[Exclusive Interview with Leaders] Dirk Dozier, Chairman and CEO of Ostaco Corporation

Translated by Mo Zhuoyijuan Xiurun/Weng Jingyu

We are here to work to serve one another. Understanding what servanthood is is our motto.
Ostaco's mission statement is: "We want to serve both the customers in front of the counter and the employees behind the counter."
∼Dudek

I grew up going to church, but my parents didn’t ask much in this area, and it wasn’t until I was twenty-seven that I truly dedicated my life to Christ.

At that time, we asked a young woman to decorate my office, and I felt a sense of peace from her that I had never experienced before. I asked curiously, and she immediately testified to me about Jesus Christ. I thought to myself, "I've been looking everywhere and couldn't find it, maybe now I should try this." A few weeks later, I accepted Christ. A few weeks later, I proposed to that woman, and three weeks later "Katie" and I were married. Eighteen and a half years later, I am still a man with a happy family and a happy marriage, walking firmly with the Lord.

Q: You opened a store when you were sixteen, is it true?

Yes. I have been working with my father since I was twelve years old, working on weekends and summer vacations. By the time I was sixteen, I had been promoted to a branch manager during the summer vacation. I had to train an older person to take over the management after I started college. Not long after I entered college, I was dropped out, so I returned to the store and worked hard on my career.

Q: After you believed in Christ at the age of 27, how did your way of doing business change?

It's a complete change. Before, it was just work, work, work. As former President Bush said: "Young people abuse drugs and drink alcohol." I do not deny that this is the case for me. At that time, I had smoked coca salt for many years. I didn't know how to care about other people, let alone establish such a corporate culture. I was only thinking about business and performance.

It wasn’t until I accepted Jesus Christ, learned various spiritual teachings from the church, and began to understand the biblical principles of running a business that my life underwent a drastic change.

Q: What business principles does the Bible teach you that are consistent with the truth? What practical measures are available in this regard?

There are just too many! The most important thing is to be a good steward, be loyal to the inheritance entrusted by the Lord, and take social responsibility.

The company had about 300 employees in the early days, and over the past fifteen years, the number has expanded to 2,500. In the past, I could help to some extent when any employee was traumatized or encountered difficulties. Whether employees need to repair their car or purchase a new washing machine, they are always available to help. As the company continues to expand and be managed hierarchically, the one-to-one intimate relationship with employees is lost.

This is an important reason why we established "Shopping Mall Ministry". We hired thirty pastors to visit one hundred and fifteen restaurants on a rotating basis to make up for what I could not do. As the president of a large company, employees inevitably distance themselves from their bosses. Shopping mall ministry can effectively bridge the gap between the two companies.

Q: In the service industry, very few companies have set up a "human resources department" like Ostarco.

Indeed, this is done with genuine concern for the needs of employees. Our personnel turnover rate is very low. In addition to the mall ministry, the entire management system is also the main reason. The Human Resources Department is committed to talent training, development and many other matters for the benefit of employees.

Q: How many years do you have many employees who can serve in Ostal?

My mother has been with the company the longest, for thirty-three years, and is still active in the company; many employees have been working for fifteen or twenty years.

Q: How does being a Christian affect the way you deal with other companies? Please be specific.

My attitude has completely changed in my dealings with other suppliers, franchisees and banks. I gained a new perspective—a strong faith and a strong commitment to biblical principles.

It means becoming more patient, more considerate, and less demanding of others. This has established my ability to solve problems, determine how to resolve conflicts, and analyze all response steps to avoid jumping to conclusions. Most of the suppliers we contract with have been with us for a long time. It is not about who can provide the cheapest service, but we are happy to establish long-term and stable cooperative relationships with them.

Q: When you set goals for your company and plan for the future, what impact does confidence play?

