Dear leaders, a few weeks ago, I took my puppy to get his first groom. For me and my girlfriend, it was like sending off our first child to the nursery for the first time.
We were a couple of minutes late, I hate being late it’s one of my bug bearers, and picking him up and with a mad dash, we were only a couple of minutes late.
The groomers were brilliant from the first micro-moment, they asked if it was our by his name, they told us what they were going to do and not do and they asked us if we wanted a call halfway through with an update or a reminder call just before to make our way back to their shop.
It instantly put us at ease, they gave us clear instructions and one option to select, reducing our choice fatigue and nervousness.
The 90 minutes whizzed by and they called when they said they would, they were super friendly when we came through the door and explained the process and how our puppy got on. Thankfully, he got on very well and importantly it was an experience, a positive experience and it made us know we would be going back. It would be his spa.
Special Touch: They gave great follow on recommendations and said how much they liked him and even put a bow on his collar as a little extra touch.
The experience wasn’t just for our puppy it was for us too, the groomers knowing how we would feel, what we would want to experience and where we may feel anxious. The special little touches really stood out, the bow as a lite touch branded reminder of the experience. A product manager or UX expert would have been super proud if they had engineered this flow.
Why was it special? They said hello to the puppy by his name, they made us feel at ease straight away, they did what they said and promised, they gave us clear instructions and an option to suit us, they communicated very clearly and gave our puppy an experience and a special treat. This wasn’t just a transaction, it was an experience for the three of us.
To me this is one of the biggest and simplest forms of leadership you can have.
Do You Still Have That Special Sauce?
This got me thinking, so many brands have lost that special edge, that secret touch that goes over and above their competitors.
A few more examples:
“Prime Expectations” - Amazon delivers when they say they will, in their simple packaging. They have set the tone for others to deliver within 24 hours at a fair price (mostly) and be given numerous prime perks like prime music, prime video etc. Their famous flywheel makes it difficult for anyone to compete at scale
Zappos’ famously upgraded customers shipping on their first order
Superhuman (the email client) 30-minute hands-on personalised onboarding (aka productivity coaching) for every customer
Five Guys and their extra scoop of fries
Jumbo (Dutch supermarket) introducing slow lanes so customers who want to chat at the checkout can
This week’s focus action: Work through how far away are you from what made your brand or service special?
Maybe it’s time to embrace that expert within your business as of leaders letter 146
How far away from that uniqueness you once offered are you?
Alternatively, a personal quest: Ask yourself, have you lost that edge? How far away from your secret sauce or superpower are you now?
It made me rethink a couple of elements and ensure I continue my special touches in my mentor process.
Thanks and have a good week,
Danny Denhard