Restaurants Reinvented - Jonathon Relkin - Transcript
Jennifer Kern: [00:00:00] Hello, everyone. And welcome to Restaurants Reinvented. I'm Jen Kern, your hostess. And today I have a special guest from the West Coast. It's Jonathon Relkin from Chipotle. Hi, Jonathon.
[00:00:12] Jonathon Relkin: [00:00:12] Hi, Jen, how are you?
[00:00:13] Jennifer Kern: [00:00:13] I'm great. How are you doing?
[00:00:17] It is, it is wonderful. Beautiful and sunny, as always. Thanks. Thanks for having me on the show.
[00:00:21] Jennifer Kern: [00:00:21] Yeah. So you are the director of digital and off-premise at Chipotle. And I heard you speaking on a virtual round table with Sam Oches, about a month or two ago, and you really caught my attention and got my ears perked up.
[00:00:40] So, I'm so thrilled to have you and talk about all the digital transformation that's going on in the space today. So welcome.
[00:00:48] Jonathon Relkin: [00:00:48] Definitely. Thank you It is a very exciting time for sure
[00:00:50] Jennifer Kern: [00:00:50] It really is And I was actually in the middle of doing a taco series when I watched your round table And I was I'm a little bit of a guac geek and everyone I talked to so I talked to Fuzzy's taco Laura Purser I talked to Erin Levzow from Del taco and I talked to Scott Hudler from Torchy's tacos and every single one of them had to tell me if they have tomatoes in their guacamole because to me they don't belong there And I'm not sure if that's because I've grown up eating Chipotle's guac and I love the stuff or not So am a guac aficionado and I love your guac
[00:01:29] Jonathon Relkin: [00:01:29] Well I agree Thank you Thank you I think goes with just about anything I can't think of anything that doesn't get better when you put our guacamole on it
[00:01:36] Jennifer Kern: [00:01:36] it's awesome stuff It's awesome stuff For sure So as mentioned you really got my attention talking to Sam about all the things going on with off-premises and you have a great background with consumer products and e-commerce so I'd love for you to give our listeners background in terms of where you were before you got to Chipotle
[00:01:56] Jonathon Relkin: [00:01:56] Sure my experience before Chipotl I was thinking about this before preparing for the show actually my first job was at an ice cream shop so I do have a little bit of food and restaurant experience but in high school my first job was at an ice cream shop after that I've spent Basically my career in consumer products I started at Reebok and then spent a very long time about 11 years at Mattel in a variety of different roles and functions most recently advanced So I have obviously a very different background certainly most in the restaurant space and which I think gives me a different perspective on we are now and kind of where the state of the restaurant industry is as it relates to the transformation that is certainly occurring right now
[00:02:34] Jennifer Kern: [00:02:34] Yeah And I've seen a huge shift just since I've been here I know we've both been in the restaurant space just a little over a year and a half And since I started the show about seven months ago there has been a huge change and this exciting to see because I do see a lot of marketers coming Into the space from outside of restaurants and that's exciting
[00:02:52] Jonathon Relkin: [00:02:52] You know I think when I was candidly a little bit nervous about that lack of experience I mean I think I have pursued roles that maybe me in different areas but for sure not knowing just about I mean very little about the restaurant industry was I thought a big hurdle for me But coming in and now being a part of the company and certainly being a part of the industry for the year and a half there's a lot of super relevant and interesting parallels to a lot of the work that I've done my former life and previous roles start to think about how customers really want to engage with brands ultimately the path to purchase what excites people and how do you get that message out there are a ton of parallels And I think that the restaurant industry is really evolving into out of the four walls of the restaurant much bigger way than you know maybe ever in history of the restaurant industry
[00:03:38] Jennifer Kern: [00:03:38] Yeah And what was that immersion process like Curious like how long did it really take you I mean coming from toys and shoes is obviously it's a lot different how long did it really take you wrap your head around this space and understand some of the unique opportunities and challenges
[00:03:52] Jonathon Relkin: [00:03:52] I love to read I read a ton of articles read a bunch of different posts So honestly a continual learning process think that like moment you think you have your arms around something you're going to get blindsided by something else So maybe I had my feet on the ground in terms of understanding business a little bit more few months into it But think that it's a journey of constant evolution and learning And so think that I mean I have a ton to learn about everything in the restaurant industry and the space and how we deliver products to customers and what's important experience the last eight or nine months this COVID environment that we've been living in has taught me anything it's that things can change on a dime and you really have to keep learning and keep growing
[00:04:30] Jennifer Kern: [00:04:30] Yeah well we really like to hone in on talking about like the re-invention side of what restaurants are going through right now And I'm curious to hear from you what Things that you learned at either Mattel or vans that you're bringing to bear on your experience at Chipotle What are some of the key strategies maybe best practices that you acquired there that you feel like will translate And maybe some that won't