We can start with our company's motto "Serve One Another". From many perspectives, the most important one is the heart of servanthood. Whether it's cleaning toilets or wiping tables, no matter how high or low the work is, it's all about serving one another. Understanding what servanthood is is our motto. Ostaco's mission statement is: "We not only serve the customers in front of the counter, but also take care of the employees behind the counter." In addition, we have four corporate pillars:

1. Corporate culture:Our corporate culture values character, integrity and care, and we are committed to creating events that reinforce this culture. Many companies say they care about their employees, but if you ask them "What measures are they taking?" they have nothing to say. We are not just talkers. In addition to ministry in shopping malls, we also handle employee loan programs.

There is a "Santa Claus Fund" designed for emergency use by employees who encounter family crises. It may be for funerals, tutoring rebellious children, or paying arrears of utility bills or monthly rent. Some single mothers earn only seven or eight dollars an hour, but have to raise three or four children, while their idle fathers don't care. This benefit is to allocate money to employees with special needs, and is in addition to general benefits such as labor insurance, overtime, and summer work.

We are currently working on the "House Purchase Project for Low-Income Households". The company pays the down payment and cooperates with some of the government's low-interest loans to help employees buy houses. In the past, employees could not even think about things, but now we are happy to help them realize their dreams!

2. Talent cultivation:We hold regular training programs, provide promotion channels, strive to cultivate talents, and provide a working environment that enables people to achieve their career dreams; business operators have the responsibility to provide employees with better development opportunities.

3. Brand building:This sounds a bit mysterious. Because we have two brands, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, we must surpass other fast food restaurants in other states. Whether it is the facilities, staff quality, product manufacturing, cleanliness, service attitude or preferential packages, we must strive for excellence and be superior to others.

4. Progress every year:It not only refers to performance, but also reflects it in your own life; pursuing excellence will make you better this year than last year!

Q: Were these Four Pillars ever written down for circulation?

Yes, we explain it during employee orientation and we don’t talk about anything about sales, profits, cost control, P&L. We believe that as long as we live out our motto, truly implement our mission statement, and fulfill the social responsibilities mentioned in the Four Pillars, we will naturally achieve results and profits.

Q: As a Christian, a businessman and a service provider, do you have any advice for people considering going into business?

I want to emphasize again the importance of a mission statement. Business management is closely related to people and is not just about making money. If you take the initiative to care for your employees and build up the character of Christ, you will definitely have good development. As for your questions, the answers are contained in the above conversation.

Doing business is a process of continuous improvement. As the fourth pillar says, if you want your business to prosper, you must not be complacent and say, "Oh, our performance is good enough, why not take a break?" You must not. On the contrary, you must strive for development every year. Make progress every day!*Taken from the book Corporate Giants: Personal Stories of Faith and Finance, by Bob Darden, Robert Darden, and PJ Richardson, published by FH Revell, 2002. The Chinese version will be published by Flying Eagle Press in the near future. Published with permission.

Servant leaders who work for the benefit of their employees
In 1968, Dick Dozier founded the first Taco Bell fast-food chain in Texas. More than thirty years later, his son Dirk Dozier is in charge of a restaurant empire across Texas: hundreds of new varieties of food and more than 2,500 employees, all under the Austaco, Inc. . Taco Bell, the largest fast-food chain branch in the United States, is expected to grow at an estimated growth rate of six to ten new stores per year in the next five years—calculating that, based on the annual turnover of each Taco Bell store of one million U.S. dollars, What a huge profit it would be!
What makes Taco Bell or Pizza Hut in Austin slightly better than fast-food restaurants with the same name in other states is the "people" behind the counter. Dudik Sr. set the motto of "serving each other" for the company; Dudek set an example for the industry in the employee welfare system. Ostak pioneered the company's hiring of full-time pastors to serve its employees and established Marketplace Ministries.
Dudek's commitment to Christ is deeply reflected in the way he runs his business.
[Photo source for this article: Austaco website http://www.austaco.com
Taco Bell website http://www.tacobell.com]