Tips and Pointers
Though Snakes & Lattes' business model does not require traditional sales representatives or teams, a lot of promotion goes into managing its customer relationships. The process begins when cafe staff greet and seat customers, progresses through the typical ordering process, and is enhanced by the role of the Game Guru, whose job it is to make sure that customers enjoy the whole experience. After all, Snakes & Lattes promotes differentiation from a regular (non-board game) cafe. So while wait staff are not paid on commission, they have a vested interest in offering outstanding service and encouraging purchases because their tips rely on it. Also, personalized service and finding the right game for the right customer is a key part of the Guru's role.
Questions
1. Not all businesses need a sales force, or at least not a typical one. What concepts from this chapter can be brought to bear on a business like Snakes & Lattes, where the sales force is the wait staff of the cafe?
2. Is it in the company's best interest to have wait staff try to earn higher tips?
3. Consider the loyalty program mentioned above. What features would you include for such a program? Think about how customers would earn points and what they could use them for. How much money, in terms of a percentage of revenue, should Snakes & Lattes devote to this?
As a company, Snakes & Lattes helps by offering promotional items (e.g. specific brands of beer/evenings of free play on Designer's Night for anyone bringing their own prototype and anyone willing to playtest someone else's) and experiences (e.g. Trivia Nights). Customer relationships are the subject of a new promotional plan announced in 2018, centered on loyalty. An app-supported loyalty program will see customers earning points that can be redeemed for perks in the cafes. This program had been accessed on October 31, 2019.
