The delight
I regularly eat in a Thai restaurant run by an individual who cares little about how quickly the food is served, but how good it tastes when it arrives. He grouses about large groups that show up on a busy Saturday night and expect their orders to come rushing out of the kitchen.
But I also notice that he greets his regular customers by name, and rarely makes them wait any longer than necessary. He understands that repeat business is the most important kind. In fact, he generally rounds my check down to a round figure. I have begun rounding them up, and adding a healthy tip, to boot. I’m more than happy to pay for that kind of service — and that quality of food.
Seth Godin on his blog looks at the business/customer relationship from another angle, noting that businesses should waive added costs or hassle because it is a way to delight customers. A delighted customer is a customer that comes back.
Here’s my advice: have all the add ons you want. But waive them early and often. Waive the charges for great customers or for customers that make a face or just because it’s Tuesday. “Well, the to go charge is usually a dollar, but since you come here a lot, no charge for you.”
It’s not about charging less. It’s about delight.
In a world of poor, surly and inattentive service, delight can be hard to find.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
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