[00:04:55] Jonathon Relkin: [00:04:55] Yeah great question think maybe single biggest thing that I learned advance is authenticity As a brand Who you are and what you say matters especially today consumers can see-through and people can just see-through when you're saying one thing but you're acting a different way And so I think that like saying who you are but more importantly being who you are is just so critical that comes across basically every area of business from the marketing communications to how you treat a customer who walks in your store to follow-up after the fact that to how you treat vendors and advance interesting too And we went it went as far as into even the interview process we would talk about the people that you're interviewing are your customers And so even in a corporate setting just how you think about the values of the brand and who we are as a company and how that comes to life across literally every form and function is critical And can say you know now having been in Chipotle for the last year and a half proud to say that's we are who we say we are and the people inside the company you know senior leadership down to everyone out in the field in the stores like we genuinely believe in making a difference in this world through better food ingredients and it's great to be a part of that so I think maybe like the biggest most recent I would say lession would say I've learned and I think is something that every business and every brand needs to really look in the mirror and be who you are be who you say you are I think biggest thing again especially in today's day and age when with how savvy consumers are and the spread of people can share information and see frankly behind the curtain in a way that was never possible before
[00:06:36] Jennifer Kern: [00:06:36] Well the authenticity that's such a great thing to talk about today mean more than ever I feel like there's a new generation of consumers out there Right And it's not just from the pandemic it's you know younger folks know the digital first people growing up and what do they And I grew up in an era where We had what we called like tell me marketing like everything was like a billboard right And now it's show me it's prove that you really are who you say you are through doing things in the community doing the right thing serving the food and the ingredient level and the quality that you're saying you actually serve you know do that You know don't just tell me about it So taking that authenticity there to the next step And talking about the digital game which I liked how you referred to like we're in like the second inning of this digital transformation with restaurants which I totally agree with How do you get that authenticity And I know it's not easy and this is a leading question but how do you get that authenticity to translate digitally to your consumers who are sitting at home or in their car in the drive through like there's so many more handshakes I think as you called them but also new opportunities to relate and translate that authenticity differently
[00:07:47] Jonathon Relkin: [00:07:47] Yeah answer kind of depends bit on what aspect you're talking about right In terms of like the communication side of it for sure That show me don't tell me great way to frame how you think about an approach actions that you're taking and the communications and messaging that have And frankly what are you choosing to talk know I think that too often we try to be anything and everything to every customer and it's really honing in …. the broader industry or marketers as a whole starts by having a clear picture of who you are, then structuring your communications, messaging, imagery, and digital assets you're using... all ladder back to that approach and ultimately reason for being ... creating a communication strategy built off of that…. do think that there's also another aspect mentioned often thought about talked about being in the second inning of this game big baseball fan So definitely like the baseball analogies but at the end of mean throw that interesting I'm gonna have this conversation Well DoorDash went public yesterday right a massive shift in new companies new technologies new partners that didn't exist a couple few years ago or didn't exist certainly at the scale and importance that they do now the industry so I think a lot of it becomes how do you build those relationships with the entire value chain so that your brand can be represented the way that you want -- I mean it's a consumer does not in many times separate the who did something what problem they experienced that's real to them when they purchased Chipotle and want to have it delivered to them If it's you know I don't know if a driver does something or there's too much traffic or like there's a million different reasons why that experience is going to have something less than optimal And at the end of the day that's a reflection on your brand so I think the more that you can think about the entire series of handshakes, all the actors that are involved ...and think about the process, the integrations, the messaging ...you elevate that experience to ultimately tell that brand story in a way that you used to only be able to do inside the four walls of your restaurant -- a critical part of that journey is creating the experience that you want to and frankly ultimately are proud to deliver to your customer -- which is what really keeps them coming back
[00:10:04] Jennifer Kern: [00:10:04] So what is your purview in terms of your role at Chipotle and with digital and off premise guests where are you really focused on What are the things that you're responsible for today
[00:10:14] Jonathon Relkin: [00:10:14] So responsible ultimately for driving the demand of our off-premise channel So purchase that's really going to happen outside of the restaurant be it our app or website for delivery order ahead to certainly our third-party marketplaces and delivery partners we come to life there from the marketing and promotional activities that occur for us you know we definitely want to and have built an incredible digital ecosystem that has expanded access across I mean almost every major touchpoint out there we think about experience and sort of structure that in slightly different ways in different approaches And so what's important to the customer who's coming directly to the Chipotle app or Chipotle website is going to be a little bit different that customer That's on say a Doordash or Uber eats Grubhub etc and how are you ultimately competing for that business also changes And so we really created strategies and tactics designed for those channels That are really about advancing the brand and to drive that vision and that mission we have ultimately changing the world One burrito at a time
[00:11:19] Jennifer Kern: [00:11:19] Yeah There you go Well across that ecosystem So you're talking about able to translate that authenticity I believe what you're saying ultimately depends on all the different partners that you're working with across all those touchpoints Is that right Yeah
