WHAT is your unique "Experience Proposition"???
Do you happen to know your restaurant's unique Experience Proposition? You SHOULD!! Your restaurant's success depends on it. At the center of any restaurant's business strategy is its Experience Proposition. This is the unique combination of food and beverages, service and hospitality, ambience and overall experience a restaurant provides its customers. The Experience Proposition expresses what is thought to be the best and most effective way for a restaurant to attract and retain customers and distinguish itself from the competition.
Clearly defining and communicating your Experience Proposition is vital because it should drive the operating strategies, systems and daily activities needed to deliver the unique customer experience expected to propel the restaurant's success.
There are four primary points of difference that can make up a restaurant's Experience Proposition:
1. Operations: When operations is the primary point of difference, the focus is on operational excellence in one or more of the following areas; consistency, standardization, speed, convenience or price. McDonald's, Dominoes, KFC and other chain operators rely heavily on their internal operating processes and systems to achieve and maintain their success.
2. Service & hospitality: Emphasizes the personal interaction between guests and staff members. Focus is on providing remarkable service in a warm, friendly and caring way that results in building positive guest relationships and loyalty. Restaurants in 5 Star Hotels based primarily in KL City has been very intentional about making exceptional service and "hospitality" their highly successful restaurants' point of difference and competitive advantage.
3. Product: The primary aim is to deliver a unique or uncommonly sumptuous culinary experience. Many successful chef-driven, ethnic and specialty menu restaurants focus intently on the food. It's their claim to fame and biggest draw.
4. Ambience: Focus is on enhancing or emphasizing the restaurant's distinctive location, surroundings, views and/or atmosphere. Ambience is often the principal point of difference in many destination restaurants. Nobu KL or Marini's on 57 in Petronas Tower for example, are famous for their stunning architecture, elegant interiors and breathtaking views.
The emphasis placed on one or more of the four points of difference above will determine the systems, standards, and capabilities needed to deliver the type of experience proposition the restaurant's target market wants.
Most successful restaurants are exceptional in at least one of these areas and are very competent in one or two others. It is very rare, however, to find a restaurant that truly excels in three or four.
With the large number of dining choices in virtually all markets today, a restaurant without an effective point of difference will have major challenges differentiating itself in any meaningful way from the competition. Operators that are thoughtful and intentional about creating or deepening their unique experience proposition will have a distinct advantage in attracting more customers by providing a compelling reason for people to choose their restaurant over all the others in their market.
What kind of unique experience proposition do you offer your customers? If you don't know, take the time to identify and articulate it clearly. In a big way, the future success of your restaurant really does depend on it.
Photo courtesy of Desa Park City waterfront.
PS: Brother P, below are some points of discussion to formulate an Experience Proposition worksheet for your new restaurant.
Why people come (or will come) to your restaurant. The experience your customers want and expect.
Your reputation, what you are known for or want to be known for.
The unique elements that your restaurant offers that no one else does in your market area.
How you may be compromising your experience proposition by trying to appeal to too broad of a customer base.
How your restaurant may be unintentionally sending inconsistent messages by performing activities that are not aligned with each other.
What needs to happen for you to deepen the unique aspects of your experience proposition so your restaurant stands out and more people are attracted and drawn to your restaurant.
