As the business world becomes more and more digital and impersonal, companies can really benefit from adding a touch of humanity to their transactions. Domino’s Australia has been experimenting with personalizing their deliveries. In this episode of Here’s Why, Mark & Eric discuss how your company can benefit from a simple dose of humanity.
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Links Mentioned:
- Why Businesses Are Personalizing All the Things
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Full Transcript:
Eric: Come on in, Matt!
Matt: Hey, how are you?
Eric: Good, how are you doing?
Matt: Good, it’s gonna be $14.95
Eric: You know, I was checking out your playlist as you were coming in, and I’m a big fan of Taylor Swift too!
Matt: Oh, so MY playlist…. You see, my girlfriend, she was-
Eric: Yeah, yeah, sure thing Matt. So anyway, here’s your twenty bucks… Uh, you can keep the change!
Matt: Hey, thanks!
Eric: Yeah, sure thing! … Now, how did I know my pizza guy’s name was Matt and what he was listening to as he drove to my house? You’ll find out why in this episode of “Here’s Why” and the answer could make a HUGE difference for your business.
Eric: Mark, you uncovered an interesting story about an experiment by Domino’s for their delivery business. Why don’t you tell us about it?
Mark: Sure Eric, I’d be happy to! For a while now several pizza chains, including Domino’s, have had apps that show things like where their pizza is in the cooking process. Recently in Australia they’ve been adding GPS function that shows your delivery driver’s progress and even how fast they’re driving because the last thing you want is a pizza damaged in a car accident! But that’s not all the new app does. It will also tell you the name of your driver and even some fun facts about him or her such as what music they played while they were delivering your pizza.
Eric: Why would I want to know these things about my pizza delivery driver?
Mark: Well, I think Domino’s understands something all businesses should never forget: Every business transaction no matter how small is a human transaction. The increasing use of mobile and online ordering has short-circuited the human side of business for companies like Domino’s. If the customer never comes into the store, you lose the opportunity to make that human connection.
And even though the pizza driver comes to your home, the average interaction probably only lasts about thirty seconds. But what if that driver had a name and you knew he was crazy about cycling and that he loves Taylor Swift. Now you have some kind of human connection with your driver as more than just the conveyor of your calorie-laden cheese disk.
Eric: So what business benefit do you think that brings Domino’s?
Mark: A great question, Eric! First, I think we should never underestimate how important emotions and empathy are in any business transaction. People prefer doing business with people they like, and the genius of the new dominoes app is that it restores humanity to what had become a very impersonal act.
Now second, for delivery customers, that driver may be the only human contact they will ever have with Domino’s, so in that sense, the driver becomes their PBR, their Personal Brand Representative. If customers get to know and like their driver, that reflects positively back on the whole corporate brand. Those customers are more likely to have good feelings about ordering from Domino’s again.
Now also, I’m betting that customers will tip better if they feel a connection with their driver, and it makes the drivers feel more like real people. That could be happier employees and less turnover, and turnover is a huge expense for any business.
Eric: Great stuff! Does this concept of humanizing your business only apply to companies like Domino’s or is it important for all businesses?
Mark: Well Eric, I truly believe that finding ways to humanize your business and make personal connections with your customers is a crucial competitive advantage for any business, from a mom and pop store to a major B2B corporation. It’s all the more critical as businesses move online where we may never meet our customers face to face. If your business is in that situation, you need to think about creative ways you can make a more human personal connection with your prospects and customers.
Eric: Thanks Mark! For more about how to humanize your business, see Mark’s Linkedin post linked here and in our show notes, and be sure you click through our subscribe link at the end of this episode so you never miss another “Here’s Why with Mark and Eric.” See you next time!
