A home cooked meal is cheaper and you don’t have to drive or worry about that second glass of wine pushing you over the limit.
Plus, after dinner, you can wander through to the living room and put your feet up with a nice cup of (cheap) coffee.
So why do we eat out? Three reasons: –
Convenience: It’s easier to rock up, put your order in and relax with a drink whilst somebody else cooks your meal. And don’t even mention the washing up!
Choice: not only can you decide between Italian, French, Indian, Thai and so on, but you can also wait until you see the menu before you choose what dish to eat.
Experience: the food is only a part of eating out. The decor, the staff and the ambience of the place all combine to make it an enjoyable and memorable experience.
People even frequent restaurants where the food is only average because of the ambience of the place or the way the staff treat them.
So, let’s assume the product or service you sell is at least fit for purpose, so what next?
Well, if you make your client’s life more convenient; give them some thoughtful options and above all make the experience of buying from you a pleasant one you’ll be turning them away at the door.
It’s not rocket science – it’s about how you make people feel.
Thanks for the article Mike, it warmed up a cold day in France. I have a short tale to share about a local auberge called Chez Cecile. It is not a modern glossy place; the tables and chairs don’t match, it is a bit untidy and could do with redecorating, the food is basic and honest but as always in France it is made from good ingredients. It is run by a brother and sister and Claudine has a big character and we go back time and again because she makes the experience enjoyable for all her clients. The other thing is that it gives good value with lunch costing about €16 for 4 courses with apero, wine and coffee. In short, our expectations about what we will get are clear and always met.
Thanks Jim. What a great story. It conjures up a vivid picture of your life in France. Will we be going there when we drop by during the great Ames tour of France?
Great feed and a reminder about the importance of customer service and creating memorable moments.
We all know it but sometimes it’s useful to be reminded: customer service is everything. Thanks for the comment Carl