Experience Guru

The "Popcorn Bucket Experience"

Today's Notable Quote: "Can you believe what they're doing with that refillable popcorn bucket?" - Overheard in the concession line at the local Carmike Theater this past weekend.

Buy a "refillable" plastic popcorn bucket for only $8.00 - and get 50-cent refills on each return visit to the theater during the coming year! 

Initial response? WOW! In the land of unrealistically high-priced candy, food and beverage--i.e. the local movie theater...this sounds like a great deal...a response followed by looking at the people in line--in our case, an acne-faced concession-seeking patron who scratched his face and other areas of his anatomy with the plastic popcorn bucket, before putting it on his head. At this point, our initial excitement was replaced with the sobering realization that hordes of strangers will be bringing buckets from their various abodes to be dipped into the common trough alongside our popcorn bag or bucket. Hmmm.

As a student of human nature and safe food handling practices, I have learned a few facts that cause me to look at the bucket offering with something less than full-out enthusiasm.  In the interest of the public health and welfare, I will share a few of my observations and a possible solution to the bucket dilemma.

Regarding foodborne illness - directly related to safe food handling:

1. Each year in the U.S. , approximately 75,000,000 - or about 1 in 4 citizens contracts some form of foodborne illness - often mistaken for intestinal flu or other illness.

2. Nearly 325,000 Americans are hospitalized due to something they ate which was improperly prepared, or mishandled during serving.

3. An estimated 5,000 deaths result from mishandled or contaminated food consumed by individuals in the U.S. each year.

Regarding human nature:

Are the individuals taking steps to insure the proper cleaning and sanitation of their popcorn buckets prior to and during transport to the concession line?

Are the service clerks behind the counter taking the steps necessary to provide clean, safe, contaminant-free popcorn to each patron(washing their hands, wearing disposable gloves, etc.)?

I could go on and on, but won't, in the interest of your ability to enjoy lunch or dinner.

Regarding a possible solution:

For now, I suggest "kicking the bucket" - and probably adhering to the TPAP (Theater Popcorn Abstinence Plan). Were I in charge of concessions, a simple solution would be to implement the sanitation protocol described above, along with providing disposable liners for use by the refillable bucket bearers. Of course, along with these steps, I would clean the restrooms on a regular schedule, teach the staff basic principles of customer engagement, etc., etc.

 

Indiana Jones' Bucket of Doom?

The "Fizzing" Experience...

Today's Notable Quote: "Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year." - Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

So...in an effort to support this incredible consumption level, I am sharing the following "fizz-keeping" guidelines from The Wall Street Journal's interview with the American Beverage Association.

Problem: Keeping the fizz in pop.

Solution:The key to keeping carbonated beverages from going flat is to minimize their exposure to air. "Air is the enemy," says Mike Redman, vice president of scientific, technical and regulatory affairs for the American Beverage Association. "As soon as you pour the product, be sure to seal it" with a lid. Temperature is also important, Mr. Redman says, so store the opened soda bottle in the refrigerator. "It's a basic law of physics: If you keep a dissolved gas in solution, you keep that solution as cool as possible," he says. Finally, pay attention to the "use by" date that many bottlers print on the packaging. While soda won't go bad, fresher soda tastes better, Mr. Redman says. Products available that claim to keep soda bubbly are available on shopping Web sites. Soda dispensers, like FizzItUp (about $15), invert a 2-liter bottle onto a stand and pour soda through a nozzle. Bottle stoppers, such as the Jokari Fizz-Keeper (between $3 and $6), create a pressurized seal.

Write toBeth DeCarbo at beth.decarbo@wsj.com

So...in an effort to support this incredible consumption level, I am sharing the following "fizz-keeping" guidelines from The Wall Street Journal's interview with the American Beverage Association.

Problem: Keeping the fizz in pop.

Solution:The key to keeping carbonated beverages from going flat is to minimize their exposure to air. "Air is the enemy," says Mike Redman, vice president of scientific, technical and regulatory affairs for the American Beverage Association. "As soon as you pour the product, be sure to seal it" with a lid. Temperature is also important, Mr. Redman says, so store the opened soda bottle in the refrigerator. "It's a basic law of physics: If you keep a dissolved gas in solution, you keep that solution as cool as possible," he says. Finally, pay attention to the "use by" date that many bottlers print on the packaging. While soda won't go bad, fresher soda tastes better, Mr. Redman says. Products available that claim to keep soda bubbly are available on shopping Web sites. Soda dispensers, like FizzItUp (about $15), invert a 2-liter bottle onto a stand and pour soda through a nozzle. Bottle stoppers, such as the Jokari Fizz-Keeper (between $3 and $6), create a pressurized seal.

