Novelty can encourage customers to try an unfamiliar drink or cuisine. The experience that follows gives them a reason to return. The first order can begin with curiosity. A customer spots a colourful drink on social media, hears friends discussing Korean street food or decides to try something unfamiliar. At that moment, the attraction is discovery.
The second order involves a different decision. Was the food enjoyable? Did it offer value? Was the outlet comfortable? If something needed attention, was there someone willing to listen? For food businesses built around discovery, this transition from interest to familiarity raises an important customer experience question: how does a brand make an exciting first encounter dependable enough to become an everyday choice?
In a conversation with exchange4media, Atharv Johri, Senior Manager, Customer Relations & Founder Office, who discussed Boba Bhai’s customer experience operations, offered a view of the work behind that transition. His observations suggest that the relationship develops through details customers encounter directly: the taste they remember, the person behind the counter, the condition of a table and the response to a message.
An unfamiliar product gives customers something new to explore. Once they have enjoyed it, however, they also have a reference point. The next purchase comes with an expectation. The Customer Relations Manager described the challenge of serving a customer at one outlet and then meeting the same expectation when that person visits another city. Training and standard operating procedures, he explained, are part of the effort to keep products consistent, although preparation still depends on the skills of the people in the kitchen.
Someone returning for a favourite drink should not have to wonder whether the experience will be recognisable. Consistency reduces that uncertainty. It allows the customer to move from experimenting with a product to choosing it comfortably.
In fact, this makes repeatability a customer experience concern as much as a kitchen concern. A recipe establishes the intended product; its execution determines what the customer actually receives. Familiarity also needs room for local preferences
Consistency becomes more nuanced when a food business serves customers with different tastes. The underlying question is useful for any business introducing an unfamiliar cuisine: which elements should stay consistent, and where should customer feedback influence the offering?
A recognisable product can still allow thoughtful adaptation. The challenge is to preserve what makes it distinctive while making it approachable for the people buying it. Customer listening, in this context, extends beyond handling complaints. It can help a business understand how people want to experience a product in the first place.
The counter is where the brand becomes personal. Much of a food brand’s identity may be communicated through its name, menu and visual style. At the outlet, that identity is interpreted by the person serving the customer.
Clear explanations can make ordering easier. An attentive response can help someone feel comfortable asking a basic question. Even the sequence of service shapes the experience. Nikul described serving drinks before food when they are ready sooner, allowing customers to begin enjoying part of their order while the rest is prepared.
It is a modest detail, but it illustrates how customer experience is built into the flow of service. Waiting feels different when customers understand what is happening and can see their order progressing. Cleanliness was another priority he highlighted. An energetic setting may attract attention, but clean tables and floors help establish the everyday comfort that supports a return visit.
A delivery order still needs a reachable person
Delivery adds another layer to the relationship. The customer buys the food through a platform, but judges the product associated with the restaurant. When an issue arises, responsibility can feel less clear. The Customer Relations official described that placing a customer care number on packaging so customers could contact the business directly. He also said an in-house support team handled concerns, product questions and requests for customisation.
The significance is access. Once the order leaves the outlet, customers still need a clear route to someone who can understand their concern. His advice on responding was direct: “Don't leave any customer hanging without any reply or a response.”
He explained that a complete solution may not be available immediately. Even then, an early conversation can acknowledge the issue and tell the customer that someone is looking into it. Following through closes the gap between that acknowledgement and an actual resolution.
Reviews become useful when they lead to action. Customer feedback can reveal more than satisfaction scores. It can identify where preparation, service or communication needs attention.
The first order tells a food business that it has captured someone’s interest. The second begins to reveal whether it has earned their confidence. Between those two decisions sits the practical work of customer experience: serving something familiar, making questions easy to ask and giving feedback somewhere to go.
Disclaimer: All data points and statistics are attributed to published research studies and verified market research. All quotes are either sourced directly or attributed to public statements.