It has been uncommonly warm so far this December in the Delaware Valley. Taking advantage of the rare mild late Fall weather, this past Sunday my wife and I decided to spend a relaxing afternoon strolling along the Brandywine River in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, and then have a nice dinner at a high-end seafood restaurant. We watched kids and parents in t-shirts and shorts ice skating at the Riverfront rink, and petted cute dogs being walked along the pathway.
One of the restaurants lining the Riverfront is Iron Hill Brewery, a chain of 12 area craft brew pubs which we visit with some regularity (they have restaurants near where we live in New Jersey, and one close to my brother’s home outside of Philadelphia). This is their original location (named after the iron smelting and shipment facility that was on the site).
On this delightful day, we asked to sit out on their patio deck overlooking the pathway and the river. Ray, our waiter, was a young, enthusiastic guy; and he was very knowledgeable about Iron Hill’s range of seasonal and holiday beers. He asked what kind of beer we prefer. My wife and I told him that, though we are only occasional beer drinkers, we like Blue Moon White IPA Belgian-style beer, and he suggested an Iron Hill Christmas-only beer (Santa’s Little Helper) which tasted almost identical to Blue Moon, complete with coriander and orange peel in the recipe. Ray also recommended a pre-dinner snack for my wife and I to nibble on as we watched the pedestrian traffic and small boats go by.
So far, so good. In fact, so far, so great. Ray was on a roll with us.
When he brought our beer and snack, Ray asked if we were regular Iron Hill patrons; and we replied that we enjoy the restaurant from time to time, but weren’t what could be called frequent diners. In a non-pushy way, he then went on to explain about Iron Hill’s “King of the Hill Rewards Club.” He said that he thought it was a great deal, that it would quickly pay for itself, and for the $25 annual fee we’d get:
– A $25 credit, based on points earned at purchase, after just a couple of visits
– A free handmade Iron Hill beer mug
– A free gift on our birthdays
– Invitation to exclusive club events throughout the year
– Directs email contact with the head brewer about upcoming releases and events
– Any unused points roll over until next year
Sold!! I liked the way Ray presented the club rewards, as well as its simplicity and personalized benefits. And, he must have sensed that I love mugs (which I got, in a nice Iron Hill bag, during this visit – so, the bonus of instant gratification). Painlessly, Ray added the cost of membership to our bill for the beers and snack.
I’m always curious to learn what motivates employees to sign up patrons for their company’s rewards program, so I asked Ray directly: “What do you get from Iron Hill when you bring in a new member?” When he replied “Nothing”, I believed him. Ray went on to say that “I just like telling people about what we have, and to see our guests get good value and more frequently enjoy what Iron Hill has to offer.” Ray is the kind of employee every company wants – an ambassador, focused on the company itself, the product/service value proposition, and the customer. Ray made my day.
Where can I get some Ray’s?
Any company focused on building employee commitment to the company, the product/service value proposition, and the customer can attract, nurture, and retain a corps of Rays. Look at Wegmens, Southwest, Zappos, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Metro Bank, and other leaders, and you’ll find organizations that understand the everyday and strategic contribution of employees like Ray to customer-centricity and financial success.
Last evening, my wife and I enjoyed a nice dinner at our local Iron Hill Brewery – made nicer by the $$$$$ coupon received as a “King of the Hill” nenber. It was the first time both of us had been out and about since the blizzard of ’16, so the experience was made even better with the timely incentive.