[00:11:33] Jonathon Relkin: [00:11:33] Yeah absolutely So think that's for sure a major challenge in today's environment Right When you think about delivery right Like with the partners some of them are pure technology partners And so APIs work correctly and did that information that the customer submitted on the website flow through properly to the website from the website to the store to actually Put the burrito together with the ingredients that they've selected like there's a whole host of you know challenges and et cetera and relationships that and we have an incredible technology team and digital product team really build has built this experience at an incredible scale to be able to deliver that experience for us I think that's an area that has a sort of unique set of challenges and a unique focus that's needed That is in a lot of ways like the roads you drive on to that get built right issues or potholes in that road it's going to be a bumpy experience the customer And then as you continue further down that value stream and you start to think about you know how are you actually the store operations and the efficiencies that are needed actually that order together and make sure that it's right and make sure that stays hot so that it can be delivered guests in a way that they actually would like to eat that food again of delivering the experience that we all absolutely aspire to its own set of challenges and problems And that's where you know again blessed with an incredible team here at Chipotle a from operations and everyone who works in our restaurant is Constantly thinking about how do we improve those areas the changes that we can make just make an already awesome experience that much better you get even further down and now you have a driver who comes to the store who picks package to then deliver it how are you thinking about the driver's experience right Are is it easy for them to take that package They didn't have those stamps Sit and wait are they is there someone they can speak to at the store How are being treated and spoken to get simple things like even can they use the restroom in your restaurant are so many like small details that you can think about of each of the different of them sort of middle of the equation from the time you get the order to the customer receiving that order And who's involved in that and what's important to them And how can you make that better easier better an improved experience is really what I think is what we really think a lot about or I think ultimately I mean when I say like you make your brand vision and experience come to life it's all those small details and putting all those things together that ultimately unlock customer experience we expect and aspire to deliver
[00:14:04] Jennifer Kern: [00:14:04] Yeah it's not easy right I mean there are just so many different touchpoints at handshakes along that process And so many people and organizations involved supply chain I mean this notion of Is it a vendor or is it a partner Right And we've talked about this on some other podcasts where I've had some CMOs say we hate the word vendor We never use that word because we want to work with people that are true partners that understand our goals our objectives Our purpose and our mission and bring those to help us bring those to life And I think that's such a beautiful thing because it is the hospitality industry right And we do want to value people first I mean it's easy to say that but actually doing it is a whole another thing So I would love and I'm sure our listeners would love to understand what are some of the things that you're doing at Chipotle to really ensure those strong partnerships across that whole value chain or ecosystem you will can you share some of the things I mean you've talked about the amazing culture how blessed you are to work there I mean what are some of the things that you guys do to keep this foundation strong
[00:15:05] Jonathon Relkin: [00:15:05] Yeah I mean I think that like when you think about Chipotle as a whole there's a ton of different activities that are happening I mean certainly you move further into the supply chain how we work with farmers I mean like the plight of the American farmer is Tragic And we believe in investing in and I mean for Chipotle to succeed the American farmer needs to succeed And we have a ton of programs that we have built out investments et cetera really frankly listening to understand what are the problems and what can we do to help Beit pig farmer rely on our you know the avocado farmer each has a different set of challenges but at the end of the day for us to deliver fresh food it starts with commitment a complete partnership up and down the supply chain it done a number of different activities that we're very proud of and think not areas that I touch as an individual but when you start to think about what are specific things that restaurant companies can do and things that we're doing I think it starts with that think you move into my specific area a very close relationship with each of the delivery companies and each marketplace companies as well as those that rely on for you know just sort of power hour white label delivery business And so ongoing conversations with them marketing activities that we have coming and how can we make these things come to life But then we also have a bunch relationships teams built out that work on our what we call our digital product And so how was the exchange of information happening What are enhancements that are being made Be it on say Doordash for example the customer experience backend that Dasher experience and how can we change or adopt and bring those into our experience because a lot of these things It's not a unilateral decision that can be made when it comes delivering an experience So would say like ongoing like the number one thing having awareness and understanding about what's coming down the road from each of the third-party delivery companies what are the kinds of changes that they're making to their experiences be it to the drivers or customer experiences that they have a customer facing experiences And how can we either influence that and make it something that Another good example maybe you our menu at Chipotle is highly customized right Plenty in the restaurant space have already chosen collection of ingredients that come together for entrees At Chipotle your mate as a customer you're making that choice you know whether it's in store or in our digital experience That presents another interesting challenge or problem to our marketplace partners who have their own menu structures and how we pass that information to them creates different irregularities differences the partners where can create friction for the customer consumer experience that can create gaps in know AOVs and how we ultimately drive check And so understanding how those things come together how can we Deliver that information to them How can we build together absolutely critical step that invest on I mean frankly a daily basis energy on understanding and energy on creating I love the way that you're describing it a true partnership with everyone in the value chain to look at them as vendors who are providing a service it's a lot more challenging to treat them this entire ecosystem as partners that deliver your brand and your experience
