Franchisee Marketing

RPM tactic: Build frequency and loyalty by saying goodbye.

In the “Ten-Minute Manager’s Guide to Saying Goodbye” in the May 15, 2006 issue of Restaurants & Institutions magazine, freelance writer Virginia Gerst reports on what some restaurants are doing to build repeat business and lasting impressions.

“First impressions are important,” she writes, “but in a service industry so are the last moments of the guest experience. How restaurants bid farewell is just as important as how they greet and welcome… In all cases the goal is the same: to turn ‘goodbye’ into ‘hello again.’”

Some examples:

Noe Restaurant & Bar, Omni Houston Hotel: Gives their specialty “tasting menus” and goodie bags of biscotti to diners as they leave.

Del Posto, NYC gives bags of house-made bread crumbs and a personal note from the chef. Says GM Alfredo Ruiz: “People love it… It’s a little gesture that goes the extra mile.”

Grace, LA, gives house-made pastries to be heated & enjoyed the following morning. Chef Owner Neal Fraser says the pastries are marketing tools that get customers to think about them and recount their experience the next day.

What’s the last impression you give to your customer? How could you turn a last impression into a lasting impression?

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