Blog

I’m just going to come right out and say it: the business world is too caught up in being “business-y” and not focussing enough on meaningful relationships. Does that make sense? If not, it will—let me explain.

Whether you’re a restaurateur, a CMO at a multi-national grocery chain, or anyone in between, chances are that the trappings of business keep you focused on the right things, yet not ALL the right things. It’s easy to become trapped in the more common tangibles of daily management. Is the store clean? Is the menu up-to-date? Are the shopping carts collected? Is the bar stocked? Are safety protocols being followed?

Of course these example are all extremely important and pivotal in ensuring business success. But it’s not the entirety of the story. And even if your business is thriving—seeing increased sales, or more foot traffic than ever before—you may be missing out on the single most important factor: your customers’ feelings.

Now, I’m sure that may sound odd at first, but here’s where I suggest you go watch a few rom-coms (romantic comedies) this weekend. The lessons they teach are all the same, and they focus on one thing and one thing only: the need to be needed. It’s a basic human element that we all crave and all need to be happy.

When you dissect any plot to any of these movies, though tropes they may be, the human psychology is spot-on. Here’s a plot example that we’ve all seen. A person moves to a new city, they perhaps feel out of place, they have few friends in their newfound surroundings, and long for the same human contact and familiarity they had back home.

Then, through what some may call a stroke of luck—and where others may call it fate—the main character meets a new, wonderful person that makes them feel as though the whole world revolves around them. By the end, they fall in love and spend the rest of their lives together. Sound about right?

Ok, now let’s repeat this exact same scenario, with a few very minor changes. A person moves to a new city, they perhaps feel out of place, they don’t know where to shop or eat in their newfound surroundings, and they long for the same human contact and familiarity they had back home.

Then, through what some call a stroke of luck—and where others may call it fate—the main character walks into a wonderful restaurant or grocery store for the first time. It’s a new, wonderful place that makes them feel as though the whole world revolves around them. By the end, they fall in love and spend the rest of their lives together. Same plot, same outcome. And a very new business focus.

What I’m getting at here is that besides all of the business trappings, customer engagement is key to success. The better you know your customer and the more you show that you know them, value them and connect with them on a highly personalized level, the deeper the relationship will be as it pertains to loyalty and retention.

And just like rom-coms, where two people have tons in common, you must create that type of relationship with your customer. Know their favorite foods. Introduce them to new items based on their previous tastes in menu items or shopping lists. Every one of these actions forms a bond that is difficult to break by the competition.

Furthermore, listen to your customer. Capture their likes and dislikes through data when they interact with your establishment—again, just like any loving relationship. Think of it this way: would you offer your significant other a steak dinner, knowing full well that they are vegetarian? No? Then why would you offer your customer a steak special knowing full well that they are vegetarian?

I know all of this is very new ground for most restaurants and grocers. The old-school “advertising” and “points-per-purchase” scenarios worked for a very long time. However, in a modern age where data has become the focus of everything and everyone, customers now expect far more from every business they interact with. By embracing the right customer-facing tools paired with the right back-end technology, fostering meaningful relationships has never been easier.

And once you have these easy-to-implement tools and systems in place, the only sentiment from your customers will be is “You had me at hello.”