The other day my son and I stopped at our favorite fast food restaurant – Chick-fil-A. If you haven’t been to a Chick-fil-A and you like chicken, you’ll definitely want to give this a try. Chick-fil-A is a fast food restaurant where you wait on line, place your order, give you name, step aside and wait for your name to be called to pick up your order. Generally, the process is similar at most fast food restaurants, except instead of a number they refer to you by name (nice touch). Now, here is where things divert. If you elect to dine in, an employee will deliver the food to you on a tray. Moreover, it’s someone’s job to ask if you are happy with your meal, provide refills, and is there just to be helpful; WOW. Pretty standard stuff if you are dining at a restaurant, but exceptional service for a fast food establishment.
There must be something in the water at Chick-fil A – all of the employees look happy and genuinely glad to be working there. Perhaps it is their hiring process, their training process, or even the fact that they close the restaurant on Sunday’s so that employees can be with their families. Maybe it is all of the above, but they are definitely on to something with their formula. The food is great, the service is exceptional, and you feel good going there.
What’s does all this have to do with you? A lot. I think that every business professional can learn from Chick-fil-A. They: a) Demonstrate respect for their workers b) Foster a motivating and fun environment for their workers c) Create a close relationship with their customers and d) Exceed customer expectations. It’s that little bit extra that leaves a lasting impression. I’m not a customer, I’m a fan. Now, don’t you want your customers to feel that way about your products or services? Think about what you could do differently to foster a similar environment for your employees. What unexpected things could you do to make your customers feel extra special?
Do you have any similar experiences to share?