Picture the scene. A group of five girlfriends are out celebrating a birthday together. The evening is drawing to a close, dinner plates have been cleared and the last bottle of red has been emptied.
The waiter offers dessert menus and watches for cues. The first woman to pipe up is adamant as she waves the menu away, another joins her in ‘being good’. Two of the other women bite their lips and just order coffee. So the waiter hands the menu to the lone woman who ‘wants to have a look’.

A good waiter would stand pen poised waiting for his instructions. The great waiter knows that an emotional decision is being made. He understands that he’s not just there to scribble down an order—he’s there to support the dessert orderer’s choice. He focuses all of his attention on her, so she doesn’t feel like she needs her friends’ permission to ask for what she wants. The great waiter understands that in order for the cake to be enjoyed it has to do more than simply taste good.

Every step in your customer’s journey matters. What happens before and after they eat the cake is just as important as how the cake tastes. The feeling of having the cake, trumps eating it.

Image by Stephanie Vacher.