It's a different mindset. I think everyone, and I mean everyone, realizes that we needed to overhaul our procedures but more importantly how we thought about our customers. Nevertheless, the swift internal changes could not stem the devastation of Jack in the Box's reputation. But Jack in the Box stood by its franchisees, extending credit terms and in the case of Herrick, buying out his Seattle franchisees in the epicenter of the crisis that faced a steep recovery curve. It was a necessary transformation that has paid enormous dividends.
Companies make it happen with extra focus and effort.
Although it took almost two years before Herrick's sales recovered to pre-poisoning levels, he's now experiencing his most profitable run ever. He's since added three stores in Camarillo and another in Oxnard, and he's a partner in 18 more in Los Angeles and Phoenix. Jack in the Box has a new culture, a new self-image. And our customers know it.