This particular chain of Wendy”s Hamburger restaurants are consistently the most profitable, and productive in the country (actually they are the top . . .but for confidentiality I need to keep their identity secret.)

In a few weeks I will be working with a group of their key managers.  In preparation I take a provided lunch coupon to one of their locations for some “research”.  I mean . . . this is a Wendy”s.  How can you make French fries special.As I pull into the parking lot, every space is full.  Finally, w-a-y in the back I find an empty space and make my way in out of the cold (The drive through is doing massive business as well).  As I order my combo meal I find myself thinking, “do I hear bluegrass music on the intercom?”

When I finally enter the dining area, the place is packed.  Packed.  I find an empty table in the middle of the room and that is when I am accosted. 

He approaches and asks if I want some birthday cake.

“Cake?”

Then the story unfolds.  He points out an elderly gentleman 20 feet away, and informs me that they are celebrating his 102nd birthday.   The guy looks markedly spry.  That was when the blue grass band starts up.  3 guitars, a really good banjo guy, a fiddle player constitute the band.   All members of the festivities. 

My customer “host” informs me that they get together at this Wendy”s every Tuesday and Thursday.  That is when I look up and notice pictures taken with the birthday boy and a couple of Wendy”s servers. 

These folks are family.  The customers part of the Wendy”s family and vice versa. 

That is when the store manager stops to ask me if I need anything.  As we talk about the festivities, he tells me that his philosophy is to treat his customers like family.  He goes to major league baseball games with customers, is Facebook friends with a slug of people, gives them his extra kidneys (just kidding).

But when the goal is customer wow . . . what do you call the next thing past wow?  Business Charisma.

If a business charisma brand can be defined as any product, service, or company (or person) for which people believe there is no substitute, then this Wendy”s has that . . . super sized