Hospitality and customer relations

Level 1 - Aspiring company partner

(~$18/hour this pay calculation was made totaling base pay plus tips)

You have perused our website and can tell us or anyone, what our company is about, what makes Via Gelato special and what customers are looking forward to when they come here.
You have a personal INTEREST and CURIOSITY in desserts and/or food, cooking, eating, baking, artistry, entrepreneurship in artisan products or services, the arts, community.
Aspiring Partners consistently come on time or early to work demonstrating TRUST and RELIABILITY. You have consistently done that in previous jobs or at school or for sports/school organizations.
You show an INTEREST in Via Gelato flavors (what makes them unique from other ice cream experiences, why people have such a strong connection to them, flavors are memories). At our company, we have LookBooks that give photos and descriptions of each flavor. Every employee is given access to these LookBooks. We can count on you to have read the LookBooks and are thoroughly versed in the content so that you feel confident in being able to share that information with customers.
You show INITIATIVE by completing all shift duties independently without needing prompting. You also show INITIATIVE by asking questions if you need clarification, if you forgot, or if you need another round of instructions.
You show INITIATIVE and PROBLEM SOLVING during the training period by reviewing on your own what you learned, taking notes if that is helpful to you, reading the LookBooks to increase your knowledge.
You demonstrate EMPATHY with customers, fellow team members and your managers. EMPATHY is being able to understand and convey that understanding of how another person feels (whether it is happiness, sadness, anxiousness or anger). You don’t have to personally feel the same way, empathy is the ability to understand the other person’s feelings and convey that understanding. Your manager can list off observing this in you every single time they work with you. Your manager and teammates can give specific details and instances of EMPATHY with customers and teammates that they see you have shown during your shift.
You demonstrate RESPECT and PROFESSIONALISM when listening or communicating with fellow teammates, managers, customers and anyone else that walks through the Via Gelato doors. This means articulating your feelings or composing yourself without yelling or sassy tones of contempt or shows of disgust or contempt or cursing. Even when interacting with co-workers and you feel like you can confide in your co-worker, you refrain from disgust, contempt, gossip and cursing at the workplace and with work co-workers and managers. The workplace is not the place to let loose venting, it is a place where you present your issues and express your feelings in a constructive manner. Everyone at Via is under the protection of this code of RESPECT and PROFESSIONALISM, to cross that with co-workers or managers is to violate this protection that everyone enjoys in working at Via in a safe and professional environment.
Demonstrates TEAM IMPORTANCE, EMPATHY and INITIATIVE by volunteering to fill in for co-workers that ask for help (coverage) when they are sick or are encountering an emergency that prevents them from working that shift.
Demonstrates INDEPENDENCE and HONESTY by letting the co-worker know what you expect in return if you filled in for them. For example, if you truly want to do it to help that person out and don’t want that person to take one of your shifts in return, you say that. If you feel you would appreciate if that person takes a shift of yours that week or the following week, you say that and arrange that. If you expect that person is there for you next time you are sick you say something to the effect of, “you’re welcome! No need to fill in for any of my shifts now, but next time if I’m sick, I’ll text you and ask you to fill in for me”. Demonstrates self RESPECT when articulating what you want and not being silently resentful by taking shifts and never communicating you want others to reciprocate to you or take one of your shifts. You have to say what you want or expect and be comfortable with that.
Demonstrates TEAM RELIABILITY and INITIATIVE by always adhering to the finding coverage policy. If you are sick or have an emergency you independently contact co-workers individually to personally request help from them to fill in for you. You demonstrate EMPATHY and PROFESSIONALISM by offering to take one of their shifts in return or covering for that person next time they need it in turn. You give the requested cover person AMPLE time of notice (at least 24 hours in advance). Demonstrates RELIABILITY by making sure the switch is official in our online scheduling program (JOLT) and not only giving the shift to the alternate person but also checking and ensuring that the alternate person takes your shift and accepts it. INDEPENDENTLY follows up with that person to make sure it’s complete.

