Increase Throughput with these Suggestive Selling Tips

Every QSR knows employees should be suggestive selling in order to increase sales of high-margin items. But are your employees effectively executing this tactic? And are you setting employees (and your QSR as a whole) up for success by training them properly when it comes to suggestive selling?

Drive-thru suggestive selling has an abundant potential to positively impact your overall service times. Read the following tips and 2018 QSR Drive-Thru Study results to discover how you can increase throughput in your drive-thru.

1. Train employees to be brand ambassadors.

We all know suggestive selling can be a daunting task that employees dread. Employees tend to stop asking customers when they keep hearing no. But if you help employees fall in love with your brand and your products, suggestive selling will start to feel much more natural for them. Instead of asking out of obligation, employees will be excited to recommend their favorite products and add-ons. Shape employees into brand ambassadors, and watch as they start recommending more products.

2. Leverage employees natural communication styles and preferences.

Recognizing an employee’s strengths is essential to maintaining a great brand reputation and positive environment. Can your staff members communicate well? Are they optimistic, and do they have a strong work ethic? Your frontline employees define the effectiveness of your operations and efforts to increase customer loyalty. Consider personality assessments for your employees to determine how you can best motivate them to suggestive sell.

3. Teach employees to offer the “why” behind the “what”.

Yes, the ultimate reason your QSR is implementing suggestive selling is to be able to generate more revenue from high-margin products. But because you are not going to tell customers that, and so you can increase customer loyalty, it is imperative to offer a reason why consumers should accept your upselling offers. Instead of simply asking, “Would you like to try our seasonal shake,” use tactics like, “You should try our new seasonal shake! It’s my new favorite and will only be on the menu for a limited time.”

4. Help employees create a buzz around a product.

Most people are creatures of habit and fall into societal influences. If you create a buzz around certain products you want to sell, customers will start to try those products out of curiosity. Train employees to say keywords like “best-selling,” “most popular” and “in-demand” to support the appeal towards seasonal or high-margin items.

5. Encourage employees to ask customers questions.

Your QSR can only continue to grow if you understand the wants and needs of your customers. While you can’t always ensure the satisfaction of every customer that comes to your store, you can encourage employees to ask customers why they chose certain products (and didn’t choose others). Your staff can also inquire about consumers’ experiences with your QSR and ask what they’d like to see implemented or offered in the future. Knowing what customers want can help you determine what your staff should recommend when suggestive selling.

Increase Drive-Thru Throughput Potential

The 2018 QSR Drive-Thru Study results reveal just how much of a positive impact suggestive selling can have in your drive-thru. Those who followed through with this strategy gained 30 seconds in service times and 1.2 transactions every hour.

Find out how your QSR compares to this data and analyze the effectiveness of your suggestive selling approach with SeeLevel HX. Our market research and mystery shopping reports can help you increase throughput in your drive-thru. Schedule a free consultation with our strategy team today to get started.