What the Consumer Does and Doesn't See Revisited

Ok, I had one final thought pertaining to the previous two posts. Looking further into how my family and I act at Pizza Hut and at other restaurants, I came to the conclusion that a business can better attract and cater to it's customers if they create a persona for the business or an environment that encourages different types of behavior that may make the customer feel more at home or more inclined to spend money. In the case of Pizza Hut, they have very successfully created a spot for families and friends to gather to have a good time and a tasty meal. This isn't just achieved with the somewhat playful nature of pizza alone. In order to complete the cycle and fully adopt the personality of a "McDonald's Playplace" for all ages, they must carefully hire and train their employees to help foster and add to the fun.

For instance, when we eat at the Pizza Hut in Hamilton, MT, my family and I have had the same waiter for almost all of the times that we have been there for the past 5+ years and if not him, than another waitress. Both of these individuals have mastered the art of crafting the atmosphere that Pizza Hut wishes to achieve. They have always had a smile on their face and a cheerful attitude while waiting our table. Yes, obviously the way they treat the customer will directly impact the tip that they receive, and one can even argue that they aren't trying to create this atmosphere and are solely competing for a better tip, but look at it this way. View the tip as a nudge to help the waiter or waitress create the desired atmosphere for a certain restaurant. For instance, if you take your family to a steakhouse or a pricier restaurant rather than Pizza Hut, you would probably further enjoy your experience if the one taking care of your meal was acting in a still personal, but more professional manner.

Take for example a time that my family went to a steakhouse to celebrate a birthday, While we could've gone to a Pizza Hut or similar restaurant for some inexpensive food and a good time, we elected to go to an establishment that provided a very high quality and well presented meal. For myself, I could say that subconsciously I wanted my waiter or waitress to act in the same high quality and professional manner. Though the waitress was well presented with regards to looks, she acted very bubbly and energetic personality, much like you may find at a Pizza Hut. She stood out like a sore thumb for this reason and to this day, my family will recollect this meal and make fun of her behavior. Had she been a waitress at a Pizza Hut-type restaurant, we would probably not have found her behavior to be out of the ordinary. But by going to a more expensive and higher quality restaurant, we expected a certain type of environment and held the appearances and actions of those in the establishment to a higher standard.

All-in-all, the way your business comes across to consumers, whether it's a restaurant, auto parts store, or whatever, will affect the amount of business you receive. Be sure to assess what type of person your business is catering to and allow your business to foster the behavior that that person typically has through like-minded employees and an environment that encourages the consumer to choose your business over another.