Introduction of Debbie Fields
Debbi Fields (born September 18, 1956) is the creator of Mrs. Fields Bakeries and the company’s current spokeswoman. Additionally, she has authored several cookbooks. She presently resides in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and actively engages in community philanthropy. Without family backing, Fields approached banker after banker to get the initial financing she required for her firm but received no response. With barely two years of college behind her, no one wanted to invest in a woman who had commercial expertise and lacked formal education. She got anxious about funding and started contacting organizations through the Yellow Pages. Finally, she found a lender willing to lend Fields the money she needed to launch her ambition, but at a hefty price: 21% interest. “It was the least money I could obtain,” Fields said.Fields would also need her prospects to sing ‘Happy Birthday to her in the store’s center. “That’s how I discovered the world’s finest cookie people,” she said, “because if they sang and sang out ‘Happy Birthday,’ I knew that smiles would be formed, laughing would ensue, and we would form a bond.” Fields never developed a customer service handbook due to her success, believing that “customer service comes from the heart.”
Recruitment Process for Mrs. Fields Cookies
Mrs. Fields Cookies, a mall-based specialty foods shop, offers hundreds of employment opportunities around the United States. To pick qualified employees, the baked goods business uses a basic interview procedure that looks for open availability, likable characteristics, and the ability to adapt to difficult, fast-paced circumstances. Applicants may only be required to undergo 20-minute recruiting sessions to obtain an official evaluation, but the average duration of job interviews is between 15 and 30 minutes.
Characteristics and Capabilities of an Ideal Candidate
Employees reply to questions meant to screen out unattractive characters during Mrs. Fields’ employment interviews. Most recruiting employees value the following character traits: concentration, drive, perseverance, and trust. The majority of entry-level positions need daily contact with clients and coworkers. To get hired, applicants must have strong communication abilities.
Questions for General Interviews
Typically, job applicants spend a few minutes introducing themselves before going on to the question-and-answer section of the interview process. Typical interview questions include: “Have you ever worked in retail or food service?” “What kind of work situations do you thrive in?” and “What hours are you available to work immediately?”
What does Debbie Fields look for in job candidates?
So, what characteristics define an excellent employee? Debbie Fields likes individuals that exhibit these six traits.
1. Reliability
Look for personnel who can be relied upon to be on time and complete their assigned responsibilities. Reliable personnel take ownership of their work and adhere to deadlines.
2. Ability to solve problems
Valuable employees are motivated to address challenges. They consider many points of view and provide helpful answers. Rather than waiting to be directed, they take the initiative and seek ways to offer. They are inquisitive and pose inquiries. During the interview process, inquire about a particular instance of an issue the applicant handled in a prior position and the conclusion.
3. Teamwork
Seek personnel that can interact with their coworkers and work collaboratively with their team to accomplish objectives. They are adaptable, adaptable, and adaptable to new responsibilities. They are supportive and considerate to their coworkers. Employees that are engaged boost their coworkers’ morale and are more willing to go above and above for their team and customers. Determine if they prefer to work alone or cooperatively and why.
4. Conflict resolution
Successful workers are motivated to overcome conflict rather than avoid it or apportion blame. Employees capable of resolving disputes speak openly, often, and early. During their interview, you might question applicants to recall a situation in which they faced conflict in prior employment and how they handled it. If they seem to be blaming a coworker or client rather than detailing how they resolved the disagreement, their conflict resolution skills may be poor.
5. Effective communication abilities
Another quality of an excellent employee is strong communication abilities. This skill set is particularly crucial for professionals that interact with customers, clients, and other stakeholders daily. A person with strong communication skills is an outstanding listener and is capable of fielding queries with succinct, well-constructed solutions. Throughout your encounters with a prospective employee, look for indications that they are listening with an open mind rather than waiting for their moment to talk.
What It’s Like to Work for Debbie Fields?
Mrs. Fields has never compromised on quality, even during growth.
Mrs. Fields’ quality might easily have deteriorated as she developed her company, but her unwavering conviction that great cookies were more essential than anything else propelled her business. According to Funding Universe, Debbi Fields faced pressure to substitute the costly raisins in her cookies with less expensive dates only two years after launching.“The goal was not to generate money; the goal was to produce beautiful cookies, and we made sacrifices to achieve that goal,” she explains. Debbi’s concentration on freshness stems from this approach.“Our cookies needed to be warm and fresh out of the oven,” Fields tells Funding Universe that any unsold cookies were given to the Red Cross as refreshments for blood donors and produced new batches. “Everything we sold was guaranteed,” she claims.
Mrs. Fields currently offers a variety of baked goods and delivers nationally.
What began as a “chocolate chipper” has grown into an empire with over 200 franchise locations worldwide. And, the business website notes, consumers can now get their fill regardless of whether they live near a franchise: Mrs. Fields now sends its extensive line of cookies in mix-and-match flavor combinations ranging from triple chocolate to white chocolate macadamia to oatmeal raisin and more. Additionally, the brand now offers frosted cookies in addition to brownies, blondies, and toffee fudge brownies.Mrs. Fields has even introduced a new product recently: filled cookies. According to Inside FMCG, the cookies are available in two flavors: chocolate chip with Nutella and hazelnuts and Biscoff with snickerdoodles (cookie butter). It seems as if these latter goods are only accessible in Australia, but if they prove successful enough, they may eventually make their way to American shores.
