How Taco Bell is Satisfying Customer Cravings With More Than Just Food, with Zip Allen, Taco Bell’s CDO

Humans have needs, and cravings, and desires. Sometimes, they all align — like when my need for food matches my desire and craving for a spicy burrito. In business, you have to be in tune to your customers' needs, cravings, and desires, and meet them as much as possible. These days, across the board but especially in the QSR space, the consumers are craving better loyalty programs and more personalized experiences in every interaction with a brand. Zip Allen recognizes that, and as the Chief Digital Officer for Taco Bell, she’s satisfying those cravings. Yes, there are spicy burritos involved, but there are also unique spins on customer loyalty programs, a new subscription service for tacos, and an app experience that makes getting those spicy burritos — or whatever you’re in the mood for — a friction-free experience. We got into all of that on this episode of Up Next in Commerce and it was a delicious discussion. Enjoy!

Main Takeaways:

• Customizing the Experience: It alIt all comes down to digital when it comes to customizing the customer experience. On digital platforms, you can more easily engage with and learn about your customers, and deliver to them a seamless experience so you can get them what they need when and where they want it. Lean into all the digital tools in your toolbox and don’t be afraid to experiment with some new ideas to engage with customers through apps, subscriptions, or loyalty program challenges. 
• What do the Customers Really Want: To find out what customers want, go where they actually are, and then listen. Hang out on Twitter, find the Reddit threads where the fans of your brand congregate, and ingratiate yourself in that community. Not only will you get a better understanding of who your customers are, but you will be able to spot areas of friction as they come up and source new ideas for your brand from the consumers themselves.
• Scoring More Than Points: With loyalty programs, you have to think beyond just giving points to redeem for free products Build out exclusive offerings, unique experiences, and ways to add value and delight to your customers’ day that proves that you actually know and value them.

For an in-depth look at this episode, check out the full transcript below. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.

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For a full transcript of this interview, click here.