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Chef Emeril Demonstrates How Trust Enhances Your Business
By Lauren | June 18, 2008
A few months ago I took the opportunity to recommend Stephen J.R. Covey’s book, The Speed of Trust, for anyone who wants to strengthen their business and personal relationships. Covey’s book makes the case that increased trust cuts red tape and increases the speed of business. Here’s an example to demonstrate just how right Covey is:
Several years ago (before he became one of the biggest stars on the Food Network), I had the pleasure of dining in Emeril Lagasse’s original restaurant in the warehouse district of New Orleans. Accompanied by several friends, we enjoyed Chef Emeril’s tasting menu, a seven-course extravaganza of spectacular flavors, each accompanied by its own wine. It was one of the most memorable meals of my life.
That Christmas, I received a copy of the restaurant cookbook as a gift. Opening it, I was skeptical. Every other restaurant cookbook I had contained recipes that were pretty good, but a little lackluster compared to the restaurant’s fare. (Restaurant chefs often omit an ingredient or two when they publish their recipes, so that diners will come back to eat rather than cooking from home.) Imagine my delight when I prepared one of the dishes in the cookbook and it tasted exactly the way it had in the restaurant! Emeril had promised me the recipe and, sure enough, he delivered 100%. Not only that, every other recipe I’ve cooked from the book has been a winner.
The result? Ever since, I have trusted Emeril Lagasse’s cookbooks completely, buying each new one as soon as it became available. No poring over pages or wondering whether to spend the money when I already have plenty of cookbooks at home. If it’s Emeril’s, I trust it to be terrific.
Most Americans are drowning in choices these days. If your customers trust you based on past experience, they won’t waste time considering alternatives. They’ll simply come back to you for more.
Topics: business communications, customer relations |
June 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Lauren,
As a young male bachelor in my early thirties, I feel that I am beyond help in the kitchen, even if I every read Emeril’s book!
I think your message here about trust is right on. Many consumers do not want to spend a great deal of time researching alternatives, so once customers build up a degree of trust in you, your business, and your brand, then your products or services will be their default choice.
Cheers
Andrew