The Chick-fil-A Way

Chick-fil-A will open two new restaurants in metro Philadelphia this Thursday, December 13th.  Expect  numerous luna-chicky (variation of lunatic) fans camping out at the Cherry Hill location, as the first 100 people in line - age 18 and older - will receive a year's supply of free Combo Meals (52 coupons).  The ground rules say you can 'Q up' 24 hours prior to the opening, which takes place at 6am on Dec. 13. 

From the press release:  "Chick-fil-A's raving fans have turned our grand openings into overnight tailgate parties, often arriving 24 hours in advance with tents, TVs, sleeping bags, games, computers and other gear to spend the night," said Chick-fil-A, Inc. President Dan Cathy, son of chain founder Truett Cathy, who has camped out at dozens of grand openings since 2003.

I've posted on Chick-fil-A before, spotlighting their Cow Appreciation Day, which takes place each July 13th.  Customers who dress head to toe in bovine gear get free food, and thousands of hard core Chick-fil-A evangelists proudly wear their cow gear on that summer day of fun.  So the question some would ask ... those who've yet to visit a Chick-fil-A or haven't tasted it's truly amazing food:  what inspires such passion???  I think the answer, well, the second answer, right after 'it's the tastiest quick-service chicken on the planet', is that Chick-fil-A puts the highest possible value on customer service.  It's really the way they treat people in general, from employees to customers to those helped by founder Truett Cathy's charity efforts.  It's so rare in the food industry, especially fast food, to experience first class customer service.  But visit a Chick-fil-A, and you'll notice how different they are.  It's best to learn from the best, so I'm posting Cathy's Five-step recipe for Business Success, from his personal website. 

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1. CLIMB WITH CARE AND CONFIDENCE
“Every day, a framed poster of a mountain climber given to me by my daughter Trudy reminds me to ‘climb with care and confidence.’ I wholeheartedly believe in this philosophy, which is why in all my years in the restaurant business, I have never tried to overextend. I’m satisfied stepping from one plateau to the next, making sure we’re doing everything right before moving on. That way of thinking has allowed us to grow steadily into a 1.5 billion-dollar business with more than 1,200 restaurants, while responding to the needs of people around us. I know the best way to grow our business is to climb with care and confidence.”

• With 1,240-plus Chick-fil-A restaurants in 38 states and Washington, D.C., Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the nation, based on annual sales.

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2. CREATE A “LOYALTY EFFECT”
“Our people are the cornerstone of all that we do at Chick-fil-A. As a chain, we believe that attracting great people helps create an unforgettable experience for our customers. It requires a lot of time and effort to make sure you have the right people working the right jobs, but we believe this is time well spent. The bottom line is that our people, from our restaurant Operators to the team members they hire, enjoy their work. Fewer than five percent of our franchise Operators leave the chain in any given year. The more we can foster the feeling that we are a group of people working together, depending on each other, the more likely we are to be loyal to each other.

Customer satisfaction is the payoff for spending the time to search for the best employees. Our restaurant team members have proven time and time again that going out of your way to make sure our customer has a pleasurable dining experience will build customer loyalty.”

• “This loyalty effect, the full range of economic and human benefits that accrue to leaders who treat their customers, Operators, and employees in a manner worthy of their loyalty, is at the core of most of the truly successful growth companies in the world today. And there is no clearer case study of the loyalty effect than Chick-fil-A.”
    – Fred Reichheld, Harvard Business Review and author of The Loyalty Effect.

* Exerpts adapted from Cathy’s Second Book: Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (2002)

3. NEVER LOSE A CUSTOMER

“Ever since I was a teenager delivering newspapers (for seven straight years), I have tried not to lose a single customer. I treated each one like the most important person in the world and delivered each paper as if I were delivering it to the front door of the Governor’s mansion. The key to succeeding with a paper route and the restaurant business, I would later learn, is to take care of the customer. Whether on the paper route or in my restaurants, I have found that the most effective way of promoting my business didn’t cost me anything but a little kindness to my customers.”

• In 1935, at age 14, Truett delivered the Atlanta Journal newspaper to residents of America’s first public housing project, Atlanta’s Techwood Homes and developed his “people first” business philosophy.
• Chick-fil-A’s commitment to this principle is reflected in its mission statement to “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant at Winning and Keeping Customers.”

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4. PUT PRINCIPLES AND PEOPLE AHEAD OF PROFITS

“I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed. I have always encouraged my restaurant Operators and team members to give back to the local community. We should be about more than just selling chicken, we should be a part of our customer’s lives and the communities in which we serve.”

• Through the WinShape Centre Foundation, Truett operates foster homes for more than 150 children and sponsors a summer camp for more than 1,600 children each year; in addition, he provides college scholarships for Chick-fil-A restaurant employees (more than$20 million awarded since 1973).
• Chick-fil-A partners with nearly 1,200 elementary schools nationwide by providing the Core Essentials Character Education Program, which teaches students one value trait each month. Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants are involved in the local community with activities such as blood drives, school fundraisers, family nights and children’s sports sponsorships.