[00:18:20] Jennifer Kern: [00:18:20] Yeah Can you share with our listeners I mean here we are in the middle of or who knows where we are in this pandemic right We're back and forth and back and forth What percentage of your business right now is delivery
[00:18:32] Jonathon Relkin: [00:18:32] so about half of our business is digital as a whole so to look at how we're ultimately these are numbers that have certainly evolved over last or nine months or so before the pandemic that was about 20 as things you know shut down beginning of everything it went as high as about 70 and We've seen it now of a normalized at about half of the business our digital experience as a whole that's certainly breaks down different channels from order ahead to delivery and you know our after website versus third-party as well then we also have things like Chipotle lanes for example which are you know new forms and points of access which again is a digital and off-premise experience That's a you know more analogous to what you would think of as a drive-through but is done in our own Chipotle way I'd love to get your advice And I think for our listeners as well and understanding that digital foundation I mean you obviously have some background in transforming organizations starting at you know maybe it was Mattel I don't know if you were somewhere before then but starting at Mattel and watching you know that amazing you know e-commerce transformation What are the recommendations you have for marketers who maybe don't have the B2C background that you do Where do they start and where you go next Like what are those steps and what are those innings Like how could you lay that out best for them
[00:19:59] Jonathon Relkin: [00:19:59] So I think it And I think the my experience at Mattel is an interesting one as I juxtapose that against where we are right now When I first started at Mattel e-commerce was it was like a best a hobby You know and we thought a lot about at that point at Mattel How do you build your brand How do we build your Barbie for example and a lot of that centered around a relationship with in store right At a Toysrus out a Walmart actually getting a customer to come into the store see the materials that the end cap the signage et cetera Obviously put those toys at high level with for your kid to ask you for them and build some great television commercials And so that model was sort of tried and true for a very long time And then as e-commerce began to grow and sort of everything became disaggregated in a lot of ways It the questions really started to evolve into how do you build out a product detail page Right It used to be like you'd have one picture or two or three pictures of a toy And so we really started to think about investing in you know multiple especially if you're thinking about trying to sell a Barbie dream house for example You want to have like probably 50 different pictures all the different accessories that come with it the rooms Those assets did not exist And so it was a big shift in how we thought about the communication and again the channel of communication and what do we need to build…
What are those assets and raw materials you need to entice customers where they are ... I think about how that then connects to sort of the restaurant space Like when you look through either I mean if you start from the beginning of this journey right If you're a smaller brand who maybe doesn't have certainly the name recognition that a Chipotle does how are your customers finding you Right There's of course word of mouth And there is the experience that you can deliver in your restaurant … but as you move out and up into the digital ecosystem how are people finding you be it on social channels on through Google searches through other platforms like a Yelp for example and really looking at it And I mean we're all Customers and consumers at the end of the day And so what are those assets that you that are show up on each of these channels and do they represent your brand and do they represent your business and the experience that you want to deliver And I would say start with that Because like that's and then create great looking images of your food of your restaurant you know make sure that those assets are out and available How does your storefront look on Doordash on Uber eats What is that kind of hero banner image that starts from the carousels that exist to search results To then the images that show up on once someone clicks through and just walk through each of those steps and really you know have a critical eye to what is your food look like What does your restaurant storefront look like and how can you connect those experiences to something that really creates a feeling that ultimately someone you know that a customer would want to engage with your restaurant And so I think that's probably like the maybe the number one step Too often when I look at you know local my local restaurants you know there are not images of the different food It's just a text description right I don't know what that means right Like is this going to be appetizing or not Like that's I think that's sort of like maybe the e-commerce one on one that and this is an investment Like I don't mean to suggest that That this is you know easy But it is the place to start And so it starts like it starts with enticing your customer with you know the amazing food that gets produced at you know every local eatery to national chain Like we can do a better job of ultimately merchandising ourselves and enticing that customer to frankly try you out And then a lot of the other things that we were talking about start to come into play and the experience that you're delivering but getting to that point of trial I think fundamentally starts with you know high quality assets and copy that go beyond you know a simple list of ingredients or a simple name of what your what's your entree is
