Tastin’: A hastily written idea

It seems like in the finance and service driven work of ZingNet we often struggle with how to reach our Great Food! bottom line. We don’t cook food and we don’t sell food. But we do support businesses that do both.

IT sends out a survey whenever we close a trouble ticket. The feedback we’ve gotten has all been in a similar vein: bring food.

ZingNet huddles every-other-week, usually twice a month, and there is always food at the meeting. ZingNet is also striving to establish a presence in all the businesses.

Thinking of these things while noshing on some Rick’s Picks, I thought, “ZingNet needs to eat more. We need to get lost in the land of a thousand flavors.”

THE IDEA

The first huddle of each month ZingNet learns about and tastes a food – mustards, cheeses, pickled beats, vinegar, peanutbutter – something more than just brownies and olives (both of which are absolutely delicious and worth eating on a weekly basis).

The first food I thought of were Rick’s Picks Wasabeans and Mean Beans. I had both of these Manhattan-made products for the first time last week. I’m a fool for not having had them sooner. They’re incredible! I wonder how many other ZingNetters haven’t tasted these delicious treats.

We learn about the food, taste it, then promote the hell out of it.

IT is at every business for at least 4 hours each week, it could be a good conversation starter for us. “Say, have you had the Mean Beans by Rick’s Picks?” We could even bring samples. Conversely, the effort to promote the food would get us out to the businesses and doing our on-sites.

We promote the food internally to ZCoB employees; ZCoB employees buy it for themselves or in turn promote it to their customers. Not only are we working to improve sales at the businesses, but in this example of Rick’s Picks, we’re also being a good customer, supporting our supplier.