From Impressed to Obsessed: 12 Principles for Turning Customers and Employees into Lifelong Fans

CHAPTER 16

Personalize the Experience

A barista who greets you by name and knows your favorite drink. A stylist who remembers how you like your hair done. A financial advisor who asks about that vacation you took, after having seen you work so hard to save up for it. An airline’s customer service center that recognizes your phone number and automatically asks if you’re calling about next week’s scheduled trip. A manager who checks on how you’re feeling, after you were out of the office sick the prior week.

These are all examples of impressive experiences—but why? It’s because they represent interactions where the customer or the employee is made to feel special, made to feel like they’re more than just another cog in the wheel. That’s achieved ...