[00:24:56] Jennifer Kern: [00:24:56] Yeah There's so much there's so much in there What you just said I mean when you first started talking about the Barbie dream house and you know all that stuff I'm thinking that was the beginning of product marketing Right Like product marketing Wasn't a thing like 20 years ago like now it's like every organization is trying to find product marketers you know and yeah And that whole you know the rise of product marketing and then you know you really we alluded to the customer journey and what are all those different stops in the customer journey and how are all the different ways that you can creatively work with the funnel to impact the customer journey right All those different touchpoints
[00:25:40] Jonathon Relkin: [00:25:40] I mean it's like literally print out the pictures of each of the steps that someone would go through of starting from Hey I think I'm hungry today And how are you going about finding food right?We all eat three meals a day right And so walk through that journey How did you get to your decision your choice about what you were eating today and what are the assets that you came into contact with along that journey And then do that for your restaurant do that for your entrees and did that compel you Did you want to try what your you know the meals that the different entrees that you have If not then think about where is that point Where is that step That you can invest a little bit more into more appetizing if you will assets copy and photography
[00:26:35] Jennifer Kern: [00:26:35] Yeah it's triggering the craving Right I heard someone say that on a webinar recently And I was like boom that's exactly it Like how do you trigger the craving digitally right And but you're talking about it Like the pictures,.Like make the pictures look really delicious and Bringing in that emotional aspect I mean that's something that we talk about a lot as marketers How do you bring in that emotional aspect Which I mean let's face it we're kind of living in this two dimensional world right now Right And that's not how humans typically interact Right And that's not how the you we don't have our five senses working And so how do you trigger that craving Tap into the emotional side of the brand and the food When we're all you know again we're in a pandemic and it's all digital
[00:27:28] Jonathon Relkin: [00:27:28] It's funny when I really think about like one of the challenges of coming into the restaurant industry that I never really expected you know we're in a meetings at 11 o'clock where you're looking at and talking about food And you're you know I'm looking at pictures of our cheese and the meat and I'm like my mouth starts watering I'm like all right now I know like but this is a good asset or You know you have an emotional response to these things when it's done well when food looks craveable like it you know this it's it is about emotion and people buy based off emotion Like it is not you know people are not buying based off the sort of logical explanation about price value And like those are all important aspects that are you know part of this whole equation But we're we you know ultimately that choice that decision is really driven by that emotional connection to the brand by that emotional connection to the feeling that you have about that food that you've eaten that meal that you've shared And how can you tap into those emotions to really connect your brand the food that you create to your customer And again I mean you're spot on is a different challenge in the digital space than it is in the restaurant And in you know driving sort of foot traffic into your restaurant It is we live in a now in a world of sort of the endless aisle and the endless choice that can be brought to me which is a very different thought process and consideration set for customers And so you have to think about it from that lens and you have to really think about how you can build and what are the sort of raw materials of your business that can build that emotional connection And you know for Chipotle that means one thing And for you know for my local taqueria or any you know anyone else in between it may mean something very different as well
[00:29:31] Jennifer Kern: [00:29:31] Yeah So I'm curious do you see any commonly held beliefs that have been in the restaurant industry since you've come into it that you feel like we're holding onto too long like from either a marketing perspective or just you know a restaurant operation perspective that we really need to get rid of in order to make this transition
[00:29:53] Jonathon Relkin: [00:29:53] I think the probably the biggest thing right now is customer service And what I mean by that is as we've moved into a digital experience right It's the customer service that we provide The how do you make it right How do you understand what someone liked Didn't like et cetera isn't based off of the conversation at the table that you know where they're eating it's based off of the digital signals that come to be And so if something goes wrong in the delivery experience Who are they do they want to call you Do they want to text you Do they want to email you How do you handle that piece which is much more sort of traditional e-commerce customer service than it is you know here I'll make you a new whatever Oh this was wrong Here let me remake this for you and bring this out to you right Where you're fixing that in the moment like that and reorienting yourself Like I think that's probably the next big challenge And I think that like customers have this incredible expectation that everyone's figured this out And you know when you deal with an Amazon or you deal with you know any sort of traditional e-commerce these are companies that have been have figured that I mean they're of course going to continue to improve around it but have figured out in large part how to deliver that customer service that customer that experience post-purchase et cetera That I think most certainly restaurant operators and is an area of major opportunity You know what are those experiences that you need to fix in real time What are those experiences that you can you know say take a little bit longer and control costs over There's a big difference in how I think we all need to think about the customer post-purchase And how you handle that ultimately customer service in a digital and e-commerce world that is that I think has a long way to go And that's based off my own experience with you know as in ordering food from you know any restaurant Like you know what happens when I call and or when I have an issue that I want resolved What are they doing for me How are they valuing my business my loyalty et cetera These are things that you know again traditionally e-commerce companies have really nailed but I think we have a long way to go in the restaurant industry
