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#TodayILearned: What a New York deli’s TikTok challenge can teach us all about customer engagement. (A thread)
Meet Ahmed Alwan. He is a cashier at one of New York’s many delis in the Bronx. He is also a TikTok influencer with 1.7 million followers.
His claim to fame? Exceptional customer engagement.
His claim to fame? Exceptional customer engagement.
Sometime in February, @_itsmedyy_ decided to play a game with his customers: If you solve a math equation, you get five seconds to grab anything in the store for free.
The one thing you're not allowed to take? His cat. (Yes, someone tried)
The one thing you're not allowed to take? His cat. (Yes, someone tried)
Those who answer correctly use their five seconds to scramble around the store grabbing anything from chips and ice cream to speakers and hookahs.
But no matter how much they grab, or how valuable the items are, their cost is always the same: $0.
But no matter how much they grab, or how valuable the items are, their cost is always the same: $0.
Ahmed, who’s currently studying at the Bronx Community College to become a pharmacist, pays out of his own pocket.
His main concern isn't money, but helping low-income community members save for higher priority expenses, such as rent and utilities.
His main concern isn't money, but helping low-income community members save for higher priority expenses, such as rent and utilities.
This simple customer-centric activity has been more effective than any marketing campaign, bringing awareness and attention to the store as well as spreading positivity throughout the community.
"This changed our relationship with the community big time. They're all showing me so much love and lining up at the store just for a chance to play. We have so many visitors coming to take pictures and say hi.” - Ahmed Alwan to @CNN https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/10/us/new-york-deli-five-seconds-free-food-math-trnd/index.html
What can businesses learn from this 20-year-old influencer, whose story has featured on CNN, News18, and the New York Times?
Lesson 1: Empathy.
Ahmed's TikTok and Instagram videos are heartwarming and funny, but the reason why he did it shows he understands and cares for his customers and the community.
Any interaction with your customers has to be entered about them, and what they want.
Ahmed's TikTok and Instagram videos are heartwarming and funny, but the reason why he did it shows he understands and cares for his customers and the community.
Any interaction with your customers has to be entered about them, and what they want.
Lesson 2: Gamification.
Ahmed gamified the process, making it fun for both him and the customer. The prospect of playing a game, and the chance to feature on his TikTok page incentivized customers to participate without inhibition.
Ahmed gamified the process, making it fun for both him and the customer. The prospect of playing a game, and the chance to feature on his TikTok page incentivized customers to participate without inhibition.
Back in New York, Ahmed plans to continue making videos, with more creative questions.
He has even started a @gofundme to support the game and enable him to help more people.
And that’s the third lesson: Stay true to your core even when you scale up. https://www.gofundme.com/f/1w74cvq3uo
He has even started a @gofundme to support the game and enable him to help more people.
And that’s the third lesson: Stay true to your core even when you scale up. https://www.gofundme.com/f/1w74cvq3uo
This is the first of many such threads in our newest series #TodayILearned, where we talk about interesting stories, facts, and well, anything really, that has to do with #CustomerExperience and #SaaS.
