SO MANY TEAS, SO LITTLE TIME
Continued from page 41
CONTROL YOUR TURNOVER
ISABEL ARBELAEZ
ISABEL ARBELAEZ
As mentioned above, allowing staff to shoulder operations
responsibility can free up tea-tasting time for you, but passing
on tasks and building knowledgeable workers does little if those
employees quickly leave the company. Neumann at Teaism says
she rarely has to worry about the consistency of each brew being
crafted because many of the folks who serve as the company's
"teamakers" have been employees for more than five years.
Part of that longevity comes from the fact that the company
has grown and allowed more opportunity for advancement, but
Neumann also cites the educational emphasis she and her business partner have put forth since day one. The company pays
for employees to take tea-training classes through Adagio, and
workers get a hefty discount on teas and merchandise so they
can bring the experience home with them.
The idea of longevity is also important when it comes to relationships with importers and tea providers. Many tea sellers say
that their connections to brokers are a huge part of maintaining consistent and top-quality stocks of tea in their own stores.
"There are six or seven different importers we work with, and
those are relationships we've had for a long time," says Neumann.
"I think the importers respect us and respect the quality of teas we
carry, so they take good care of us. We're so lucky."
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