Pizza Today - September 2023 - 16

Building Blocks
Locked In
Nick Bogacz
Founder & President
Caliente Pizza & Draft House
When we are locked in on our
business and honing a particular
part of it, there is some magic in
there. I love nothing more than
exploring tactics or strategies to
strengthen my business. I start by
asking a question and then fi nding
as many answers to the question
as I can. Today's question is:
How do we get more sales out of
our existing customers?
Upselling is always the fi rst
thought on everyone's mind, so
let's dig into that a little. Looking
at the phone calls that come
into your store is a good place
to start. We use phone scripts
at all of our stores, in addition
to posting each store's monthly
specials online and in-store. We
also provide specifi c prompts
and recommendations after a
customer has placed an order. For
example, when a customer orders
a large pizza, we train our team
to ask them if they would like an
extra-large pizza instead, which is
about 33 percent more pizza for
only $2 extra. At the end of the
interaction, we are asking about
breadsticks, cheesy breads, drinks
and desserts. We have found
great success adding prompts to
our online ordering. Th is is the
same concept as with our phone
interactions, but we now also
have pop-up windows prompting
customers to add more to their
orders.
For table service, we don't
just rely on the server upselling
and suggesting items, though
we train them to do so. We've
developed another tool/tactic,
which we call fl ip charts, for
tables. I am a big proponent
of seeing something you like
that works and is done well at a
chain restaurant and then taking
it, adapting it and making
it better to fi t your brand and
goals. While sitting at a chain
restaurant, I noticed that their
tables weren't as cluttered as
ours - but there was this interesting
thing sitting on the table.
I started to fl ip through it, and
it was fi lled with pictures and
off ers of their food and drink
items. I liked it so much that I
made one for Caliente, and we
16 / PIZZATODAY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2023
now use it to take the customer
on a journey. We are using great
pictures and a graphic artist
to design the charts, so they
look even better than what the
chains use. Th ere is a welcome
picture of me toward the front,
then when you fl ip it over it
begins by telling our company's
story. Th en, as customers fl ip
through it, we guide them
through every high-profi t item
we have. By the end of the fl ipthrough,
and before the wait
staff returns, the customer has
already discovered something
that caught their eye.
I remember the fi rst time I
got gas and the cashier asked
me if I wanted to join the gas
@caliente_pizza
station's rewards program. I
thought, " what the heck is a
rewards program? " Fast forward
25 years later and it feels like
every business in America has
one. If you don't, you should.
Th ey are a great way to market
to your current customers and
incentivize them to keep coming
back. Many POS systems
off er them, and there are great
companies out there that off er
these services.
Speaking of POS systems
and third-party integration,
that's what we will discuss next
month.
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Pizza Today - September 2023

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