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Instead of the boring – but very good – rolls, the basket came with four different variety of breads… one almost in a shape of a croissant, the other with a little bit of sauce on it… how refreshing I thought. It got me thinking that this is what all businesses should do, but don’t do enough: change things up.
No one likes the same old, same old… yes, ‘same old’ is comforting and good, but make it your blanket – not your business. Dining at a restaurant is an enjoyment, a treat, a time to celebrate or a time to reunite, catch up or get to know someone. To change up the dining experience surprises regulars and may be the very thing that keeps them coming back – to see what’s new. And if the change is less than welcomed, a smart business owner turns that into an opportunity to engage their customers and ask for their feedback.
Changing the décor slightly; changing or adding on to the menu with “specials” – consider and interpret your customers’ historical feedback to help you shake things up a bit -- like the new bread. (Of course, the 50 percent discount helped get us in the door.)
This restaurant’s business has been booming since they implemented the discount years ago and a competing – also Italian restaurant a few doors down (no lie) – also offers 50 percent off its entrees on Mondays. On the way out, I noticed on their board that they had expanded the discount to two days, including Tuesdays now.
Bottom-line, if you are running a restaurant or any type of business consider changing things up. Perhaps change is a new website – to keep your place up to date and to give patrons, clients or customers a sense of newness. It doesn’t have to be anything drastic or huge… something as simple as changing the bread catches people’s attention. It caught mine and I was pleasantly surprised. Now, I’m wondering what they will change next. Who doesn’t like experiencing something new?
Tell us below what you’ve done to keep your business ‘fresh.’
