How Unreasonable Hospitality Takes Customer Focus to New Levels

Gartner research shows that a positive customer service experience means:

• 82% probability of repurchase or renewal when given the chance to switch
• 86% probability of increasing wallet share
• 97% probability of sharing positive word-of-mouth

Yet only 15% of customer interactions provide “value enhancement,” it says. (1)

Put another way, there’s a big upside to providing more than good customer service.

For true customer loyalty (transforming customers into raving fans), organisations must embrace "unreasonable customer service" - going far beyond the expected level of hospitality to create extraordinary, memorable experiences.

In this article, we unpack great customer service and explore how you can action it in your organisation.

Unreasonable Hospitality

Restaurateur Will Guidara exemplifies the art of delivering an exceptional customer experience in his viral TED Talk and book "Unreasonable Hospitality."

Guidara co-owned the renowned Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City, which was once named “Best Restaurant in The World” thanks to their relentless customer focus and personalised guest experiences.

All high-end restaurants offer exceptional dining experiences. To stand out, Guidara says he encouraged his staff to listen intently for opportunities to provide “unreasonable hospitality.”

For example, he once created an unexpectedly positive experience for a table by serving up a $2 street hot dog (having overheard the customers lament they’d not had the chance to try one while in New York).

This special attention to detail drives customer engagement and turns patrons into brand advocates.

Examples of Exceptional Customer Service

Exceptional customer service includes:

• Making it easier for a customer to do business with you – seamless if possible
• Anticipating unspoken needs – trying to feel what they’re feeling
• Personalising the experience – making them feel human and seen
• Wildly exceeding expectations through excellent customer service that feels bespoke and caring

Amazon's 1-Click

For example, in the late 1990, some clever Amazon team member invented its patented “1-Click” checkout process, allowing customers to complete purchases with a single click.

This seamless experience stands out in a world increasingly fraught with complex transactions.

Apple's Iconic Sensory Packaging

苹果 is also good at creating a great customer experience, starting with its luxury packaging. The sleek box is often kept long after the product is unwrapped because it is seen as an extension of the product experience.

As Fast Company says, Apple's philosophy is "about creating a user experience that is not just functional but delightful." (2)

Eleven Madison Park

At Eleven Madison Park , Will Guidara created a “Dreamweaver” role so one person was focused on helping staff create excellent customer experiences.

One time, when the restaurant researched the individual who made a booking they discovered the diner had an Instagram account about his love of bacon.

Upon the conclusion of his meal, the restaurant surprised him with a jar of homemade bacon granola (not the usual coconut pistachio given to other customers) to take home.

Another time, overhearing a diner expressing guilt about not buying a toy to take home, the Dreamweaver sewed a unique teddy bear out of kitchen towels in time for the guest to take it home.

In some cases, such great customer service creates incremental costs for the organisation. However, not all gestures cost anything, and the payoff regarding customer loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and overall revenue could be worth it.

Memorable Moments Create Fans

Given the fierce competition and digital noise we all face, doubling down on unreasonable service is one of the most powerful ways to differentiate your organisation.

It requires empowering staff to be empathetic to the voice(s) of the customer and training them to listen or watch carefully for subtle cues that reveal how to surprise and delight each person.

So don't just satisfy your customers - dazzle them with wildly unreasonable acts of hospitality and great experiences, no matter the industry you play in.

Those memorable moments create fans for life and happy customers who yearn to return.

For organisations looking to identify opportunities for unreasonable service, here are some action points:

Gather customer feedback

Gather feedback obsessively through surveys, social media listening, online reviews, and any other channel where the voice of the customer can be heard. Analyse this data to understand pain points and unmet needs.

Empower employees

According to Daniel Pink , author of 'Drive,' once money is “off the table” there are “three key motivators” for employees: Purpose, mastery and autonomy.

Using a technology metaphor, Pink told a Future of Work conference in Melbourne “The technology for engagement” was self-direction. “That’s how people engage,” he says.

In other words, employee engagement can lift if you empower them with the freedom to deliver unique experiences tailored to their customers 'in-the-moment'. Celebrate and incentivise employees who take “unreasonable” (or bespoke) actions.

Analyse the entire customer journey

Use customer journey mapping to spot gaps and areas for improvement or 'wow moments'. Brainstorm how to elevate the experience at each touchpoint.

Build relationships

Improve your relationships with customers by collecting personal details and using tools/ systems to record preferences - then leverage that data to personalise future customer experiences.

Be ruthlessly self-critical

Don’t be shy in honestly evaluating your own customer service experience from the customer's perspective. Identify any areas of customer frustration or moments that fall short of delivering a positive, differentiating experience.

The key is to be relentlessly focused on your customers' needs and to creatively explore ways to not just meet those needs but to amplify the experience in unreasonable ways.

“Intention means every decision, from the most obviously significant to the seemingly mundane, matters.” - Will Guidara

Growth Faculty Membership

Growth Faculty members have an opportunity on July 31 to join an interactive discussion with Will Guidara on his new book "Unreasonable Hospitality."

It's part of it's immersive live virtual learning program; an engaging and entertaining way to develop leaders.

Growth Faculty recently launched a good value Enterprise plan for larger companies to develop leadership skills in teams of 20 or more employees.

There is an exclusive and unique in-person Good to Great? Immersion Workshop with Jim Collins in Chicago, U.S., in October 2024 for executives and senior leaders.

1.“How Service Leaders Can Increase Customer Loyalty,” Gartner

2."Unboxing the delightful UX of Apple's boxes," 2023, Fast Company