Keep 'em guessing

During a recent layover at Denver International Airport, I was thinking about the decline of the airline industry's customer experience over recent years. First it was was no food in coach class, with an option to pay $5 for a k-ration-like offering of cheese and crackers or an old sandwich. Then it was a $25 charge per checked bag (except Southwest of course). Visit any consumer reports blog focused on air travel, and you are likely to see cynical customers pondering what charges will be next...perhaps a 25 cents per minute bathroom charge? The point is that people are wondering and guessing what's next for all the wrong reasons.

On the flip side, think about brands like Apple or Google, or popular shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Office. These are brands and experiences have fans and customers asking "what's next" and "what now" with unbridled enthusiasm. It's because every evolution of the product or experience has surprised and delighted customers.

Now, put a twist on the concept as someone in Account Service. Look at the state of your relationships with your client. Which of the above areas do they fall in? Do they cynically react when you tell them about a new idea because of the cost or due to past failed experiments? Or, are they chomping at the bit for your next idea? Do you bring unexpected approaches and concepts on a consistent basis. Do you teach them more than they teach you? This is an important self-evaluation you should conduct on a monthly basis.

Remember to keep 'em guessing (for the right reasons).