Nation's Restaurant News

Nation’s Restaurant News – January 2004

Manuel Gonzalez: With the eye of a tiger, this GM takes

initiative and sets his sights on superb sales, service

By Liza Berger

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, Wendy's

International

Concept type: fast casual

Company location: Dublin, Ohio

Unit location: 1464 Madera Road, Simi

Valley, Calif.

No. of years with company: 4

Age: 28

Hometown: Colima, Mexico

Personal: married, two children

Most rewarding part of your job: making

a difference, taking care of the customers,

day in and day out, being part of something

special and helping to build the brand

One thing you would like to change about your job: nothing

Tip for other general managers: Hard work pays off.

Manuel Gonzalez is a tiger. At least, that's what his employers at

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill call him.

"He's one of our tigers. He's definitely one of our outstanding general

managers," says Steve Heeley, senior vice president of operations

for the company.

In the lingo of the Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based chain, being called a

tiger is a compliment. A tiger is someone who is alert, takes initiative

and acts decisively. And Gonzalez' sales results show that to be the

case.

In 2001 Gonzalez won "Turnaround Restaurant of the Year" at his

Simi Valley, Calif., location. Since he was named manager in June

2000, the unit has posted strong sales increases. Between 2000 and

2001, sales increased between 12 percent and 15 percent,

Gonzalez says. In 2003 sales grew between 5 percent and 8

percent.

"That restaurant was definitely heading in the wrong direction before

Manuel took over," says Tom Bryan, regional operator of Baja Fresh

and direct supervisor of Gonzalez' restaurant.

The Simi Valley restaurant was among the first Baja Fresh units to

open, in the early 1990s. The fast-casual Mexican chain now has

225 units. It was acquired by Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy's

International in 2002.

The older stores "are the tough ones to keep fresh and exciting,"

Bryan says. "He definitely brought that in when he came to the

store."

According to Bryan, Gonzalez has achieved more than sales gains.

He also has mastered the art of customer service and achieved

strong financial results.

"He's got all three points of the triangle," Bryan says. "He's done a

great job."

For Gonzalez running a great operation for Baja Fresh is a passion.

"What you put in is what you get out of Baja Fresh," Gonzalez says.

One of the things the company gives, according to Gonzalez, is

career advancement.

When Gonzalez started at the chain four years ago, he was hired as

an assistant manager. Soon he was promoted to general manager

at the Simi Valley store. His goal is to be a district operator.

Gonzalez tries to encourage other people to move up the ranks at

Baja Fresh. He believes that such encouragement is a form of

motivation.

"Baja is growing so fast there are so many opportunities for

everybody," he says. "You come in as a cashier and work yourself

up to management."

Recently, he asked a cashier to lunch and told her that she should

consider being part of the management team. The woman was

flattered and soon began the assistant-management training

program. Her advancement entices other people to achieve,

Gonzalez says.

"People say, 'If Maria did it, I can do it,' " Gonzalez says.

It takes a certain type of person, those tigers, to move up the ranks

of Baja Fresh. "Tigers make things happen," Gonzalez says. "They

don't wait for things to come to them."

Gonzalez says he tries to run his store in that way. To generate

business at the Simi Valley store, Gonzalez went out of his way to

promote the brand. He says he is constantly giving food away

through party packs, which people can win at random after dropping

their business card in a box at the store.

He also generates new customers through fund-raisers dedicated to

specific nonprofit organizations. The organization and the store

decide what day the fund-raiser will take place. Then fliers are

distributed telling people that if they bring the flier into Baja Fresh on

the designated day, the organization will receive 15 percent of the

proceeds.

Regional vice president Mike Foster says that as a result of those

two marketing programs, Gonzalez managed to increase sales even

when another Baja Fresh opened in the area.

"The easy thing to do is say that it will impact sales," Foster says.

"Manuel is the type of general manager who'll say, 'I need to get

those sales back another way.' He's a great operator."

Gonzalez is quick to point out that his staff is responsible for the

success of the store. He says his biggest accomplishment is the way

he treats his employees.

"We take a lot of pride in what we do," he says. "Every employee

likes being there."

One of his employees, assistant manager Israel Vasconcelos, says

working with Gonzalez is an overall good experience.

"It's not easy, but at the same time it's kind of rewarding at times,"

Vasconcelos says. "He's a manager who has high expectations of

the staff. . . . He tries to push, push, push and develop everybody

the most. That is stressful, but at the end it's rewarding. That's why I

say it's a good experience."

