Order a burrito at Chipotle and the cashier might ask if the restaurant made it “perfect for you today.” This phrase is part of a larger trend of restaurants using canned phrases, scripted songs, and choreographed dance routines to create a distinctive experience.
Experts say these efforts aim to boost brand consistency and create a memorable experience for customers.
Nate Brown, founder and executive director of CX Accelerator, notes that customers can trust that the experience will happen, but brands risk alienating customers and employees if the balance of strategy, hiring, execution, and customer preferences is not met.
Jeannie Walters, founder, CEO, and chief experience investigator at Experience Investigators, says that scripted phrases can backfire, as they often sound unnatural and can be seen as an attempt to mandate behavior.
Walters states that when brands create scripts, they are essentially trying to mandate behavior — but this approach backfires more often than it succeeds.
Brands are often targeting children with these initiatives, rather than parents, in an effort to create a memorable experience.
Brown notes that kids are more likely to remember a fun experience, such as a waiter doing the Macarena, than the name of the restaurant itself.
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Creating a kitschy experience can help drive initial interest, but the novelty can wear off after a few visits, limiting repeat business in the long term.
Walters notes that everybody wants frequent guests, and some of these initiatives may actually prevent people from coming back.
These initiatives usually work better when employees enjoy doing them, and fall flat when they don’t.
Brown notes that Cold Stone’s practice of teaching its songs during onboarding is a design feature that lets applicants opt out of the job before they ever hit the line.
Brown advises that if employees are going to be required to perform certain tasks, it should be made abundantly clear that they need to enjoy it.
However, the constant demand to perform can wear on employees, even those who enjoy it initially, leading to burnout.
Walters points to sociologist Arlie Hochschild’s research on emotional labor, which found that faking emotions at work can lead employees to burnout quickly.
Employees do not feel fulfilled when they are being told to smile without really wanting to.
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Brown and Walters point to Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” as an example of a canned response that sounds like something a human would actually say, making it seem more authentic.
Trader Joe’s chatty cashiers are also cited as a gold standard for how to hire and train frontline workers.
Trader Joe’s hires people who are comfortable talking to customers, and they hire people who are naturally warm.
Instead of giving employees scripts or routines, brands should provide their staff with guidance about the type of experience they need to deliver, and let them have some freedom in terms of how they express that.
Brown notes that brands should give employees the principle, and then let them have some freedom in terms of how they express that.
Dutch Bros Coffee is also cited as an example of a brand that gets it right, with its employees being incredibly kind and upbeat.
It is essential for brands to consider the type of experience they want to deliver to their customers.
