Your
guests define 'value' by the totality of the experience:
the service, the décor, the food and its flavors
and aromas and the cost: all details that create a memory.
The most memorable experiences come from an organized,
well-rehearsed and communicated performance. Great 'word
of mouth' is built note by note, scene by scene, act by
act, so that by the end of the visit your guest walks
away 'wowed'. Or bored. Or, worse of all, disgusted. It's
your choice. |
These
two quotes are sitting together to make a point. We work harder
than ever, we fret more than ever, we hunger for that ineffable
something we think will bring us happiness and safety. We suspect
that "No Pain, No Gain", "No Fun, No How!"
are the secret physics principles guiding our world.
The
quality of our life depends on the time we take to savor the
details, cultivate the friendships, 'smell the roses'. This
is not just a 'nice to do' life style statement, but a business
proposition. We restaurateurs are in 'the life style business',
the 'emotional business' and the "relationship business".
Our vehicle happens to be through the service of food and beverage
in an appealing environment. Make no mistake, however. While
those things occupy our time, it is not what our business is
about. Sales are the direct result of hospitality based on relationships.
The food quality and basic service are givens. They are the
'price of entry' for today's consumers. However, most operators
don't really want to embrace 'relationship building', because
it takes time and does not promise the same quick results cutting
a tenth of a point of labor does.
I heard
a lecture about changes in our culture brought about by the
new reality: Post-9/11. Consumers have heightened sensitivity
about what is important. They are taking time to assess the
things in their lives which bring meaning, comfort and joy.
They are demanding more from the products and services they
buy. They seek experiences. Our world is not going to return
to Pre-9/11 security. If we restaurateurs can embrace that,
then we must embrace the new paradigm: Our brands will endure
and prosper because of the relationships we forge.
At
this lecture, a hierarchy was presented to capture the concept
of 'Relationship Branding'. In essence, this concept seeks to
transition the guest from simple attraction to our restaurant,
based on chemistry and 'buzz', to succeeding levels of connection,
bonding and, finally, devotion. Devotion demands trust. Trust
is a product of incremental experiences within the continuum
of a relationship. It doesn't happen with a silver bullet.
When
I stress, "It's Showtime, Baby, and You're the Show!",
I am talking about the show business of the heart and soul,
a show that generates real feelings from real experiences. Your
show is you. Sensory details and generous hospitality beget
delight. But, those qualities are made substantial and authentic
through the underlying relationship. A theatrical experience
is not just a conglomeration of effects, but a synthesis of
the seen and unseen, that magic chemistry between actor and
audience, text and intellect. Guests know bull, when they see
it. They sense when someone is faking it. Perhaps, they may
not stop patronizing the purveyor of junk just yet. Nonetheless,
the tide of 'relationship marketing' is coming, and that wave
will sweep the frauds out of business.
What
is the business proposition that supports such 'touchy-feely'
stuff? Statistics suggest that someone is more likely to buy
and continue to buy based upon a relationship. Saturn
created their brand based on it. Nordstrom's built its legend
on the extremes it would go to please a customer.
So,
how do you develop a business based on relationships? Farm,
rather than hunt. According to Michael Katz, President of
Blue Penguin Development, farming strategies have been considered
optional add-ons in the traditional business model. 'Hunting'
has always been the preferred mode of business development.
Hunt bear, shoot bear, eat dinner and go out and hunt another
bear. This lacks a strategic perspective, don't you think?
What
are the farmer/marketer's tools? They include newsletters
("e" or otherwise), loyalty, referral and feedback
programs, customer events and other proactive communications
to a 'house list'. To that, add the heart-felt commitment
to taking time to make a friend.
So
get thee 'back to land' and till the soil of guest relationships.
Upon harvest-time, you'll eat for a year.
