Luxury treatment: Chick-fil-A ranks in the top of the fast service industry growth strategy (by Amanda Vega)
How does a company like Chick-fil-A manage to stay on top? Simple— it’s their great customer service. Excellent customer service is what they believe and what makes them a leader in their industry. Chick-fil-A serves their customers with a "thank you" and "my pleasure" service.
Because customer satisfaction is important for Chick-fil-A, the restaurant chain is reckoning in the competition and has risen to the top in a short period of time. It is their purpose to maintain and exceed customer satisfaction.
As a frequent customer of Chick-fil-A, I know that I will always have a pleasant experience. I appreciate how I am treated from the moment I place an order, usually my favorite meal with an Arnold Palmer drink, to the time when I leave with my free peppermint. I am leaving as a happy and satisfied customer.
Four Major Marketing Strategies Chick-fil-A Uses:
• Know your loyal customers
• Keeping customers happy
• Give back
• Invest in employees
Know Your Loyal Customers
Unlike other fast service restaurants that provide identical products and service, Chick-fil-A has a great customer service philosophy --- “Here to serve.” According to the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule in business, 80 percent of a company’s business is generated by the 20 percent of its loyal customers. Chick-fil-A has their Raving Fans Loyalty Program that is by invitation only. These loyal customers frequently eat at a Chick-fil-A store, for around four times a month. That is a whole lot of chicken! The Raving Fans Loyalty Program allows the loyal customers to enjoy free food, special events, and private tours, all in hopes of strengthening their relationships.
Happy Customers Today
Satisfied customers will leave an establishment happy and will return with repeated business. They will bring and tell others about their experience. That, in turn, allows for new customers and possibly loyal customers. My family and I enjoy eating at Chick-fil-A. When I wanted something new that was on the menu (yogurt parfait), a Chick-fil-A associate recommended granola to put in it. She said, “That it was one of her favorite food items. I tried it and now it is one of my favorite things to eat too! Chick-fil-A has opened an innovation center that focuses on improving their menu. The fact that Chick-fil-A continuously implement new menu options keeps its business fresh and gives customers new food experience. Furthermore, they understand that customers live busy lives and want to meet their needs. They have also implemented mobile apps for ordering food online, and mobile ordering.
Relationships Through Community Involvement
Chick-fil-A has been serving the community for the past 17 years. The company is part of football scholarship programs. I work part-time for the Moreno Valley Unified School District and Chick-fil-A has come out and catered to our school for faculty and staff during the Teacher Appreciation Day. Moreover, they also gave us free sandwich gift cards. The restaurant chain not only participates in fundraising events for schools, church groups, sports teams, and social clubs to raise funds, but it also donates food and merchandise for needed causes.
Employee Love
What makes Chick-fil-A unique is that they provide more hands-on training to its employees. The company invests more than its competitors in training. Other restaurants focus on speed and accuracy that produces more revenue during busy hours. Chick-fil-A pays employees the premium wages; it closes on Sunday; the restaurant chain also pays employees for their college education. In addition, the company cares about its employees' well-being by providing special programs and classes on conflict resolution and communications. As a result, Chick-fil-A has a low turnover rate of 60 percent, comparing to that of the industry at 170 percent. Employees are dedicated to Chick-fil-A because they know that they care about them.
Their first-class customer service is what drives higher sales per unit, which includes higher revenue compared to their counterparts. This is what gives them the competitive advantage. For Chick-fil-A, the company is not about just having a large revenue, but it strives to outdo their competition through the first-class service.
How was your experience with Chick-fil-A? What other factors contribute to the restaurant chain's success?
About the Author
Amanda Vega is a hospitality student at The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, with an emphasis in event management. She is a full-time student and is a member of the Transfer Society, National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, and Association of Student Event Planners. She is a passionate person that is dedicated and focused on all things in the event management field. She enjoys traveling to new places to learn about different cultures and their cuisine. She works part-time in the Moreno Valley School District. Upon graduation, she hopes to work in the field of event management where she can grow in the industry.
Because customer satisfaction is important for Chick-fil-A, the restaurant chain is reckoning in the competition and has risen to the top in a short period of time. It is their purpose to maintain and exceed customer satisfaction.
As a frequent customer of Chick-fil-A, I know that I will always have a pleasant experience. I appreciate how I am treated from the moment I place an order, usually my favorite meal with an Arnold Palmer drink, to the time when I leave with my free peppermint. I am leaving as a happy and satisfied customer.
Four Major Marketing Strategies Chick-fil-A Uses:
• Keeping customers happy
• Give back
• Invest in employees
Know Your Loyal Customers
Unlike other fast service restaurants that provide identical products and service, Chick-fil-A has a great customer service philosophy --- “Here to serve.” According to the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule in business, 80 percent of a company’s business is generated by the 20 percent of its loyal customers. Chick-fil-A has their Raving Fans Loyalty Program that is by invitation only. These loyal customers frequently eat at a Chick-fil-A store, for around four times a month. That is a whole lot of chicken! The Raving Fans Loyalty Program allows the loyal customers to enjoy free food, special events, and private tours, all in hopes of strengthening their relationships.
Happy Customers Today
Satisfied customers will leave an establishment happy and will return with repeated business. They will bring and tell others about their experience. That, in turn, allows for new customers and possibly loyal customers. My family and I enjoy eating at Chick-fil-A. When I wanted something new that was on the menu (yogurt parfait), a Chick-fil-A associate recommended granola to put in it. She said, “That it was one of her favorite food items. I tried it and now it is one of my favorite things to eat too! Chick-fil-A has opened an innovation center that focuses on improving their menu. The fact that Chick-fil-A continuously implement new menu options keeps its business fresh and gives customers new food experience. Furthermore, they understand that customers live busy lives and want to meet their needs. They have also implemented mobile apps for ordering food online, and mobile ordering.
Relationships Through Community Involvement
Chick-fil-A has been serving the community for the past 17 years. The company is part of football scholarship programs. I work part-time for the Moreno Valley Unified School District and Chick-fil-A has come out and catered to our school for faculty and staff during the Teacher Appreciation Day. Moreover, they also gave us free sandwich gift cards. The restaurant chain not only participates in fundraising events for schools, church groups, sports teams, and social clubs to raise funds, but it also donates food and merchandise for needed causes.
Employee Love
What makes Chick-fil-A unique is that they provide more hands-on training to its employees. The company invests more than its competitors in training. Other restaurants focus on speed and accuracy that produces more revenue during busy hours. Chick-fil-A pays employees the premium wages; it closes on Sunday; the restaurant chain also pays employees for their college education. In addition, the company cares about its employees' well-being by providing special programs and classes on conflict resolution and communications. As a result, Chick-fil-A has a low turnover rate of 60 percent, comparing to that of the industry at 170 percent. Employees are dedicated to Chick-fil-A because they know that they care about them.Their first-class customer service is what drives higher sales per unit, which includes higher revenue compared to their counterparts. This is what gives them the competitive advantage. For Chick-fil-A, the company is not about just having a large revenue, but it strives to outdo their competition through the first-class service.
How was your experience with Chick-fil-A? What other factors contribute to the restaurant chain's success?
About the Author
Amanda Vega is a hospitality student at The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, with an emphasis in event management. She is a full-time student and is a member of the Transfer Society, National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, and Association of Student Event Planners. She is a passionate person that is dedicated and focused on all things in the event management field. She enjoys traveling to new places to learn about different cultures and their cuisine. She works part-time in the Moreno Valley School District. Upon graduation, she hopes to work in the field of event management where she can grow in the industry.
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