Heejin and I go to In-N-Out Burger. Really, we do. The place is an amazing example of focus, efficiency, teamwork and the benefits of systematizing.
We recently went to the one in Santa Barbara to pay homage (and to eat “Double-Doubles”) and there were already lines out the door…at 4:30 in the afternoon, before the dinner rush had even started. We stood there in awe as we watched the kitchen staff churn out order after order without a hitch.
In Real Estate, when we hear the phrase “The One Thing,” we think of Gary Keller’s (of Keller Williams) famous book. But, In-N-Out nailed that concept long before Keller did. Keller focuses on mastery but In-N-Out focuses on systemization as well.
In-N-Out sticks to some basic principles that apply to ALL businesses, including ours:
1. Extreme Service. Go out of your way at all times and never fail in any aspect of it.
2. Extreme Quality. Pay extra for quality ingredients (or employees) no matter the cost.
3. Extreme Cleanliness. This applies to services too. Nothing scares me more than a messy law or dental office. JVM is immaculate for a reason.
4. Pay Employees Above Market. Be ultra-fair and allow for growth, opportunity and influence.
5. Ignore Traditional Advertising. If your product is so good, it sells itself.
6. Do One Thing Only and Do It Perfectly.
7. Systematize Everything. Every customer gets the same awesome experience no matter where they are.
Most Mortgage Banks are the antithesis of In-N-Out, as they have no systems at all. And they have Loan Officers, Assistants, Processors, Underwriters, Doc Drawers, and Funders spread out among multiple offices.
Ever since we read the excellent book called ” In-N-Out Burger,” it has been our goal to turn the mortgage process into one “In-N-Out-like system” with a single team under one roof, and we are almost there!
We highly recommend the book. It is a short, fun and very inspiring read.
Jay Voorhees
Founder/Broker | JVM Lending
(855) 855-4491 | DRE# 01524255, NMLS# 310167
Photo Courtesy of In-N-Out, Las Vegas || Photo by: Dan Nguyen/Flickr/Creative Commons License
