During our last trip to New York, we stayed in the heart of the city on 43rd St. and 9th Avenue.
Little did I know that amidst all the traffic, noise and hustle, I’d find one truly excellent analog user experience (AUX) from a gentleman named Juan who owned the food cart on the corner.
Being a friendly New Yorker myself, I started having conversations with Juan each day, which he seemed to appreciate as much as I did. Because I was so impressed, I felt I needed to share …
The Details of My Analog User Experience
- From the moment I approached Juan’s food cart, he was friendly and approachable — even though he was busy with a line of people, he made me feel like a friend.
- Juan and his wife took our order each day and cooked everything up fresh, right in front of us.
- Even though they were cooped up in a tiny food cart, there was a very positive vibe coming from this small business — it was obvious they loved what they did, and they loved each other, which made me WANT to spend my money there.
- The food was great! Fresh, hot and made to order.
- The price? $3 for each bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a kaiser roll.
- He gave us free stuff — even though there was nothing in it for him. Juan and his wife seemed so appreciative to have our brief conversations that they started giving us free treats each day. Honestly, I was very impressed to see such a good-hearted gesture.
- I looked forward to seeing Juan and his wife each morning.
How this Relates to Your Website & Your Business
Approachability
Is your website or your storefront as approachable as Juan’s? It doesn’t matter if it’s a food cart, or a Ferrari dealership. Friendly service goes a long way in building trust and making customers feel at home.
Finding the Right Solution for Each Client
From a global view, Juan listened to what my needs were and delivered exactly what I asked for. He didn’t try to up sell, supersize or add extra dollars to his pocket by pushing me to buy more. In a way, this is a simplistic view of delivering custom solutions. For many of us, solutions are much more nuanced and complicated than: “egg over easy, with bacon and cheese on a kaiser roll,” but Juan had the service concept mastered — specifically, what does the customer need, and how can I provide the best solution?
Exceeding Expectations
From delivering an excellent meal, to free treats and better service than many fancy restaurants, Juan exceeded my expectations.
A word on free: There’s an excellent example here of giving something of value for nothing. I’m not saying you should give away free products or services, but there is something every business can give away for free with no strings attached — valuable content. Whether it’s a blog, webinar, workshop or infographic, delivering useful information to clients and potential clients can go a long way in building trust, raising credibility and positioning you as an authority in your industry. And in today’s content marketing age, it’s also a necessity if you want to grow your business.
Price
The one thing I had trouble wrapping my head around was why Juan charged so little for a fresh meal. My wife, Kara, had pointed out that Juan’s Food Cart had a lot of local competition surrounding him and the price point was probably where he needed to be to remain a relevant choice to his customers.
This can be debated both ways, though, as better service can often warrant higher prices — because the perceived value of the product is heightened by the service that surrounds it. Of course, if you’ve done your homework and clearly defined your customer demographic, you should have a good idea of where your price “tops off” before it becomes unacceptable to customers. Juan seemed like a smart guy, so I’m not questioning his business tactics. On the contrary, taking his lead and discovering the right price for your products or services is always a good idea.
Thanks for visiting Cuppa SEO! If you’re ever on 43rd St. and 9th Avenue in New York, be sure to stop by Juan’s Food Cart for breakfast.