Creating Experiences That Resonate

When my wife and I stayed at a Doubletree, the experience wasn't perfect. But as we settled into our room, I scanned a piece of material describing the brand's "Create a Rewarding Experience (CaRE)" philosophy of service.

This philosophy struck me; recently, I have been reading up on several businesses which focus on guests' experience rather than solely on the product or service. In fact, as the market for companies offering services continues to expand, the buzzword seems to be "experience economy".

Of course, focusing on or even marketing an experience seems simple when you're offering hotel stays, vacations, or even, in my case, funeral services. It would seem the philosophy is limited, then, to a service-market segment.

Not true.

Consider Starbucks. In his book, The Starbucks Experience: Five Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary, Jim Michelli explores their success Check out The New Gold Standard for more of his insights on creating an experience worth talking about. Even when offering a product, experience is key to building a following or customer base to which price seems of little import when compared to how you make them feel. 

Experiences that Resonate:

Not Only Exceed but Create Expectations.

Call it being spoiled or having your eyes opened; when a customer, client, or guest has an experience that resonates with her, she will measure future experiences by that standard. She believes there is no better way to experience coffee than from a friendly, energetic barista with free WiFi and a clean, inviting community. Why would anyone want to do it differently?

Meet Unspoken Needs.

Most people will only be directly involved in planning between three and five funerals in their lives. They have questions but aren't sure what or how to ask. Because I care for 65-80 families in a given year, I know what they need to know. When I'm ready to answer the questions families don't know they need to ask, when I provide for an unspoken need, it instills confidence and brings comfort that resonates with my client-families.

Stick With Them

Recently, a fellow Funeral Director received a Christmas card from a family he served over two years ago. "Resonate" is more than just a word; an experience should touch someone deeply. As I mentioned, Starbucks has a reputation for creating experiences that stick. Imagine a stressed student fretting over finals. In her haste, the student drops her latté on her way out. Ugh! But when a caring barista rushes out to help and replace her beverage, an experience has resonated-- and will stick-- with a guest.

Come From the Heart

Those who create experiences that resonate are deeply invested. Whether it's at a hotel, coffee shop, or funeral home, these people are dedicated to producing the perfect experience. An insincere effort- or a push by management to drive revenue by increasing "perceived" value- may succeed in merely satisfying guests, but will never produce that WOW experience.

Whether you're a leader in your business, church, community, or peer group, you've got to find a way to resonate with your audience. When you do, your relationships will flourish. The rest can't help but follow.

In the comments: How do you create experiences that resonate? Has an experience ever resonated with you? How did you respond; what did you do with it?

Speaking of Value: Watch Your Language!

Of all the places I've worked, the most (and best) service training came from the restaurant industry. Proper presentation is the key to great wine sales. Customer courtesy often excuses other shortcomings. While several factors affect guest interactions, the most important is what "language" you speak.

Maybe you prefer a laid-back waiter or waitress with inconspicuous tip-boosting personal details at the ready ("Oh, I have six kids about your son's age! Aren't they adorable?"). While there's nothing wrong with forming great hman connections, I have found that the vast majority of patrons preferred a server who was polished and ready, always on top of the details of their dining experience. Nothing conveyed these qualities to my guests better than paying attention to the words and phrases I used.

Chic-fil-A calls it service language; they made the phrase "It's my pleasure" famous (and synonymous) with great, friendly service. Even though I haven't worked for Chic-fil-A in years, the way they speak and the philosophy behind their service influences my interactions every day.

Elsewhere, the practice is called value language. It's likely that your business invests loads of money into training, development, and marketing to infuse its products or services with value. But how much time is spent perfecting the way your product or service is presented?

Value language:

• Considers the Customer/Guest/Client's Needs

In your business, do your clients need peace of mind, reassurance, information, or all of the above? Knowing what to say and when to say it means knowing your client's needs. Turn a purchasing decision into an experience with deeper meaning by uncovering (and meeting) unspoken needs.

• Builds Value in Your Brand

Sometimes, the best way to talk about your competitors is not at all. People who seem eager to trash-talk the competition are often viewed as being unaware of or unable to communicate the value of their own services. Put yourself above the competition by establishing your brand's leadership in the industry-- without slinging mud.

