In hospitality, success goes beyond providing exceptional food or services. It lies in creating an emotional bond with guests that keeps them coming back for more. While factors like food and comfort play a role and no doubt is a key ingredient (see what I did there), it is the authenticity of a brand that truly captivates and connects guests.
During the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Kansas City in late March of 2024, the one word we heard over and over the course of the three day summit was… you guessed it… AUTHENTICITY.
From Lauran Driver with TikTok to Brad Haley, MBA with Dave’s Hot Chicken, authenticity is the golden key to any successful business. PERIOD.
In this article, we will explore how authenticity generates growth, lowers turnover, and creates a profound connection between guests and a brand.
The Pull of Familiarity: Guests are drawn to a brand not only for the physical aspects but also for the familiarity it offers. It is the emotional attachment that keeps them coming back. Authenticity in hospitality involves creating an atmosphere where guests feel welcomed, understood, and valued. By delivering a consistent and authentic experience, brands can establish a sense of familiarity that resonates with guests on a deeper level.
During the pandemic, brands that pivoted (I loath this word due to its overuse within the last four years), found new ways of connecting with their customer base and reaped massive success. This was due to customers choosing to go to brands that they could count on to keep them and their family safe and nourished while delivering a sense of familiarity.
During my tenure as an executive with Caspers Company, a legacy owned franchise within the McDonald’s system for 65 years, we saw a huge uptick in customers looking for familiarity during unfamiliar times. Within the first few months of the pandemic, we saw a 20-30% dip in sales and needed to find ways of attracting customers who were looking for that beacon of hope.
The Community Relations department acted quick to help not only our customers feel at ease but also our people. While operations distributed gloves, masks, and hand sanitizing stations, we were equally hard at work running radio ads, donating food, and bringing normalcy to the dire situation as best we could.
In May of 2020, our company had donated over 110,000 meals to first responders, frontline healthcare workers, and educators. Our sales absolutely crushed any previous record set in the company’s 65 year history of serving Big Macs and fries.
While I cannot correlate our intentional and authentic approach to the company’s uptick in sales, I do know the ROI was immensely valuable. The love and appreciation our 60 locations, department, and I personally received was an overwhelming and gratifying experience.
The pandemic placed even more of an emphasis on authenticity than ever before. I think we can all agree that familiarity is strongly related to authenticity.
The Role of Authentic Employees:Hospitality workers play a pivotal role in bringing authenticity to a brand. Their genuine interactions, empathy, and attentiveness create a sense of trust and connection with guests. When employees embody the values and culture of the brand, it fosters an authentic experience that guests appreciate and remember.
By empowering employees to be themselves and authentically represent the brand, turnover can be reduced, leading to a more stable and motivated workforce. There is nothing that will kill a creative, energized employee than being micromanaged. You hire someone because of the skillset they bring with them and the alignment of your organization’s values, mission, and purpose that of which the employee.
Your workforce might be in payroll, HR, operations, or on the frontline. But I can tell you they are not in payroll, HR, operations, or on the frontline. They work in community relations. They are the face of your organization. And if your workforce doesn’t align or exemplify the purpose of the organization with a sense of authenticity and intentionality, it doesn’t matter how good you are or say you are.
I’ve walked into many high-end retail locations and restaurants and the common denominator of an amazing experience or one from hell is the connection an employee has or doesn’t have with their guests. It doesn’t matter the price of the watch or the tomahawk steak. If an employee has a terrible disposition, it will completely erode the relationship.
Before social media, if a customer had a positive or negative experience with a brand, they might tell five to ten of their close friends and family. Now, in a world where the power of a keyboard is king and the eagerness of internet trolls to command a brand to hell is at the click of the word “post,” they not only tell their friends and family but hundreds if not millions of people.
A few years ago, I had a conversation with a close friend who was the Director of Marketing for Chick-fil-A. I asked her how they managed to attract top talent for their restaurants. Her response surprised me. She said, “Dustin, we hire our people from the same pool of applicants as McDonald’s does. The key is education and attention to detail during the onboarding process.” This made me realize that we should not train people, but educate them.
