Think about the last time you went to a restaurant, finished your meal, and nobody offered you dessert.
Happens all the time. And it’s not because the restaurant doesn’t have dessert. It’s because the staff felt a little awkward about offering it.
You didn’t ask for it. They didn’t want to seem pushy. So they said nothing, cleared the plates, and brought over the bill.
And the restaurant left money on the table. Every single time.
Here’s the thing though. It’s not just restaurants.
It’s the car salesperson who forgets to mention the paint protection package. The clothing store staff member who doesn’t suggest the belt that goes with the shoes you just bought. The gym sales rep who signs you up for a membership and never mentions the personal training sessions. The hotel front desk that checks you in without mentioning the spa, the breakfast package, or the room upgrade.
In every one of these situations, the staff member felt uncomfortable making the offer. So they didn’t.
And the customer, who might have genuinely wanted it, never got the chance to say yes.
This is where I think we’ve got the upsell completely backwards.
Most staff think offering something extra is an imposition. That the customer will feel pressured or annoyed. But the reality is that most customers actually appreciate being told what’s available. They’re not going to volunteer it themselves. They don’t know what they don’t know.
Not offering the upsell doesn’t make you considerate. It just means the customer misses out on something they might have actually wanted.
They can always say no. But at least give them the chance.
The awkwardness your staff are feeling is real, but it’s misplaced. It usually comes down to confidence and training. If your team doesn’t genuinely believe in what they’re offering, or they haven’t been shown how to offer it naturally, they’re going to avoid it every time.
And that avoidance has a cost. Not just in lost revenue, but in the customer experience itself. A good recommendation at the right moment makes people feel looked after. It makes the whole experience feel more complete.
The best service isn’t just giving people what they asked for. It’s knowing what else they might need and having the confidence to bring it up.
Dessert is the simplest example. But the principle runs through every customer-facing business.
If your staff aren’t offering it, it’s worth asking why.