Competitive Intrusion

:twisted: Over the last 25 years I’ve developed a somewhat successful program to exterminate irritating competitors, but was wondering if there were any experiences or suggested tools out there that anyone would like to discuss? I’d love to hear some war stories, and at the same time, update my arsenal.

Well Mike from Domino’s.

In the interests of this being a community in which we share, and bearing in mind this is only your second post maybe you’d like to ‘contribute’ some ideas first then perhaps others may consider joining in on the discussion and filling your ‘arsenal’

Sure, Whizzle Rascal,
1 - World Class Customer Service, from the way we answer the phones, the immediate response to carryout/dine-in customers, to the training of delivery experts at the customers door.
2 - Consistent operations to ensure high-quality products whether it is a 5 product hour or a 400 product hour.
3 - Clean, Professional, Organized, Decluttered Image
4 - Consistent, Ongoing, Thorough Training Programs for all positions beginning with the interview & orientation setting expectations and progress/completion tracked. (Also, interview everyone, but only hire the best)
5 - All pizza boxes toped with coupons and rotate a survey
6 - All pizza boxes ‘sealed’ with OLO stickers
7 - We begin taking orders at 9am and take orders until :15 after closing
8 - HTA - All team members need to hear how the operation/rush is being handled. At the makeline, at the ovens, out the door AND in the door
9 - Train CSRs and drivers to speak clearly, slowly and to enunciate
10 - Keep printed menus on the front counter
11 - Keep nutrition guides on the front counter
12 - Keep log plates, cups, napkins, etc in inventory and have free upon request
13 - Flyer barracks before lunch rush, before dinner rush and every driver re-distributes on every delivery
14 - Wobbleboard before/during every lunch and dinner rush
15 - Lawn Signs used generously
16 - Rotate banners
17 - Cartops with store phone numbers (and keep sparkling)
18 - Maintain a consistent upsell contest
19 - Magnets available for carryout customers and delivery customers on request
20 - Co-op with video/game stores and dry cleaners
21 - Stuff grocery store bags with menus
22 - Fully and correctly utilize corporate POS kit (Cling, translite, etc)
23 - Doorhang with a plan - 1000 pieces weekly
24 - Thanks! cards with all orders leaving store over 20 minutes
25 - Free product Loyalty Cards distributed generously
26 - New-45-90 Direct Mail Campaign, as well as 1 mile radius of select competitors
27 - Post-its Dominator Coupon - Accept all valid competitor coupons (as long as their in business)
28 - New Customer Packets sent with all new deliveries
29 - Hotel Key Cards/ Channel Guides
30 - School Rewards Program
31 - Online Order Customers Email Blasts
32 - Yellow Page Advertising
33 - Computer calling
34 - Vertically-integrated Car Magnets
35 - Church Involvement
36 - Select communty involvement including product donations
37 - Hot selling
38 - Product sampling (like our new sandwiches - they’re awesome!)
39 - Consistent, simple, focused, easy to train menu
40 - HIGH VOLUME ATTITUDE!

The key is not the vehicle, it’s the execution. Nothing really earth-shattering here, but what I’ve found is that my competitors don’t have the passion or work ethic that my teams or I have. In 25 years, the carnage of closed competitors is long and distinguished. The truth is most operations are infected with mediocrity or low skill-sets/poor knowledge that they are easily eliminated.

By the way, it’s not the quantity of posts, it’s the quality of the information that is important. :lol:

that’s Wizzle not Whizzle - pay attention to the smallest of details as every one may be crucial!

whats in the new customer pack?

This is off the Dominos investor relations webpage:

The Busiest Store in the U.S. award went to a Domino’s store in Camp LeJeune, N.C. Managed by Mike Jones, the store’s sales totaled more than $2.5 million in 2004. The store also received the U.S. Busiest Store award in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003

If I have the correct Mike Jones here, your North Carolina store is legendary. But there’s no reason to come to this board looking for a fight. Take your time and read the past posts and you’ll find many quality marketing ideas that you haven’t put much thought into lately.

