The Secret Menu: Just Plain Excellent Customer Service
A colleague of mine recently told me that she read about some well-known fast food restaurants serving “secret” menu items where customers can order off the menu at restaurants like Jamba Juice and In-N-Out Burger.
When I researched this concept, I found that the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger is not only an entry in Wikipedia, but it’s also displayed on the company’s Web site. “The secret Menu: urban myth, or just plain excellent customer service,” the site reads.
Last week on the site Marketplace, Barry Dinsmore, manager of operations at Jamba Juice, whose customers are also using word of mouth to spread the secret menu choices, says even though the company hasn’t promoted this menu, it’s been good for business. “[The secret menu] was created by them and what’s so cool about it is that they feel so connected to the brand and so connected to Jamba and our team that I think it only strengthens the relationship.”
In the book Branded Customer Service, Janelle Barlow and Paul Stewart discuss how when humans getting involved with delivering a branded service approach it influences their experiences with the products or services and they, in turn, become loyal with the brand.
As a result, marketing must get serious about using such service exchanges as a branding tool. Barlow and Stewart say “The organization needs to be as concerned about what happens during service interactions as when customers turn on their televisions in the morning and watch ads.”
The bottom line is satisfaction alone is not enough to drive brand loyalty. Companies like Jamba Juice and In-N-Out Burger are leveraging innovative service tricks to differentiate from the competition and elevate brand loyalty. The result is a strong brand promise that can influence what customers remember about their experiences with a product or service.
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