Creating Memorable Experiences: Connect, Commit, Communicate

In the marketing and communications world, we constantly consider new opportunities to improve user experience. What does the customer need? How can we address their pain points? At the core, what do they truly value? Customer-centricity is an age-old concept; teams have been discussing it throughout my 30+ year career. Yet, in my experience, there’s still a wide gap between theory and practice; all too often I’ve seen consumer-based strategy and product-focused tactics that aren’t in alignment. This generally stems from a lack of audience awareness. If you don’t have a thorough understanding of your target, nothing else matters.

To cultivate the best consumer relations, it’s critical to develop a team with a genuine desire to connect with your customers and uncover deep insights about what matters most to them. Commitment to this heart-centered process and mission is key to its success, paired with frequent, transparent communication. A team who consistently engages consumers with interactions built upon a framework of authentic communication first creates trust, then brand loyalty over time, and that established connection will grow the business. My mantra for creating such memorable experiences is this: connect, commit, communicate.

The strongest relationships (customer and otherwise) begin with a human connection, followed by a commitment to foster it through ongoing communication. The following sentiment from Maya Angelou reminds me of the best consumer experience of my life: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” How true. In July of 1997, I traveled with a college friend through the Benelux countries by train. We stopped in Brussels briefly to explore the city. After two days of consuming disappointing meals, on our last evening there, we asked our hotel concierge for a dinner restaurant recommendation. Her sweet face lit up – she had the perfect place in mind, just around the corner. Thoughtfully, she called ahead to let their staff know we’d be arriving shortly.

We walked a few blocks down the charming street and turned left to find the small, but inviting restaurant the concierge had described. As we approached the painted wooden door, it swung open and we were greeted by a kindly older gentleman, with a wide, friendly smile, beckoning us to come in. He began chatting away comfortably in Belgian French, which neither of us speak. It soon became apparent that he spoke no English. We faced a language impasse, but the broad smile never left his face. He escorted us to his best table, in front of the only bay window, with a thick, cream-colored candle dribbling wax down the side, and a glass bud vase featuring a single red rose. He held up his index finger, indicating for us to wait a minute while he disappeared into the kitchen. The soft, warm ambience drew us right in, and we felt an instant connection to this man and his world.

While he was gone, we took the opportunity to survey the rest of the rustic, cozy restaurant. There were only a half-dozen bistro-sized tables and a few stools along a short, narrow bar. It was early for dinner by European standards, so there were no other customers dining. It seemed that our new friend was the only person working and we didn’t want to disappoint him by leaving, but as someone with severe food allergies, I was nervous about ordering without being able to explain my dietary restrictions. We were considering our options when the gentleman returned, carrying two beautifully-etched champagne flutes filled with something pale pink and bubbly. It smelled amazing – dry and just a touch fruity, so we toasted and figured we would at least enjoy a drink there before moving on. He kept smiling, nodding, and signaling for us to wait as he made a phone call; it appeared that he had some kind of plan in motion. Our language barrier was no deterrent and his good mood never wavered. He was clearly invested in making this work. His commitment to us and our pleasant dining experience was palpable.

A short five minutes later, a tall, handsome middle-aged man wearing a plaid flannel shirt and worn jeans strode purposefully through the front door. He looked over at our table and gave us a big wave as he warmly greeted the restaurant owner. They talked casually in French for a few minutes, then both headed over to where we sat, expectantly. The younger man switched easily into English, introducing himself as an American who occasionally lived in Brussels for work. He explained that he rented an apartment nearby and fell into the habit of eating at this restaurant every night. He was now good friends with the older gentleman who was the owner, host, waiter, bartender, and chef – and who had called him to come over a little early that evening to be our translator. With a little ingenuity, our communication challenge was solved.

 Those two gentlemen understood the nature of pure service. They made a fantastic team and provided us with an unforgettable evening. We devoured the freshly chopped Caesar salad. For the main course, there was a curried rice dish that I really wanted to try, but I’m allergic to shrimp – the main ingredient. They happily personalized my order, substituting chicken. Hands down, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. We had an outstanding bottle of wine. And our translator even called his neighbors, who were college exchange students, to come over and have dinner with us so we’d have some young, lively company. From what could have been a completely frustrating situation, they created the perfect dining experience – an opportunity to celebrate in a warm, inviting atmosphere with amazing food, wine, and new friends.

Maya Angelou was right – we felt like the most important people in the world that night and it was certainly an evening I’ll never forget. This priceless, above and beyond encounter became my standard for customer service. This is true people-centricity. This is what the marketing communications industry needs – thinking outside the box, finding unexpected ways to nurture connections, making a commitment to provide the best experience a customer can have within your care, and building new bridges to communicate when there seemingly aren’t any other means available. For me, these are the three keys to creating a more than memorable experience: connect, commit, communicate. Our Belgian friends raised the bar, embracing these principles in fine style.