Finish Strong: Why the Last Customer Experience Is Critical

Case Study: Juniper and Ivy

It was a dream dinner from start to (almost) finish, but the last bite left a bad taste in mouth. Let’s break it down.

Not so long ago I had a chance for an evening out with dinner at Juniper and Ivy. I had cheered for Richard Blais on Top Chef and was eager to check out his restaurant. I’ll admit my expectations were through the roof.

And Juniper and Ivy delivered.

Build the Customer Experience

The environment was inviting.

The service was top-notch: We were seated right away. They brought wine samples before I made my selection. They were attentive but not overbearing throughout the meal.

The food was incredible: fresh, delicious, and unique. Our dessert was a crazy modern take on the classic peanut butter and jelly—and it was out of this world.

Utterly satisfied, we turned to the check, which had arrived at our table with tiny cookie bites.

This was the first note that had felt off all evening. We’d just had one of the most delicious desserts in memory. Why did we want something else?

Had it been the traditional cellophane-wrapped mint, I might have passed, but the experience here had been so well orchestrated, each note perfect, that my husband and I played along and ate those tiny bites.

The were exquisite to look at, but they had no flavor. The blandness and dry texture was stark in contrast to our meal.

Don’t Botch the Customer Experience

Pre-check out morsel, our experience had been flawless. And then CLUNK.

That last interaction left a bad taste in our mouths, in this case, literally. It made me think about about how important the last customer experience is.

You absolutely need a strong first experience to turn somebody from a potential customer or client into an actual customer or client. Without question, you also need to nurture them along the way. But don’t forget that critical last touch—it will be one that sticks in their mind flavoring all that came before.

Here’s how to avoid the mistake Juniper and Ivy made:

• Make sure the last customer experience makes sense. We were satiated and delighted by our last bite of dessert. That little cookie confused me.
• Does your last customer experience make sense to the customer? Is that interaction what they would expect to happen? You could argue that the Juniper and Ivy last bites were meant to be a delightful surprise. Delighting your customers and offering a little extra can build loyalty and get rave reviews. Do some testing to make sure your last interaction is a pleasant surprise not a confusing twist.
• Make sure your last customer experience matches or exceeds what came before. If those last cookie nibbles had been delectable, perhaps I would have forgotten that I had questioned their appearance. But they didn’t live up to the expectations the rest of the meal had created. End result: I left thinking about that last off note, not how delightful everything else had been.
• How can you leave your customers with a great last taste? Sincere thanks and appreciation is always as strong ending. Try answering a question they may have or offer a tip—but only if it makes sense with their experience. Have a clear process for dealing with problems and train your staff to make the last interaction great.

Creating a customer experience that develops customers into repeat customers and fans means paying attention to every step along the way—including the very last one. We’ve been talking about a great experience gone bad, but you’ve probably had the opposite experience too. A customer who has had a bad experience with your service or product can walk away happy if the last interaction is positive.

What taste are you leaving your customer with?

The best way to leave customers with a great taste is to have a solid strategy from start to finish. At Modi Marketing, we excel at strategy—and implementation. If you want help developing a marketing plan that keeps your customers delighted from their first bite to their last, let’s talk.