During the Sunday Night Football games last season, my buddy Greg and I would always head out to the local Qdoba for a halftime burrito. A long awaited treat, we’d look forward to the burrito almost as much as we’d look forward to the game. The selection of ingredients was quite intoxicating: queso, guacamole, corn salsa, and a variety of sauces. Safe to say, I fell in love with mexican food all over again. I began to voice my love for Qdoba on twitter, knowing the majority of my friends were Chipotle fans. I liked the idea that Qdoba could be my own ‘place’ was pleasant. But of course there came a day when I tried Chipotle…and I suddenly understood. My taste buds told me the same things my friends had been telling about the company. It was superb- the chicken; flavorful, the pico de galo; spicy, the guacamole…don’t get me started on the guacamole. I started to think, maybe this place is really better than Qdoba. I had to explore these thoughts
Back to the Start
So, I did, wondering, ‘what really made me prefer Qdoba, anyway’? The first time I ate there, my friend Greg raved about the healthy options the mexican grill offered. I felt good about eating there. It was a reward when I ate a burrito, taco, or salad because I trusted the ingredients. Qdoba is closer to my home, so the convenience certainly played a factor. The decor also seemed to be more authentic mexican (the colors at least) than did its competitor.
(via Tacos Por Vida)
In order to really decipher my preference, I’d need to eat more Chipotle too. One thing that certainly helped sway my choice to Chipotle was the commercial ran during the 2012 Grammy Awards.
It showed that this company honestly gave a damn about where their ingredients came from and wanted to share their pride with you. Their YouTube Channel is stuffed with videos detailing why they’re so gung-ho about their mission. Walk into a Chipotle and you’ll notice the menu boards sell it straight: ‘we have really good food and we’re not shying away from our claims’. Reading things so bold, yet so subtle, I know that I can feel good about what I’m about to consume. Maybe even happier, dare I say, than when I ate Qdoba, even. I was surprised that trust could taste so much better.
(via Mom Gone Paleo)
So here is my point: trust matters. It’s not something gained by having a business that sells a ton of product. It’s acquired when there is a mutual exchange of the truth between a customer and a company. When a company is upfront about their product and what makes it whole, a consumer can rest easy and not have to worry as much. This style of transparency is what makes organizations that embrace social business so successful. Open lines of communications on both ends allow for greater understanding and, ultimately, a more loyal connection.
I don’t mean to say that I don’t trust Qdoba’s food, because, honestly I still eat at Qdoba (they offered GMO-free corn which is something Chipotle cannot say). Chipotle simply gives me the greater feeling of security and satisfaction about how my meal has been prepared. Plus, I’m a twitter user, so I will go and check in on how engaging and responsive different organizations are in using digital communications. Again, Chipotle wins in a landslide when paired against Qdoba, although Qdoba has improved of late. Chipotle’s Head Community Manager, Joe Stupp, has done an excellent job at making sure that he is tending to the needs of those eating at his restaurants, whether the reactions are good or bad. In fact, when I was writing this, I shared one of Chipotle’s YouTube views and included @chipotletweets in the composition.
Have any organizations inspired you with their story? Which companies have been so honest that you’ve done business with them?