Level 2 - Intermediate aspiring company partner

(~$19.50/hour this pay calculation was made totaling base pay plus tips)

Level 2 assumes you have the baseline qualifications of Level 1. Please read level 1.
You show an INTEREST in Via Gelato and in learning more. You read the messages in our company communications board (called Slack) and you read the posted papers about the Chef’s Choice and new flavors. You don’t need anyone to tell you to incorporate that information that you read into what you share with your customers. You also ask questions or google things you don’t know (eg. Google what is calamansi and then incorporate what you learned to what you share with customers)

You show EMPATHY and CONNECTION with customers. Empathy doesn’t just mean understanding customers when they are angry and disappointed, it also means (more often than the prior) that you can convey understanding of feelings of excitement, or happiness when a person is coming into Via with hopes of interesting new flavors, and old stand by classics that they have loved for years. You are able to COMMUNICATE in words that shared connection with the customer. You use open body language to indicate receptiveness, and eagerness to engage with their customer. Your manager observes customers walking away from interacting with you with a feeling that they have been looked out for and what they are experiencing is special (both the gelato as well as the hospitality). How do we know this? After walking away from your hospitality, we hear the customer parrot back information that they discovered from you, we see the customer smiling when they walk away, we hear the customer talking about the gelato or their experience to their family or friends when they go to sit down or walk away.
You show INITIATIVE by initiating communication with fellow team members about what they can do to contribute to the team (rotate in on case, make cones, wash dishes, bus tables, volunteer for different closing positions, volunteering to rotate through closing positions eg. I did case last time, I can handle dishes if that’s ok with everyone else). Contributes with other employees on the team to complete the collective shift duties.
You do not need to be told what duties to do in order to complete them. You independently consult our online shift task list and accurately fill it out. You do not “hog” all online shift task lists, communicates with team members to divide and share tasks as well as customer hospitality time at the case.
Demonstrates problem solving particularly when it comes to interacting with customers. You ALWAYS gives the customer multiple options and alternative suggestions that could “solve the problem”.
You demonstrate HONESTY when communicating with customers. You don’t say things that aren’t true or say something you’re guessing about but present it as fact just to appease the customer or “look confident”. If you need guidance, you utilize the company “I Don’t Know” online checklist for conveying “I don’t know but let me help you by asking someone else, or checking, or getting your contact info so I can pass on that information to you – that’s a good question and I’m curious myself.”
You demonstrate HONESTY when communicating with managers and co-workers.
An Intermediate Aspiring Partner can be marked as the “lead” during the shift that they work. The designated “lead” is the captain and responsible for the end of shift final check. They take this role, not because it is associated with more money, they take it because they have a stake in Via Gelato and want to ensure that at the end of their shift the entire team has left everything in a secure, complete, closed state. They do not do all the work, rather, they ensure that the team has done all the work by double, and triple checking and inspecting.

Level 3-5 descriptions

(Scroll below Application Form)

Application FOrm for all Hospitality levels:

DON’t forget to send your resume and Email!

YES! send my resume and email why I am interested

Level 3 - advanced aspiring Company partner

(~$20/hour this pay calculation was made totaling base pay plus tips)

