Member since January 2022
Jill Raff is the globally recognized EX2CX® Advisor, working with executive leaders who recognize the paradigm shift, the non-negotiable creation of a more humanized culture prioritizing their people. She helps organizations that recognize their people are their greatest asset but need help creating new systems and procedures to develop the culture resulting in higher retention and greater productivity. Companies experience employee & customer lifetime value using her methodology connecting the employee experience (EX) to the customer experience (CX).
Jill grew up working with her parents, owner/operators of McDonald's franchises, starting with store #150. Her customer service philosophy originated from observing her parent's work and their interactions with legendary founder Ray Kroc. EX and CX are in Jill’s DNA. Based on her diverse background working in multiple industries – and living in 7 countries – Jill developed her Inside-Out Framework based on her “3+1 Recipe” to build a culture creating attraction & retention, often described as “where McDonald’s & Michelin meet.”
Partner with Jill to develop leadership potential, employee engagement systems, strong communication, and emotional intelligence in the workplace, producing a strong ROI. Her clients create a genuine “work-family” culture that increases revenue, ratings, and repeat customers while decreasing expensive employee turnover. Jill’s unique strategy turns employees into advocates and customer magnets.
Anything employee or customer experience-related lights me up! I am a life-learner and people person. When I'm not focused on my work endeavors, I'm energized by live music and dancing (all kinds from Latin, Country-Western to Hip-Hop). I love languages so when I have an opportunity to use one of my foreign languages, I'm stoked! Being on, in or near any body of water makes me smile.
I had the sloowest service -- from a ‘Quick’ service restaurant! I’m standing in line and notice the line growing out the door. The only thing that was happening quick,- was my growing frustration when I notice that there are 4 registers, but only 2 were open! (And this was pre-Covid days) When I finally get to the front to place my order, the cashier’s, “What would you like?” is cold and impersonal vs. what I’d like is courteous and quick service since I’m at a Quick - Service - Restaurant. And then….I look over, and see both managers standing at the end of the counter, chatting. One is flipping a pen around in her hand like a baton performing in her marching band. She’s oblivious to the line, because she is leaning against the front counter, with her back to the customers!
This is when I remember …. we never walk into a restaurant alone. One of the things I’d like you to think about is, whether a restaurant, hotel or other businesses, you never walk in alone. You walk in with your expectations and with the knowledge of all of your bad experiences. And today, you’re walking in comparing it to experiences you’ve had across all industries, not just restaurants. You’re walking in with ideas of how your mentor taught you to deliver service.
Every time I walk into a restaurant, a hotel, or any business, the person that’s always with me, is Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald’s. Ray Kroc is- in- my- head! So when I look at those managers, I can hear him saying, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean”. How about time to simply take care of your customers! As a customer, I feel unappreciated; like nothing more than a transaction.
The worst part is---- it’s my restaurant.---- OK, it isn’t literally my restaurant, but it is how I feel. If you’re wondering why Ray Kroc is always with me when I walk into a business, it’s because my parents and grandparents were Owner/Operators of McDonald’s. Their first franchise was store #150, opened in Ocala, Florida, March of 1959, when McDonald’s was the gold standard of the restaurant industry.
Growing up, whenever my family was in the car, and we passed one of our stores, if my Dad saw a light out, a piece of trash on the lot, or a line of customers waiting, he would pull in saying “I’ll be right - back”. After waaaaiting and waaaaiting, I finally go in to see where he is, and every time, I find him with his sleeves rolled up, shuffling between dressing buns, working the fry station, and helping at the counter to get the customers served quickly, and always– with a smile. So, I know a thing or two about that secret sauce. And that is, putting people first for an extraordinary experience.
Growing up in what has become the world's #1 largest hamburger franchise from its 4th year of incorporation has taught me firsthand how to create and develop a company around a strong, consistent company culture. It was one of people-focus, inside with the employees, the McFamily, and the end customers, to serve them quickly, with a consistent product and experience, and always with a smile. In those days, 'the customer was always right'. There's something to be learned from this attitude and approach. I witnessed every part of the business working in it from a young age for over 30 years until my Dad passed away prematurely. He was a strong mentor setting the example of how to speak to and treat your people. Past employees still tell me stories of conversations, verbatim, of the experiences with my father as their ultimate boss. I learned from the best and now use it to help leaders and company owners create a strong company culture to become the employer of choice for better attraction and retention of the right-fit talent aligned with your company's core values, vision, and mission.
