Sell the Sizzle AND the Steak

Morton’s, the upscale restaurant chain, claims to sell the “best steak anywhere.”  I won’t argue with that.  It is consistently excellent, as are the rest of their menu items.  However, they have much more to offer than just an excellent meal.  They are a fine example of Amazement in Action.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of being a speaker at Morton’s annual manager’s meeting.  As a result, I looked behind the scenes of a first-class operation.  There is a lot that goes into creating a great meal.  The food and preparation are a big part of it.  But, without the service, they are just another steakhouse.

Recently I heard their Chairman/CEO/President, Tom Baldwin, speak about Morton’s and some of their business philosophies.

Two very powerful lessons that can be adapted to any business.

1. Tom believes that the road to good service is “mistakes well handled.”  In other words, no matter how great you might be, one mistake not handled well can destroy the brand promise.  Morton’s strategy for handling problems is simple.  Don’t let the problem walk out of the restaurant.  Deal with it right away, quickly and to the satisfaction of the guest.   Restore their confidence in Morton’s.
2. Morton’s marketing strategy is simple.  Rather than invest millions in advertising, Morton’s relies on their 5,000 person marketing department.  That’s all of their employees. Each employee recognizes that they play an important role in creating a great guest experience.  When the marketing department (all employees) does their job, the guests become walking advertisements for Morton’s chain.  In short, Morton’s creates evangelists – people that brag about the great experience they get at Morton’s.

So, there are two lessons; one customer service strategy and one marketing strategy.  Don’t let the simplicity of these strategies fool you.  They are powerful and they work.

All this talk about Morton’s makes me hungry – for great steak and amazing service.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

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