Brand Experience: The Fine Line Between Loyalty and Loss

A brand is defined in many ways depending on who you ask, but at its core it’s simply a set of expectations and a promise to your customers to deliver on them. When that promise is fulfilled, consistently and by everyone, then more often than not this results in happy, loyal customers. Conversely, failing to deliver on that promise can lead to a wide range of emotions, anything from indifference to disappointment and all the way to anger, depending on how much you cared for the brand to begin with.

Over the past couple of weeks I got to have hands-on experience with two phenomenal brands I respect immensely, unfortunately these interactions left me at polar opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.

My mother has been unwell recently and whilst I can’t help her medically, I’m doing what I can to make her time memorable through new experiences and adventures. Both of these recent brand experiences coincidently involved my mother (a woman I owe everything I am, and everything I’ve achieved, to - but that’s a story for another day), which is probably why these experiences impacted me so profoundly - this is what happened:

Atlantis Resorts : When a brand delights!

I took my mother to The Atlantis Royale for their incredible afternoon tea (a first time experience for me as well), and from the moment we arrived, it was quite simply a masterclass in brand experience:

- As we arrived and the welcoming team saw my mother they promptly assisted her with her oxygen machine and wheelchair without batting an eye - strangers who made her feel totally at ease right off the bat.

- The valet then told us he’d park our car right by the entrance to ensure ease of access for her when we returned – incredibly thoughtful!

- Then as you walk in the ambiance is quite spectacular — from the elegant, bright airy lobby to their beautiful signature scent— a real sense of calm, all enhanced by a seamless collaboration with 路易·威登 . 2 brands that come together to compliment each other.

- Every staff member who we passed greeted us with genuine smiles and their iconic hand to heart gesture (a very Middle Eastern greeting), making us feel at home. It never felt fake!

- The restaurant staff took their time with my mother, listened to her (something older people truly crave), genuinely checking in on her, sharing laughs, and making her feel valued. They made her feel important.

- I’ve been to other restaurants at the hotel and the food was as exceptional as always, but I have to tell you about the coffee tart! No food has ever made me react like this before – I actually giggled with joy (yep, just like a kid), it was that incredible.

- And finally a thoughtful gift as we left, coupled with a warm farewell to the door, left us all with an incredible memory. Since then she’s made me promise to take her back again, although I’m taking her to their Greek restaurant first!

Emirates : When a brand lets you down

On the flip side, my long-standing loyalty to and genuine love for Emirates Airlines (over 20 years as a Gold and Platinum member) has really been knocked by a recent experience while flying with mum.

Traveling with her wheelchair and oxygen machine has become our constant reality over the last 2 years, making each journey a blend of joy and stress. Unfortunately, my last 2 encounters with Emirates have been both unbelievably aggravating and disappointing at the same time.

- My mother has an incredible passion for life and still wants to see the world so over the past 2 years I’ve been making sure she does just that. So after trips to Greece, Thailand, Italy and the Maldives (as well as a few trips back home to Saudi) I’m now fully proficient in the Emirates MEDIF (medical) form, which is filled out by a Doctor to ensure my mother gets oxygen on the flight. It’s actually quite a simple process and one I have no issues with since it’s there for the safety of the passenger.

- The EK medical team review the form before giving final approval to fly. However when the team drip-feeds additional requests over multiple days (3 unrelated requests over 3 separate days), rather than asking for everything in one go they simply frustrate the passenger. Getting ready for travel can be stressful enough already without adding further fuel to the fire through poor internal coordination.

- However things went truly wrong when the Emirates medical team decided to dig up a 7 month old medical report from April 2024 and demand additional tests based on her old medical history. This was despite having flown back with them in July (and therefore was cleared to fly) and a new MEDIF report submitted before this trip where her Dr also cleared her for travel

- Considering the seriousness of GDRP I’ve asked 10 times what right Emirates has to hold old medical reports over our heads like this but they have yet to answer and refuse to speak on the phone despite several requests.

- Net result I had to seriously inconvenience my mother, drag her out to find a hospital (oxygen and wheelchair in tow) that would do the test and give results back in a few hours since our flight was less than a day away. Keep in mind this (hemoglobin) is actually NOT even a test requested in the MEDIF form in the first place

- To make matters worse, when we finally landed at our destination there was no chair lift to help us down, so we had to wait for 45 minutes for one to be arranged.

- A brand can’t live off goodwill alone and the great work of certain groups. Honestly the only thing that calmed us down was the impeccable service of the in-flight crew as usual, but this time it just wasn’t enough.

?? Key Takeaways:

Both positive and negative experiences shape perceptions of a brand. The Atlantis Royale showcased how a brand can create joy through genuine service and keeping the needs of their customers (even brand new ones) front and center, while Emirates Airlines reminded me just how easily loyalty can wane when expectations are not met and when you take loyal customers for granted

Behind every transaction is a human experience. Building meaningful connections and putting yourselves in the shoes of your customers should always be a priority for everyone involved with the brand.

#BrandExperience #CustomerEngagement #ServiceExcellence #Loyalty #DataProtection #GDRP