“Give away free drinks, but never in a routine fashion.”
In my early 20’s, I got a job bartending at a local watering hole. The proprietor, Jerry, was a sharp businessman who taught me more than a few things that have stuck with me nearly two decades later.
One of my favorite lessons of his was how to handle the “free drink”. Regulars at a bar, especially in Wisconsin tavern culture, are accustomed to receiving a free drink. Before my first shift, Jerry told me two things:
The logic? If a freebie is expected it loses its value, setting a trap for the time you don’t deliver.
Recently, I was on the other side of the bar – or counter, in this instance. In preparation for an upcoming triathlon, I took my bike in to a local shop for a pre-race tune up. The head mechanic and part owner of the shop called me soon after I had dropped it off and excitedly told me that it was all set and how pleased he was with how it came out.
When I arrived to pick it up, I inquired about any balance due. He waved it off, “Everything works smoothly. Have a great race.” I know he probably spent around 15 minutes on it, giving it a once over and tweaking a couple of things. And he could have easily charged me a service minimum or a percentage of the shops hourly labor rate. Instead, he managed to wow me, an already loyal customer, with his surprise.
Customer loyalty is earned through consistent action on your customer’s behalf. But taking the customer experience one step further, to a place where a loyal customer freely shares their experience with potential customers? That can be bought – and fairly cheaply.
There is value in surprise; the key is to offer, provide, or just do something that makes your customer feel appreciated. What can you do that is simple, yet unexpected, to make a customers day?
photo credit: © gstockstudio / Dollar Photo Club
With so many customer surprises, Ben should be called the Sales Wizard instead of the Sales Cyclist. Specialis Revelio! Have you received something unexpected from a company that really impressed you? Sound off in the comments section below or shoot Ben an email.
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