If spending / shopping / dining was a experience, why not make it more interesting – even Magical at times

Can we create moments of magic for the customer at three distinctly different phases of purchases? and can these moments take the customer from one phase to another?
- At the time of decision to make a purchase
- At the time, money changes hands
- After the purchase is done and customer has left your premises or used your service or bought a product

All these could be times where we could create the FIZZ effect (Moment of Magic) for the customer. This goes beyond normal customer expectations and takes the experience to a different level.

Let me provide some examples vis-à-vis the normal processes –
1) X, is accompanied by a friend to a pizza chain, orders a large pizza, coke, is served by the waiter, is told that the coke is free, enjoys the meal, asks for the cheque, pays it, fills the feedback form – half-heartedly and leaves.

2) M walks into a store within a mall. Is a loyal customer of that store. Strolls around the stroll watching at different brands, labels, apparels. A loyal customer is unnoticed. Leaves without a trace.

These are two simple-real-life-day-to-day-experiences, we normally face. Can we build any moments of magic to achieve our Business Objective and to increase share of wallet and stickiness? Let us see. (Would really appreciate your inputs, on both counts, if you find them usable or completely absurd or unviable)

1) X, is accompanied by a friend to a pizza chain, (i*) orders a large pizza, coke, is served by the waiter, is told that the coke is free, enjoys the meal, asks for the cheque, pays it (ii*), fills the feedback form half-heartedly and leaves (iii*).

1st visit –
i* - updating customer’s mobile number as part of launching a loyalty program. Customer receives a SMS at real time, offering a free coke (irrespective of the order) for sharing details. A free coke comes on the table. Another chance to update name & important dates.

ii* or iii* - SMS showing gratitude for visiting and offer inducing them to come back.

Subsequent visit –
Asking for his / her mobile number. Checking that in records. Based on transactions, surprising the customer with an offer, every single time he visits.
Mobile number becomes the KEY.

2) M walks into a store within a mall. Is a loyal customer (a*) of that store. Strolls (b*) around the store watching at different brands, labels, apparels. A loyal customer is unnoticed. Leaves without a trace.

a* - Can the store ask the customer to swipe his loyalty card. The transactional history can throw an offer, which he is not even anticipating / expecting. It could be either a store offer or a cross promotional offer on a minimum purchase. There is a sense of recognition because this offer is only and only applicable to him.

b* - Give him a band to wear on his wrist (completely optional). This enables him to get preferential treatment in the store. Others seeing it would be enticed to follow.

c* - Assuming that he acts on the offer and purchases – another chance to communicate solely with him with some enticement of an offer for a repeat visit for purchases.

d* - SMS wishing him a good day and thanking him for the visit. This above communication in ‘c*’ can be in the form of SMS also.

Some things mentioned herein would be looked as overly-intimaditing the customer. All said and done, we all love surprises and pleasant shocks and recognition. Make the customers recognise a genuine effort and they will be genuine to you.