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5. CLOSED ON SUNDAY

“I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business.”

• Chick-fil-A is the only major fast-food restaurant chain to be closed on Sundays, one of the busiest days of the week in the restaurant business. Despite being closed on Sundays, Truett Cathy has led Chick-fil-A on an unparalleled record of 38 consecutive years of sales increases, with its core free-standing restaurants achieving higher sales per unit in six days (with shorter operating hours) than most major chains in the industry.

Comments

[Amy Madsen]

For any of your readers interested in learning more from Fred Reichheld, here is a link to his Net Promoter blog, based on the concept in his latest book, "The Ultimate Question":

http://netpromoter.typepad.com/fred_reichheld/

[Jeff Crites]

Thanks Amy ... I checked out Fred Reichheld's Net Promoter blog, great stuff. I'll be spending more time reading his take on things today.

[Ken Banks]

How hypocritical!!

Chick-fil-A's order counter is a disaster with contempt towards their customers.
I believe I am among Chick-fil-A's most frequent customers, eating there as much as five times per week. There is no doubt that you have a unique product that is just as delicious each time and your restaurants are always clean and packed with customers. I am perplexed, however, by the philosophy Chick-fil-A has on line management. Every other fast food restaurant in the country establishes some sort of queue to ensure that first come is first served. Even the post office and the department of motor vehicles provides this courtesy. It is definitely a courtesy, and I feel offended and neglected by Chick-fil-A, because they do not. I know from experience that I am not the only customer who feels this way. When I walk into a busy Chick-fil-A, I cringe. At first site of someone skipping ahead or to the side to get into a shorter line ahead of me or someone else that I have been waiting behind, I exit the building and go immediately to the nearest Wendy's. Whether you realize it or not, you put your customers in the uncomfortable position of having to police each other in the order lines which are further complicated by the fact that there are also people standing around in the same area who have already ordered. No one knows who is officially in line or just waiting on an order. Some people (including myself) are conscientious enough to ensure that those who were there before us get to order before us, but there are many who do not hold the same moral tenets. This leads some people to be rude and others to be offended on a daily basis inside of your restaurants. Can you imagine what it would be like, if the Department of Motor Vehicles used this same philosophy? You are doing your customers a great discourtesy.
Reply
Chick-fil-A CARES to me
Dear Mr. ****s:
Thank you for taking the time to contact Chick-fil-A. You are very important to us, and we appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us regarding line management in our restaurants. Your comments have been forwarded appropriately.
Chick-fil-A’s operating procedures include multiple cash registers to improve speed of service. Over time our research has confirmed that multiple lines are faster than queuing customers through a single line to one or more registers.
Again, thank you for your time and interest in Chick-fil-A.
Sincerely,
Tamara
Chick-fil-A CARES
On the Web at www.chick-fil-a.com
-----Original Message-----
Tamera,
I understand that "over time (Chic-fil-A's) research has confirmed that multiple lines are faster". But has your research ever taken into account the satisfaction of you your customers? Have you considered taking a survey?
I am positive that placing all your customers onto a conveyor belt and sending them through a machine to extract their orders and take the appropriate amount of cash from their pockets would definitely be faster as well, but would it be an enjoyable experience for them?
None of your researchers has obviously ever visited a busy Chic-fil-A with their family in tow and had to navigate an aggressive crowd of line crashers while trying to keep their kids together and teach them to continue to be polite to people. It is NOT pleasant. You may be serving the lines faster, but I am confident that you are serving FEWER customers than you could be. I, for one, have walked out more times that I can count, because of this experience.
If you can't understand what I am trying to explain, then it is confirmed: "Chick-fil-A CARES" about moving sandwiches and making money, but DOESN'T CARE at all about how their customers feel about their visit.
I challenge you to put a survey in your stores regarding this topic. I think you will be enlightened.

[Ken Banks]

Mr. Cathy claims that he runs his company on biblical principles.
I just realized the Bible principle being applied here : Mark 10:31

"But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."

[Lilly Adams]

Chick Fila is a wonderful company to work for. I just started a full time job there while I am taking full time college courses. Earning money there has allowed me to save enough money for my own apartment near my school. I am also happy working for this company because they are closed every sunday which is allowing me plenty of time to study. I am also moving into my new place and since I am already off on sunday I do not have to worry about losing pay during the move. I found a great moving company that is going to help me out on a sunday. http://www.ssmovers.com

[Cory]

I've never had a negative experience at Chick-fil-a. That's why my family goes there all the time. Fast food with less calories than a burger and my son loves to be able to eat and play.

[Dan]

Hey Mr. Ken Banks - if you don't like the lines at Chik Fil A, why do you continue to go there ". .as much as five times a week."? You're either a masochist or a rabble rouser. Go to Wendy's.