Imagine you are on vacation, and you decide to spend some time shopping in one of your favorite retail stores. Much of your time spent in the store you are just browsing and making small talk with the associates about things you have seen and places you should visit while in town. The associates are very helpful and you finally decide on a small purchase and head on your way.

Now imagine when you return home there waiting is a hand written envelope addressed to you. You immediately notice the logo in corner and it is from the retailer you visited while you were traveling. Within the envelope there is a beautiful folded note card. On the inside (to your surprise) is a hand-written note from the associate who helped you out in the store. The note references the conversation you had, wishes you safe travels home and thanks you for your business.

Almost unbelievable, but it happened to me. As a consumer I was smitten (that’s right… smitten), an instant customer for life. A company had actually taken the time to remember me and personally thank me? After I had left the store? With a personal note? That’s where the Marketer in me took over.  Here is an international retailer with great Customer Experience Management (CEM) policies in place to make sure they create a positive/ memorable experience for its customers.

If you think about that from a marketing standpoint creating this experience for customers does four big things- 1. Makes a customer feel like his/her business is truly appreciated & gives each customer a sense of “VIP” status, 2. Builds a positive association in your mind between the experience, its effects on your senses and the brand, 3. Increases the likelihood you will continue to do business with that brand and 4. Basically guarantees you will talk about this experience to someone (potentially someone who will engage the brand looking for the same experience).I thought to myself “Here is a company who gets it!” They are clearly a customer- centric organization. Customers are first and that’s all there is to it. They don’t want customers shopping in their stores; they want customers experiencing their brand. Customers talk about experiences, and make recommendations to friends based on them.

So how do you create a customer experience your customers will not forget? In my opinion I think the big message has to be a “top down” effort that focuses on customer needs.

1. Commitment from upper management
2. Know your customers. What is important to them and what makes them happy?
3. Using what your customers define as “value” to develop a solid customer experience strategy. Execution and follow up is key.
4. All employees must know their rolls. This directly feeds into execution.
5. Ongoing measurement. You must understand what is working and what is not. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers how you are doing…. And listen to them.

Creating the perfect strategy is not something that will happen overnight. It is also not something that can or should be created by one person.  You will make mistakes, but in the end your customers will notice your efforts, will tell their friends and will spend more money.

Oh, and if you’re wondering who that retailer is that blew my mind and inspired this post… Burberry.  You guys rock, especially the team at the Easton Town Center in Columbus, OH‎.