Voice of the Customer: Do you have super Sonic hearing?

Posted on01. Jan, 2009 by Monique.

The Voice of the Customer is the primary reason for engaging in continuous improvement efforts. Happy customers are critical to long term growth and profitability.  As Lean Six Sigma practitioners we must always make sure the Voice of the Customer (VOC) remains paramount in the evaluation of existing processes and the design of new processes.  Challenge yourself to listen to the customer.  Does the customer have any frequently asked questions or challenges?  What can be done to improve the customer’s experience?

During my last visit to Sonic America’s Drive-In, I noticed some really great things about the new menu design.

Healthy Meal Selections

As a parent of a pre-schooler, I really appreciated the new side options for the kid’s meal.  The kid’s meal now includes a choice of a fresh banana, string cheese, or milk.  Fresh fruit and dairy sides for kid’s meal is a trend that has been adopted by other fast food restaurants such as MacDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Subway.   This new menu selection will enable Sonic to compete with other chains that market to health conscious parents.  In addition, Sonic now offers fresh bananas on the Dollar Menu for customers who may want a quick snack with a beverage.

Happy Hour Drink Specials

During my visits to Sonic’s happy hour, I have often asked myself, “Which drinks are half-price?”  In response to a frequently asked question, Sonic has an answer in it’s new menu layout.  Beside each happy hour drink there is an icon on a clock.  The icon represents that this is a happy hour drink.  I no longer have to ask or wonder.  This is a great example of how we can use lean and visual displays to improve customer experience. 

Placement of the Treat Menu 

The treat menu is now located above the main menu on the driver’s side.  The treat menu used to be on the bottom right-hand side with a darker blue background.  Now, it has a lighter blue background and is easier to see than the passenger side menu board.   I used to have a difficult time seeing the passenger side menu when I was sitting in the driver’s seat.  This simple placement change is most likely the result of visual display research with the goal of drawing attention to the meal options because the meal options take up most of the menu board.

So, are you listening? 

The changes implemented on Sonic’s new menu are responses to customer frequently asked questions and business metrics.  I can’t help, but recognize how much putting bananas on the dollar menu will help Sonic reduce costs related to perishable good storage.  From a business prospective, people feel good about making healthy food choices and it would not hurt to reduce your perishable good waste.  The more people that order bananas as a side that’s fewer bananas to trash because they go bad.  It’s a win-win for the customer and Sonic.  So the next time, you go to Sonic think about all the hard work and effort Lean Six Sigma practitioners make to keep customers happy and want to come back.  It’s simple, listen to the voice of the customer.

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