Perhaps this is where we are going wrong with hiring. Instead of simply training employees, we should focus on educating them about your company’s standards, with authenticity and genuine investment. It’s important to assess the hiring manager or the person responsible for onboarding. If they are not aligned with the values and what your organization stands for, it may be time for a change to bring new life into the onboarding process. This could lead to a transformation that benefits everyone involved and brings significant dividends.
The Emotional Connector: This might be shocking to you but I must say it. Your customers are not coming to you because of the reasons you’ve told yourself. They are coming to you because you make them feel like a million dollars. You know their name. You know their order. You know their likes and dislikes. You know their struggles. You know their wins. You know their losses.
You connect with your customers on a more deeper level than most do. While some brands scratch the level of superficial, you have made a deep connection and added tremendous value to their lives… and they want to share it with you.
At Caspers Company, we had some heavy hitters working in our restaurants that just had it. Bubbly personality, strong communication skills, and most important, a desire to do and be better each day. And you know who benefitted? The customer.
One example of this deep connection to your customers was one of our employees who worked in the drive thru. Each morning, she was the voice in the drive thru lane welcoming you to McDonald’s. Taylor just had the voice that without saying it welcomed you with open arms and made you feel important.
For several years, there was a regular customer who would quickly place his order after exchanging morning greetings with Taylor. She would prepare his hot coffee and write a positive message on the cup. This small act of kindness made a profound impact on him. Every day and week, he would stop by on his way to work to enjoy his usual meal with an added message of hope and love from Taylor.
However, one day, Taylor noticed that he didn’t show up. The same thing happened the next day, and several weeks passed without him visiting. Eventually, Taylor received the heartbreaking news that he had taken his own life. It was later revealed that a friend of his had visited the restaurant and asked to speak to Taylor. Throughout all those years, it wasn’t just about the food for him. It was the messages Taylor had written on his cup of coffee that had a profound impact on his life. They inspired him, uplifted him, and gave him the strength to carry on. Taylor had no idea that she was providing him more than just a little happiness; she was unknowingly motivating him to keep going.
Hospitality goes beyond the simple act of offering a smile and a warm greeting. It has the power to create an authentic connection that transcends the boundaries of individuals. It is about embodying the change that we wish to see in the world.
When we truly embrace the spirit of hospitality, we become agents of transformation. We have the ability to touch lives in ways we may not even realize. It is through our genuine care, empathy, and kindness that we can make a lasting impact on others.
By being the change we want to see, we inspire others to do the same. Our actions ripple outwards, creating a positive domino effect that has the potential to change the world. It is in these small, everyday interactions that we have the opportunity to make a difference.
Hospitality is not just about providing a service or a warm welcome. It is about fostering genuine connections, spreading love and compassion, and being a source of inspiration for others. Let us embody the change we want to see and create a world where hospitality is more than just a gesture, but a way of life.
Dustin Portillo’s childhood dream manifested at 19 when he joined the world-renowned Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as a professional clown. For seven years and 3,500 shows, Dustin entertained over 35 million audiences across North America and, at 22, became the third youngest person in Ringling’s 147-year history to be promoted to Boss Clown. He has been featured in national publications of The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Men’s Health Magazine.
His exceptional talents caught the attention of McDonald’s Corporation, which subsequently hired him to portray the iconic world-famous character, Ronald McDonald. Positioned in the Tampa Bay region, Dustin made over 230 annual appearances, including his most notable performance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
His portrayal of Ronald McDonald opened doors in the corporate world, leading him to become a community relations executive at Caspers Company, one of the most successful McDonald’s franchises in the United States.
Dustin’s journey has come full circle as he takes his life experiences back to the center stage as a speaker, mesmerizes audiences and bringing the same energy and humor he displayed in the center ring and the strategic mindset he applied in the boardroom.
Embracing every moment of this incredible ride, he revels in the joy of sharing his gifts and creating a positive change in the lives of those he encounters. Dustin’s presentations leave a lasting impact, showcasing his versatility and unwavering determination to INSPIRE, ENTERTAIN, & LEAD.
In addition to his speaking career, Dustin is also the author of, It’s Okay To Be An IDIOT. He lives in Tampa, FL with his husband Brandon and their two cats, Betty and Stuart.
Please visit, www.DustinMPortillo.com and learn more about Dustin and how he can add value to your organization or event!
