Eat Mor Chikin



 The Holstein cows have a sense of humor. They dress up as construction workers, flower children, birthday partiers, cheerleaders, football players and shepherds.  A note on the wall of their clubhouse reminds members that September 24th is "Cow Tipping Awareness Day."

Chic-Fil-A Sales Representatives

They wear sandwich boards displaying messages like "Punt the burger, pass the chikin," "Lose that burger belly," "Take a vacashun from beef," and "Eat Mor Chikin."  The spelling needs help but it's been an effective self-serving effort to reduce the number of cows who get eaten.

It's the advertising campaign for Chick-Fil-A, the second largest quick-service chicken purveyor in the U.S.A.  The company is privately owned and infused with the Christian faith of its owners.  Chick-Fil-A's purpose statement reads "That we may glorify God by being a faithful steward in all that is entrusted to our care, and that we might have a positive influence on all the people we come in contact with."

Company president Dan Cathy spoke at Colorado Christian University.  Jean Torkelson reported on Cathy's remarks about staff selection and training. He said "We are a discriminatory employer - unashamedly."  The company interviews prospective employees intensively to determine their values, honesty, integrity, chemistry with others, competence, character and harmony with the company's values.  Forbes Magazine's Emily Schmall reports the company "wants married workers, believing they are more industrious and productive."  It's also an indicator of success: "If a man can't manage his own life, he can't manage a business."

Vetting can take a year and involves multiple interviews.  The company's training manager was initially interviewed seven times and rejected.  After reapplying and enduring 17 more interviews he was hired.  "Bureon Ledbetter, Chick-Fil-A's general counsel, says the company works hard to select people who "fit."  "We want operators who support the values here.""

""Those who (are selected) say they like the member-of-the-club feel. "It is very difficult to get in, but once you're in, you're in for life" says one franchisee. "I tell my people, "I'm not working for Chick-Fil-A, I'm working for the Lord."

The diligence in hiring is effective: only a 3% turnover rate among headquarters staff and store operators and 60% among hourly workers compared to the industry average of 107%.  For the right person with character, motivation but little money Chick-Fil-A offers the opportunity to become a franchisee for $5,000.  By comparison, KFC requires a million dollar net worth and $25,000 in cash.

Financial success has spawned charitable works including a college scholarship foundation, boys and girls camps, fourteen foster homes, and a family center offering marital conferences and programs for families.  All from treating customers with importance, providing service, friendliness, honesty and integrity, giving people encouragement (Cathy asks, "Do you know how to recognize a person who needs encouragement?  If they're breathing") and generally applying biblical principles that include being closed on Sundays.

Chick-Fil-A's extraordinary record demonstrates the effectiveness of timeless biblical concepts in today's fast-paced, technological and demanding business environment.

To meet the cows go to www.chick-fil-a.com then click on "The Cows"


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