If you live in the Western United States, you are likely very familiar with In-N-Out Burger, the legendary fast food chain known for its stellar product quality, customer service and raving fans. The company’s 30-year-old president Lynsi Torres is the nation’s youngest female billionaire, piquing attention and earning the Orange County Register a rare peek inside the customer service philosophy that has had customers crazy for In-N-Out for 65 years and counting:
- Focus on what you do well. In-N-Out ignores trends like dollar menus, salads and kids’ meals to focus on a very limited menu of burgers, fries and shakes. Lesson: Consistency earns customers’ trust and builds a strong brand.
- Slow it down. Despite pleas to grow faster and/or franchise, In-N-Out has kept growth slow. That’s partly because the company insists that all food be fresh and never frozen, which means all locations must be within driving distance of its Dallas or Southern California distribution centers. Lesson: Quality, not quantity, matters.
- Mind the details. Torres is involved in every aspect of the business, from strategic planning to what servers’ uniforms look like. “There’s nothing too big or small that I wouldn’t want to be involved with,” she told the Register. Lesson: Sweat the small stuff.
- Take care of employees. In-N-Out’s energetic, friendly employees are key to the chain’s great customer service. New hires make $10 an hour, store managers earn nearly three times the national average for similar jobs and the company promotes from within. Lesson: When employees love their jobs, it shows—and it matters to customers.
[Orange County Register]
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