Much Ado About Nothing
(Part III)
In my final comments for this rather lengthy editorial I wanted to focus on customer loyalty and with that brand recognition. I had previously mentioned “the top 3″ franchises in this industry, and after getting a comment from one of our users I had to take a step back and rethink that comment. After looking it over, there are only 2 top franchises for this industry. The third will be as varied as the location it goes into.
So there are only two leaders in this field (if you can call them that) vying for the customers business, each one trying to show they are the best choice for the money. But, as I read comments across the Internet and from my own experiences, customer’s actions are based more on convenience and location. I see customers choosing where to go based on the same analytical methods they use to pick where they buy a hamburger. Which one is closer?
Of course there are those who believe the flame broiling puts a burger in a class by itself, or that complimenting a burger with chili puts the world at ease, or that if it’s been served to billions and billions it can put a smile on their face.
But for most of us, it’s more of a matter of convenience and which items on that dollar menu really tickle our fancy. Most people will only drive as far as they have to in order to get something. If one meal assembly store is 15 miles away and another is 10 miles and the food is “good enough”, then the decision is made. Unless that customer is somehow being rewarded for coming in (which as of yet I haven’t seen either of two big stores do. And by reward I mean something more substantial than plastic trinkets and duffle bags with logos on them) they will choose to make their meals with the closest store. If the stores are relatively close then the menu content will be the next criteria.
Rightfully so that customers will be swayed by what’s on the menu, but this can make for a very long month if it doesn’t work in your favor. A less than perfect menu can be hard to overcome. I’ve heard way too many times, “I’m having trouble picking meals for this month”. If you can persuade them to be adventurous or they’re sure the rest of the family won’t be on board for that menu, you’ve lost that customer for a month. And once that cycle starts it’s hard to get that customer back in. Out of sight, out of mind.
That customer will simply go to the next meal assembly location (if we’re lucky) and see what they have to offer. If that menu appeals to them then at least they’re still in a meal assembly mindset. Hopefully they will ping pong back to you next month, but if that second menu doesn’t grab them, then more than likely that customer may be gone for good.
I’ve noticed that once customers get the meal assembly process into their lifestyle and routine they stick with it. But once they break out of that routine it’s hard to get them back into it. It’s like exercise, they love when they’re doing it, but it’s hard to start back up again once they stop.
Even an independent owner or small franchise feels these effects. Your first strike is “being too far away” even though that might be less than 5 miles. (And yes, I’ve heard customers ask for a closer store, even though they only drove 5 miles). And if by chance the menu doesn’t grab them, how will you get that customer to come back. They’ve forgotten you by the time they get home. The chances of them logging back onto your site as not very good, especially if this is a new customer, someone who is just experimenting with this industry. If it’s a returning customer, you have a second shot, maybe, but again, only if the competitor’s menu doesn’t satisfy them.
It’s unfortunate that you “only get one chance to make a first impression” even with customers who have been coming to you regularly. Customers are easily swayed and since the corporate offices are doing nothing to encourage repeat business with some sort of rewards or referral program, what do you expect? Customers wanted to be thanked for coming in. Just about every place out there has some sort of stamp or punch or ticket that you can use in order to earn a reward. Even it’s a free drink, it’s something. What does the meal assembly industry have? Do they use their software to track purchases to offer free meals, free sessions, coupons, a discount of any sort?
It’s usually left up to the franchise owner to try and come up with some gimmick to keep the customers coming back month after month. And if you have multiple stores in the same area, all trying to seduce the customer with trinkets like a cat with string. And even that won’t be enough, a closer store is still a store that’s closer and in their mind more convenient and worth going to.
Not only are the meal assembly stores not showing any individuality or uniqueness they aren’t building in anything that rewards customers for coming back. It seems ironic that a business that was built to make life more convenient may fall to the wayside because of apathy.
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