When our kids were small, Myrtle Beach was our go-to beach destination. Easy, affordable,
convenient oceanfront accommodations. Plus the lazy rivers at all the condos are a tired dad’s
best friend.
Back then, Wendy’s were still decent restaurants so we stopped at one on the way down and one on the way back. They couldn’t have been more different. One was remarkably clean, friendly, fresh and fast. The other was remarkably dirty, slow, rude and stale. I’m not one to submit comments at businesses but both of these Wendy’s locations were so remarkable in their own ways that I did look for a way to submit feedback. The remarkably good store had comment cards at the tables, on the wall and a phone number posted near the menuboards. So many ways to give feedback. The other Wendy’s had zero options for submitting feedback. On the way home I was thinking about this.
Was the good one good because it sought feedback? Or, did they seek feedback because they are good? Was the bad one bad because they didn’t listen to customers or do they not listen to customers because they are poorly run? Which came first? Excellence or feedback? The Chicken or the Egg? Who knows?!?!
I started paying more attention to which places make it easy for feedback and noticed that the better run places typically make it easy to get feedback. I still don’t know which causes the other but I’ve learned that if you act like a top performer you tend to perform well. This is before we had the easy access to CFA CARES like we do now. We placed comment cards on every table. I really expected to get alot of feedback on how we could get better (complaints). What I learned is that customers just like being asked. Most of the feedback was positive. It seemed that simply by asking them how it was, customers felt more favorably about their visit. And, yes, we got some constructive feedback as well.
I still don’t know if asking for feedback made us better or if we decided to ask for feedback because we were leading better. What I do know is that top performers crave feedback. If I want to be a top performer, I probably should crave feedback.
Back then, Wendy’s were still decent restaurants so we stopped at one on the way down and one on the way back. They couldn’t have been more different. One was remarkably clean, friendly, fresh and fast. The other was remarkably dirty, slow, rude and stale. I’m not one to submit comments at businesses but both of these Wendy’s locations were so remarkable in their own ways that I did look for a way to submit feedback. The remarkably good store had comment cards at the tables, on the wall and a phone number posted near the menuboards. So many ways to give feedback. The other Wendy’s had zero options for submitting feedback. On the way home I was thinking about this.
Was the good one good because it sought feedback? Or, did they seek feedback because they are good? Was the bad one bad because they didn’t listen to customers or do they not listen to customers because they are poorly run? Which came first? Excellence or feedback? The Chicken or the Egg? Who knows?!?!
I started paying more attention to which places make it easy for feedback and noticed that the better run places typically make it easy to get feedback. I still don’t know which causes the other but I’ve learned that if you act like a top performer you tend to perform well. This is before we had the easy access to CFA CARES like we do now. We placed comment cards on every table. I really expected to get alot of feedback on how we could get better (complaints). What I learned is that customers just like being asked. Most of the feedback was positive. It seemed that simply by asking them how it was, customers felt more favorably about their visit. And, yes, we got some constructive feedback as well.
I still don’t know if asking for feedback made us better or if we decided to ask for feedback because we were leading better. What I do know is that top performers crave feedback. If I want to be a top performer, I probably should crave feedback.
