Mary is awesome!! She is always smiling, has a great attitude, has a kind word to say and makes you feel special. I am a big Mary fan.
- posted by Dora Yee Kwok on the “I Love Mary @ McDonalds/Chandler” Facebook group
Mary Moss may be the most successful headset-wearing brand ambassador in the country. She’s manned the drive-thru at a McDonald’s in Chandler, Arizona for four years, and during that time has developed quite a following.
The McDonald’s restaurant where Mary works doesn’t have a following, SHE does. After all, the secret to McDonald’s corporate success is sameness and replication. Having a disproportionately awesome anything at a single location throws off the whole business model. But Mary is defiant in her ability to stand out. She embodies the principle of social media being about people, not logos.
Imagine how many drive-thru employees you’ve encountered in your life. How many do you remember in a positive connotation? Of those, how many would take the time to “fan” on Facebook?
But yet, 722 people are fans of Mary Moss on the official Facebook page dedicated to her drive-thru prowess, a page that she had nothing to do with, and didn’t even know about until a drive-thru regular (she has groupies) told her.
Says Mary about the secret to her success (in an article in the Arizona Republic):
“I think a lot of people just expect quick service, and it surprises them when they get a certain amount of personal attention. Sometimes all it takes is a smile and a quick compliment to turn their day around.”
Mary has it exactly right. In your struggle to find the perfect social media strategy, to out-execute the competition, to create something “viral” it’s all too easy to forget that almost every big thing started out as a very little thing. And most of those little things became movements (amazing manifesto by Spike Jones here on movements), for one very simple reason: they exceeded expectations.
If you’re looking for the social media breakthrough for your organization, think about Mary. Consider how you do business every day, and how you could alter those processes just a bit so that you’d be delivering something exceptional – something that exceeded expectations.
How will you find your Mary? Are there other examples of small things becoming big things?
(photo by Tony the Misfit)
Twitter Comment
More “Brands are People”. “Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries” [link to post] Tell stories about the people, brand elevates.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Reading: “Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries” – [link to post] – by @jaybaer
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Be an ambassador of good will, in addition to all the #socialmedia stuff you do. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries | Social Media … [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media is about people, not logo’s, cute example: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
socialhelp: Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries | Social Media … [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Jan_B Social Media is about people, not logo’s, cute example: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media is about people, not logo’s, cute example: [link to post] RT @Jan_B Via @sjaakhummel
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @nikhewitt: Reading: “Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries” – [link to post] – by @jaybaer (enjoyed this)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] (Via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] < < Ultimately business is about the individual.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] < -- people forget disproportional influence
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Avinio Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] (Via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Become Mary at McDonald’s the fans will follow! Social media excellence w/a side of fries…@jaybaer latest. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries | Social Media …: Social Media Strategy Blog Social Media Consulti.. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post]. Boils down to being exceptional.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Avinio: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] (Via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @comercjust: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @tweetmeme Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Convi… [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] ~BPearce
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @EnviroGraffiti: RT @Avinio: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post] (Via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Great post Jason – Many companies do not think of being like Mary (exceptional) from the start, or they forget to continue this after some success. We can learn a lot from this example and others (like Zappos) where a simple thing can really amaze customers.
Absolutely Bob. People don’t think that exceptional employees have an impact beyond the customers they come into contact with directly. Mary proves that to be true. Thanks for the comment, as always.
Twitter Comment
Being nice can go a long way. RT @jaybaer: Small, local companies can have a huge social media impact. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Social media excellence, and a side of french fries. A delectable combo. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Something to remember! RT @TheMarketingGuy: A McDonald’s drive-thru operator has 722 followers on her fan page. Why? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Something about this Mary! RT @TheMarketingGuy A McDonald’s drive-through operator has 722 followers on her fan page. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
A McDonald’s drive-through operator has 722 followers on her fan page. Why? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social media is about exceeding expectations. How one drive-thru worker amassed 722 Facebook fans…via @jaybaer – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
If you ever wanted an argument as to why business needs to be human-facing and people-powered, this is it right here, Jay.
Here’s to more companies finding and promoting stars like Mary.
.-= Danny Brown´s last blog ..Is Twitter Killing Blog Comments? =-.
Thanks so much for the comment Danny. Ain’t it the truth? I really want to meet Mary. I think I’m going to make the 30 mile drive to that McDonald’s next time I’m in metro Phoenix. If I do, I’ll grab some video and post it.
Twitter Comment
Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries: A Lesson in Personal Attention [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer Social media excellence, and a side of french fries. A delectable combo. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries [link to post] (love this post! – DB)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @DannyBrown: RT @jaybaer Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries [link to post] (love this post! – DB)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @DannyBrown: RT @jaybaer Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries [link to post] (love this post! – DB) – Yes, GREAT post!
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT RT@jaybaer Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries [link to post] (It’s a Winner!)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Great stuff from @jaybaer (no surprise there): Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post] #lindesreadinglist
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Great stuff from @jaybaer (no surprise there): Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post] via @MarketerBlog
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @HennArtOnline: RT @12for12k @DannyBrown @jaybaer Social Media Xcellence w/ a Side of Fries [link to post] love this post!-DB)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @chris_johnson RT @jaybaer: Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
good read RT @jaybaer: Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Interesting viewpoint RT @jaybaerIs your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Wow, talk about taking you job to the next level. RT @jaybaer: Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @SarahRobinson: @jaybaer Social Media Xcellence w/ a Side of Fries [link to post] love this post!-DB)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media Excellence and a Side of Fries: The secret to success is still about the people. Here’s a good.. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
good read RT @jaybaer: Is your social media effort about people, or about logos? http://ow.ly/lcqq