When is it that you last did something in your business that would enhance your customer’s experience?
Our local McDonald’s has a new thing going.
Regularly over the last few months someone has been placing small vases of flowers at the tables throughout the restaurant.
Flowers aren’t generally included with the brown plastic trays, dimpled serviettes and recyclable packaging you’d expect as part of a dining experience at Macca’s.
However they are adding to the dining atmosphere and may be impacting the local community more than we would think.
Every time I drive past and get a glimpse of senior citizens or mums with kids or school children or general workers out eating Macca’s, the meal made special by the presence of a few flowers, I get a positive impression about this restaurant.
The message being sent is that you’re not just a cheeseburger and fries buyer. You are someone who we acknowledge as an individual in this big wide world and we would like to say ‘have a great day’. You are welcome and we would like to ‘make’ your dining experience.
In your business, are you doing something special to brighten your customer’s day?Â
What could you do that would enhance your customer’s experience?
Think about how the customers you are targeting spend their day. If you understand your key buyer personas you can probably identify common activities among your clients:
- Perhaps a lot of them buy a coffee on the way to work… could you help offset Mondayitis by sending them a message about the time they would be buying their coffee, wishing them a great week and providing an inspirational quote?
- Perhaps they have to do the bookkeeping for their small business after hours because they are in business by themselves… what about if you emailed the receipt rather than only handed out a hardcopy, would that make it easier for them to manage their finances?
- If you have a shopfront is there a key time of day people visit… would they generally be hungry or thirsty at that time? Perhaps you could offer a coffee or snack they can take with them?
For businesses doing more project orientated work, try building on project milestones:
- Office Fit-outs… could you help make moving day fun by arranging an official opening? Have some red ribbon to cut and hand over a framed certificate saying “This office was officially opened by the Secretary Anne Edwards on 26 September 2017”. With larger projects you could arrange a morning tea as well.
- Printing… you are probably already sending complimentary notepads or sticky notes displaying your brand, could you add some feature so people couldn’t help smiling every time they used them? With bigger orders you could perhaps include a marketing training DVD or motivational video for the team?
- Construction… perhaps your local florist could come up with a bouquet in your company colours to deliver the day you hand over the keys?
This McDonalds is doing it with flowers.  What could it be for you?
You don’t have to do something big or obvious or expensive – these flowers are probably costing McDonald’s only $50 a week, if that.  But I’d argue that the positive business image being displayed and repeat business initiated would ultimately offset that.  Inputting the extra effort to enhance your customer’s experience will also pay off for you.
Let’s all identify something great we can start and keep doing to wow our customers!
Need some ideas? Â Read the following articles:
Three cheers for McDonald’s Howitt Street Ballarat – we’re proud of you!!!
Thanks for reading.
By Genna Kidd
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