[00:32:25] Jennifer Kern: [00:32:25] yeah Yeah for sure And I think you're I think you're being right-sized about it I mean it's a challenge and there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made and yet It is a complex you know like as we've been talking about this whole time it there's a lot of different people and things involved but the customer service aspect that you're talking about is so important And thinking about that in a digital world I was talking to Revcnco last week and he kept talking about these digital table touch What do you how are you touching the guest and that feedback loop Pat post-sale you know that's what is gonna make the difference with the retention and the upsell and the frequency driving those repeat visits with digital consumers It's how it's exactly what you're talking about How are you treating them post-sale or if the sale goes wrong because like you said I mean Yeah I want to say nine times out of 10 eight times out of 10 I'm a little bit disappointed with some piece of it whether it's you know the way the delivery person kind of just you know threw the bag on my friend's stair or you know the people didn't weren't friendly when I went to pick it up or you know there's just so many little things And so I would love to put you on the spot and say you know so how do you how are you guys handling it right now at Chipotle Like let's say I order up by Yeah the keto bowl I love my keto bowl and I was talking to my colleague about it the other day And he was making so much fun of me because when I go on the app I ordered the keto bowl but I add rice He's like Jen it's not keto bowl anymore Tastes really good but you know and I feel like I'm being really heavy but it shows up and it doesn't have rice like Let's walk through that Like what does the consumer do One like what are my options Like I can't email or text you really I don't think And then what do you on your side But you do Cause I mean I've sat at home and not had food delivered and been like this is horrible and like banging on my phone and not being able to get anyone And that's
[00:34:25] Jonathon Relkin: [00:34:25] frustrating And I think before I answer that specifically I think it's important also really think about the fact that like many of the several of the things that you just described probably don't rise the level of I'm going to give feedback Through the channels that even exist right now Right If I'm in a restaurant and you know you didn't give you didn't something is a little bit off maybe the sauce I asked for on the side or whatever it is You know you'll talk to your waiter or waitress You'll talk to the staff there and they'll make it right for you A lot of times when this food gets delivered to you something might be slightly off but that the sort of how disappointed or frustrated or what have you are about those call it let's just call it mild annoyances or things that aren't exactly as you want them to be might not rise the level of I'm going to go through the experience That's all the experiences that are available to me I'm going to call customer service or like there's more effort There's more friction in every customer's perspective to give that kind of feedback in a digital experience And so I think that the first place that it starts is how frictionless can you make that feedback experience so that you can lower the barrier or the bar to understanding what's actually happening I think that's maybe one of the sort of nuances within digital that is a different challenge And you may not know that I don't know you're forgetting to put in the salad dressing on the side for you know 70% of your orders Because people just it's not enough for them on the digital side to actually go through the the experiences and the channels that you might have so that you understand the sense of size and scale and issue that you really have So I think it starts with like a really critical look at How can you or what are the channels What are these different mechanisms that you have to solicit or acquire that feedback and how easy is it I went through one experience the other day where it was like I had to put like 15 pieces of information in to just tell them that I didn't like that the food came cold like By the time I got to the third one I was like ah whatever like it's fine Like and so this restaurant would never know that they that I was an unhappy customer who is probably not going to go back to them or at least not go back to them in the short term because of that negative experience that I had And so I think it's that it's sort of in the middle is where you're going to get killed and the digital experience like those really bad experiences like Whatever I'm you know my food didn't come I'm going to call right Like I'm going to get my money back I'm going to call I'm going to what have you So it's those experiences in the middle that really are very hard to understand how you're actually delivering your brand your experience in this digital ecosystem To your more sort of your specific question we have lots of different channels of communication open right There are We have We are actually in the process of expanding chat functionality real time chat along with bots that can kind of answer and an AI based
[00:37:41] Jennifer Kern: [00:37:41] And the app
[00:37:43] Jonathon Relkin: [00:37:43] Eventually it will come into the app Yeah For now through our website and certainly through the emails that you'll get You'll see different in the transactional emails that you get There are You know different ways that you can provide feedback again based on the ordering channel you're going to get a slightly different or tailored approach to that And in the questions that we're asking you about your experience and how we're gathering that And then I think you know,at a restaurant of our size and scale How do you consolidate how do you bring in that information consolidate that and then get that out to the right teams You know perhaps there's one store in one location that is struggling with a particular operational aspect you know how do we understand that And get that out to them is certainly something that we think a lot about and have you know invested time and energy not just in the front side of the you know soliciting feedback but also making sure that that information can be actioned by the various teams that you know sometimes it's a digital problem right I couldn't add this thing on the app or website Sometimes it's an operations problem Sometimes it's a delivery problem but like It's one point where the customer is giving you that feedback and how do you understand you know what the problem is and then get that information out to the right folks is certainly a challenge for a restaurant of our size and scale