Write toBeth DeCarbo at beth.decarbo@wsj.com

American Exceptionalism in Action: The Voting Experience...

Today's Notable Quote: "The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." - Alexis de Tocqueville

Vote! Exercise your privilige to speak your mind in this election. One of the remarkable things about being a citizen of this great Democratic Republic is that we can vote in free and open elections. With that in mind, I've included some quotes from the late American Humorist and Humanitarian, Will Rogers--a man who said "I never met a man I didn't like".

Election Day Reminders (from George Grant)

America's foremost comedian, Will Rogers, was born near Oolagah, Oklahoma on this day in 1897. He often lampooned politics and politicians in his beloved nation--famously saying:

“There is no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.”

“I belong to no organized political party--I’m a Democrat.”

“There is something about a Republican that you can only stand him for just so long. On the other hand, there is something about a Democrat that you can’t stand him for quite that long.”

“Democrats are the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller, and get the chickweed out of your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work, and then they get elected to prove it.”

“No party is as bad as its leaders.”

Good reminders as we go to the polls today. Politics is of course important--but, because it is just politics, it is certainly not all important.

On the stage of Life...and Business...

Today's Notable Quote: "Work is Theatre and every business a stage." - B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore, in their 1999 HBSP best-selling The Experience Economy.

Was reading from Shakespeare's As You Like It, and thinking how it applies to the staging of business experiences. KNOWING the stages through which humans pass, and carefully crafting the theming, cues, props, stage elements and scripts to authentically appeal to people based on such knowledge will, it seems to me, enable businesses to reduce customer sacrifice dramatically.

I've just begun reading Martin Lindstrom's newest book, Buy-Ology which is based on findings from a number of cognitive studies which purport to uncover "hidden" buyer motivations. Looks interesting. At any rate, I'll close with an exerpt from the Bard, in hopes that you can extract something of value for your customers and businesses as well:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Disney's New House of the Future

Disney's House of the Future had become somewhat of a laughing matter largely due to the fact that it had not changed in nearly fifty years.  Tech lovers rejoice! An updated version was revealed at the end of June and it is nothing to laugh at. It showcases just how much computers and convenience technologies have become a part of our present and will be major role player in our future.  Countertops in the kitchen recognize the products you place on them and display "touchable" recipes, zoned climate control acknowledges when you walk into the room and adjust the temperature accordingly, whole house audio and video are controlled from a single touchscreen remote, mirrors project wardrobe selections onto your reflection and make matching selections, water spouts hide themselves in the countertops when not in use, and the internet is accessible in every room via touchscreen computers.

 

The new House of the Future is a far cry from the original and will immerse visitors in a truly engaging way. Click here to see what was once considered the future and click here to see the new updated version.

Two pints and a growler to-go please.

We recently had the opportunity to visit the Yazoo Brewery in Nashville, TN.  The beers made by Yazoo have been gaining popularity with micro brew enthusiasts since its opening in 2003.  Yazoo offers its fans a unique experience by welcoming them into the brewery for a guided tour (beer samples included) in which one will learn what exactly goes on during the beer making process.  The guides are well educated in their art and are quick to answer any questions that one may have.  After the tour, guests will want to visit the Taproom where they have all of their beers on tap and a sampler platter is a great way to get a taste of each beer in 5 oz servings.  Though they don't have a full food menu, the bartender recommends ordering the cheese sampler to go with the beers.  It's a unique idea to pair cheeses with beer but it works surprisingly well.

We took some video and pictures during our visit so check out the Yazoo Brewery video down below!

If you're going to be in the Nashville area and want to check out Yazoo for yourself, take a look at the following information.

http://www.yazoobrew.com/

Google Street View and address

Harley Davidson - The Authentic Biker Experience!

The Harley Davidson experience. One-of-a Kind. Not for the "faint of heart". Harley is the World's "most tattooed" brand.

