Grow From Here

Guest Post by Nancy Baye

‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ is not just a motto: it’s a mindset.

I find waste offensive.  If it’s not needed, don’t use it.  If it is needed, then reuse and recycle it.  Go ahead and laugh at the re-used zip-lock bags and gently-damp paper towels that hang drying in my dish-rack; just know that this attitude is prevalent among today’s consumers.

Is it on the mind of your franchise operations?

On a recent visit to McDonald’s for a (relatively healthy) chicken wrap, I specifically stated that I did not need a bag.  My comment was noted by the girl who took my order and my money, then went to retrieve the order.  Another staffer (highly bored) ventured to the counter and glanced at my order.  He automatically reached for a paper bag and shook it open.  I tried to stop him, but he was quick as a bullet.  When I re-iterated my request he shrugged his shoulders, indifferently crumpled the bag and – to my horror –threw it into the garbage.

I explained to the blemished offender my attempt to avoid waste, adding that had I used a bag, (forgive me old growth forests) it would have been respectfully recycled.  Again, he shrugged his shoulders, and then walked away.  

My request was dismissed and I felt dismissed.

What recourse do I have?  What is the likelihood of the burger jockey reporting my feedback?  About two shoulder shrugs out of ten.

How do you, as a franchisor, keep up with consumers’ shifting mindsets and resultant requests?

Some encouraging examples to consider

• many grocery and liquor stores now give away reusable bags (with logos smartly displayed) to brace customers for the upcoming ban on plastic bags
• ‘Mom & Pop shops’ seem sensitive to their customers needs, perhaps because the owner is on the front lines to witness those glances of approval / disapproval

It’s too late for that McDonalds’ bag which now faces years in a landfill.  But my tale is not simply about a wasted bag: it’s about a principle. 

Today’s consumers want to be as socially and environmentally responsible as possible.   Can you afford to overlook this way of thinking?

How do you get feedback from the front line:  your consumers?

Best Practices, Focus, Franchise, Tips consumer's shifting mindset, franchise operations, franchisor, Nancy Baye, recycle, socially and environmentally responsible

Recently I came across an interesting tool on Google Labs that show’s how most people using the world’s top search engine view content.

Using the tool, you can input any URL and get an insider’s look at how visitors see the site:

Click on the image to visit Google Labs...

Most people using Google to search don’t have a full sized browser window open. When a visitor does click on your website link, they will only see a certain amount of the content. The smaller the window, the greater percentage of visitors.

This tool is a fascinating insight into what people see when they look at a website – especially as our fixed computer screens get wider and wider.

Looking at these results, the first assumption would be that the ideal website would fit into the small purple area that most visitors see.  I disagree.  I think it is important to be aware of what people on mobile or other devices will see, but at the same time, you don’t want to waste the real estate screen that other visitors will see.

So my advice is to design your website so that the most important message is getting seen by everyone, be aware of what is most common and how changing behaviors will start to affect website design, and then make an informed decision about what will be best for your company.

What would a visitor to YOUR site see if they had a smaller window open?

Click here to learn more about this tool and check it out.  Or visit Google Labs to take a look at all the other fun stuff they’re working on.  And come back to tell us what you find

Search Engine Optimization, Technology, Tips browser size, Design, Google Labs, search engine, Website