Treat Your Customers Like Family and They'll Never Go Away

Despite never having visited the Jersey Shore, you may have heard of Jersey Mike’s famous sub sandwiches. Boasting 750 locations open or in development, whether you’re in Savannah or San Diego, Jersey Mike’s serves freshly sliced meats and cheeses on in-house baked bread to sandwich enthusiasts coast-to-coast while also utilizing the benefits of technology to retain and interact with its customer base. In 1956, in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, Mike opened a shop selling a relatively new product, aptly named the submarine sandwich. Point Pleasant was a picturesque coastal town, located about an hour south of New York City. Many tourists came through Point Pleasant to enjoy the warm sand, beautiful beaches and the sunny weather. It was in Point Pleasant that Mike made a name for himself selling sandwiches on the dock. Mike was a people person; he remembered faces and their orders and treated each customer like a friend. [caption id="attachment_6782" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Peter Cancro"][/caption] Peter Cancro began working at Mike’s Sub, the name at the time, while in high school at the age of 14. Cancro encompassed everything Mike dreamed of for an employee at his store. Cancro interacted with customers and always remembered people’s coveted orders. Mike wanted to sell his sub shop and Cancro knew he wanted the opportunity of ownership. Cancro bought the sub shop at the age of 17 and has since turned it into the nationally-recognized and successful franchise it is today. Jersey Mike’s successes stem from their philosophy of getting to know their customers and treating them like family. In 2012 they rolled out a new loyalty program that ensures participation called “Shore Points Rewards.” Since its launch, more than 1.2 million customers have joined to collect points and enjoy special offers, redeemable at any location. Participation only requires a phone number and customers can either use their mobile devices with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to scan their code at the register, or use a simple keychain card (in the shape of a surfboard) with a barcode scanner. Offering both options has garnered virtually 100 percent participation. “Jersey Mike’s is a 56-year-old company using the latest technology to reward our loyal customers,” says Rich Hope, chief marketing officer of Jersey Mike’s Subs, as quoted to QSR Magazine. “ The Shore Points Rewards is getting rave reviews because it is a super convenient award system which allows our local store owners to connect directly with their best customers.” [caption id="attachment_6781" align="alignleft" width="182" caption="Amy Sandberg"][/caption] Jersey Mike’s brand loyalty is rooted strongly in customers, and this success is due in part to their unique belief in grassroots marketing.  Each store is encouraged to have a “Mike’s Marketer” who’s job is to increase both in-store numbers and catering sales by means of exclusive marketing tactics. Amy Sandberg, marketing and catering director for five locations in Santa Clarita, Calif., is in charge of managing events, community outreach and local PR, employing crowd-pleasing marketing strategies such as sampling in order to solidify her store’s reputation as a leader in sub sandwiches and customer service. Every sub is cut for each customer and made signature Mike’s Way (lettuce, tomato, onion, vinegar, oil, spices and oregano). “We try to reach everyone through their stomach! Because we have such a delicious and fresh product, we are confident that people will taste and believe that our subs are the best out there,” says Sandberg. “Since everything is always fresh and healthy, our image as a whole does very well among the health conscious demographic. We have lighter menu options such as Subs in a Tub (any sub sans bread). We also promote our turkey especially to those looking for a lean meal because it’s 99 percent fat free.” Social media has also been a tool in solidifying brand awareness, pushing messaging across the stifled sub marketplace. “As a relatively small brand, we have the unique opportunity to continue to gain customers and inform them about our product and our culture,” said Holly Sansolo, social media coordinator for Jersey Mike’s.  Being able to interact with our customers and fans in the digital space is probably the most beneficial aspect of social media.” In a boisterous and competitive sub sandwich market, Jersey Mike’s is still committed to serving higher quality food in the fast-growing $24.1 billion sandwich market, according to Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based food industry consulting and research firm. Despite this success, Cancro hasn’t forgotten his roots as an employee on the shore. “We all came from behind the counter. I’m one of the few owners of a company that actually grew up in it, slides the subs and can take anyone out on that slicer right now,” said Cancro to NorthJersey.com. This commitment to quality and well-rounded branding includes Cancro’s fundamental belief in giving back to the communities he serves. As part of Jersey Mike’s philosophy, every year during the month of March, each Jersey Mike’s location celebrates the “Month of Giving” allowing customers to donate to a designated charity. On March 27, 2013, dubbed “Day of Giving,” 100 percent of the day’s sales went directly to the charity. The “Month of Giving” this year helped raise $1.7 million for 86 different charities. “Even as a marketing manager, it is our job to manage events. I work on several large-scale charity partnerships in the Valley with our local nonprofit hospitals as well as school districts,” notes Sandberg. Defending its title as a game player amongst Subway,  Jimmy Johns and Fireside Sub shops, Jersey Mike’s plans on continuing to grow and give well into the future. With development in 33 states, the brand has positioned itself to spearhead even more sandwich success in 2013 while never losing sight of its coastal roots.