Since starting my consulting business two years ago, I have logged quite a few miles across America and, by default, lots of meals on the road. By my hotel statements, I have spent more than 160 nights at the two chains I stay with most often. With only one of these having an in-house food offer (which is merely an enhanced Starbucks in the lobby), I eat the majority of my food as takeout or eat-in—in the car, that is.
While I am not that eager to eat out of a 12-inch-by-12-inch quilted wrap, I do enjoy the comforts of a simple, well-made sandwich. I have seen a wide variety of quality, quantity and consistency in sandwiches over the past year. And I have had my share of good and not-so-good meals on the go.
These food habits are not winning me awards in the waistline race, but they are enlightening me about some of the areas where I see good food retailers succeed and others fall short. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that having a great idea is easy; it’s consistent execution that is the toughest part of creating a successful menu item. And that comes from establishing strong processes.
Lessons from the Road
From my food experiences while traveling, I can offer some advice that I hope will help others take their concept from great idea to successful product.
Know your guests—and check with them frequently: Some products I see are just not right for the brand. For example, one of the best sandwiches I ever had was a roast beef, pear and blue cheese sandwich from Dean & Deluca in New York. While quality never goes out of style, having a fancy offer does not always strike the right chord with your guest. That’s not to say that you can’t be inspired by premium brands—just know your audience and how to translate that inspiration to their tastes.
What I think tastes great, or what a chef has designed, is interesting but not always relevant. The goal is a product that is appealing to your guest. Setting up a process for evaluating and testing an item with your core and target guests is critical. Use focus groups, in-store trials and sensory testing to gather feedback. Most important: Listen to that feedback.
Build quality from the start: Developing a process is one of the most important things I learned during my time at Wawa. By committing to quality first and including it in the process, you have a better chance of success for your product and overall program.
Again, quality does not mean Kobe beef in your hamburgers or real linen napkins. But it does include having a product your guests will like and repeatedly purchase. Things such as testing shelf life and packaging and experiencing the product as your guest will are critical for success. This also means having the tools, equipment and layout that meets your staff’s needs to serve the best product every day.
Design the process for consistency: The greatest operators spend a lot of time on training. Build the appropriate training materials, job aids and demonstrations for your staff.
I have seen people send a memo and procedures out to stores for a new product introduction, and subsequently they’re surprised that the final sandwich is not how they envisioned it. A good rule of thumb is that if you give the written procedures to someone and they can’t make it work without further explanation, either the procedures need to be revamped and/or there is a need for more personal, shoulder-to-shoulder training.
But there must also be regular monitoring of execution. Do your store managers have an active role in monitoring quality? They should, as should district and field personnel. Observing, sampling and coaching play big roles in successful introductions.
The functional vs. the emotional: We sometimes forget that it is not just about the product in the cup or the sandwich in the wrapper. It is also about the experience. I have seen retailers taste-test coffee against the large QSR and coffeehouse chains and, after introduction, wonder why their product was not well received. These companies did not understand the role that brand plays, and they did not reinforce the purchase decision in the store experience through great décor and customer service.
It is difficult to sell an $8 panini in a gas station, but Panera can sell them all day. Copying the décor of another establishment is not the answer, because there are many other elements that make the experience.
Beyond the Idea
Again, the idea is not only the beginning, but it’s also the easiest part of the process. Many years ago, former Wawa CEO Dick Wood said, “We are long on planning and short on execution.” The same hurdle—moving beyond the idea—applies to product introductions. Building the process for product introduction is not hard, but many take shortcuts that lead to poor execution and, ultimately, failure. If you take the time to build your own process, the rest will follow.
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