Kenny Chapman argues that restaurants and businesses should bundle small extras like hot sauce into their pricing instead of charging fifty cents for them. A sushi place charged him for sriracha and ruined an otherwise good meal. Stop nickel-and-diming customers.
Hey, everybody, Kenny Chapman here, the blue collar coach, coming to you with this week's video version of Freedom Friday Focus. And as you'll see this week, I'm talking about give them the hot sauce. Now, you can insert whatever you want there in the pause that I gave you. But also I want you to think about implementing any words you want where I say hot sauce. Because most of us are now moved forward into the upfront pricing world. We understand value propositioning, we understand what bundling and packaging and making things right for our customers where they really see and understand the value. Now, as you'll read in the story, I'm talking about last week where Christy and I flew in before John into Chicago and we need to grab a quick lunch before we pick him up and get ready for our service school in Chicago last week. And so we find a sushi place. Real cool, little quaint spot, nice decor, small family environment. Alright, so let's pick out a couple rolls and we order up some food. And then you're just praying that the fish is going to be good for all my sushi advocates out there, you know what that's like. And so we're waiting and the food shows up and I order my side. Now I've got that spicy tooth. A lot of people have a sweet tooth. Just like my grandma Opal had. Had to have a little bite of something sweet after she ate. Mine's spicy. I got to have a little something spicy. Got to have a little zing to that food. So I add it and say, you know, can I get a side of sriracha? And oh, yeah, you know, whatever. The lady comes back, she didn't quite get it right. It was mixed with mayo. That spicy mayonnaise sauce they use. I don't love that. But not a big deal. I can eat this. Have a good meal. She presents us with the bill. Everything's right, 50 cents extra side. Mmm. 50 cents extra side. You know, we shared three or four rolls. We probably spent 50, 60 bucks, whatever it was, and 50 cents for the side. Now think about this. Where does that show up in our companies? Where do we do that to our customers? Where do we go? Ah, yeah, but that's going to be 50 cents. Build it in. My gosh, don't put 50 cents on my $60 bill. Give me the hot sauce. So what about with you and your customers? When you think about your customers, how can you give them the hot sauce? And hot sauce obviously is totally representing. It's a metaphor for whatever it is. Maybe it's an extra service. Maybe it's building something in to where you don't have to go. Well, it's this much and this much and this month. Maybe we need to put it together as a package. Whatever it is, I spent that money, I had a phenomenal meal and I walked out of there with not the best feeling in my stomach based on 50 cents, not the sushi that we had. I'm glad I wasn't walking out with an upset stomach due to that as we've had that happen before too. But apply this to your company. Don't nickel and dime your customer. Present solutions first and foremost. Then allow them to know what the band aid is and at least let them know she didn't say, oh, by the way, it's going to be 50 cents extra for that. That would have been nice to know. Would I have ordered it? Yes. Would I have been happy about it? No. But at least I would have known up front. Communicate, educate. Continue to be the expert and share value with your customer. I'm Kenny Chapman, the blue collar coach. Until we talk again, have a better than fantastic week and I'll see you next time.
