Amazing…the impact that momentum, status quo and “that’s how we’ve always done it” can have at eroding sales and growth in an organization.
Almost every server at every restaurant I’ve ever been to in any country/state asks, toward the end of the meal, “Did you save room for dessert today?” The creative ones mix up the status quo sometimes, with things like, “So…I know you saved room for dessert for me, right?”
It’s become a cliche that’s gained momentum and become the status quo, the way the industry does it, the expected, the conditioned statement/question.
Here’s the problem: The response has also become conditioned: “No.”
Generally, dessert isn’t something you save & plan for logically. It’s an emotional “I deserve to endulge” purchase. Enter logic into that process and you’ve asked your customer to think rationally at some level. And when you do, believe me, they do. They actually START thinking about the impact the calories will have and the “room” it’ll fill in their body. It moves us from a pleasure/endulgence impulse purchase to a “what’s in my best interest” decision.
In organizations, when you have an accepted way of communicating something that gains momentum, it becomes status quo and “the way we’ve always done it.” For businesses, Churches and other organizations, the “watchout” is this: We forget we’ve conditioned our audience to respond a certain way.
Generally, servers do what they think servers are supposed to do. Customers react the way customers think they’re supposed to react. And thus, a rhythm’s created for conversation. “Did you save room?” (smile…). “Oh no, not me.” (w/standard chuckle of “I’m full, I couldn’t possibly!”). Simple exchange, 10-15% loss of overall revenue per ticket.
Walking the dessert tray to every table is a lost art form.
Truth is: Everyone loves appetizers and a great entree. We spend lots of $$ on it, plan most of our evening and conversation around it, and we don’t literally plan to save room for dessert. I never ordered an appetizer, filet w/sides and enjoyed the customary bread basket, the whole time thinking, “I hope all this food isn’t enough, I’m saving room so I can spend more for dessert.”
Upselling is an art, and GREAT art isn’t an afterthought to create, whether on a canvas or in customer service…it takes time to come up with the ultimate way of evoking emotion that moves us to the decision to buy. As with most art, it starts with engaging the audience and communicating intentionally (dessert tray for instance, that creates an experience) to move us to a desired response.
Challenge your industry’s cliches & status quo…a little creativity could radically change an industry norm if you’ll dare.
