We’re 3 examples away from the goal of 1,001 example of marketing lagniappe. #998 in the Project was submitted by Bob Thompson, CEO of CustomerThink:
In Bob’s words:
“Stan, here’s the story I tell people when I speak about the importance of “memorable” experiences. I travel a lot, and don’t remember much about business hotels. I expect “good” service and for the most part they deliver.
But I do remember a stay early this year at the Hilton Orlando. I arrived late and went to the restaurant for a bite to eat, just before they closed.The waiter took my order, left, and then seemed to take just a little bit longer than normal to return with my drink. Nothing outrageous, but I noticed it. When the waiter came back, he apologized for the delay and said my drink was “on the house.”
What made this memorable was:
- I didn’t have to complain. In fact, it really wasn’t much of an issue. So far as I know, I didn’t look upset or give any signals I was unhappy.
- He was observant enough to know that the delay was too long. Maybe my body language gave a signal?
- He was empowered by his employer to do something on the spot, without asking permission.
For this tired traveler, a “little something extra” by an empathetic and empowered employee made my stay at the Hilton Orlando a memorable experience.”
Marketing Lagniappe Takeaway: Great way to be proactive with a service recovery. 90% of people don’t complain. Do the little extra to make a blah experience into a remark-able one.
Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra for good measure) – Check out the 892 foot Lazy River, one of the signature features at The Hilton Orlando:
How do you stand out in the sea of sameness and go the extra mile to keep your customers happy like The Orlando Hilton? How do you win repeat customers and influence word of mouth? Are you Giving Little Unexpected Extras?
What’s Your GLUE? What’s Your Purple Goldfish?
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