Staying aware of your brand identity and quality control
How important is the quality of what you deliver to your brand identity? A recent experience of mine got me thinking about how easy it is for brands to lose their charm, identity, and overall quality in order to keep up with the times. These have, in my opinion been exacerbated by the pandemic.
McDonald's is one of the worlds best known brands and the golden arches is an easily recognised icon across the planet.
Yet, when I recently returned from a long car journey with my family and we decided to get a takeout McDonald's to re-fuel ourselves when we arrived home, I was disappointed with the experience.
I’ve always thought of McDonald's as a wholesome place where you can rely on getting some reasonably priced hot food that the whole family will enjoy.
Usually, McDonald's presents itself as a pleasant enough environment, smartly dressed colleagues, clean tables to sit at and consistently enjoyable food. However, this time, this wasn’t what was offered.
The team members behind the screens at the counter were obscured by piles upon piles of bags being waiting for by various delivery drivers so that they could deliver it to people who had ordered from home.
The tables were pushed to the side in order to make room for people to stand and wait, the order screen couldn’t keep up with the amount of online orders being pushed through, and the customers waiting to be served in store were seemingly forgotten about whilst the colleagues prepared the food for the people waiting at home.
As we were waiting for our order to be prepared, surrounded by Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat couriers, it made me wonder whether the quality of the traditional “in-store” dining experience of a McDonald's meal has been neglected due to their eagerness to keep up with the online demand.
After a long day of travelling, we had decided to take our food home – table dining was not an option. After we had collected our order what is clear is that despite McDonald's offering the option for delivery and takeaway food, the packaging of the food itself it just not designed well enough for this to be a better option.
The chips don’t come in a sealed box, so they go cold and soggy, the burgers were lukewarm at best although the chicken nuggets fared better.
Now, I can see how this is a first-world problem, “poor Neil he got soggy chips and cold burger”, but what this really is about is the way that McDonald's are undermining their own brand identity.
The fast-food giant aren’t the most famous quick-serve restaurant in the world by chance. They have built a reputation on good quality, consistent and reliable service which presents to you an enjoyable product that you expect every time you visit. No matter where you are in the world, a Big Mac is a Big Mac, and the chips are the same. Yes, different locations might have alternative menu items and volumes, but the point is your expectation is the same every time.
No doubt the rise of delivery franchises has contributed towards fast-food chains increasing their offering to deliver. However, if this is the case then they need to adapt more effectively in order to keep their quality standards for takeaway, just as high as they have always been for dine in customers.
Simultaneously, they must also ensure that their new and wider offerings are not damaging their existing dine in customer’s experience.
“Quality control is essential to building a successful business that delivers products that meet or exceed customers’ expectation. It also forms the basis of an efficient business that minimizes waste and operates at high levels of productivity.” - parekhplast.com/
My prescription for McDonald's:
- Have a trade counter for delivery drivers
- Make sure the (green) packaging keeps food piping hot for deliveries
- Reinvent the restaurant experience – make it clean and fun again!
Quality assurance and brand identity at JudgeService
As part of our induction training all of our colleagues undertake a session which highlights the importance of quality assurance.
As customer satisfaction experts it is part of the foundation of our business that we provide a quality service and product to our clients. This means each team member needs to understand how this is delivered.
Each role is unique; however, each person has their own part to play in assuring those high standards are maintained at all times.
Reinforcing this are our brand values.
- Great teams accomplish great things
- Customers are at the heart of what we do
- We are forward thinking in an ever-changing world
- We listen and feedback impartially
Working to the standards set by our values assures that we are consistently making decisions that we won’t be regretful down the line.
If you’re interested in how we can provide your business with a quality driven customer satisfaction service, call us today on 01423 649040 or request a free demo.
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