Comments on: Stop Being Afraid Of Putting Information Into Customer's Hands

By: Robert Dempsey

Robert Dempsey — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:16:53 +0000

Thanks for pointing this out Lance. It’s amazing to me that a fast food chain that could stand to lose big time from being transparent – those fries don’t look a tad bit healthy – are a lot more transparent than many companies today. It’s great that Burgerville helps their customers make an informed decision. I’d bet that their customer count didn’t drop at all, and if anything, increased.

By the way, how is the food there?

By: larry heard

larry heard — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:12:37 +0000

True, I think transparency is very important and it makes people feel they are treated fairly.

By: Jonathan Vaudreuil

Jonathan Vaudreuil — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:18:12 +0000

It’s amazing how almost everyone appreciates honesty and so many businesses choose to ignore this.

I think the key is when being open will help more than hurt. Burgerville wins by being open about the food being served since everyone else holds that info back. People are going to eat fast food whether or not they know what the ingredients are or what the nutritional value is.

This same thing can be applied in so many areas. I read about a company who posted the payscale and how it works for every employee – intern to CEO. It worked for them. It may not work for everyone, but it worked for them.

What kind of openness are you hoping to see in business yourself, Lance?

By: Ethan

Ethan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:09:34 +0000

Love it! Not only will it change consumer behavior, it will in turn change Burgerville, their menu, and their ingredients. There’s a business lesson in there: “Invite your customers to pressure you.”

By: Monica O'Brien

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:33:19 +0000

I love when companies post calorie counts, but holy caw, that’s a ton a calories for one meal. That would definitely keep me from eating there (aside from being a, you know, vegetarian).

Anyway, I think you are right, it’s cool to be transparent. It gives people something to talk about – in this case it helps people share the message of the deliciousness of the food despite the calories. Totally a smart marketing strategy.

And your story at the beginning was fun too! Who knew Lance was such a teenage rebel.