You Peet’s regulars have surely noticed the sweet lady asking folks to fill out a survey while waiting in line at the Lyon Village location. She is offering a free cup of joe just for filling out the two page survey which mostly deals with demographics and coffee drinking patterns.

So, first and foremost, we love us a free anything here at the Sac Rag so head on down to Peet’s and hop in line.

Now, back to my point. Today I struck up a conversation with the gal. We discussed the Lyon Village location as well as the others in the area. Of course, this lead to our thoughts about a redesign. I freaked her out I am sure with my overly thought out plans for renovation as well as my opinion on the confusion that occurs from time to time when the coffee bean counter doubles as a coffee line which then forces the patrons to create a feeder line on the fly. This doesn’t always work out so well when everyone is not on board with the idea. She humored me and provided feedback. She also mentioned that some folks had suggested a line be created for just drip coffee orders and one for specialty drinks. If you are reading this survey lady, I apologize for my enthusiasm and references to sketches and blueprints I have available upon request.

My assumption is this has to do with the pending remodel first discussed on this here web log last month. You insiders care to chime in?

News10.net reports that the Sacramento Best Buy store has asked folks to leave who are camping out hoping to get their hands on the new Sony Playstation which goes on sale Friday (I know, today is only Wednesday, crazy, huh?).

The property owners forced the campers to move out. But all is not lost. Best Buy did take the names of everyone in line and gave them a number so when the PS3 goes on sale Friday they won’t lose their spot.

While this may sound like a great idea at first, I can’t help but wonder if this will only create a mad rush to “pre” camp out the next time some fancy electronic gizmo is released with the hope of grabbing a number so they can jump to the front of the line once the product is available. However, this apparently is one fancy gadget:

“It’s pretty much like the ultimate game machine — 60 gigabyte hard drive. And blue-ray players so it plays all your high definition movies. And then all your games are at the highest resolution…”

It’s pretty much like? Gee, why didn’t you say something earlier, let’s get out there then.

As a longtime critic of “process flows” at businesses, the least likely of candidates has impressed me the most — the California Department of Motor Vehicles! Continue reading “Efficiency at the DMV — not an oxymoron!” »

That’s right, as discussed here last year about this time, Sacramento is now set to open its very own Chick-fil-A restaurant this weekend (September 28, 2006).

A one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Combo Meals (52 coupons) will be given away to each of the first 100 adults, age 18 and older with identification, at the new stand-alone restaurant at 2101 Alta Arden Expressway, behind Arden Fair Mall between Howe Avenue and Ethan Way. The line can begin forming up to 24 hours prior to the opening, with the prizes being awarded on Sept. 28 between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. The restaurant will open at 6:30 a.m.

Oh, baby, this one should be a doozy!

UPDATE: Hey, isn’t today the 28th? Why aren’t the news agencies reporting live from scene? Or are they? Oh, and if you don’t think the Unions have juice in this town…think again.

The feeder line embraced
at Peet’s Coffee on 19th Street

A recent Associate Press poll found that most Americans are in a hurry and lose their cool in a hurry when waiting in line or on hold.

Almost one in four in the AP-Ipsos poll picked the grocery checkout as the line where their patience is most likely to melt like the ice cream turning to goo in their cart.

Hmmm, doesn’t that mean that almost three in four didn’t pick the grocery checkout? At any rate, I have to agree that a grocery store line does seem to irritate me faster than other lines around town.

“We walk in the door with the clock ticking with various degrees of loudness in our heads. And if I get to the checkout and if I have the perception it’s not working efficiently, often that clock gets even louder.”

A line not working efficiently you say? If only there was a way to make a line work more efficiently.
Continue reading ““Three’s a crowd” to the rescue” »

Not much to this one, folks. Well, maybe one thing. If the deal was offered to the first 99 people in line, and you were say, I don’t know, 100 or 101, don’t you just snap your fingers in disappointment and say, “Oh well, I’ll get’em next time”?

As we discussed earlier this week, Ikea opened today to the public and, shocker, there were a flood of folks waiting in line to get in.

From cbs13.com:

Customers have been camping out for days, others for hours and hundreds more are lined up in the cold this morning waiting for their chance to shop at IKEA. The Swedish furniture chain is opening is 27th store in North America today in West Sacramento.

Hear that Sacramento? The 27th store in North America. The Emeryville location has been open for years with little to no fanfare. So what gives? And it is a Wednesday, you know, sometimes referred to as a "work day" which really has me scratching my head.

After opening ceremonies that included the Swedish National Anthem, sawing of a log and lots of free IKEA goodies, the doors opening about 15 minutes early. Many customers are sporting yellow IKEA ball caps and women dressed in traditional Swedish costumes are entertaining the crowds.

What in the name of Pippi Longstocking is going on here, people? Somebody, set me straight.

Sacramento’s love affair with a line continued on Saturday as more than a 100 people waited for over 2 hours in front of the Pet Smart on Arden Way to have their personal documents shredded for free.

Sure, I get that identity theft is real, but who are these people that have boxes upon boxes of records to shred?

“Fifteen years’ worth of stuff in here,” said John Wachter, 53, of Carmichael as he dug through a 20-pound bag of old bank statements and receipts. “Don’t remember buying half of it.”

Hmmm, perhaps some of these folks are better off waiting in line at the Oprah show the next time she discusses hoarding.

On the other hand, perhaps these “free” shredding days are part of a master plan to hook the public like a drug dealer offering the first few hits “on the house” with the hope you’ll come crawling back ready to pay any price. A little over the top, you say? Check this out:

An employee could be entitled to recover actual damages sustained if his or her identity is stolen as a result of your inaction. Or you could have to pay statutory damages of up to $1,000 per employee.

Ugh.