Here’s one of my best: Instead of only using magnets for new customers, every order gets a magnet, every time, all year long. One lone pizza magnet would get lost on my fridge among the three realtor magnets, 2 save the date magnets, 2 veternarian magnets, football schedule magnet, dentist magnet, physician magnet…

I change up my magnet design every 10-20 thousand. Every magnet also includes a special on the bottom(ex. Redeem this magnet to recieve two 16" large 1 topping pizzas Only $18.99). The special changes with every batch of magnets. The idea behind this is if a customer has 10 different specials on magnets on their fridge, why bother opening the coupon book to look for my specials where they might get distracted by a competitors ad. Some people throw out every magnet, some people try to cover their fridge with our magnets. I believe the ones who try to cover their fridge are generally the ones who’ll have guests over to watch the game, or host a poker game, and it’s hard for a guest not to notice if someone has 45 magnets on their fridge. Just a different way of thinking of magnets as a marketing tool.

12 - Keep log plates, cups, napkins, etc in inventory and have free upon request

What’s a “log plate”?

It IS the quantity of posts beyond one that establishes a rapport and connection in any new community such as this :lol:

You have lots of very useful items in your checklist. I have already implemented several of them . . . a good many are simply not relevant to my small, rural community, though. If we have a major (or even minor) military installation in delivery . . . or even day-trip range . . . then we could use more of your list :frowning:

When we get a grocery store, we will be all over that opportunity. I’ve already met with the executives from the company putting a grocery in next year. A bank in town would make for some more creative tools I already have in mind. A hotel within 10 miles would make still more marketing ideas timely.

We gots all sorts of different operations and business models out here hacking away at success. you have reason for feeling proud and being confident . . . I’m just not a panacea kind of guy.

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Could you define the above for me?

one challenge that you both need to overcome for the BBQ deal, is cost…he must wholesale @ a price point that makes sense for him, say $6-$9…that is a premium price for your pizza etc.

Plus, you might have state laws regarding the resale of meat, since he is a restaurant & not a USDA inspected facility…ya it can be done on the sly, but…

Agreed!
The customer pack includes a Trifold Menu with coupons, Survey Card with stamp, magnet, mints, parmesan, crushed red pepper and mini-application all in a OLO sticker-sealed bag.

Sorry, logo plates. Coming to a national brand from being a franchisee of a weak regional chain, I really have learned to appreciate things like plates, cups, napkins, etc. that have logos to keep the brand in front of customers as much as possible.

Sure-

OLO stickers are just branded Online Order stickers that we use to ‘seal’ boxes at the cut table.
HTA is heightened time awareness. It is a term used to verbally register how a rush is being handled by several positions. For example, the makeline may call out load times, the oven tender may call out oven times and the drivers definitely call out out-the-door times. This tells the store’s team members how they’re performing against established standards.
Vertically-integrated Car Magnets came out of a combination of cartops and car magnets. Why not promote a specific special on a magnet, as well as utilize the cartop. Has actually worked unbelievably well.

Does this mean you have magnets to put on the cars that indicate the special of the day/week/month?

That is a real neat idea. Send the delivery car into a neighborhood and advertise the current special at the same time.

You get an “AMEN” on that. Anything and everything that carries the visual brand recognition is another benefit. We’ll put our brand logo on near about anything . . . and it pays off as long as there is visual consistency and recognition of the permutations of the branding as being all connected.

Too many get brand confusion from doing too many things with their logos and slogans.

I believe the same goes for pizza. If you’re a low price guy, you’re NOT selling a HIGH quality product.

Semper Pie

Looks like you have a a great marketing plan and the fact you are still trying to improve explains why you are so successful. You have given me some great ideas and I will certainly use some of them. One thing I did not see on your list was a new movers program. I have recently implemented one and it has worked out very well.

Good luck,