Last week I was feeling pretty sick. So naturally I wanted some donuts. I’ve cut out a lot of junk food since I started running and while feeling sick I just didn’t care. Yes I know junk food isn’t good while you are sick but I really didn’t care, I wanted donuts. My wife was also sick and although wanting donuts as well, not willing to admit it and go get them. So I headed out to Dunkin Donuts.
Being that I was sick and didn’t want to get out of the car, I hit the drive thru. As I was getting ready to order I had the same problem I usually do when in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru. I had no idea what donuts they have or which ones were actually available. I had to ask the talking pole in front of me and still wasn’t sure. I did eventually manage to get some donuts I could live with and was on my way.
Listen to Your Customers Problems
Now this is not meant to be a post complaining about Dunkin Donuts but I did have an interesting thought about their menu. See, as business owners we need to be looking for any problems that a customer might have. We should go through our ordering process and look for areas we might get frustrated and see if we can fix it.
The problem I have had and I would assume others have had, is that when you are in the drive thru there is no list of the different donuts they sell. Sure maybe you just have your favorites but sometimes you may want something new. The other issue you may have if you are like me, is that you also don’t know which donuts are available at that time.
So as I was driving off, I thought of how I would fix that if I were running Dunkin Donuts. What came to mind was simply adding a section of the drive thru menu that had a picture of each donut they sell, each picture would also have the name of the donut. I would then install a button near each donut rack that connects to a light on the menu. When that particular donut is available the employees can press the button and a little light on the menu goes on.
So as you go through the drive thru you can easily see what they sell and what is available.
Now look, this is just something going through my mind while I am driving home sick and craving donuts. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I am the only one who has this problem. Maybe they tried it and it didn’t work. Maybe it would cost too much. Maybe it’s just plain stupid. I have no idea.
Solve Your Customers Problems
The point is that this is the kind of thinking you should be doing in your business. Go through your own ordering process or buying process. What would frustrate you? Better yet, have your mom go through the process. See what frustrates her or confuses her. Watch your customers go through the process.
Spend an hour a day thinking of how you can improve the customer experience in your business. When you make the experience as easy and satisfying as possible for the customer, they will say thank you with their purchases.
And if you happen to own a donut shop and you constantly hear customers ask what donuts are available in the drive thru, give me a call. I have a great menu idea!
{ 0 comments… add one now }