Every customer, every day walks into your store with anticipation. Everything you do or don’t do impacts your customers’ feelings and all the feelings blend to influence the customer’s relationship with your brand. Hence it is the Customer Feelings that defines your success.

THE FIRST FEELING SETS THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE: What is the first feeling your customers have in your store? This is a momentum builder. A positive first feeling creates a positive halo that will go through the rest of the experience and make them feel that they made the right decision to visit. A negative first feeling can start lead to doubt if they made the right choice.

An Example: Can A Glass Of Water Make Or Break An Experience

I walked into one of my client’s office and Emily at the front desk greeted me with a big smile. She asked me: “Arjun, may I get you a glass of water?”

I paused for a second, and realized it was a special moment as not everyday someone offers me a glass of water. My eyes lit up as I said “Yes, I would love a glass of water.” The next second, Emily politely stated, “There is a fridge behind you. Feel free to get a bottle from there.”

Ouch. What just happened. My anticipation was killed. I was trying my best to hide my disappointment as I opened the fridge to grab a bottle. I had no problems getting a bottle of water from the fridge. But once an anticipation of something special is set, any disappointment stays with us for the entire experience.

That day when I walked into the CEO’s office a part me still held on to my disappointment over being promised and then denied a glass of water. Yes, it has been months and I still have not forgotten.

5 Questions For You To Create That Positive First Feeling

1. What is it?
2. Is it unique?
3. Is it a brand separator?
4. How consistently do you deliver it?
5. Do you have plans to improve it?