Level 3 assumes you have the baseline qualifications of Levels 1-2. Please read levels 1-2.
You show INITIATIVE regarding the presentation of the store beyond what is already listed on the task list. This means that you might notice the case is messy and pick up after co-workers in order to keep the case, counter and service area neat, or it could mean that you bring the messiness to the attention of the person creating the mess and ask respectfully if they would clean it and keep it more neat. This could also mean noticing that cone shapers fall under the cone area and you pick them up and clean that area where crumbs fall. Whatever action it is, it’s clear that your goal is to present a clean neat environment for customers viewing or coming into the store.
You show CURIOSITY and INITIATIVE regarding Via Gelato. Even though you are comfortable with the day-to-day task and customer hospitality aspects of the job, you are still interested and curious to LEARN more. You ask or research more about flavors or how caramel is made, or the science behind what we make. Or perhaps you are interested in design and you start a Pinterest board or collect and share screenshots for future design ideas or Instagram ideas. You share this with the company.
You do your share of duties and also help newer or other employees along with their duties once done with yours or answers newer employees questions. Or, shows INITIATIVE and EMPATHY for newer employees and initiates teaching them things that they know or notice they could benefit from.
OBSERVANT AND AWARE: you notice all duties that need to get done during the shift in order of PRIORITY
OBSERVANT AND AWARE of customers and what they are checking out and seem interested in. If they are looking at the bags, you offer information about the bags without waiting for the customer to ask for help. If you notice a customer is gazing at the dairy free options, you offer information about our dairy free options and give your opinion about the different flavor profiles and what goes well together. You give information about our dairy free subscription as well and what the perks are. You basically demonstrate that you look out for, share information with, and treat the customer as you would a friend, certainly not as a stranger.
Neatness and presentation of the store is clearly important to you and you contribute actively to the presentation of the gelato you serve, the cones you make, the tasks that you do, and the extra things you notice that aren’t on the online task checklist but you do them anyway because you care.
An Advanced Aspiring Partner can be marked as the “lead” during the shift that they work.
An Advanced Aspiring Partner can be elected to mentor a more Junior level Aspiring Partner. Their work of mentoring will be evaluated by the mentee as well as the Service Manager. They will be expected to provide guidance and learning opportunities to more Junior level aspiring partners (Level 1-2), by offering feedback every single week, offering learning opportunities every single week, working with the aspiring partner to create goals both short term as well as larger longer term goals. They will observe the more junior aspiring partner for their independence or what they need further guidance on in relation to the specific goals and learning projects each week. The goal is for the ADVANCED PARTNER to start practicing and honing their teaching skills (including follow up and observation skills) and to help facilitate the growth and learning of the more junior ASPIRING PARTNER by providing the expertise, the guidance, and feedback every single time they work together thereby strengthening the team.

Level 4 - Senior aspiring company partner

(~$21/hour this pay calculation was made totaling base pay plus tips)

Level 4 assumes you have the baseline qualifications of Level 1-3. Please read Levels 1-3 expectations.
Consistently accountable for any mistakes they make. You not only own up to mistakes, but you can be RELIED on to self correct or ask for assistance in figuring out a better system so that the mistake is not repeated again. Doesn’t make excuses, makes observations and plans for doing better in the future. Does not make empty promises of “Ok got it!” or “Ok, sorry, won’t happen again!” and it happens again. You have any ideas or plans on how to correct those mistakes - you create your own learning opportunities!
At this level, you will get lots of practice in directing, teaching, and observing your teammates. The Service Manager training and preparing you will only graduate and promote you to COMPANY PARTNER when you are observed in consistently sharing tasks, utilizing effective teaching methods (including observation and giving feedback until the team member is truly proficient), giving team members opportunities to find the answer by giving them hints or questions until they arrive at the right answer, giving team members structure by involving them in decisions, yet still making sure each person rotates through stations and shares the online JOLT task list.
You tell others what you notice in a respectful way so that everyone works together to keep the case neat, the counters clean, tables clear, trash is managed (you are not only focused on yourself, you are focused on the team working together to do the things you notice need to be done). IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT AS A LEADER, YOU DON’T DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF! Good leaders do not micro manage and do everything themselves. They teach and lead the team to accomplish the goals together. If you do everything yourself, you are taking away valuable practice and experience from others to contribute to the team.
You exhibit excellent communication skills with customers. You always try to connect with customers and make the interaction feel special by offering information, supporting customer decisions with positive encouragement or statements, and you recognize returning customers and greet as well as treat them in a manner that conveys sincere happiness and appreciation for them returning.
You always incorporates new information like new chef’s choice flavors, or new specials in the store, or letting people know about subscriptions that might interest them as a truly SENIOR ASPIRING PARTNER at Via.
You observe your team members and co-workers interactions with guests as well and give feedback to your team members based off of what you observed. As a leader, the goal is not just for yourself to give great hospitality and share information with our customers, but to ensure your entire team does. That way, when customers come in they experience a consistent level of hospitality and can always reach knowledgable staff about what we offer,
You manage conflict or confusion well by asking follow up questions for clarity, re-stating the facts or issues for confirmed clarity, then offering suggestions, options or solutions that speak to the confirmed issue. You listen intently. You use open body language to indicate that you are interested in what the other person has to say. This ability to listen and communicate even in conflicts, disagreements or irritating situations is expected not just with customers, but also with co-workers and managers.
You are able to direct (give instructions to) customers or co-workers in a clear direct, but kind and respectful manner.
You show initiative: seeks or asks for more opportunities for growth and learning, looks for more tasks to contribute, offers to do more, researches chef’s choice flavors even further, reads up online about flavors or Via Gelato (for example currently we are running pumpkin flavors and have been written up by at least two publications about them….this person would look it up and actually read all of the articles then share that info with co-workers and customers).
You appear thoughtful and empathetic in all interactions with people.
You have personal goals to achieve the next level up, COMPANY PARTNER at Via Gelato
A Senior Aspiring Partner can be marked as the “lead” during the shift that they work. The designated “lead” is the captain and responsible for the end of shift final check. They take this role, not because it is associated with more money, they take it because they have a stake in Via Gelato and want to ensure that at the end of their shift the entire team has left everything in a secure, complete, closed state. They do not do all the work, rather, they ensure that the team has done all the work by double, and triple checking and inspecting.
You will attend weekly Service Meetings and brainstorms ideas, thoughts or contributions. You voice these ideas thoughts and contributions during the meeting. You immediately think of how you can take what was learned and discussed in the meeting and apply it to what you personally say to customers and what you will teach and observe with your service team members.
You do not need prompting to take the meeting information and transform it into the best most relevant way of connecting with customers at the front.
You are open to the Service Manager or PARTNERS’ additional ideas for connecting with customers and improving sales and the return of customers to Via Gelato using the topics of the meeting.
You use the topics of the meeting to improve the front team as well as to create personal goals for the upcoming week.

