Have you ever been to a home where the host truly made you feel like an honored guest? When traveling, have you ever stayed at a hotel where every member of the hotel staff made you feel like an honored guest at their establishment? 

Do you still remember those great experiences? How did the experience make you feel? I know anytime I have experienced the "honored guest" feeling, it amplified the joy of my entire experience.

Mom

I was blessed to learn the power of creating this experience at an early age by growing up in the home of Shirley Cummings, my mom. My entire life I have watched with such awe the way my mom treats every visitor to her home as an honored guest. From the moment you walk through her front door until the moment you leave, you feel like the most special person in the world.

The best part is, this is a reflection of who she is more than what she does to make you feel special. My mom has a servant's heart and operates with an attitude of gratitude in everything she does.

The Greeting

For 32 years, we have taught all of our clients who are in the customer facing business to implement this strategy. Our goal is to create a customer-keeping vision that both attracts and retains customers. We must remember everyone who sets foot inside our business has a bright flashing sign on their chest that says,

"Please, Make Me Feel Special." 

We created a greeting that has been adopted and used by thousands of businesses all over the world. From retail automotive dealerships, recreational vehicle dealers, marine dealers, all the way to major hotel chains and theme parks, these words have been said millions of times. Even Fortune 50 organizations in the insurance and financial services industries have adopted this philosophy.

The Words

"It's our stated policy to treat every customer as an honored guest in our home...Every Day, Every Time, Without Fail, No Exceptions. Would that be okay with you?" 

This simple but compelling statement sets the tone for a uniquely different customer experience. When you have the courage to make the promise early, you have no choice but to live up to the promise for the entirety of your customer's visit. This is a game changer.

Banners and Advertisements

This group of words proved so effective that we created marketing material for our clients to display throughout their businesses, so this became a visible and spoken promise. We had clients use this as the tagline in radio, television, print and digital marketing programs. All of these initiatives drove results and improved the experience for customers.

The Experience

I hope you will think about how you could use this philosophical approach to improve your customers' experience. Do it for the same reason my mom did every day. Do it because it's who you are as a business. This is something you never have to do...it is something you should be thrilled you get to do!

Thanks, Mom!

Make a difference today.