[00:39:12] Jennifer Kern: [00:39:12] Yeah And that leads into the technology The systems integration and the data which I'm getting ready to put an infographic at about the top challenges and opportunities that all the restaurant marketers I've spoken to this year have reported in 2020 and both the number one and number two challenge and opportunity is data and technology And from a data standpoint it's a challenge just collecting it all from all the different areas and silos right It's an opportunity to do more testing and learning in real time From a technology standpoint the challenge's always been and it relates to the data It's the integration of all the systems and the open APIs as we talked about And the opportunity is that there's more I mean in my opinion a little bit too much there are so much different technology options out there today What's your perspective on all that on the data and the technology
[00:40:07] Jonathon Relkin: [00:40:07] Yeah I love I've heard others say and this is maybe more generally like we are data rich but insight poor And I think that like as a collective perhaps industry and frankly I mean this is nothing new I mean my career and experience whether it was you know Mattel Vans like there is so much data that is available that the challenge is figuring out what is the right data to be looking at And then what is actionable from that data Many times we talk about Oh it can be good to know this and be good to know that it's like I think the question you have to ask yourself is what are you going to do with that data What are you going to do with that knowledge If it's just to like have a pulse of what's happening Like I don't know how valuable that really is You know it may make for decent water cooler talk but it's not really going to drive your business And so I think it comes down to being really really choiceful in the metrics that you're using and then the flow of data and how you're actually bringing that in There's a lot of really good data visualization folks to follow I follow a number of folks on LinkedIn for example that really talk and have got me thinking a lot about how do you ultimately present this data you know to others It's not just about sourcing it It's the whole It's frankly it's own communication challenge in and of itself that really needs to be thought through,and frankly looked at from what your goals are what are you trying to accomplish And then working backwards to say all right here are the signals that will tell me if I'm making progress against these things These are the metrics that will will answer that question And then actually building dashboards and visualizations against those things and being able to understand when I took this action it had these results against the metrics that matter for my business
[00:42:11] Jennifer Kern: [00:42:11] So do you have like your top three or five metrics that you track
[00:42:17] Jonathon Relkin: [00:42:17] Yeah One of the things that is certainly in the delivery space is the speed I mean we're a business as has been built on efficiency from the beginning You know what coming into the restaurant and of course the sort of maybe two of the major pillars of our brand and our business has certainly been about food on one side and food with integrity but then also being able to deliver that to you and provide that to you in just incredibly fast times And that's those are the things that matter in the restaurant Those are the things that matter in digital And so for sure I'm understanding and keeping an eye on the end-to-end flow of from the expectations that you're setting to the customer,right What is that quoted time Right Maybe it's 32 minutes that we're saying we're going to deliver this food to you but did it take 32 minutes Did it take 42 minutes And where in that range is acceptable Where is unacceptable And how do we think about them breaking that down to understand each of the discrete steps Again back to that sort of all the hands that touch that huts hold in order to deliver that Is it you know is the restaurant overwhelmed with orders And so it's taking them longer to produce them is do we not have enough drivers in supply Like so understanding the you know end to end time is for sure absolutely one of the key metrics for us that we're consistently looking at And then I mean there's certainly yeah
[00:43:52] Jennifer Kern: [00:43:52] Go ahead Go
[00:43:53] Jonathon Relkin: [00:43:53] ahead
[00:43:53] Jennifer Kern: [00:43:53] Sorry
[00:43:54] Jonathon Relkin: [00:43:54] There's certainly other you know traditional matrics like AOV and others that are very similar in how you would think about those the impact of that to the business be it you know in the restaurant but certainly the tactics that you can use on the digital side versus the restaurant side are very different for how you'll drive some of those,you know call it a tried and true metrics of the restaurant industry
[00:44:19] Jennifer Kern: [00:44:19] Yeah Yeah So here you are you know in the restaurant business right I guess you were there just a half a year or so before the pandemic You have this great background in B2C and marketing What are you most excited about today
[00:44:41] Jonathon Relkin: [00:44:41] Whew Most of what am I not excited about right now Like I yeah I think you know we are as maybe it's like the different levels of it I think I tend to think a lot about different you know from scale right So at an individual level you know I am excited about Like the world returning to some you know us being able to be in the same room as each other You know my kids going to school like you know all of that like I it feels like the light at the end of the tunnel is here Hopefully they're going to approve the vaccines and you know all of this is like you know I'm super excited about that And then as you know our business and our brand like Chipotle is just such an incredible company that has such opportunity And I mean almost an embarrassment of riches of opportunities It's really more about making the right choices about where we're going to focus Because the opportunities for our company in the position that we're in both financially and from a brand and within the industry's perspective And then as a restaurant industry I mean I think that I see now more I didn't appreciate this before I joined the industry but now like how restaurants make up the fabric of society