From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Customer Journeys more than the basics
Customer experience is the cornerstone of any successful business. A distinction between what is basic offering and what is truly outstanding and amazing becomes the key to driving innovation and success.
Businesses often talk about delivering excellence. How many truly understand the gap between meeting expectations and exceeding them? Let’s explore how customers inspire innovation by pushing organizations to evolve from delivering the ordinary to crafting the extraordinary.
‘Basic’ is the foundation of transaction. It is the minimum expectation customers have when engaging with a product, service, or experience. In a restaurant, basic means serving warm food. It could be seen that in retail it’s having staff who acknowledge customers - with a basic hello. For an event, it’s ensuring a smooth ticket check process and ensuring to see what is happening.
The basics are not just about functionality; they are about competence. If the basics aren’t met, customers feel undervalued and frustrated. However, fulfilling the basics doesn’t win loyalty. It can be argued it doesn’t excite, delight, or create memorable moments. Customers expect the basics—they don’t applaud them.
But here lies the opportunity of experience. The ‘basic’ is a launching pad. It provides the stability to focus on crafting something beyond functional—something amazing.
Being amazing is about moving from transactions to transformations. WOW - tell me more!
It’s about creating moments that resonate emotionally, leaving customers feeling heard, valued, and inspired. Amazing experiences go beyond checking boxes; they forge connections, tell stories, and create loyalty.
Here are a few key elements of delivering an amazing experience:
Personalisation - Customers are no longer satisfied with one-size-fits-all approaches. It’s when a coffee is more than a coffee - it’s your named coffee. It’s when you go on a rollercoaster and at the end you get a photograph of your experience. Amazing experiences adapt to the individual’s needs, preferences, and emotions
Anticipating Needs - Customers shouldn’t have to ask for excellence—it should be delivered before they even realize they need it. Airlines that proactively rebook a passenger due to a flight delay or hotels that leave a thoughtful birthday note create unforgettable moments. When chocolates are left on the bed for arrival.
Emotional Impact - Being amazing is about making people feel something. It’s the goosebumps when a live event ends with fireworks timed perfectly to the music. It’s the joy of a child’s laughter when they’re greeted by their favorite character. It’s about the moments customers carry with them long after the experience is over. It’s that ‘drop’ that captures people’s inner engagement.
Exceeding Expectations - Meeting expectations is basic. Exceeding them is amazing. For example, a basic hotel room provides clean sheets and towels. An amazing hotel room surprises the guest with a handwritten note and chocolates. Small touches like these elevate the customer experience and turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
In today’s competitive landscape, delivering amazing experiences is no longer optional—it’s essential. Businesses that go beyond the basics are the ones that thrive. They build stronger customer relationships, generate word-of-mouth referrals, and stand out in a crowded market.
Being amazing doesn’t require grand gestures or limitless budgets. It’s about the details, the thoughtfulness, and the willingness to go the extra mile. It’s about being bold enough to challenge the status quo and curious enough to ask, “What more can we do?”
The transition from ordinary to extraordinary is not a leap—it’s a series of deliberate steps. By redefining ‘basic’ as the starting point and aiming for ‘amazing’ as the goal, businesses can craft experiences that inspire, delight, and innovate.
The secret to innovation lies with the customers themselves. They show us what’s working, what’s not, and what’s possible. When we listen closely, they push us to break boundaries, rewrite the rules, and transform the mundane into the remarkable.
In the end, amazing is not just about the experience—it’s about the lasting impression. It’s the story the customer tells after the interaction is over. So, let’s listen, learn, and innovate—because every customer deserves extraordinary