Chick-fil-A’s Lesson in Sales

Is faster better? Not always!

Over the last few weeks, the headlines from the restaurant industry and even some major news sources have stated nearly the same thing. They read “Chick-fil-A has the slowest drive-thru”.

You would think that this would be a black eye for Chick-fil-A. Not at all. If you read further into the articles, you also find that Chick-fil-A was also #1 in customer service. Do you think it’s a coincidence? Probably not.

Have you ever considered those same dynamics might impact your selling cycle? In your haste to capture an order, you may be missing some greater opportunities and not doing the best possible job for your clients.

Chick-fil-A is not even the most accurate in fulfilling orders. They rank #7 at 83% accuracy. But where they do shine is how they handle customer connection and interaction, and it’s a strategy.

Matt Abercrombie, Chick-fil-A’s senior director of service and hospitality, told QSR Magazine, “We know in the drive-thru the guest wants speed and accuracy, but they don’t want to feel rushed,”   Abercrombie also stated, “We want to know our customers, we want to connect with them, we want to make sure that they’re not only getting great food, accurate orders but that they feel cared for in the process, personally and connected with.”

Your clients can sense when you are “just trying to make the sale” and not taking the time to understand their goals, their business, and even their fears of making a bad decision. Trying to rush the sales cycle is one of the symptoms they link to fear. 

The one-call sale not only leaves money on the table, but it also often fails to correctly identify your client’s objectives, thereby missing their goal, and more importantly, missing the renewal.

The fast one-call close might satisfy your need to make your budget, but slowing down to learn more about your client’s business, and their competitive situation, will inevitably result in helping your advertisers achieve their budgets. Better pre-call preparation, questioning, and more research over a series of meetings to advance the sale will inevitably lead to better service, better results, and more solid annuals.

Take a lesson from Chick-fil-A…Faster isn’t always better!

 

“It’s better to be slow and careful in the right direction than to be fast

and careless on the wrong path. Be sure that you are on the right

path before you begin to take your steps!”  

– Israelmore Ayivor, Author and Leadership Coach