Can't resist me

McDonalds has amazing french fries and people just seem to love them. I do too. The problem here is among all other food items, people choose fries just like that. As an add on to the original menu that they choose.

Have you ever seen this? All your choices are almost identical to what you had last week and almost for a long period of time. You keep on ordering cheese burgers till you finally want to try something else and move on to another delicacy. I have seen people ask about a hundred other things while the nice lady at the counter keeps punching orders on the billing machine and then say, "Forget it, give me this". You either stick to the new one for a while or roll back to the original choice like a snap. Amazing how psyches can be!

Nothing special about McDonalds, you might say. But trust me. If you keep walking back to their store ordering french fries, MCD knows how to make you fall in love. Marketing brains that know how to make simple people like you and me keep munching on those fries, burgers, softies and what not while you keep blaming an occasional meal at their restaurant when someone points about the added luxury at your weight!

Can't resist you? I bet I can. After all you are a veggie!

Its green alright

Sashi was having a discussion with a colleague when I walked up to her counter at McDonalds at Total Mall to order. Being inquisitive I overheard what was being discussed and it is worth mentioning here as it teaches us a lesson or two. The case in point was about which color of cleaning cloth was to be used for cleaning the counter and which one for the trays in which food is served. Whether it was yellow or green was the bone of contention. I was amused at the accuracy with which the process was being taken and taught to the front line employees. I was also stunned by the level of attention to detail being given to trivial things like color of the cleaning cloth and so on.

McDonalds is what it is today because it has perfected the art of servicing great things at cheapest possible prices(read cheaper than competition). Attention to detail should necessarily handled at all levels and ensured to be followed strictest, letter level code. Once this is followed at all levels it becomes a practice and it shows in the kind of service being provided to the customers. So nothing is alright unless it is as per the code. This code should have been studied, prepared after a lot of research and perfected, fool-proof.

So what happens to all that I have always vouched for in my previous posts about breaking the mould and being creative in the way you do regular normal work? If it is helping you serve the customer better, go for it. Well then McDonalds isn't you cup of tea then. My friends in hospitality industry tell me that a lot of research goes into drawing plans for the kitchen floor and the service front end. This game is different. It is about fitting in a mould and working for perfection and meeting the requirements. In case you have a revolutionary idea that would help McDonalds or your firm, I don't think they would deny any audience.

Do you miss me?

My previous post on McNuggets raised so many questions and I had answer many queries about my expectations. While some agreed with what I wrote some said the nuggets were good enough and predicted their success. While I hope that happens. For now it isn't going that way.

Yesterday at a mall in Bangalore I was with MJ and saw this placard. For a change the picture had the actual size of the nugget in it now). Response so good? I was shocked so went to the counter to find out. After a small discussion the sales guys tell me that it isn't going too well(I think they are being honest). A lot of them are being left out and few customers are complaining too.

This brings me to my point. McNuggets is a failure(I have some consumers thinking on these lines and this tribe is growing). What should McDonalds do now?

They came up with this strategy to display this placard across all stores. The message tells the viewer few things...

• McNuggets are good
• The response was good and you weren't a part of it
• You CAN'T taste them now because you are late
• Keep missing and cursing yourself as you missed the chance
• Next time you find McNuggets at the store... PICK THEM

Does it sound good to me? This would increase consumer inquiries about the product, create curiosity quotient, enhance saleability. make the customer wait, miss a purchase ensuring a definite sale next time. I think this is brilliant.

But is this sufficient? McDonalds should work on enhancing its offering too. Increase the quantity, tweak its size, shape and taste. Coming to the product itself I am told that the season was wrong, it was too early to launch, rains would have helped the sales unlike hot summer, adding chilli sauce and salt would have helped, so on... Let's see what McDonalds comes up with. If you don't do this I still wouldn't buy. I think they would do it. Or else with increased expectations than the last time the fall would be bigger.

Would I try it next time? Yes, to blog. You?

Damn nuggets

We were first customers at Mc Donalds, Forum the other day and were tempted to try out their chicken nuggets. Well the picture looked like this and was very inviting. I ordered one and was shocked that the real ones are no way similar in size to what was displayed in ads. The size was too small and the taste was normal. KFC would taste 10 times better.

May be my expectation was high and hence the disappointment which brings me to the point I am about to make. Don't promise what you can't meet. Coz once you do the customer would compare, guage and then feel cheated for being made to believe in to your story. Telling the actual story, what really matters is better than what makes him feel tricked.

Remember you can trick the consumer once, only once. So will I buy the nuggets again? Damn nuggets. Will I go to Mc Donalds again? Damn recession ;)

Focussed strategy

Cost leadership strategy works excellently at all times as there is a segment of population who are price conscious. Once this segment moves up the income ladder they shift to better services and products. But now in times of recession most luxury and high priced brands are in a dilema on what to do: 

• Cut prices and erode in times of brand value or
• Take a hit in terms of profits and retain the value as the sales, profits and shareholder value plumment
  

In this case McDonalds is seeing a surge in the usage and repetitive purchases. The nation's No. 1 hamburger chain has been posting strong sales as the economic downturn in the U.S. spreads overseas and people turn away from pricier restaurants to grocery stores and fast-food outlets. "McDonald's continues to appeal to customers as we offer high-quality, affordable meal options and unparalleled convenience," Chief Executive Jim Skinner said in a statement.Shares rose 56 cents to end at $59.02. 

The clown is actually making the customers smile. The smile has a ripple effect on the employees and the shareholders too.