And I think that You know local restaurants give neighborhoods that flavor that color that place to be And when you know when thing,when we can start to really feel comfortable and safe going out into the world again I think that there's you know a much bigger recognition about the role that restaurants play in culture and society And I hear politicians talking about that in ways that I never really did before So I do think that this the wildest pandemic has been Certainly a and just a incredible strain on so many areas I think it's shine the light in a lot of ways on those things that are truly important to who we are as individuals and who we are as a society And for sure you know the local restaurant you know sitting and having a cup of coffee or having a you know having any of the food and the different categories that As the folks that are listening to this this podcast represent I think is a recognition of the importance of that And I'm hopeful that the industry can return and that we will come back stronger than we were before
[00:47:04] Jennifer Kern: [00:47:04] Yeah absolutely Well I love ending on a high note you know I love ending on a high note and you know the question just sort of came out but it's like you started getting me really excited talking about it thinking wow Yeah I'm really excited about that too you know I mean and you began the episode talking about You know your impact on farmers and the farming community and when you think of just everyone involved and you know we need to eat to live you know and the role of restaurants is changing and that's why I'm so passionate about it as well and the re-invention aspect And What does that mean for your brand It means something different for a lot of different brands It means you know a lot of things for the industry It means trying new things taking risks you know caring about your neighbor more you know it just means so much And so you're right on I mean there's really a lot to be excited about and I think we need to talk about it a little bit more because I feel like it's so easy to get stuck and just be like Oh my gosh another day
[00:48:03] Jonathon Relkin: [00:48:03] The same four walls that I've been staring at for the last night but yeah Yeah for
[00:48:10] Jennifer Kern: [00:48:10] brutal some days I mean I as you can see I'm in the office I come to the office like one or two days a week and usually I could treat it now as my studio but it gets me out of my house I mean there's no one really here but we all need that Like we need to get out and it's
[00:48:27] Jonathon Relkin: [00:48:27] And I think finding some perspective on where we are is a challenge I mean I think the two like the two things that I've thought a lot about recently is perspective as a whole and empathy I am incredibly fortunate My wife works in healthcare so I have seen and been exposed to sort of the you know the The human toll of what this is has really takes on and helps me keep in some ways perspective on you know the role in the area that we play in and you know in the restaurant industry and the importance that has but certainly the broader perspective of how fortunate I am to have my health my family to have health like that it starts with that And and that is absolutely the most important thing And I hope that everyone who's listening has that and everyone stays stay safe through the hopefully waning days of this this pandemic because for sure the light is there at the end of the tunnel And we all have to do this together
[00:49:16] Jennifer Kern: [00:49:16] Yeah And just a reminder that Restaurants do exist to bring people together And it is enjoyable It's like you're saying like we're not curing cancer but feeding people is fun and marketing is fun and marketing Shouldn't be fun you know and marketing is about you know that emotion and creating that laughter and creating good times and experiences And so we are lucky We are very lucky to be you know in restaurants and yeah
[00:49:40] Jonathon Relkin: [00:49:40] And if you're not having fun how are you going to deliver fun to your customers Like how are you going to like it You have to the field And so if you're stuck in the rod and stuck in the mud of what you know certainly the emotional toll that this that this This time has taken on us Like it is going to be next to impossible for you to create those experiences for your customers So I think we have to you know ultimately rise above that and challenge ourselves to you know find that joy and find that find the positives because I guarantee you wherever you look you'll find something
[00:50:10] Jennifer Kern: [00:50:10] Yeah Well before we close I'd like to give my speakers two quick things So one is what is the advice that you have for restaurant marketers today And then the last is what do you want to promote Like what give your brand and infomercial your team a shout out whatever it is like what are those two things the advice and the shout outs
[00:50:27] Jonathon Relkin: [00:50:27] my advice is cotton like think about your customer Like it is it absolutely is that I think that we you know you're you said it right Like we are in the hospitality industry We are about delivering experiences that are certainly supported by the food and the that you are creating but it is ultimately about an experience And Think about your customer and their needs and why they're accessing you why are they choosing you and what makes you special or different or unique And how can you tell that story and just really focusing on that is the most important thing that I think any marketer can do have empathy for your customer is most important as far as what I want to plug Yeah listen I think fall follow all of Chipolte which bully on all of our social channels. We have, the most incredible digital marketing team, in the industry. And certainly, I am very proud to be a part of the organization.
[00:51:21] I think we have some really exciting new menu introductions that are coming, early in the year. I think, I think that you're going to be very excited about, some really cool tests around, that, all look incredibly promising, for things like cauliflower rice, updates on our case of idea.
[00:51:35] And we're, I think, we even announced, we've been testing a new protein brisket, which, I mean, it's what I'm blown away by the taste and the prowess of our culinary team to create such, I mean, delicious food that I have, the pleasure and fortune of getting to market and, and tell these stories around.
[00:51:53] So give it a try.
[00:51:55] Jennifer Kern: [00:51:55] today.
[00:51:55] So I'm, so thrilled