Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

mprzedlacki...

Sounds like you need to overcome the perception in your customers' minds that the service is slow. If you are now confident in the staff's ability to deliver in 15 minutes, then that's the message you need to get out there - how about something like:

Your meal ready in 15 minutes - or it's on us!

(See what I mean about the importance of having confidence in the staff's ability?!)

Good luck,
Bob

Hi Michal

your problem is with communicating the message that your service has improved to 15 min delivery.

so your communication bottomline is "Delivery in 15 minutes". Can you do an offer "ANY delivery within 15 minutes or FREE"??

Now the question comes how to communicate and bring people in? following might be of some help

- prepare a list of offices/business houses whose employees are your potential clients.
- Print a flyer stating your "ANY delivery within 15 minutes or FREE" and distribute it among business executives/shopping malls. The flyer will also make any one have 10% discount at the restaurant if brought at.
- Put the flyers in the newspapers, teen magazines, at bokstalls gift shops for distribution.
- put some ATTRACTIVE banners at the walls of the restaurant that also states the offer.
- The flyer will have 3 portions, any one can distribute the other two portions to his/her friends. the other 2 portions will have the 1st owners name.
- If any one brings the flyer having his own name, he will get 10% discount on the price.
- if any one brings any of the other 2 portions of flyer with 1st owners name on it, the 1st owner will get a 5% discount (to be availed when he/she comes again) and the current holder will get 10% discount on price.
- Make a membership program (mileage program) based on this campaign and glorify the top customers

hope this helps, anything new comes up will get back to you.

cheers!!

There's a restaurant here called Bennigan's that provides each waiter with some stopwatches. When the waiter takes your order, he says the food will be at your table in 15 minutes or less, "starting NOW." He hits the button on the stopwatch, then leaves it at your table!

That leaves no room for error when measuring the timeliness of your reuben sandwich.

They only do this at lunch. I thought it was pretty clever.

- Shelley

My goodness, Paul's suggestion just made me think of something almost TOO obvious.

You might bring in a LOT of business, morning, noon and night, if you set up your restaurant with wireless internet access! And yes, have at least one private area where business people can have an Eating Meeting. If you want to go all the way... have a digital projector available for meetings that cater a minimum number of guests!

This will differentiate you VERY well. I know how hard it is for us to find a restaurant with these kind of services in Houston!

This will also allow you to shift the focus from SPEED OF FOOD SERVICE to something much more valuable and unique!

However... don't brand yourself as an "internet cafe." I'm afraid that will appeal primarily to students (who aren't big money spenders). Circulate your menu within the local business community and highlight your new connectivity.

Michal,

There comes a time when you just fess up and get straight to the point with a customer you want back. One thing I would do is pass out flyers and get people to speak personally one on one. The flyer would say:

"WE INVITE YOU BACK TO BETTER SERVICE"

We want to be quite honest. A few months ago we did not realize how bad our food was until we had to "Eat OUR Own Lunch" and boy was it cold, dissappointing to the point we became frustruated. So we're sorry for what we put you through. Now we've experienced what you were experiencing all the time we've undergone some major changes and we would like to invite you back to be our special guest. Get your lunch in 14 minutes or it's own us and on top of that we'll pay for your next lunch too! Not too many restaurants are willing to go to this level of trouble if the service has not changed and we've changed for the better.

Well Michal this is what it takes to bring back customers you've dissappointed. No lies just straight to the point candid truth is what it's going to take. Now it's one thing I know and that's customers. I've had to work problem companies out of deep issues like this in the past and it's ALWAYS required going beyond the call of duty to make it happen. If you are not willing to do this or better I don't know what to tell you. Remember it's your thing and whatever you do is on you. But I've got letters to prove my successes in the face of dissappointed clients. If you want me to share this info shoot me an email after reviewing my profile. Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)