (the one that was rear-ended) was actually insured on the account.

When the state received a negative confirmation, they sent me notice that they are suspending my driver’s license for lack of proof of insurance.  I have proof right in front of me that I am insured by Progressive on the exact vehicle involved in the accident, but until Progressive confirms that the vehicle is the one covered, I must live with the threat of losing my license in two weeks.

Progressive, if you’re listening, you are very close to losing a long-time customer with two separate accounts on three vehicles.  Hopefully you’ll be more willing to actually look at my policy when I get involved personally than when the state requests confirmation.

Yesterday, I sent out my first message to the Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club.  104 members received the message, “Show this msg for BOGO free pitas at Pita Pit! Today 4/9, 4-10 pm only. Fargo only.”  At least 8 of those members are my employees or friends, so we’ll say 96 customers received the message.

Out of those 96 customers, at least 16 redeemed their Mobile Coupon by showing their cell phone to the cashier.  That’s a 17% return rate with 1/2 hour notice!  I have a feeling the Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club is going to work out just fine …

Today I will send out the first ever Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club message to 104 members’ cell phones. I’ve been trying to decide between a “Buy One Get One Free” and a “Free Combo Upgrade” offer to start things off — both are very popular offers as print coupons. If you are a member of the Mobile Coupon Club, look for your message around 3 pm today.

I have something very clever* in mind for the second message, coming next week.

I will also be stopping by Island Park Cycles today to purchase the two bikes to be given away April 30, 2008 to two lucky members of the Mobile Coupon Club (I also have to pick up a wedding gift for my fiance).

* Yes, my self-esteem really is that high.

My restaurants have begun a “Mobile Coupon Club” in which we (The Pita Pit) send out text message coupons to directly subscribers’ cell phones through text messages. To kick-start the campaigns, we are giving away two mountain bikes on April 30 to two lucky members.

There is absolutely no cost to join the club, and members will receive no more than one message per week from The Pita Pit. Most coupons will be very limited time (as in, “6 to 10 pm only”), but very compelling offers to encourage an immediate response.

We currently have 76 members after just over a week of marketing the Club, and will send out our first message when we hit 100 members. If you’re not around the Fargo/Moorhead area, please do not join the club – you wouldn’t get much benefit from it, you’re not eligible for the bikes, and it costs me to send each message out.

This is Part 1 of the Big Marketing News I wrote about earlier.  Parts 2 and 3 will be announced shortly.

For the umpteenth time this year, an employee has no-showed for his shift and I am left as the only one able to fill in the absence. What is it about kids these days that makes them think this is acceptable?

I have started firing employees on their first no-show, but doing that doesn’t keep me out of having to work their shifts — it also means I have to train someone new to replace the fired worker.

Why, when I have some employees who have been with me for well over a year, do most new hires seem to last less than a month? Is it because the unemployment rate in Fargo is below 3%? Is it because they know they can find another job that very same afternoon? Am I hiring the wrong individuals? Am I even getting the right applicants?

This is the exact situation I have been trying hard to avoid the last few weeks: I work the lunch shift then switch to owner mode to get banking and other finances done, only to be told that no, you may not leave Ryan. You have to stay. “My time is more important than yours,” the employee is telling me.

Stay tuned! Starting soon (like next Monday), the marketing scene in Fargo is going to leap into the future, courtesy of me.

My restaurants will begin the revolution, and I will carry it out to other businesses in the region. I’m very, very excited about the opportunity!

Years ago, way back in college, I think I was taught the basics of writing and formulating a press release in my Business Writing class. Unfortunately none of that stuck so I had to start from scratch on this one.

My restaurants recently participated in the ubiquitous MDA shamrocks fundraiser and together raised over $800 for local families struggling with muscular dystrophy and related diseases. Should I just sit on this information and “feel good” about it? Heck no! I’m going to let everyone know, but how? Read the rest of this entry »