Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Fast Food- Never was Food and Now it's not Fast
Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody ever does anything about it.
Likewise, everybody has a tale of horrible customer service at a fast food restaurant.
Yesterday I was in a Chick Fil A to pick up lunch. They were swamped. A lady near me was waiting for a 12 piece nugget lunch and had been since before I ordered. It was just one of those things where an order got lost, probably deleted off the computer before it was filled.
The line moved steadily forward and I ordered. This lady got the attention of a counter person, told them what she was waiting for and immediately things happened.
First, the counter person immediatley apologized.
Second, the order was immediatley filled.
Third, reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a businss card holder and presented the customer with a coupon for a free sandwich.
The customer's response? "Don't worry about it. Things happen."
I've taken note of Chick Fil A over the years. Whenever I go on there I get prompt courteous service. Even when the place is packed, it always 'feels' clean. Supplies are always filled and the trash is never overflowing. I've never watched 10 people behind the counter stand by and do nothing while I was waiting for my order. In short I'm impressed by the effort they make. And because I'm impressed, I too would be more than willing to say "Don't worry about it. Things happen." in a similar situation.
Now let's compare. I walked into a Burger King a week before. It was 1:30. There was no other customer at the counter. I was driving across town to an appointment and so I ordered 3 hamburgers. (I wanted food I could hold while driving.)
I think it was the counter girl's first day. I may have been her first customer. In fact, based on her reaction, I may have been the first human she had interacted with since landing on our planet.
But what impressed me- in a very negative light was this. Scores of (I'll use the word loosely here) 'workers' stood by watching what I now call the 'hamburger fiasco' and did nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Let me recap:
I ordered 3 hamburgers.
The girl looked at me as if I had requested sauteed dinosaur brains.
The order was placed (at least the part where I pay was completed)
I waited
I waited
I waited.
The girl, now holding an empty bag, standing next to the stainless steel slide where my hamburgers will magically appear after being microwaved looks at me and asks, "Do you want cheese on those hamburgers?"
I said, "No, that would make them cheeseburgers. All I want is 3 hamburgers"
She looks back in the direction of the chef de boeuf and announces, "I need 3 plain hamburgers"
I said, "NO, don't say that! This is Burger King and a plain hamburger will be a patty of meat between 2 bun halves. I want all the regular junk on the hamburger. I just don't want cheese as that would make them cheeseburgers."
After a total experience of 'having it my way' for about ten minutes, I took my bag off the worn formica counter, walked past the empty napkin holder, avoided the ketchup smear on the door as I opened it to leave.
There are three case studies on fast food that I often mention.
1. McDonalds- had all the market share, had brand recognition, had a consistent experience no matter which store you entered - LOST IT ALL.
Of McDonalds I often say, "First they took the 'food' out of fast food, now they've removed the 'fast'. There's not much left.
2. Hardees- When everyone else was doing burgers right, Hardees competed by selling garbage and just staying open later than their competitors. Their motto may well have been "Eventually you'll get hungry enough"
They completely revamped their menu, but more importantly they've made major inroads in providing a clean restaurant experience with good customer service.
They were awful- faced reality- and changed.
3. Chick Fil A- They just kept doing things the way they had always done them. They don't have a 99 cent menu, because it costs a little more to keep the ketchup smears off the door. The payoff is satisfied customers. ¶ 6:18 AM
Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody ever does anything about it.
Likewise, everybody has a tale of horrible customer service at a fast food restaurant.
Yesterday I was in a Chick Fil A to pick up lunch. They were swamped. A lady near me was waiting for a 12 piece nugget lunch and had been since before I ordered. It was just one of those things where an order got lost, probably deleted off the computer before it was filled.
The line moved steadily forward and I ordered. This lady got the attention of a counter person, told them what she was waiting for and immediately things happened.
First, the counter person immediatley apologized.
Second, the order was immediatley filled.
Third, reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a businss card holder and presented the customer with a coupon for a free sandwich.
The customer's response? "Don't worry about it. Things happen."
I've taken note of Chick Fil A over the years. Whenever I go on there I get prompt courteous service. Even when the place is packed, it always 'feels' clean. Supplies are always filled and the trash is never overflowing. I've never watched 10 people behind the counter stand by and do nothing while I was waiting for my order. In short I'm impressed by the effort they make. And because I'm impressed, I too would be more than willing to say "Don't worry about it. Things happen." in a similar situation.
Now let's compare. I walked into a Burger King a week before. It was 1:30. There was no other customer at the counter. I was driving across town to an appointment and so I ordered 3 hamburgers. (I wanted food I could hold while driving.)
I think it was the counter girl's first day. I may have been her first customer. In fact, based on her reaction, I may have been the first human she had interacted with since landing on our planet.
But what impressed me- in a very negative light was this. Scores of (I'll use the word loosely here) 'workers' stood by watching what I now call the 'hamburger fiasco' and did nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Let me recap:
I ordered 3 hamburgers.
The girl looked at me as if I had requested sauteed dinosaur brains.
The order was placed (at least the part where I pay was completed)
I waited
I waited
I waited.
The girl, now holding an empty bag, standing next to the stainless steel slide where my hamburgers will magically appear after being microwaved looks at me and asks, "Do you want cheese on those hamburgers?"
I said, "No, that would make them cheeseburgers. All I want is 3 hamburgers"
She looks back in the direction of the chef de boeuf and announces, "I need 3 plain hamburgers"
I said, "NO, don't say that! This is Burger King and a plain hamburger will be a patty of meat between 2 bun halves. I want all the regular junk on the hamburger. I just don't want cheese as that would make them cheeseburgers."
After a total experience of 'having it my way' for about ten minutes, I took my bag off the worn formica counter, walked past the empty napkin holder, avoided the ketchup smear on the door as I opened it to leave.
There are three case studies on fast food that I often mention.
1. McDonalds- had all the market share, had brand recognition, had a consistent experience no matter which store you entered - LOST IT ALL.
Of McDonalds I often say, "First they took the 'food' out of fast food, now they've removed the 'fast'. There's not much left.
2. Hardees- When everyone else was doing burgers right, Hardees competed by selling garbage and just staying open later than their competitors. Their motto may well have been "Eventually you'll get hungry enough"
They completely revamped their menu, but more importantly they've made major inroads in providing a clean restaurant experience with good customer service.
They were awful- faced reality- and changed.
3. Chick Fil A- They just kept doing things the way they had always done them. They don't have a 99 cent menu, because it costs a little more to keep the ketchup smears off the door. The payoff is satisfied customers. ¶ 6:18 AM
