I knew the famous nasi lemak restaurant was a busy one.
Thus, I arrived at 11.15am on a weekday, expecting a lesser crowd. My strategy was to be there after the breakfast crowd, but before the lunch crowd. After all, take-away should be faster since I would not need to wait for a table!
My strategy failed - there was still a large crowd! Standing at the doorway, deciding whether to stay or go, the whiff of santan (coconut milk) from freshly cooked nasi lemak induced me to stay in line.
It ended up a 40-minute wait, which gave me A LOT of time to reflect on why this business is so overwhelmingly good.
Queues were everywhere – apart from my take-away queue, there was also a queue at the payment counter where customers were practically pushing money into the hands of the cashier, who was very efficient.
I look around, everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. “Why?” I asked myself. Well, I was one that was adding to the crowd, and I was there because I …
• Know and like the product
• Always get what I expect
• Am willing to be uncomfortable for a known gain.
After I received my order, I walked home. Walking past the shop lots, I noticed another restaurant that was completely empty, which caused me to reflect on my experience.
Here’s my take on what I believe are the famous Nasi Lemak Restaurant’s Critical Success Factors:
1) They were clear about their USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
There were many other items on the menu that were also good, but they knew their USP was the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng.
It was the first item on their menu and their whole business was organized around that product. As featured on a recent documentary, they had a clear and specific vision about their USP, which was what made their product great. In their case, they got right down to the proportion of special ‘rempah’ (spices) used on their chicken and the 3 kinds of ‘beras’ (grains) they used in their nasi lemak.
Their USP was superior and not easily replicated.
2) Their Consistency build Trust.
Their customers consistently enjoy a very high quality meal. I have been there on multiple occasions, and at different times of the day – and have never been disappointed.
Through consistent requests, they have even “trained” their customers to fill up tables in a certain pattern to simplify their order-taking process.
Most customers comply and regard it as a normal part of the transaction! Trust takes time and through time, their customers have snowballed.
3) Customers were lining up to pay a Premium.
“Price is what you pay; Value is what you get,” as Warren Buffett famously quotes Benjamin Graham.
In any business, both elements are important; yet to avoid the pendulum effect, a business needs to decide which of the two is key. Think about the empty restaurant that had cheaper prices, but no customers, which serves as a good reminder to consider the complexity of the price/value equation carefully.
While there are many business models that work, the famous nasi lemak restaurant has inspired me to deepen my grasp on these principles that seem so simple, but yet are not easy to implement.
Learn more abut Wendy at www.petadiri.com
* Wendy Wong is a leadership coach who wants to take you on a journey – that of transforming yourself and your organisations by building great businesses together.
** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.
Wendy Wong
Sat Dec 22 2018
Three critical success factors of a nasi lemak shop. - Filepic
PM Anwar ke Riyadh sempena Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia
Mesyuarat Khas bertemakan "Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy Development" akan dihadiri oleh Ketua-ketua Negara dan Kerajaan serta pemimpin industri.
Proses penamaan calon berlangsung 9 pagi ini
Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) membuka tirai hari ini dengan bermulanya proses penamaan calon di Dewan Serbaguna Dan Kompleks Sukan Daerah Hulu Selangor.
Penunggang motosikal berkuasa tinggi maut nahas
Mangsa lelaki berusia 34 tahun yang bekerja sebagai pemuzik di DBKL meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian.
Bebaskan pasaran buruh dari perangkap gaji berasaskan kelayakan akademik - Penganalisis
Malaysia harus beralih ke arah penetapan gaji berdasarkan kompetensi pekerja.
Raja Charles III sambung tugas awam minggu depan
Raja Britain, Raja Charles ketiga akan meneruskan tugas awamnya minggu depan setelah cataT perubahan baik dalam rawatan kanser. Baginda akan memulakan dengan lawatan simbolik ke pusat rawatan kanser.
Demonstrasi pro-Palestin di kampus universiti AS
Demonstrasi pro-Palestin tercetus di beberapa kampus utama Amerika Syarikat. Pelajar menuntut gencatan senjata kekal dan menekan Washington untuk menamatkan sumbangan dana tentera kepada Israel.
Dakwaan Israel: PBB masih siasat 8 individu
Pasukan Khas PBB menutup satu kes dan menggantung tiga kes berhubung dakwaan terhadap 12 petugas UNRWA yang terlibat dengan Hamas, susulan kekurangan bukti dari Israel.
Hamas mahu gencatan senjata bersyarat
Hamas komited kuatkuasa gencatan senjata dalam perang dengan Israel, namun dengan syarat yang dituntut.
Penghidap kanser tulang impikan telefon bimbit
Siti Zubaidah, calon SPM yang mengidap kanser tulang, bercita-cita memiliki telefon bimbit untuk merakam kenangan sebelum pergi. Petronas merealisasikan impian ini melalui program 50 Dreams.
Malaysia seru pihak terlibat supaya bertenang dan minta siasatan dijalankan terhadap isu kemanusiaan di Gaza
Malaysia seru semua pihak yang terlibat supaya bertenang dan menghentikan tindakan provokatif yang boleh memburukkan lagi konflik di rantau Asia Barat.
WTCKL diiktiraf International Business Review ASEAN Awards
Irmohizam menzahirkan ucapan jutaan terima kasih kepada The International Business Review atas pengiktirafan berkenaan.
COVID-19: Pelanggan tembak tiga pekerja restoran makanan segera selepas dilarang makan dalam restoran
Suspek diberitahu oleh pekerja restoran itu bahawa ruang makan ditutup dan hanya 'drive-thru' sahaja dibuka.
Bertahun bina empayar, Asyraf Khalid kongsi di sebalik jatuh bangun dunia niaga
Menurut pengusaha jamu Mutyara Beauty itu, dia sentiasa dilontarkan dengan tanggapan negatif sesetengah pihak kononnya hanya bernasib baik kerana pengaruh bapanya.
COVID-19: RM4.5 billion fund to help small, medium enterprises and micro entrepreneurs
Prime Minister said the allocation would be channelled through five key initiatives.
Maxis Business SPARK Summit tampil pemikiran bersama dalam memacu transformasi digital di Malaysia
Lebih dari 500 pemimpin perniagaan tempatan dan antarabangsa dari sektor Korporat, Kerajaan dan PKS tempatan menyertai Maxis Business SPARK Summit 2019 pertama.
Kaji selidik Monash: Pemimpin korporat Cina puas hati dengan PH
Dalam kaji selidik yang melibatkan 390 responden itu, 50 peratus pemimpin korporat Cina berpuas hati, diikuti pemimpin Melayu (39 peratus), dan pemimpin India (38 peratus).
Syarikat tembakau terbesar dunia seru perokok berhenti merokok
Kaji selidik terbaharu oleh Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) adalah sebahagian daripada kempen 'Unsmoke' yang menyeru agar semua berhenti merokok.
Kerjasama SME Bank, TM dan Commerce.Asia bantu usahawan dalam transformasi digital
SME Bank bersama Telekom Malaysia Berhad dan Commerce.Asia menandatangani dua Memorandum Persefahaman (MoU) pada Selasa.
Pengasas produk The Ordinary ditemui mati
Sehari sebelum kematiannya, Brandon Truaxe telah memuat naik beberapa video berkelakuan pelik ke Instagram.
Here are the three considerations we had when we did the Budget - Tony Pua
Damansara MP Tony Pua explained the three major considerations on what went into the development and execution of Budget 2019.