News flash: Whether you work at it or not, your healthcare foodservice business is a brand that leaves an impression. You can allow people to think what they want about your operation or actively manage how you\u2019re perceived.<\/p>\n
I really like this definition of branding from Gordon Food Service\u00ae Commercial Customer Segment Manager Doug Owens: \u201cYour brand is your promise to your guests that is unique and readily identifiable, supported by demonstrated behaviour, and executed by your team.\u201d<\/p>\n
This reiterates that business is about customer perception. <\/p>\n
The businesses that are best at portraying who they are have something I call the \u201cIt Factor.\u201d The \u201cIt Factor\u201d is what draws people back, again and again, because they have created a brand that resonates with us. <\/p>\n
Think of the places you\u2019ve sworn off, determined never to return to again. Those places do not do \u201cit\u201d for you. Now, consider the places you love to enjoy, the ones you frequent again and again, because they make you feel good. Those places have \u201cit.\u201d <\/p>\n
What does this have to do with healthcare? Everything! Food and nutrition departments have been on a mission to connect with their customers for as long as I can remember. This isn\u2019t new news, but with brands driving customers to consider certain healthcare operations over others, it\u2019s becoming more and more relevant.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the kicker: the \u201cIt Factor\u201d isn\u2019t one dimensional. It\u2019s everything that contributes to a customer\u2019s evaluation of your operation. Think of your customers\u2014including residents in long-term care facilities and their loved ones, patients, staff and all visitors\u2014as embarking on a journey through your establishment. Everything you do along their journey will either positively accelerate or negatively decelerate their path to deciding whether you\u2019re \u201cit\u201d for them.<\/p>\n
I like to refer to the critical moments customers will experience on their journey with you as touchpoints. They are a series of opportunities to influence your guests and optimize their dining experience. <\/p>\n
Attend to these seven touchpoints and you\u2019ll be well on your way to achieving the \u201cIt Factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
1. Take a look.<\/strong> Get out front and look at your service the way the customers see it. Is everything clean and inviting?<\/p>\n 2. Publicize your menu.<\/strong> Get those appetites going and be sure to highlight anything unique. Consider posting it online to drive sales.<\/p>\n 3. Develop your team\u2019s expertise.<\/strong> Customers love to ask questions about their food. Can your servers answer how something is made? Can your room service delivery folks explain an item?<\/p>\n 4. Tease the taste buds.<\/strong> How do you describe an item on your menu? Take a page out of a restaurant menu and get descriptive\u2014use adjectives and play on the senses.<\/p>\n 5. Pr\u00e9sentation soign\u00e9e.<\/strong> We eat with our eyes first; are your plates picture-worthy? Food presentation is theatre, so set the stage for a satisfying experience.<\/p>\n 6. Rethink your recipes.<\/strong> If possible, provide a link that gives enhanced product info, serving tips and scaled amounts to help your staff. Incorporate as many fresh ingredients as possible.<\/p>\n 7. Say \u201chello\u201d and see you soon.<\/strong> Demonstrate that you want a customer\u2019s business. Always be the first to say \u201cHi\u201d and invite someone to come back when they leave.<\/p>\n While I\u2019ve only scratched the surface of this topic, hopefully you\u2019re beginning to understand the role touchpoints play in branding. By using them to strengthen customer relationships, your operation can garner a positive perception and coveted \u201cIt Factor\u201d status.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Leverage these key touchpoints to build stronger connections with your customers and improve the perception of your operation\u2019s brand. News flash: Whether you work at it or not, your healthcare foodservice business is a brand that leaves an impression. You can allow people to think what they want about your operation or actively manage how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4567,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69,111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-your-business","category-healthcare"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n