Level 5 - Company Partner - Hospitality and Customer Relations Expert

(~$22/hour this pay calculation was made totaling base pay plus tips)

Please read expectations of Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Level 5 assumes you have the baseline qualifications of Levels 1-4.
We have two general categories of team members at Via Gelato - Aspiring Partners and COMPANY PARTNERS. This Level 5 position is a Company Partner team member.
Take on minimum ONE apprentice ASPIRING PARTNER. You will groom them and move them through the progressive stages by offering feedback every single week, offering learning opportunities every single week, working with the aspiring partner to create goals both short term as well as larger longer term goals. They will observe the aspiring partner for their independence or what they need further guidance on in relation to the specific goals and learning projects each week. The goal is for the PARTNER to facilitate the growth and learning of the ASPIRING PARTNER by providing the expertise, the guidance, and feedback every single time they work together.
PARTNERS are expected to understand that their expertise is best shared in the company, particularly with customer interaction and with Aspiring Partners. They want to teach and share their knowledge with customers as well as with aspiring partner team members. This means that PARTNERS do not all work together at the same time and day during the week if at all possible. This also means that they NEVER try to stack the schedule with all PARTNERS working at the same time in a shift so as to “get out of having to teach”. Any PARTNER exhibiting behavior that and attitude of not wanting to share their knowledge and/or teach will be issued a written warning with the possibility of demotion back to Aspiring Partner until they show INITIATIVE and RELIABILITY of wanting to teach.
You know how to OBSERVE and TEACH OTHERS. Teaching doesn’t mean telling someone what to do and walking away. The teaching method at Via Gelato that you will be using is explaining the WHY and HOW behind skills (including but not limited to, offering information to customers, providing positive remarks about something a customer is interested in, making meaningful connections with customers so they feel like you have their back, and tasks like how to use the dishwasher correctly and know when it does or does not have enough water, etc.).
Teaching the WHY and HOW behind skills is one part of teaching. The second important part of teaching is after you have taught, observe again and again and offer feedback until the team member being taught is truly proficient and independent.
Attends weekly Service Meetings and contributes ideas, observations. Also takes the information, ideas, and goals from the Service Meetings and directly applies it to what their weekly goals are at the front. For example, a PARTNER contributes to a Service meeting. During the meeting it’s brought up that we have an upcoming chef’s choice. The PARTNER immediately thinks of how he/she can communicate this with as many customers as possible making a genuine connection with customers to share information and give the upcoming chef’s choice as a reason to come back. They share this with their mentee and observe their mentee. They offer feedback to the mentee and facilitate the mentee growing in their ability to connect with customers and achieve the Via Gelato goals by utilizing these subscriptions that are available. They don’t just tell the mentee what they should say and then walk away. They are actively invested in the mentee’s growth and learning which requires continuous and REGULAR and consistent observation and follow up feedback. They contribute ideas to the entire team and share those as well so that the entire team can benefit from their ideas.

Working together as a team to create joy !