Quick Tip: The little things matter

Feb 18 2008

As with any experience with a company or brand, people tend to notice and appreciate the details. Late last week I took my son to a doctor’s office. The office building was part of a big medical campus that was attached to a large and complicated parking deck. As we were waiting for the elevator to come and take us up to ground level, I noticed a small plastic display in front of the elevator, filled with business cards. The cards told you where you had parked so you wouldn’t get lost on the way out. On the back, they printed the facility’s phone number and web address.

It was an unexpected and considerate detail, especially in light of the stress and uncertainty that comes with doctors visits in general. Plus, it cost them next to nothing to produce and is likely noticed and appreciated by hundreds of visitors every day.

Sometimes it helps to take a step back and put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think about what it’s like to experience your product or service from their point of view. What can we do to make it just a little easier for our customers to do business with us?

People remember the little things… Sometimes even more than the product/service itself. I’ve just written several paragraphs inspired by the parking lot at my son’s doctor’s office. I also appreciate the hot minty towels that my barber uses and that they remember me and my regular order at my favorite coffee shop. They aren’t the only reason I continue to go to these places, but they certainly help.