“Motorcycle rallies are a lot like tribal gatherings. They allow a community of people to share in a culture and celebrate it,”writes Willie G. Davidson, grandson of the founder, in his book “100Years of Harley-Davidson.” The cultural phenomenon that has grownup around Harley-Davidson goes beyond the motorcycles themselves. Its brand identity is not just a product, but an attitude,a philosophy, a fantasy of adventure and the freedom of the openroad that has been celebrated in popular culture and admired bypeople around the world. Although fewer than 2 percent of Americanhouseholds own a Harley-Davidson or any other brand ofheavyweight motorcycle, many still want to share in the experiencethrough buying Harleybranded apparel, gift items and collectibles.

Check out our video interview with a local Harley-Davidson Dealer to learn more about this exciting organization and the Authentic Experiences they stage for their fans. 

The WhichWich Experience

As Starbucks did with coffee, WhichWich seeks to do with the common sandwich (the portable meal reportedly invented by John Montague, the 4^th Earl of Sandwich in 1762). Providing their patrons with a true “4-E” Experience, the sandwich-makers at WhichWich invite all who will to “immerse themselves” in the experience of Ordering (an Educational Experience), Creating “Bag Art” (Entertainment – see below), “Hanging Out” in a fun environment with other Sandwich Freaks (Esthetic), and (Escapist) “welcome to the world of WhichWich”…leave all of your pre-conceived notions of what a “sandwich shop” should be behind…

Mass-Customization combined with Education

WhichWich reduces labor costs and encourages customer immersion in the “sandwiching” experience by having customers mass-customize their own order. To order a WhichWich sandwich, customers choose a brown paper bag from one of 10 categories – turkey, ham, beef, chicken, seafood, vegetarian, saladwich, classics, and breakfast (served anytime).

 

The customer then selects their bread, cheese, spread(s), and spices by marking their choices directly on the bag. Customers complete the order by writing their name on the bag. Once the sandwich is prepared, a WhichWich expeditor calls out the order to be picked up, “Ham and Havarti on Wheat for Pine.”

The bag used for “Working the Wich”. Part of the Education process of the WhichWich novitiate—some combinations are better than others. Newbies are well-served to collaboratively customize their Wiches.

Entertainment – WhichWich-inspired “Bag Art” – also inspires sandwich-eaters to slow down and hang out a while (Esthetic) in the wi-fi enabled, music-filled environment.

I am choosing this company for the reasons listed above—and because they serve up a great (and great-tasting) experience…watch out Subway and Quizno’s!

The WhichWich Website: http://www.whichwich.com/ is an Experience as well, with many interactive features included.

Watch the video below to take a look at our visit to Which Wich.

"First Class" Home Delivery

What a great Experience Staging Story shared by Andy Nulman and detailed in the following blogpost...

Notable Quote: "Here’s what I mean—while vacationing in Vail, out of a slew of glossy promo mags and pamphlets left in our condo, my two  sons honed in on a company called “A La Car Restaurant Delivery Service," which stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb." - Andy Nulman, from his blogpost entitled A-Plus D-Livery.

Great story about the value of a surprising Experience offering that Mr. Nulman and Sons uncovered by reading their "in-room" brochures while vacationing in Vail, CO. For more, read on...While a multi-menued, one-stop delivery service is commonplace in most major markets, the Pow! of the opulent Vail twist is that these guys deliver their restaurant or grocery orders in a Porsche…

Notable Quote: "Here’s what I mean—while vacationing in Vail, out of a slew of glossy promo mags and pamphlets left in our condo, my two  sons honed in on a company called “A La Car Restaurant Delivery Service," which stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb." - Andy Nulman, from his blogpost entitled A-Plus D-Livery.

Great story about the value of a surprising Experience offering that Mr. Nulman and Sons uncovered by reading their "in-room" brochures while vacationing in Vail, CO. For more, read on...While a multi-menued, one-stop delivery service is commonplace in most major markets, the Pow! of the opulent Vail twist is that these guys deliver their restaurant or grocery orders in a Porsche…

An "Authentic" Home-Away-From-Home Experience

Question: Ever stay overnight at a hotel, motel or lodge that claimed to be "just like home", "your home away from home", or actually greeted you with the statement "welcome home"? Well...I'm staying in "one of those places" tonight. Tune in to view some of my "late night impressions"--please bear with me as the video and audio quality are some of YouTube's finest...-SD-