With so much competition for customers in the travel space, organizations are constantly seeking unique ways of creating meaningful bonds with those they serve. This challenge can often feel like a daunting and expensive one, but it doesn’t have to be. Providing customers with something valuable—when they least expect it—is an extraordinarily simple and low-cost path to crafting great customer experiences.
We’ve all felt the effects of surprise. While we often think about them in the context of our personal lives—birthday parties, for example—many of us have also been the recipients of surprises in our role as consumers, from ticket upgrades to complimentary gifts and more. Regardless of where they come from, they almost always leave an impression.
Surprises, even small ones, resonate.
They also have a profound effect on the human brain. Research has shown that surprises activate neural reward centers, providing recipients with, literally, a rush of delight. One study even found that the unexpected nature of an event may prove more memorable than the event itself. As that study’s co-author put it, “If you get a present for your birthday, that’s nice. But you’ll like it a lot more if you get a present and it’s not your birthday.”
When a company is able to disrupt travelers’ expectations—even slightly—it can create special moments that customers will remember.
This presents organizations with a big opportunity for creating impact with customers. Supplementing a brand’s services with a few unexpected offerings gives customers a positive psychological boost. It puts them in a better mood. From a business perspective, it’s pure value creation, adding to the overall experience without taking away from any other part of it—a true win-win.
Companies in the travel and tour business can utilize this knowledge to provide more remarkable travel experiences for guests, while at the same time creating differentiation for their brands. While customers relish the opportunity to be immersed in their travels, much of what they encounter is, frankly, expected. When a company is able to disrupt those expectations—even slightly—it can create special moments that customers will remember.
The possibilities for companies to use this approach are endless. Maybe a hotel offers free laundry service for guests, or a tour operator provides cold bottled water and soft drinks at no charge. The beauty is that there is no map. It’s not one-size-fits-all. Rather, it’s limited only by the creativity of those involved. It can, and should, look a little different for every organization.
When thinking about how to implement strategic surprise in your offerings, start by asking a few questions:
- Is there a theme in the feedback you receive from customers?
- Are there any lulls in the journey of your customers (literally and figuratively) that could benefit from a pop of surprise?
- What are the moments that would be a natural fit for this?
Engage your employees and customers to get a better sense of how and where this strategy would be of benefit. Front line employees often have the most significant amount of personal engagement with customers and therefore are a tremendous resource in both the planning and implementation of such a program.
The goal is to drive more satisfying encounters with guests, something that can only be achieved when the customer is at the center of the process. If this exercise begins to be seen as too planned and methodical—lacking a personal connection—customers will notice. So strive for sincerity.
Surprise is a valuable tool that travel brands can utilize to create more memorable moments for guests. It is a low-risk means for providing an even better and more unique travel experience. Implement one of your own and you may just find that—surprise!—your guests are more satisfied than ever.
Adam Hoette is the founder of Cerulean Insights, an experiential marketing company. To learn more, go to cerulean-insights.com.