At Hardee’s, Get Your A.C.T. Together!

Because we clearly haven’t been able to do so at any other job we’ve had this year.

As I search for my latest and greatest employee training video find, I always wonder two things: “am I beating this horse to death?” and “have I already beaten this horse to death?”.  And then I follow those thoughts up with “let’s just hope the horse isn’t being served as the main course of any training video I dig up.”

Because ewww, I wouldn’t want to eat wherever this is happening.

The thing is, I love these training videos.  They’re nostalgic (especially if you’ve ever worked at any of these places, which I have not), and they’re relatable (because we’ve all worked, and had to follow a workplace’s policies).  We’ve all been subjected to a training video at least once in our working life – be it a fast food chain, department store, or anything large, chain-like, and with a corporate office.  I have three experiences watching an actual employee training video in my working life – the first was at a department store I worked at briefly in the mid-2000s, the second when I was going through corporate customer service training at a casino operating company, and the welcome video at my current job.

The best one was the welcome video, which strays from your typical training video, and instead focuses on the types of services the agency I work for provides, while showing the people we provide support and advocacy to completing art projects, participating in Special Olympics sports, and attending their weekend activities.

The latest video I found is from the Hardee’s Management Development Center, and follows on the “Your Reputation Is On The Line” video (from 1988) and “Ultimate Goal” (from 1986), featuring overly excited young ladies who love their job.  Instead of the bubbly Hayope – er, Hope – we have Debra, Laura, Theda, and Cindy, as well as their manager, Irene.  This crew runs the drive-thru side of the restaurant, and they have their own separate training method – A.C.T.!

What does this brand-spanking new acronym, one of several we’ve learned from these videos, mean?

Well, you’ll find out in this latest unearthed Hardee’s training video, “Getting Your Act Together!”

And no, there will not be any comic relief from Hardee’s Own Horatio Sanz, and his Incredible Dropped Tomato.

That never gets old.

“Getting Your A.C.T. Together!”

Before we get to the training portion of our video, we are once again treated to that sweet 1980s Hardee’s title card, complete with its A Current Affair-style music.

Forget McDonald’s.  I’m lovin’ this!

The setting: your neighborhood Hardee’s, somewhere in the South…I guess.  A commenter on YouTube noted the Appalachian/West Virginia accents, so, maybe a mix of both?

Anyway, we see a team of Hardee’s Drive-Thru workers excited about their accomplishment of 22 seconds flat, boasting to be the “fastest drive-thru in the business.”

With changes made at Hardee’s in the past few years, this won’t be difficult.  The excited employees drop a statistic on us about how much of Hardee’s business is done through the Drive-Thru (more than 50 percent!), and because of this, service has to be fast!

And then they introduce us to their acronym – A.C.T., which stands for…

Our Incredible Drive-Thru Crew set to work on A.C.T. method, with each employee introducing themselves and the steps of the Drive-Thru process.  From Debra the order taker, to Laura at the transfer cabinet, assembling orders, to Theda the drink drawer (she prepares the hot AND cold drinks!).

Debra checks orders as they come to the window for accuracy, and Cindy is the cashier, who handles the payment and hands off the food orders, as well as determining whether someone needs to pull up if there are delays.

Oh, and don’t forget their manager, Irene!

She oversees the entire operation, and ensures that customers receive superior service and that her team works well together.  Irene alsogives an overview of the backline and the production cabinet, as it relates to Drive-Thru.

The team doesn’t have to be as big as Irene’s team, but they have to be as good.  I’ve never worked in fast food, but I’m convinced that there is never this many people manning one section of any fast food restaurant at any given time.

And clearly, they are a tough act to follow, as they set the standard.  And she informs new hires that a “team is only as strong as its weakest link.”  There is no weakest link here – these gals are good!

It’s simple…all you have to do is “get your A.C.T. together!”

So, you’ve seen the Reader’s Digest version of this training, but…

Are you ready to Get Your A.C.T. Together?

*Said like any of these very perky employees* Of course you are!

Upload via EncoreVisions

And now that you know A.C.T., and got it together, put it with your other acronyms and knowledge, because this you’re going to need all the skills you can get.  Gotta make the application at your next “job” as glowing as possible!