I have a contract with a fast-food restaurant chain that includes speaking and secret-shopping pre-work. I'm having a blast visiting these restaurants and learning about each locations' processes. After doing my visit, I introduce myself to the franchise owner or manager of the corporate location. What I learned yesterday was a good lesson in taking the time to know your customer. I asked the owner if they have regulars (knowing that the answer would be a yes) who come in all the time. I was going to ask about how he gets his employees to remember orders which to me is so impressive. But, instead, he pointed to a customer in the corner, wearing a very nice suit, looking like a CEO of a major bank. The owner told me this customer comes in every day. Every Day! So, I asked what his name was and what he did for a living.
Much to my surprise, he didn't know.
If I had a customer that came to see me on a regular basis, I would find a way to know his/her name, what they liked, what they did for a living, see if I could support them with more than just lunch on a daily basis. Maybe this guy wanted to be left alone. I don't know. But, I would certainly try to get to know someone so I could make them feel special and appreciated everytime they walked in my door.
What can you do to get to know your customers better?
From your always curious to know more about you, motivational speaker, Marilyn Sherman
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Marilyn, that's amazing! People normally do business with people they like, so you'd think this customer likes the people at the restaurant. When this regular comes in, he should be treated like a friend – and that would include addressing him by name.
Maybe you're right about the guy enjoying his privacy. Still, I'll bet you've got some tricks in your motivational speaker toolbag that the location manager can use to get to know this customer tactfully.
Nice, Marilyn! I hope it's not just motivational speakers who think of brilliant things like this. And the brilliance is in the simplicity, the effectiveness and the logic. So simple that many people just might not think to do it. That company is VERY fortunate to have you on the team!!
This really is a brilliant post, Marilyn, and not just for motivational speakers. It makes me look at my business and wonder if I'm overlooking those simple things? Hhhmmm.
Perhaps the front-line order taker is more engaged than the franchise owner and knows this man's name! How fortunate that chain is to have you showing up and paying attention. It's always the small stuff that is the easiest to do, yet the easiest to overlook. Time to look inward and see what I'm overlooking.