
“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth
Back to Basics podcast cuts through the noise to focus on what matters in hospitality. Join Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, as she talks with service industry leaders who are shaping today's workforce.
“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth
EP4: Scaling Business through Customer Experience, Speed, and Connection
In this episode, we sit down with Darren Spicer, Co-Founder and CEO of Clutch Coffee Bar, to explore how his brand is revolutionizing the drive-thru coffee experience. With a focus on speed, service, and personal connections, Clutch Coffee has grown to 15 locations across the Carolinas, with plans to double by 2025.
Darren shares his journey from barista to CEO, the operational strategies behind Clutch’s rapid success, and why human interaction is the key to standing out in the competitive coffee space. Tune in to hear how Clutch Coffee is generating $1.1M+ per location annually while keeping customer relationships at the heart of its business.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Clutch Coffee and Its Mission
01:46 The Importance of Customer Experience in Drive-Through Coffee
07:31 Creating Meaningful Connections in Quick Service
13:07 The Future of Drive-Through Coffee
15:46 Training and Developing a Gen Z Workforce
21:49 Community Engagement and Building Relationships
24:27 Using Opus for efficient and effective training
26:52 Lightning Round: Quick Insights from Darren Spicer
About Us
Opus is the hospitality training platform purpose-built for the frontline. Train 100% of your team in 101 languages on the job to quickly get them up the productivity curve. With full visibility across your workforce, you get the frontline business intelligence needed to drive your business.
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