How big is your wow factor?
What do you expect when you go to a restaurant? Many servers will hand you the menu or put it down on the table in front of you. Then the server will go through the specials of the day. Some restaurants even train their staff to go through the menu with you or highlight a few key items they want to bring to your attention. Would you agree that these are restaurant-industry standards?
Let’s step outside of the restaurant industry for a minute. Last week, I attended a sales meeting at my prospect’s office. Her office was located in a high-rise tower in downtown Vancouver. Like most office tower settings, there was a reception desk at the entrance and a lounge area for waiting. Once I was settled in my chair with magazine in hand, something happened that was so simple and professional it caught me off guard, as I had never experienced it before.
The receptionist approached me with an open menu, the kind I would expect from a high-end restaurant, and asked me what beverage I would like. The menu had an extensive list of hot and cold beverages to choose from. I know this sounds very boring but I opted for water. There were no cocktails on the list.
The menu is very much out of context for an office environment, making it a truly unexpected (albeit pleasant) surprise. This out-of-context experience is what creates the WOW factor.
What could your company do that would be considered out of context in your industry?