How does Mrs. Fields Cookies motivate its employees?
Mrs. Fields Cookies motivates its staff in a variety of ways.
1. Establish objectives and celebrate achievement
If staff are failing to fulfill their objectives, it is time to let them go or improve on their performance. When objectives are accomplished, ensure that they are celebrated or, at the very least, recognized. Even a simple team lunch or an internal email thanking workers for their achievements might inspire them to strive harder toward their next goals.
2. Pay attention
ever dismiss a coworker’s innovative approach or concept, no matter how absurd it may appear to you. When people are continuously denied their voices by managers who refuse to listen, they may become disinterested in the organization and less likely to put up their best effort.
3. Compensate them adequately
Mrs. Fields Cookies will have to offer competitive compensation to retain its best staff. It may be easier said than done in certain companies, so ensure that you are not underpaying. If their performance merits it, offer them a raise to indicate that you respect and appreciate them. If you cannot provide competitive wages or increases, consider performance-based incentives for individuals or teams.
4. Concern about their future
A boss who demonstrates interest and participation in their workers’ futures wonders for motivation. Providing an opportunity for employees to advance inside Mrs. Fields Cookies while also fostering ongoing development and education. Employees feel valued and significant when they believe their boss cares about their career and advancement within the organization. By serving as a mentor and advocate, you may help develop trust and enthusiasm for their future with Mrs. Fields Cookies.
How does Mrs. Fields Cookies reward its employees?
Perhaps Mrs. Fields has been linked with malls due to its first position in one. Mrs. Fields opened its first retail shop in California’s Aventura Mall. After a long shopping day, consumers will naturally need a sweet cookie. Working at Mrs. Fields as a team member would undoubtedly be a great experience if you like being around people and assisting others.Former and present colleagues describe work settings that are enjoyable, helpful, and professionally devoted, fostering career progress and financial security. Typically, employees get cheap or complimentary meals throughout their shifts. Additionally, employees can get tips from clients who appreciate their good service, which enhances wages. Additionally, qualified workers get excellent employment benefits packages. Among the rewards of employment are the following:
• Health insurance coverage
• Paid time off, as well as
• 401(k) programs for retirement.
Job perks and qualifying restrictions can differ by region.
Mrs. Fields Cookies Employee Benefits:
• Social Security and Medicare
Medicare and Social Security are referred to as payroll taxes because the employee and the employer pay them through payroll deductions. While employed in the United States, all workers contribute to these legally required benefit schemes. After retirement or reaching 65, workers “benefit” from the schemes.
• Insurance for Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation insurance covers an employee’s medical expenses if they are injured or get sick. Medical care, therapy, rehabilitation, and paid leave or replacement income are all included in these expenditures.
• Unemployment Compensation
This necessary insurance coverage is offered in the event of an employee’s involuntary job loss. It compensates for a portion of lost income for a certain time. Employees and employers both contribute to unemployment insurance. The federal and state governments govern it. Contrary to severance, which a firm may give to a person who is dismissed or laid off from employment. Individuals often claim unemployment benefits after the payment of their severance.
• Health Care Coverage
It may be provided individually and may include dental examinations, cleanings, X-rays, and surgical and orthodontic treatment. Employers select which services and to what degree they are covered (specified by deductibles, co-pay, annual limits, and lifetime maximums).
Unique culture at Mrs. Fields Cookies:
Mrs. Fields Cookies’ physical retail outlets, largely in major shopping malls, enable the franchise to enjoy significant amounts of client visitation and extended periods of growth and development. The specialty foods company sells online through a comprehensive web-based inventory along with physical locations.Daily activities are carried out by around 4,000 entry-level associates and career experts. As new sites emerge and businesses flourish, job seekers can easily locate fascinating career possibilities in unusual environments. The majority of shops are between 500 and 800 square feet, which traditionally adequately accommodated 10 to 12 workers.The bulk of everyday tasks is related to food preparation for consumers. Basic cleanliness and equipment maintenance are also critical components of daily operations. Shopping center locations often improve foot traffic, resulting in consistent patronage throughout the day. To thrive as a Mrs. Fields employee, attention to detail, collaboration, and complete execution of job tasks are critical.Mrs. Fields Cookies positions provide part-time and full-time scheduling flexibility and are good beginning places for short-term and long-term retail careers. To be considered for entry-level work, applicants must be at least 16 years old and be able to provide proof of a reliable mode of transportation. Managerial positions may demand high school degrees or equivalents and comparable retail business experience, depending on the company’s longevity.
Conclusion
Debbi remains active in charities, motivational speaking, and, of course, baking. Mrs. Fields Cookies, Inc., which Debbi Fields established, is now owned by Famous Brands International, which also owns TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt). Mrs. Fields presently has over 300 stores worldwide and the progress is definitely a result of strategic hiring of employees as well as the company culture. We hope you will get some inspiration from Debbie and will be able to create an organization that is safe, enjoyable and people-friendly.
