Loyalty by Design

Having recently reached the milestone of flying two million miles on United Airlines, I had an exceptional experience during a flight from San Francisco to Chicago. This encounter exemplified how a surprising and a playful experience can create powerful customer loyalty.

When I entered the plane I poked my head into the flight deck, I greeted the pilot and thanked him for his expertise. To my delight, he was incredibly friendly and even invited me to sit in the Captain's seat! As we chatted about our respective careers, he presented me with a super cool Million Mile coin, plus he photo directed this picture to make sure I looked like I was flying the plane. How fun! At the end of the flight, the crew presented me with a handwritten note to congratulate me on my achievement. Thank you flight number 1973.

This experience was an excellent example of how companies can design meaningful loyalty experiences that surprise and delight customers. It's a principle that I'm trying to get the companies I work with to embrace. By giving frontline employees the freedom to create personalized, light touch, memorable experiences, companies can foster deeper connections with their customers.

Unfortunately, my subsequent experience with United was less impressive. I recently received a small plexiglass frame and a 2 million mile paper card in the mail, along with a belated apology. While I appreciated the gesture, it paled in comparison to the personal touch that the flight crew had provided.

So I urge companies to think beyond points and rewards and focus on designing experiences that truly resonate with their customers. By doing so, they can build genuine loyalty and create a lasting impression that will keep customers coming back.