Tip 55: Give your customers an unexpected surprise

I know, I know, everyone doesn’t like surprises. But when you surprise your customers with something good, something cool, something they’ll no doubt enjoy, they tend to remember and appreciate it.

Examples

  1. WestJet, an airline in Canada gave lots of unexpected surprises when they provided the exact gifts their customers said they wanted in real time. Customers were over the moon delighted as a result.
  2. While at dinner with friends one night, a scrumptious dessert showed up at our table. Complements of our waiter. As my friends were deciding which dessert to get, he heard them debating between two options. Once they ordered one, he surprised them with the other as a gift. It was a lovely gesture which was a nice ending to a wonderful meal.

Suggestions

  1. Make a plan to give your customers gift that will knock their socks off. By setting an intention well in advance for how to surprise your customers, you’ll come off with great ways to delight them in a big way.
  2. Leave room to offer spontaneous gifts to your customers. When you hear them mention things they would like or enjoy, empower your team to make it happen for them. Even the smallest of gestures sometimes make a huge impact.

Application for your business

  1. Brainstorm three ways to delight your customers on the spot with an unexpected gift based upon what you’ve seen them do or heard them say.
  2. Brainstorm three ways you can delight your customers in a big way through planning in advance something to rock their world.

Previous tips

1-22. Section 1: Build a relationship with your customers (series)

23-48. Section 2: Make your customers’ lives better (series)

49. Treat everyone fairly

50. Play favorites (to your best customers)

51. Treat your customers like they are the most important customer in the world

52. Make your customers feel exclusive

53. Be thoughtful

54. Introduce a loyalty program