BUSINESS
A surprising approach to
better customer experience
BY ADAM HOETTE
IN THE QUEST for
building a better
experience for your
guests, why not
use some strategic
surprise?
With so much
competition for
customers in the
travel space, organizations are con-
stantly seeking unique ways of creat-
ing meaningful bonds with those they
serve. This challenge can often feel like
a daunting and expensive one, but it
doesn’t have to be. Providing customers
with something valuable—when they
least expect it—is an extraordinarily
simple and low-cost path to crafting
great customer experiences.
We’ve all felt the effects of surprise.
While we often think about them in the
context of our personal lives—birthday
parties, for example—many of us have
also been the recipients of surprises in our
role as consumers, from ticket upgrades to
complimentary gifts and more. Regardless
of where they come from, they almost
always leave an impression.
Surprises, even small ones, resonate.
They also have a profound effect on the
human brain. Research has shown that
surprises activate neural reward centers,
providing recipients with, literally, a rush
of delight. One study even found that the
unexpected nature of an event may prove
more memorable than the event itself. As
that study’s co-author put it, “If you get a
present for your birthday, that’s nice. But
you’ll like it a lot more if you get a pres-
ent and it’s not your birthday.”
This presents organizations with a
big opportunity for creating impact with
customers. Supplementing a brand’s
services with a few unexpected offer-
ings gives customers a positive psycho-
logical boost. It puts them in a better
mood. From a business perspective, it’s
pure value creation, adding to the over-
all experience without taking away from
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any other part of it—a true win-win.
Companies in the travel and tour
business can utilize this knowledge to
provide more remarkable travel experi-
ences for guests, while at the same time
creating differentiation for their brands.
While customers relish the opportunity
to be immerse d in their travels, much
of what they encounter is, frankly,
expected. When a company is able
to disrupt those expectations—even
slightly—it can create special moments
that customers will remember.
The possibilities for companies to
use this approach are endless. Maybe
a hotel offers free laundry service for
guests, or a tour operator provides cold
bottled water and soft drinks at no
charge. The beauty is that there is no
map. It’s not one-size-fits-all. Rather, it’s
limited only by the creativity of those
involved. It can, and should, look a little
different for every organization.
When a company
is able to
disrupt travelers’
expectations—even
slightly—it can create
special moments
that customers will
remember.
When thinking about how to imple-
ment strategic surprise in your offer-
ings, start by asking a few questions:
• Is there a theme in the feedback
you receive from customers?
• Are there any lulls in the journey of
your customers (literally and figu-
ratively) that could benefit from a
pop of surprise?
• What are the moments that would
be a natural fit for this?
Engage your employees and custom-
ers to get a better sense of how and
where this strategy would be of benefit.
Front line employees often have the
most significant amount of personal
engagement with customers and there-
fore are a tremendous resource in both
the planning and implementation of
such a program.
The goal is to drive more satisfying
encounters with guests, something that
can only be achieved when the cus-
tomer is at the center of the process. If
this exercise begins to be seen as too
planned and methodical—lacking a
personal connection—customers will
notice. So strive for sincerity.
Surprise is a valuable tool that travel
brands can utilize to create more
memorable moments for guests. It is a
low-risk means for providing an even
better and more unique travel experi-
ence. Implement one of your own and
you may just find that—surprise!—your
guests are more satisfied than ever.
Adam Hoette is the founder of Cerulean
Insights, an experiential marketing
company. Reach out to him at adam@
cerulean-insights.com or go to cerulean-
insights.com.