A Physical Store Needs to Give Customers Something Online Cannot
A physical store has one big disadvantage. It requires effort. The customer has to leave the house. Drive there. Find parking. Walk in. Look around. Possibly wait. Compare that with buying online. A few taps. No travel. No queue. No awkward interaction. So if a customer is going to make the effort to visit a […]
The Problem With Trying Too Hard to Delight Customers
“Delighting the customer” sounds like a good goal. It sounds generous. Ambitious. Customer-focused. But it can also lead businesses to improve things the customer never wanted changed. That is where the trouble starts. There is a difference between creating value and creating a surprise. Businesses often confuse the two. They assume faster is always better. […]
Customers Don’t Want More Service. They Want Less Friction
There is a strange assumption in business that better customer service always means adding more human interaction. More staff. More conversations. More check-ins. More opportunities to “delight” the customer. But sometimes, the best thing you can do is simply get out of their way. Think about filling up your car. Years ago, you would pull […]
The Awkward Moment Your Staff Are Avoiding Is Hurting Your Business
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 […]
Why the Friendliest Service Isn’t Always the Best Service
I was out in a country town in Western New South Wales a while back, and it struck me how friendly everyone was. People say hello on the street. You walk into a cafe and it’s warm, it’s welcoming, properly country hospitality. The kind of thing you don’t get as much in the city. And […]
Your Best Store Might Not Be Your Best Store
I’ve had this conversation more times than I can count. A client comes to me and says, “Look, we’ve got a real problem at this location. But that one over there is fine, we’re not worried about that one.” We run the evaluations. And more often than not, they’ve got it the wrong way around. […]
Your Restaurant’s Cleanliness is Judged in One Place (And It’s Not the Kitchen)
When customers step into your restaurant, they don’t just judge you by your food. They judge you by the details—your service, the atmosphere, the overall experience. And whether you realize it or not, there’s one unexpected place that shapes their perception the most: the restroom. Think about it. How often do you hear someone return […]
How Many Mystery Shops Do You Really Need?
When it comes to mystery shopping, one of the most common questions I hear is: How many shops should we do? It’s a fair question—but the answer is one that no one really likes: It depends. And it depends on quite a few things—your goals, budget, and what you’re trying to uncover. Whether you’re running […]
Launching a New Store? Here’s What to Focus on First
Launching a new store is exciting—and overwhelming. Whether it’s your second location or the start of a nationwide rollout, there’s one question that always comes up: Where should you start? A recent conversation with a client reminded me how often businesses overcomplicate this phase. They get bogged down by endless metrics: Net Promoter Scores, customer […]
Why Luxury Brands Want You to Wait: The Strategy Behind the Line
The Power of the Line Imagine walking past a luxury store with a queue stretching out the door. For some, it’s an inconvenience. For others, it’s an invitation. After all, if people are willing to wait, it must be worth it—right? This isn’t bad service. It’s deliberate strategy. Luxury brands have mastered the art of […]
Are You Winning the Recommendation Game?
When it comes to driving sales, many brands focus on the obvious: great products, compelling marketing, and competitive pricing. But there’s an often-overlooked factor that has an outsized impact on success: recommendations. In fact, recommendations can increase sales by as much as 70%. That’s not just a number—it’s the result of trust and advocacy at […]
Why Customer Surveys Often Miss the Mark (and What to Do About It)
Most businesses rely on surveys to gauge customer satisfaction, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: surveys rarely tell the full story. Why? Two key reasons: 1. The Silent Majority When things go smoothly, customers don’t usually leave feedback. That’s just how we are—we expect things to work. But the one time something goes wrong? That’s when […]