Meet Jaime!

Assignment: Jot down some words that you think might describe Jaime. You may discuss your thoughts and answers with other class members. The answers to the following questions will give you a starting point: What grade do you think he is in?

What do you think about his family?

Do you think he eats school meals?

Is he shy or outgoing?

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Focus on the Customer

Know the Customer

Jaime:

Jaime is a first grade student that started school in the middle of the school year. His parents work as field laborers and the family moves often. He is friendly and outgoing with the other students, but quiet around adults.

What do you like best about the cafeteria in your school?

“I like the cafeteria lady that gives me my tray. She smiles at me.” What do you like least about the cafeteria in your school?

“I don’t know what some of the food is. I can’t see the food and my teacher gives me things I don’t like. One time I dropped my tray and the food spilled on the floor.” 3

Major Points from Lesson 1 Course Overview

• Primary customer is the child.

• Purpose of SNP is to reach all children with healthy meals.

• Program customers are diverse or different.

• Planned activities form a base for a customer-focused program.

• People on the SNT are the keys to a customer-focused program that results in satisfied customers.

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Lesson 2 Starting Line

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• • •

Who are the customers?

What are the needs and wants of customers?

What factors or groups influence customers' eating habits?

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Diversity

Differences in skills, knowledge, age, gender, abilities, disabilities, literacy, culture, income, ethnicity, religion, and other factors. (key word) 7

Needs and Wants: Describe the customer's expectation of the total experience in the school dining area. (key word) Needs: The healthful foods and physical conditions necessary to meet the child's school-day nutrition requirements. (key word) Wants: Personal factors or conditions that affect the customer's perception of school meals, the service, and the eating environment. These reflect the social, behavioral, and psychological needs of children. They relate to the customer's sensory perceptions, social relationships, and feelings of accomplishment. (key word) 8

Examples of Needs and Wants Needs: • Healthful food offerings • A schedule that allows students adequate time to eat • Serving line(s) organized to support the meal schedule • A clean and safe dining area with adequate seating for the number of students served in a serving period • Example: The reimbursable meal Wants: • Pleasant sensory perceptions • Supportive social relationships • Feelings of accomplishment • Example: Food that tastes good 9

“How one is being fed, and how one eats, has a larger impact on the personality than any other human experience.” –Bruno Bettelheim, Psychologist in

Food to Nurture the Mind

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To Eat or Not to Eat?

...a decision made by the customer every day 11

Internal Factors that Influence Eating Habits

• Feelings-loneliness, happiness, or sadness • Feelings-related to time to eat, standing in line, and time to be with friends • Feelings-about the food, the way it looks, and the way it tastes • Feelings-about how I’m treated in the cafeteria; with respect, by friendly and fun personnel 12

What does the Customer Expect?

• Choices from a variety of menu items • Quick service and minimum standing in line time • Food served at the peak of freshness • A place to sit after being served • Clean and neat tables and chairs • A dining area that is colorful and decorated appropriately for the age group • Time for being with friends 13

External Factors That Influence Eating Habits of Customers

• Parents, teachers, and school nutrition personnel • Peers and celebrities • Competition for money, time, and appetite • Advertising and media 14

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Lesson 2 Finish Line

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Customers want

• Caring school nutrition personnel • Food that looks good and tastes good 17

• Where we’ve been today...

• Where we’re going next...

• While we’re apart...

• See you next time!

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This training was conducted by the

National Food Service Management Institute

The University of Mississippi

www.nfsmi.org

800-321-3054

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National Food Service Management Institute

The University of Mississippi • •

Mission:

To provide information and services that promote the continuous improvement of child nutrition programs

Vision:

To be the leader in providing education, research, and resources to promote excellence in child nutrition programs 20