Duped Again
I once again experienced one of my personal pet peeves on my latest trip through the drive-thru at a fast food joint. You’ve likely experienced this yourself…
I pull up to the microphone and am promptly greeted by a cheerful voice welcoming me and asking if I’d like to try their latest feature item or special. “No thank you” I say and then I’m greeted by an entirely different, and notably less friendly, voice. Darn it! Duped again.
Whoever started this trend, or anyone that helps perpetuate it, should be looking for new career opportunities.
I understand the motives behind this tactic. Every customer should be greeted promptly. They should be greeted with a clear, friendly and welcoming voice. The restaurant should also be trying to sell their latest feature or special. The recorded greeting accomplishes all of these goals. Then reality kicks in and destroys everything.
If you can’t trust your employees to deliver the proper experience over the drive through speaker, using a pre-recorded greeting should not be considered a good alternative. This fails for several reasons:
- Customers still need to deal with the employee you cannot trust to deliver the right experience.
- Customers may have a high first impression, but the bar set from that first impression is not met through the rest of the experience, adding an exclamation point to the poor service that follows.
- Customers feel “tricked” by the fake experience. Your brand suffers more damage by not being genuine.
The first place I remember this happening was at Kentucky Fried Chicken, but several others have done the same to me. Raising Cane’s does NOT do this – their drive thru personnel always greet me with a cute jingle and keep the energy up throughout the order.
It is important to be genuine with your brand. If you can not be confident your employees can deliver the proper experience, address that issue head on. This isn’t an area that should be solved with technology.
19 November 2009, 2:42 pm
Oh yes it is. Technology should play a big part. I believe you are wrong. for me it would mean less contact with germs. I don’t wish to have a connection to the server. I wish for my food and to pay the charge, and then leave. Is this too much to ask. I want prompt, hot food. It doesn’t mater to me that it may taste rubbery. it just matters that I am now eating. And very satisfied.