| Synopsis: We are in the "Memory Creation" business that just happens to sell food and beverage. The responsibility to create a memorable dining experience for our guests includes all our customers: hourly associates, field management, vendors, office staff and financial institutions. Every single one of these constituencies deserves a branded experience. By giving it to them, you create raving fans out of everyone. |
| Issue #44 | May 14, 2003 |
Orchestrate A Memory For Everyone
"Cultivate a learning relationship with your guests. The more the guest teaches the company, the better the company can provide the guest exactly what they want."
- B. Joseph Pine II, James H. Gilmore The Experience Economy
"Jump."
-Joseph Campbell as quoted in Heart Steps by Julia Cameron
Many of the themes in my newsletter focus on the ultimate consumer. However, I believe an important point is being overlooked. We as owners, executives and operators have many constituencies, all of whom are our customers. The Five Golden Rules of Method Marketing do not just apply within the four walls of your restaurant. They provide a blueprint on how to whip up raving fans everywhere. Last issue, we talked of changing paradigms. I now want to share how to use The Five Golden Rules with some provocotive questions on relating to and managing your hourly staff.
Know Thy Guest as Thyself:
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Do you know enough about your associates?
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Do you ever conduct a serious survey of their feelings about working with you and your company?
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Do you do any kind of homework to become familiar with their culture, as they see it?
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Do you ever share your vision with them, letting them know what it was that 'lit your fuse' when you began your career? Have you done it regularly?
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Do you ever attempt to integrate their perceptions with your passion, so they can embody what you stand for in a natural way?
Orchestrate a Memorable Experience
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Do you know the kinds of experiences to which each associate responds, based on your knowledge of them as customers?
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Do you think it is fun to work for you? (yep, I said fun)
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Do your associates understand what food or service you are famous for? Have they tried it themselves?
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Do they get to taste test items and participate?
Deliver on Your Promise
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Do your associates have any idea about the goals of the company, its finances, its opportunities and issues?
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Do they get a chance to participate in your business planning process?
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Do you have regular meetings and one-on-ones to communicate what is going on in the company as things change, because change is the only constant.
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Do you reward 'on the spot' for great examples of acting the company story (and I don't mean faking it)?
Maximize Profitability
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Do you give your employees the authority to handle any customer complaint? Including letting them deduct food from the check or return cash to a guest to ensure customer delight?
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Do you involve them in discussions on the make up and lay out of the menu, so their understanding of what makes you great is both leveraged and deepened?
Market From Inside, Out
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Do you incentivize them to 'refer a friend' to come on in to eat?
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Do you include them in any discussion of your actual trading area?
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Do they know who your guest is?
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Do you ask them if they know anyone who may help you deepen and broaden your ties with the community?
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Do you incentive them to sell parties or catering?
I heard Aylwin Lewis, Chief Multi-branding & Operating Officer for Yum! Brands, Inc., speak with quiet passion about his company's strategy to become CustomerManiacs. It includes empowering the lowest line employee to take care of any problem, to go any length to ensure the guest is satisfied. All the doomsayers predicted food cost would soar and theft/fraud would be rampant. It did not happen. To date, Yum! Brands has awarded over 100 gorgeous CustomerManiac trophies to recognize those crazy people in their company who care about guests to the nth degree. Wow!
Have any questions about this issue? Please feel free to email me at rick@rickhendrie.com, or call me at 617-547-5123 or 617-335-1011. I'll do my best to help you out.
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"It's Showtime Baby, & And You're The Show!," gets published
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