One of the challenges Vasconcelos has faced under Gonzalez is

marketing the store through the fund-raisers and party packs. He did

not know anything about marketing before he came to the store.

Even though it was difficult, Vasconcelos says he is glad he learned

those skills.

Vasconcelos is soon to be a general manager himself and plans to

model himself on Gonzalez' example. Only a few general managers

have made an impact on him, and one of them is Gonzalez,

Vasconcelos says.

The Simi Valley general manager says he tries to pass on the goals

of the company to his employees. He notes that customer service

means three things: a quality product, good service and quick

service.

He also tries to pass on his passion.

"We call it the 'tribe of the vibe,' " Gonzalez says. When a leader is

energized, the people around him will feed off it, he explains.

"That's one thing I tell people," he says. "You've got to come to work

with enthusiasm. You've got to exceed customers' expectations."

He says it is important to go out of your way for customers. For

instance, Baja Fresh will customize any item.

"We have a 'Yes, we can' attitude," he says.

He adds that knowing his customers is important to him and the

company. A customer recently invited him to a hockey game.

"It's nice to build that relationship with your customers," Gonzalez

says.

Bryan says he has seen Gonzalez in the dining room, making sure

he knows customers' names.

"He's really been able to role-model it for us," Bryan says. "There's

not a customer he doesn't know."

Being tough also comes with the territory of being a tiger. The

challenge, Gonzalez says, is to be better than the year before. Every

week Gonzalez says he sets goals for himself and his staff.

Gonzalez takes his role as an employee of the chain seriously.

When he talks about Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, he uses the word

"we," and he means it.

Since the 28-year-old manager Gonzalez started working for the

California-based concept, he says, he has fallen in love with the

company's culture and values, such as loyalty and open and honest

communications.

"At Baja everyone takes pride in what they do," he says. "It's an

amazing company. They really take care of you. From the regional

operator to the vice president, they take care of you."

Being taken care of means a competitive salary and good benefits. It

also means being part of a group of people who care. When

someone is promoted, the word quickly gets around via e-mail.

The company also is supportive, Gonzalez says. When the wife of

one of his employees died, Gonzalez called Bryan, the regional

manager, who sent word to all of the stores. Everyone throughout

the region pitched in with financial support to help the employee.

"I'm loyal to Baja because of how they've treated me," Gonzalez

says. "You just don't see stuff like that anymore."

Gonzalez is glad he pounced on the opportunity to work at Baja

Fresh when he did. He graduated from Van Nuys High School, in the

Los Angeles Unified School District. His first job was as a cook at a

family-owned restaurant. He moved up to shift manager and then

general manager.

He was opening a restaurant for the chain in Simi Valley when a

recruiter from Baja Fresh asked him if he wanted to make a change.

At first Gonzalez did not pay attention. When the person came back

the following week, Gonzalez decided to have lunch with him and

find out about Baja Fresh. He then talked to employees of the

company to find out if they liked it. One of the people he talked to

was a cashier who was in the process of becoming a general

manager. That told him that the company promotes from within. He

liked that. After a few interviews, including one with Steve Heeley,

vice president of operations, he was in the company.

"Four years later I'm glad I made this change," he says.

Today he works five days a week for a total of 50 to 55 hours. He

closes the store one day a week and has Wednesdays and Sundays

off.

In Gonzalez' eyes there is always room for improvement, and his

regional operator, Bryan, also is pushing Gonzalez to be the best.

"It's survival of the fittest." Gonzalez says. "Only the strong survive."

The work can be hard at times, but he is thrilled with being a

manager and having the responsibilities that go with the position.

"You've just got to find what you're good at and love what you do,"

he says.

What the boss says:

"If you have someone like him, you'll get results," says Steve

Heeley, Baja Fresh's senior vice president of operations, who uses

such words as "spirited," "competitive" and "leader" to describe

Manuel Gonzalez.

"He's not a softy," Heeley says. "He's got high expectations. He's got

a lot of pride, but he will invest the time with people and coach them

to achieve his standards."

He adds: "He's got an ability to pick people who will work well in a

team and be a good fit for the culture. Plus, he doesn't turn a lot of

people over." One of Gonzalez' strongest points is that he keeps his

priorities straight, Heeley says. Customers and employees come

first. The rest will fall into place.

"Like a lot of great general managers, he has the ability to put things

in perspective," Heeley says.

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