Crafting exceptional Customer Experiences, Inspiring Leadership and Driving Commercial Excellence for ambitious Enterprises | Founder: Commercial Excellence Partners | Speaker | Travel-Tech โ
Have you ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ the world-famous "Dancing Noodles" of Haidilao? Here's a video...๐ Until a few weeks ago I didn't even realise this was a thing. My 10yr old was turning 11 and she insisted on the full Hot Pot experience of Haidilao. Off we went, frankly quite eager to take a break from the usual BS (Biryani and Shawarma, that is...๐) The service was ok. The food was good. But what blew me away was the ๐๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐. Here's what I mean: 1. Verrry attentive staff always within easy reach and easily visible. 2. A condiment counter that was ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ช๐ฆ๐ท๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐บ well-stocked and included for free. 3. Staff putting together an impromptu goodie bag for my daughter's birthday. And then this amazing dish, aptly called "Dancing Noodles", deftly served by this talented chap complete with a dance that involves stretching the dough into noodle ribbons while gracefully twirling the long strands around...all done to Taylor Swift, 50-cent, etc. (I'm not kidding). Apparently I'm late to the party as this was already a viral product from a decade ago. (Haidilao now has a new dance called "Kemusan", which has also become an internet sensation...perhaps on my next trip!). So what's amazing about this? We tend to think of restaurants as places people go to, to DINE. Either alone or with company. Good ambience, service, food, drink and company. End of story. But what if going to a restaurant was instead ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ to be ALSO about ... โข a remarkable ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐? โข building ๐ข๐๐ข๐ค๐ง๐๐๐จ of a special day? โข delivering ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ along with the food? โข helping guests at the table ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ over shared excitement? ย ย How many restaurants think in this way, and use it to ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ they want to deliver to their patrons? ๐ฝ.๐. ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ "๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด" ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ? #hospitality #customerexperience #marketing #flyvrai
Shoba Chandran
7mo
So much YES. I agree that HDL wins all all these fronts. They're not afraid to fully stock and replenish the sides. When we dined there, we did indulge in the (free) sides, but that in no way impact how much we ordered as (paid) mains. They get it. They just get it. PS. And I never knew I'd actually enjoy BS ... give me some biryani /shawarma any day. ๐
Guy J. Ofek
7mo
Absolutely agree Vimal, having visited one of Haidilaoโs branches in Singapore in Aug of 2023 for the EXACT same experience - celebrating the birthday ๐ฅณ of my daughter, although in my particular experience the โdanceโ left a lifelong and lasting memory, given the miss fortune of the young Asian dancer, who stretched thy noodle to the point of no return, only to see it tear and a slab of dough slapped my face ๐คฃ Having said that, Haidilao surely took the Hot Pot experience to a whole new different level offering not only a quality dining experience, superb service and free condiments bar, but they also offer free ice creams to the young ones, nails service to the ladies (or metrosexual men โบ๏ธ) and of course the fact they open till the wee hours which caters for the party goers. Hats off to this fantastic and authentic dining experience!
Obviously his mum didn't keep telling him to "stop playing with your food"
Fraser Morrison
7mo
fab insights that all of us should be thinking about
Gerard Wong
7mo
Vimal Kumar Rai I can already imagine the noodles dancing their way through my digestive system! Seriously though, it is true most establishments with direct customer interactions do not put enough thought to providing a good customer experience. Those in charge may do well to consider"dancing" through the possibilities.
Ysidora Y.
7mo
Everyone in my circle including myself is a HUGE FAN OF HDL! Itโs even a supper food, and thereโs groups for โHDL hacksโ for the amount of things they give or can do for you if you ask for it. The idea here is how prepared they are for requests - almost to the point of ridiculousness like a light stick! Another point you might really love about HDL - they obviously know their customer personas and their needs well. A few years ago they started introducing baby cribs (!!!) for parents, a childrenโs playroom - I was incredulous when I saw them wheeling one in for a young family with an infant!
Stephen Sumner
7mo
Oh wowser - that looks like an awesome elevated experience Vimal. A lot of consumer facing businesses can learn a lot from companies that look to elevate the experience beyond the function and transaction - I love it!!!
Amita Menon
7mo
Great insights as usual Vimal! I think this is something we can translate into any industry or field of work. Creating positive experiences and memories while reaching the end goal can be the key differentiator.
I never knew that Haidilao did this & indeed, Vimal, places where you get a show while dining are not that common, even if they do exist... teppanyaki is the first thing that comes to mind in that area, but there's also high end restaurants where they prepare dishes at the table OR flambรฉ or stuff like that. Nice to distill some guidelines around hospitality from the experience - thanks for the insights!
Bringing to market new technologies for construction and the built environment covering robotics and automation, 3D printing, safety, productivity and sustainability.
7moGetting hungry just watching the performance ๐คฃ I agree that people are in search of differentiating experiences and it's a great way to stand out.