Have you really ever just asked yourself this question: When I don't feel like cooking or when I've eaten E V E R Y T H I N G (or what seems like it), why do I continue to go to Chick-fil-A amid a pandemic? Why do I go to Chick-fil-A even when I am not craving it? I asked myself these questions, on my recent visit, as I noticed that the line and curbside wait time were extremely longer than usual; despite this known fact, I waited patiently.
Principle 1: Be a Faithful Steward
The Chick-fil-A mantra of customer service and care is no secret; most of us have experienced this, however, what most of us do not know is the WHY behind their existence: "Be America's best quick-service restaurant. To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us." The first line is typical for many restaurants, but the part that really stood out to me was the second line: "being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us" -- that is the "secret sauce;" this is why I go to Chick-fil-A for the fifth time in a week or eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a single day. Usually, I am not craving the product, but the experience that Chick-fil-A provides.
Many businesses start and stop at the first line: "Be America's best." But, what does 'best' even look like? When I am coaching organizations or colleagues, the first thing I ask of them is to define/articulate success: What does success look like for you? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? How will you know once you have attained it? Many cannot answer this question fully. As we begin to unpack their vision of success, in one area of their business or organization, their picture becomes clearer and their target becomes magnified. Success, sometimes, seems like this grandiose term that is scary and unattainble but it only mirrors the latter if we fail to fully tap into it -- what does success look like for me, as an individual, or an organization. It is when we articulate the vision fully and hold ourselves accountable that we can become a "faithful steward."
Principle 2: People First, Product Second
I am frankly appalled, awestruck, baffled, and perplexed when people say that they do not like nor do they eat Chick-fil-A. The typical argument is: "you only go there because of the service; the food really isn't that good." I can hear a friend saying that to me now. With a Facebook eatry war and an unfriend later (just kidding), there is a reason that the brand has persisted over the years, and here is why: Chick-fil-A provides a consistent customer service and product experience.
But of course, you knew that already.
But here is what I want to highlight: consistent. No matter what Chick-fil-A you walk into, as a customer, you know that your experience will start with a greeting and end with a "my pleasure." This is the Chick-fil-A standard. We have all had at least 1 or 2 bad experiences at Chick-fil-A, but it is their continual effort that makes them stand out; so, when an order is incorrect, it does not tarnish their record because up until that one moment in time, they have been "a faithful steward."
Because we know their heart, we excuse the mistake. In business, we cannot assume well intentions without a track record of consistent effort, and that is what Chick-fil-A continues to demonstrate over and over again. Regardless of your taste buds, Chick-fil-A can teach us one thing: how to be "a faithful steward of all that has been entrusted to us."
What does your heart posture toward your clients
say about your commitment to your business?
