First impressions count – we all know that. And that’s a good thing, really. No question, the first impression is important. Companies to customers, applicants to employers, or flirting on the first date. But have you ever considered what effect the final impression will have on your customer experience? The final impression can completely change the first impression within seconds. I only really became aware of this when I visited two different restaurants, one right after the other. The final impression could not have been any more different.
On a Monday afternoon I was scheduled to have a business lunch at one restaurant. We entered the restaurant and waited at the front to be seated. After we arrived at the table, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. When it came time for us to leave the restaurant, with our positive impressions, my jacket had suddenly disappeared. We asked a waiter about it, but the waiter showed only moderate interest and said he could not help us. When we finally found the missing jacket in another area of the restaurant, we went back to inform the waiter that our search has been successful. But he didn’t seem to have any time to listen to us. There was no “Thank you for your visit”. There was no “I’m so happy it turned up!” We left the restaurant a little disappointed. A final impression that unfortunately, we’ll remember for a long time.
On the same day, I met up with some friends for dinner at a different restaurant. When we entered the restaurant, we were given a warm welcome and they kindly took our coats. We were taken to our table and with a hearty “enjoy your evening with us”, we were handed the menus. Good service from the start… that leaves a nice impression, we thought. Once we finished our meal, we asked for the bill and were given a postcard with an inspiring quote on it as a gift. A friendly gesture that we appreciated. We thanked the waiter for the great guest experience and gave him a tip. After we paid, the waiter escorted us to the door. There again, he showed his hospitality. He immediately remembered which coat belonged to whom, helped us put them on and led us to the door. He shook our hands, thanked us for stopping by and wished us a nice evening. A pleasant end to our dinner. We all agreed that while the food was excellent, the final impression was what we would remember. Hospitality at its finest! Appreciation of the guest right up until the end.
You can convey this experience to every customer and in every industry. In a downtown shop, for example, the final impression could look like this: Instead of putting my purchases in a bag and coldly placing it on the counter, my bag could be lovingly packed, then handed over to me on the side of the counter, while thanking me for my purchase and wishing me well. That way, I feel valued as a customer and leave the shop with a good feeling. And I’ll be very happy to come back. The saying “All’s well that ends well” seems to not just be an old truism, but rather a basic principle of life. The final impression is the one that stays. Finally, fireworks are only really spectacular when the pyrotechnicians pull off a grand finale. I look forward to hearing about your final impressions today. I look forward to reading your stories. Write me at christine@friedreich.at