Bravo to Chipotle for taking advantage of social media to soothe a few disgruntled non-pork eaters. Although the chain clearly informs the public on its website of the presence of pork fat in its beans, in-store menus fail to indicate the "porkiness of the pinto." Food line assemblers are only required to inform the consumer if he/she orders a burrito without other meat. Seth Porges, an avid pork avoider (due to religious reasons), turned to Twitter to voice his concerns. His beloved Chipotle, to which he's been a loyal customer for several years, never told him why the delicious pinto beans were so delicious. You'd think after years of eating the same pork-infused beans he would have heard an oink? Or oinked... Anyway, Twitter was the medium that Mr Porges used to voice his disbelief (somewhat dramatically). And I quote, "After more than a decade of ordering Chipotle pinto beans, I was told they have bacon. As a non-pork eater, I feel ill." Well Mr. Porges, hold it in and darn a smile because the CEO himself, Steve Ells, is here to huff and puff and blow the house down. Ells responded immediately, assuring Porges that Chipotle would change its in-store menu to clearly communicate the presence of pork fat in its beans. (Of course Porges squealed with delight.)
As a future advertiser, I applaud the speed at which Chipotle responded, proving that staying in-the-know of social media is a requirement for every business hoping to keep its customers happy. Social networks have become the main mic and can reveal valuable insights into how consumers are feeling, what they're thinking, and what they'd like to see happen. Also, the value of an advocate is really invaluable, priceless even. If I were Steve Ells I'd look at Porges' followers, find out whom he's influencing. I'd bet that Porges had the loudest oink but like-minded listeners. If the chief's happy, the tribe's happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment