Creative Strategies to Entice Diners and Build Loyalty during a Recession

The recession has changed the face of the restaurant industry, and those in the business are now looking for ways to retain and build their consumer base. Consumers are still eating out, but their needs and values have changed and it’s important as a restaurant owner to recognize that shift and adapt accordingly.

What’s important now is to provide a unique and exceptional service that customers value and to focus on strategies that build their loyalty toward your business.

Gimmicks to Bring People in and Give them a Rewarding Experience

As you know, customers love to feel that they are receiving great value by patronizing your business and there are several promotional gimmicks you can use to bring them in. One way to do this is to run differing discount promotions regularly throughout the week so that people have a reason to put you on their calendar.

For example, you might offer a “buy one-get one” deal on Wednesdays, a free scoop of ice cream to kids who come in with their families during lunch hour on Sundays, or perhaps a “date night” special on Friday’s where couples get half off a nice bottle of wine when they buy a meal.

Other promotional gimmicks that work well include loyalty reward programs, small contests that people can play while they eat, and a free dinner roll or chips to start the meal, to name a few. Your success with these types of promotions is limited only by your creativity and they can be a fun and rewarding tool to create a strong customer case.

Atmosphere and Experience is Everything

When people dine out, they’re doing so because they are seeking an experience. Creating an enticing atmosphere in an establishment entails more than simply having a little mood lighting, though, of course, that helps too.

It also includes factors such as the hospitality and warmth of your staff, the quality of your food, the timeliness with which it was delivered, how the layout of your establishment facilitates or discourages privacy and conversation, as well as whether or not you offer entertainment.

Fortunately, all of those points are easy to accommodate with relatively little cost. Investment in training and retaining quality staff and adapting your business to facilitate a pleasing dining experience goes a long way toward creating and retaining loyal customers.

Target Social Trends and Appeal to Customer’s Sense of Well-Being

One of the smartest ways to set your restaurant above the crowd is to demonstrate its commitment to the health and well-being of the community it serves. This can be done by offering health conscious or organic menu items, buying produce that is sustainably or locally produced, or even by giving a small percentage of a customer’s bill to a charitable cause.

Because today’s consumers dine out with more discrimination, appealing to their sense of health and well-being is a powerful way to reach out and claim their attention. Everyone loves to feel like they are supporting a good cause, and businesses that build their reputation around these types of ethical cornerstones stand out and make people take notice while creating a fiercely loyal customer base.

With the costs of operation rising and customer’s budgets tightening, survival of your restaurant depends on your ability to creatively adapt and respond to today’s situation. Focus on innovative ways to build customer loyalty by offering a valuable service experience is the key.

Valuing the Customer

It should be second nature to restaurants, but the simple things are always worth repeating.  A restaurant needs to value their customers.

 

This goes beyond just offering excellent service, though that is a big part of it.  Customers want to know that the restaurant they are visiting is not going to take advantage of them on any point.

 

This may include the pricing and transparency, as well as how they are treated when things go wrong.  They want to know that their business is valuable to the restaurant.

 

One way for a restaurant to show that they value their customers is to make it easy to customize their experience.  Prix fixe menus, easily allowing ingredient substitutions, and offering real values in meal portions are just three ways to go about it.

 

It would also be wise to make accommodations for those customers with an allergy or a special dietary need.  Train the staff in how to properly address allergy concerns and how to prepare meals accordingly so that the restaurant becomes a safe and enjoyable environment for customers to enjoy their meal.

 

A restaurant can also be proactive in helping customers find the deals.  Showcasing which meals is a good value for the money may attract more frugal customers to the door.  Showing the price on an online menu can also allow customers to determine if this restaurant is for them or not.

 

And, of course, taking care of customers when things go wrong is key.  If a problem erupts, the restaurant staff should take the time to listen and fix the problem.  Addressing concerns in a timely and polite manner can go a long way in showing the customer respect.

 

The customer’s business is important to the restaurant, so why not train the restaurant staff to show it?  Make the dining experience a pleasant and comfortable place for customers . . . give them a reason to grant you their loyalty.

Obtaining Feedback and Putting It into Action

One of the most valuable resources for restaurants is customer feedback.  Surveys and questionnaires allow customers to give their opinion on how the restaurant performed, and the staff can use that information to enhance or maintain their service.

 

Technology has provided a way to shorten the time it takes between a customer providing his feedback and when the restaurant receives it.  In some cases, a restaurant may be able to respond to feedback almost instantaneously.

 

Some table side devices can not only display menus and other data to the customer but can also prompt him to take a survey right at the table.  This allows data to be gathered instantly while the experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind.

 

Further, using a paging system, a manager can be alerted when there is negative feedback.  This means that it is possible for a customer’s concerns to be dealt with before he leaves the restaurant.

 

Social media can also be a tool for gathering feedback, but it does come with its perils.  Often the data gathered on these sites are not tailored to allow restaurants to respond.  A person may use these sites to vent about a negative experience but may not provide where or when the incident occurred.

 

It can be vastly important to sift through the clutter and respond to negative feedback on these sites.  With comments and videos going “viral,” a restaurant can find their brand damaged by just one popular post.  So finding a way to locate and respond to such feedback before it spreads can be essential.

 

Learning and responding to customer’s concerns is an important aspect of the restaurant business.  A restaurant should show itself as a company a customer can trust and a company that cares.  Put in the effort to be such a brand, and customers will likely reward you with their business.