Yesterday I went to a very popular International Franchise Restaurant for lunch with a potential client for his complimentary Possibilities to Profit ™ Personal Branding Strategy Session
We both decided to order light. I ordered the Broccoli Cheese Soup and a Caesar Salad and my client ordered a Caesar Salad and a portion of French fries.
When my soup arrived – to say I was flabbergasted would be an understatement. There was in the middle of my Broccoli Cheese Soup, ONE FLORET OF BROCCOLI! I brought this to the attention of our server who replied “I’ll see what I can do.” Her response made me take a second look at my bowl. I took my spoon and moved it back and forth in the cheesy liquid just to make sure that my ”one floret assessment’ was correct. Her response was as if somehow I was making an unreasonable request and she would ‘SEE’ how she could help. And then the piece de resistance – she returned with a micro container bearing two more florets!
I made a quick decision to leave it alone and focus on my client after all he was the main reason I was there.
At the end of our meal the manager came ’round to find out how things were. When I told her about my ‘broccoli’ experience she expressed horror. I offered that if they were in fact trying to cut back on costs that they should eliminate the soup altogether. She assured me that this was not the case and then said that I was supposed to have got at least five florets in my soup. Our little feedback chat ended with her assuring me that she would make sure that no other patrons experienced the Broccoli Cheese Soup sans broccoli. I didn’t ask for a concession on the bill and she didn’t offer one.
What was the person thinking who spooned out my soup?
What is the real standard for the number of florets of broccoli in a soup that starts with the name “Broccoli?”
None of these things matter.
Sean D’Souza of Psychotactics in his Brain Audit program talks about fixing the experience. The server tried to fix the food and that was completely out of her control. The manager solicited feedback but did nothing either to fix the experience.
If ever you are in a situation where you cannot fix what has already happened – focus on what you could fix – THE EXPERIENCE!
And my recommendation to this restaurant: If you can’t manage the number of broccoli florets that get put into the soup then lose the broccoli and just sell a cheese soup!
Get clear about marketing! 