You see, when we moved to Spokane, WA from Utah six months ago I was dreading not having a Cafe Rio nearby. How would I survive? But then... I realized there was a location in Coeur d'Alene Idaho! Woohoo! Only 25 minutes away, and totally worth it... RIGHT??
Nope. Sadly, I haven't loved the customer experience at this location. And it's bugging me apparently.
Here's the problem. Ahem. Problems.
The first thing I noticed is the lack of yelling. And there's just not a feeling of hustle in the place either. Weird, right? There's rarely a "FREE MEAL!" or "EXTRA MEAT!" heard. Last time I redeemed my free meal card, I said "free meal!!" under my breath, and the cashier looked at me like I was crazy. The atmosphere just isn't the same.
That being said, here's the real kicker for me. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I drove out to the Cafe Rio. I NEEDED my pork tostada. So I order. And they are OUT of Creamy Tomatillo DRESSING. Wait. What??!! That's not possible. It's 12:45 on a weekday. The day is young.
Okay, so I'll have to go with my back up. The pork burrito. Enchilada style. Mild Sauce. Um... they're out of that too. Now I'm baffled. Out of the dressing and mild sauce before the lunch rush is even over. How does this happen? These are STAR items people!
A couple of days later, a friend of mine mentions on facebook that she was in for lunch, and they were out of PORK! Whaaaaaaat???!! Might as well close the doors. Glad I didn't show up that day!
Well, after expressing my concerns to the cute little lady bussing tables, she promptly brought us out a yummy dessert to compensate for our trouble. I really appreciated it, but I just hope they can get things together. It makes my sad that its just not as good as the Utah counterparts.
Now a Cafe Rio is coming to the same parking lot as my husband's store this month. I'm SO excited. And SO hopeful it lives up to my high Utah expectations! :)
After thinking about this (way too much obviously) over the last couple of weeks, I've come up with a few little lessons that many business owners can benefit from!1. Keep whatever your "STAR" service or product is, keep it available at the important and busy times. Plan ahead for busy times. Make things easy and accessible for your customers. This keeps people HAPPY!
2. Create a business with "CULTURE". Know what the feeling of the business should be. It should have a personality, and a memorable experience for all who walk in the doors. Educate your employees on the culture and keep it alive!
3. Take care of your customers. When a problem can't be immediately resolved, offer something to them. Keep them happy so they can come back and have a great experience next time!
4. Keep it consistent. If you have multiple locations, ensure that systems are in place to make the customer experience consistent at EVERY location.
Oh Cafe Rio. I love you and miss the real you. Bring your A game to Spokane Valley, or I will have to drive to Utah. That's just far.
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