Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Talk about customer service . . .

We had Chipotle for dinner this evening, and it was delicious and satisfying as always. I have recently started ordering online and then just picking it up. It's an easy process. Create an account, log in, and then use the mouse to craft your burrito using a virtual version of the behind-the-counter bar. If you are ordering for multiple eaters, they also ask you to give a different name for each burrito. Then, you avoid the whole scene of opening up a burrito and figuring whose has extra sour cream (MEP's), whose is light on cheese (my mom's, and by the way, there is also a box for special instructions like this), and whose has been rendered toxic by the hot salsa (the hubby's). Each burrito has a sticker with its owner's name on it.

They send an email immediately after you order, asking you to call and confirm that they received the order. I would like to share the final portion of my confirmation email:

"Please do not reply to this confirmation email. If there is a problem
with your order or a further question, please call your restaurant.

Love,
Joe"

Wow. "Love, Joe." Not "Thanks, Joe" or "Joe, Store Manager" or "Sincerely, Joe" but "Love, Joe." Now that's customer service . . . if only I knew who Joe was.

7 comments:

CaraBee said...

I LOVE Chipotle and its cousin Qdoba. I don't know, though, that feels kind of intimate to me. Also kind of reminds me of my last boyfriend (before finding Mr. Righty-O), all I love you, babe, but never calling. I always had to call him. Of course, I'm now happily married with a wonderful baby and life and he's still single and a loser. Hmm, bitter much? Maybe I should stick to talking about salsa.

PITA said...

Of course Chipotle has excellent customer service...it is a fantastic establishment. This post does rub a little salt in my wounds, as the greater albany (crap) area doesn't believe in Chipotle or their wonderful products.

Actchy said...

I am laughing out loud at Joe. Good for him. I will tell you that Chipotle is a just a touch different than the "burrito place" I went to for lunch yesterday a few blocks from my office. I put the restaurant descriptor in quotes because it is actually a Mexican & Sushi place. I wish I were kidding. Everybody who worked in the place was Asian, and PS, there was a bona fide hobo sitting in one of the booths taking a snooze. I'm thinking I may not be rushing back there anytime soon, although I will admit my black bean burrito wasn't bad at all.

Anonymous said...

i must say that if chipotle really did have the ultimate customer service, i do believe they would have a drive thru. i love love love chipotle, but i can promise that they would see even more of my money if it did not involve taking my kids out of their car seats to wait in line for something that only mommy wants.

Anonymous said...

Excellent point, msh. I am of the belief that all establishments should have a drive thru. Place a small online order at the grocery store, and viola, your milk, bread, prescription, and lean cuisine pizza (ode to mep) is waiting for you at the drive thru.

I stopped at Chipotle a couple weeks ago, right after I dropped the girls off at my mom's. As I waiting behind 15 recent high school grads who came straight from their last day of school (nearly all of whom were donning "PINK" loungewear from Vic Secret I might note), I just kept thinking, I can wait because I don't have kids with me...

Anonymous said...

Never been there, will have to try it. And I can tell you, if more places had a drive-thru or curb-side delivery, I would frequent the place in a crazy-like frenzy! Why can't places other than greasy fast food have drive-thrus?!!!

Beth said...

"Love, Joe". Wow. That is quite possibly the cutest, most endearing thing a general manager at a mexican fast food franchise has ever done.

 
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