Since the pandemic, most businesses have not had the luxury to work ON their core structure & systems. The workplace has changed! Working with pre-pandemic values, vision & mission is detrimental to growth & success in the present & future. This talk provides the audience with a different perspective based on real-life examples and strategies to create a people-first focused culture, building in updated values into every facet of their operations, guided by the EX2CX®, Employee Experience-to-Customer Experience principle. The presentation teaches the E3+1 Recipe, allowing attendees to leave with a simple and realistic strategy to implement a fresh approach to become the Employer of Choice thereby attracting & retaining right-fit talent aligned with your core values for increased profits.
I had the sloowest service -- from a ‘Quick’ service restaurant! I’m standing in line and notice the line growing out the door. The only thing that was happening quick,- was my growing frustration when I notice that there are 4 registers, but only 2 were open! (And this was pre-Covid days) When I finally get to the front to place my order, the cashier’s, “What would you like?” is cold and impersonal vs. what I’d like is courteous and quick service since I’m at a Quick - Service - Restaurant. And then….I look over, and see both managers standing at the end of the counter, chatting. One is flipping a pen around in her hand like a baton performing in her marching band. She’s oblivious to the line, because she is leaning against the front counter, with her back to the customers!
This is when I remember …. we never walk into a restaurant alone. One of the things I’d like you to think about is, whether a restaurant, hotel or other businesses, you never walk in alone. You walk in with your expectations and with the knowledge of all of your bad experiences. And today, you’re walking in comparing it to experiences you’ve had across all industries, not just restaurants. You’re walking in with ideas of how your mentor taught you to deliver service.
Every time I walk into a restaurant, a hotel, or any business, the person that’s always with me, is Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald’s. Ray Kroc is- in- my- head! So when I look at those managers, I can hear him saying, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean”. How about time to simply take care of your customers! As a customer, I feel unappreciated; like nothing more than a transaction.
The worst part is---- it’s my restaurant.---- OK, it isn’t literally my restaurant, but it is how I feel. If you’re wondering why Ray Kroc is always with me when I walk into a business, it’s because my parents and grandparents were Owner/Operators of McDonald’s. Their first franchise was store #150, opened in Ocala, Florida, March of 1959, when McDonald’s was the gold standard of the restaurant industry.
Growing up, whenever my family was in the car, and we passed one of our stores, if my Dad saw a light out, a piece of trash on the lot, or a line of customers waiting, he would pull in saying “I’ll be right - back”. After waaaaiting and waaaaiting, I finally go in to see where he is, and every time, I find him with his sleeves rolled up, shuffling between dressing buns, working the fry station, and helping at the counter to get the customers served quickly, and always– with a smile. So, I know a thing or two about that secret sauce. And that is, putting people first for an extraordinary experience.
Growing up in what has become the world's #1 largest hamburger franchise from its 4th year of incorporation has taught me firsthand how to create and develop a company around a strong, consistent company culture. It was one of people-focus, inside with the employees, the McFamily, and the end customers, to serve them quickly, with a consistent product and experience, and always with a smile. In those days, 'the customer was always right'. There's something to be learned from this attitude and approach. I witnessed every part of the business working in it from a young age for over 30 years until my Dad passed away prematurely. He was a strong mentor setting the example of how to speak to and treat your people. Past employees still tell me stories of conversations, verbatim, of the experiences with my father as their ultimate boss. I learned from the best and now use it to help leaders and company owners create a strong company culture to become the employer of choice for better attraction and retention of the right-fit talent aligned with your company's core values, vision, and mission.
Since the pandemic, most businesses have not had the luxury to work ON their core structure & systems. The workplace has changed! Working with pre-pandemic values, vision & mission is detrimental to growth & success in the present & future. This talk provides the audience with a different perspective based on real-life examples and strategies to create a people-first focused culture, building in updated values into every facet of their operations, guided by the EX2CX®, Employee Experience-to-Customer Experience principle. The presentation teaches the E3+1 Recipe, allowing attendees to leave with a simple and realistic strategy to implement a fresh approach to become the Employer of Choice thereby attracting & retaining right-fit talent aligned with your core values for increased profits.