• Listens and Adapts

Scripts are for on-hold recordings. Value language listens for opportunities to build the value of your brand while giving clear answers to a client's questions or concerns. While it is great to craft phrases that express value, these cannot be perceived as rigid scripts devoid of meaning.

• Speaks to the Experience

Rather than speaking only to a product or service, be thorough in your description of an experience that will resonate. This is applicable whether you are offering a funeral service ("We offer personalized service options that help families celebrate the life of a loved one and heal through healthy grieving.") or a living room set ("Our furniture experts can help you select just the right piece to bring your family and friends together in a beautiful, comfortable space.")

• Delivers a Promise

All the value language in the world can't make up for a promise undelivered. Invest in training yourself and your staff to produce experiences that resonate. Make sure you all own your expertise and are prepared to deliver on the promises of your value language.

Value language is crucial to establishing your brand's expertise and presenting a professional team best suited to meet the needs of your constituency. The right words and phrases at the right time communicate volumes about your team's care for its customers, guests, and clients.

In the comments: Have you heard some great service or value language? Ever feel like it's canned or disingenuous? How can we walk the line for our clients?

On Cookies (And Expectations, Too)

Of course I would be writing on cookies. Judging by my midsection, you could say I'm somewhat attached. But cookies are more than just delectable diet-devastators. In the hospitality industry, cookies are often props; they say "Welcome!" and "Make yourself comfortable." They invite guests to indulge and relax. If they are freshly baked, their aroma pleasantly reminds guests of Grandma's kitchen. It's hard to be unhappy when cookie-scent is wafting through the air.

Not too long ago, my wife and I were visiting Northwest Arkansas. We had heard great things about the Doubletree brand, and friends had told us about the greeting they received at the front desk: a freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie. Sure enough, all over the Doubletree website, this greeting is hailed as part of the company's culture of caring for its guests. Exhausted from the long drive but re-invigorated by the prospect of the evening's adventures, we hurriedly settled our things into the hotel room. It was great! The suite was spacious and beautiful, smelled clean and fresh, and (my usual complaint) the temperature was cool and relaxing. As we were settling in, I read all the little cards in the room; the company had done a great job branding and reinforcing its culture through the in-room literature. But a picture of a piled-high plate of cookies reminded me we had not been offered one when we checked in. The cookie at check-in was not a major draw for us. But our expectation had been set, and the items in our room only reminded us that the hotel staff had missed a detail.

In our Funeral Home, we bake fresh cookies for each Visitation. When guests arrive, the Funeral Home is filled with the sweet aroma, and we let our families know that freshly-baked cookies await them in the family lounge. This gesture tells the family "I didn't  set out a few dozen from a bulk box; I anticipated your arrival and baked these cookies especially for you and your guests." Among other things, the care expressed through this small gesture has helped build the community's expectation of excellence from our staff. Really, everyone has expectations set on them: customers expect service from businesses (good or bad), individuals expect certain characteristics in friends, etc. The three keys to exceeding these expectations are:

1. Communicating Your Culture
• Whether you are an individual or a business, you have a culture. Clearly articulating who you are lets others know what to expect from you. Often, people think that it's easier to exceed expectations when there are no expectations. I've got news for you: from the time someone hears your name, sees your face, or walks into your business, they've got expectations. If you're not setting expectations, they're being set for you.
2. Dedication to Details
• Details, details, details! From spell-checking correspondence and advertising to ensuring that your appearance is inviting, details will help you win or lose. If you miss a detail, you can be sure someone will notice: your client, your friend/coworker, or your boss. Sometimes this means keeping checklists or setting up reminders on your electronic devices. Do it!
3. Executing Excellence
• If you're always setting high expectations, the challenge is not to meet them; you must exceed expectations. This sounds dangerous: how can you keep exceeding expectations if the "bar" is set higher and higher every day? Businesses and individuals must be constantly developing themselves and improving on what they have learned. Change for the sake of change is not progress; be sure that you are executing excellence and improving the delivery of your products or services with each interaction.

Our stay with the Doubletree in Bentonville was excellent. But often people don't hear about the room temperature, the comfortable beds, and the excellent suites. They hear a goofy story about a missing cookie.

When is the last time you had a poor service experience? Has there been a time when a company's service was great but one of their promises was unfulfilled? Leave your thoughts in the comments.