How does Subway try to differentiate themselves from Quiznos, D’Angelo’s, and the plethora of other sandwich shops throughout the country?
It’s tempting to think “speed” – they are a fast-food franchise, after all. But they don’t claim to be faster than the other sub shops, so it’s not that. Think about their motto: “Eat fresh.” What comes to mind?
Quality. Subway competes on quality, and with their new “Five dollar foot long” campaign, also on price.
As a franchised business, Subway’s corporate office has little control over the management practices of their individual stores. So how do they align their talent management at a shop level with their UVP (unique value proposition)?
Misaligned Talent Management Practices
I absolutely love Subway. They run their tuna through a blender to make it incredibly smooth (no chunks!), and I can honestly say it’s the best I’ve ever had. I love the food, but the fact is, not all Subways are created equal.
I’ve eaten at many, many Subways, and few of them ever convey “quality.” There’s a gap between their UVP and their talent management practices.
While cost is a competitive differentiator for Subway, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not their primary UVP. Subway tries to be a great value. Sure, they’re inexpensive, but you get a great sandwich for your money!
Unfortunately, most of the Subways I’ve eaten at seem to operate on a “cost first, quality second” mentality.
I Need More Than One Damn Napkin!
Here’s what I encounter at most Subways: I’m “greeted” (if I’m lucky… and if you can call it that) by a rather grumpy “sandwich artist.” My sub is sloppily thrown together. They skimp on fillings; If I ask for onions, I usually get somewhere between three and five little strings of onion. The only filling they’re generous with is the lettuce (the cheapest one).
There’s usually meat and veggies spilling out the sides of the sandwich, much of which ends up on the floor or table when I unwrap it. Finally – and this is a big pet peeve of mine – they only give me one damn napkin!
In and of itself, this wouldn’t be such a big deal. But most subways don’t have napkins anywhere in the store except behind the counter, so if I get a messy sandwich, I have to get up, walk over to the counter, and wait for someone to get me more.
Does anything about this experience convey quality?
A Subway That Gets It Right
I just moved, and the Subway down the street from my new house is hands-down the best one I’ve ever eaten at.
The employees are friendly (one even remembers my “usual” sandwich – proof I eat there too much!). The sandwiches are treated like works of art.
Veggies are generously loaded on. Before wrapping them, they take a knife and “edge” the sandwich, making sure that nothing is spilling out. If you’ve ordered more than one sub, they even label them so you don’t have to play “musical sandwich” when you get to the table. Oh, they give you more than one napkin, too!
Sure, it takes them about 30 seconds longer to make the sandwich, and they spend a bit more money on veggies. But everything about the experience shouts, “This is a quality sandwich!” They’ve aligned their employee behaviors with their UVP.
And guess what? I find myself eating there far more often than I did at the cost-driven Subway near my old house. A small investment in time and resources nets them a big return.
What’s Their Secret?
I don’t know what their compensation strategies are at the shop. I doubt that part-time Subway employees are given bonuses for making great sandwiches. I’m also not sure how they recruit. I know a lot of their talent walks through the front door and asks for an application, but I’m not sure what the selection criteria is.
I’m positive, though, that they’re trained to be generous with toppings, edge the sandwich, and generally pay attention to the details. And having talked to the manager before (I had to compliment him on how the place is run!), I’m pretty sure he motivates his employees through external validation – lots of praise for making kick-ass sandwiches.
Remember, it’s essential that you align your talent management strategies with your UVP!
RSS
The HR person in me says that you should let corporate know how much you like this location.
@Rachel – I probably should. I already let the store owner know. He actually gave me a free meal. Doesn’t hurt to reach out to corporate though, since they probably have almost no visibility to this sort of thing. Thanks for commenting!
- Chris
I have worked at 3 subways in 3 different states. A lot depends on the attitude. My first was about sticking with food costs, protocol, speed, and excellent customer service. My second was about getting the customer in and out, follow formulas, and who gives a fuck on anything else. My last has been about relaxed rules, and the employees don’t really try hard and that’s supposed to be ok… my view is, yes, food costs must be followed, after all, mcdonalds gives you two pickles on your sandwich and how many times do you become angry over that? Subway employees get the bad end of the deal because we get paid minimum wage, and get the most complaints from management and customers alike since our product is made in your face. Other restaurants don’t wear gloves, and throw your stuff together and don’t care. It is a thankless job and should be appreciated.
@Laci – I totally agree. It’s not the employees fault. To your point, management sets the tone. My main point is that Subway’s “competitive edge” – quality – isn’t well aligned with how many Subway managers run their shops.