How to Use Macy’s MAGIC to Delight Your Customers

Published September 6, 2016 | By Elaine Fogel

You want your customers to like your products and/or services, right? If they like your biz/organization, they’ll likely come back.

For the past umpteen years, customer experience professionals (including me) have been advising businesses and organizations to “delight” their customers. Just do a Google search for “delight your customers” and you’ll discover articles, posts, books, and more.

In my book, Beyond Your Logo: 7 Brand Ideas That Matter Most For Small Business Success, I describe what superlative service is, and yes, the word “delight” is there:

“Exceptional service is when your business “blows customers away” by going above and beyond their expectations. In order to achieve this superlative, you and your employees do the following:
• amaze
• astound
• awe
• dazzle
• delight
• enchant
• knock out
• surprise
• WOW!”*

Well, I have recently been on the receiving end of being blown away. And, it was such a simple and inexpensive gesture that you can do, too!

My “Delightful” Customer Experience

I ordered a pair of tennis shoes on sale from Macy’s and when I opened the shipping box, and then the inside shoe box, here’s what I discovered:

It was a thank-you note - the kind that looks like a wedding gift note. The envelope has a silver logo sticker on the back and the note has an embossed Macy’s logo on the front. In case you can’t read the message, it says, “Thank you for your business. ~ Macy’s Tucson Park Place” - which is the store that shipped the shoes.

Inside, there’s a red business-sized card that says, “Thank you for making our day MAGIC,” a copy of my receipt, and on the flip side of the card the message reads:

“We feel the magic of Macy’s every time we pack an order for a customer and hope we’ve shared some magic with you in this package.

We have included a name and Pack ID for you to use to identify this order should you wish to provide us with any comments or other communications concerning your experience. You may also contact us at any time by using the Tell Us What You Think link on Macys.com.

We hope you are delighted with your purchase. We appreciate you and the choice you make by shopping with us at Macy’s.”

There’s that word, “delight” again. It works, because this thank-you note did delight me.

Now, let’s be real. Not every customer experience is going to be delightful or “exceptional.” When you walk into a convenience store to pick up a self-serve coffee, chances are you’ll pay and the cashier will say thanks. Nothing exceptional there. But… the experience will meet your expectations, won’t it? And, that’s not a bad thing.

Providing exceptional service means going above and beyond expectations. What if the convenience store cashier says thanks and then hands you a free product? What would your impression be?

This reminds me of The Simple Truths of Service, a book and video I’ve used during my customer service training workshops. It’s been around since 2005 and it never ceases to give people goosebumps. Check it out:

The Bottom Line

Only you can decide when to meet your customers’ expectations or to exceed them. It will depend on the types of products, services, or programs you offer, your budget, and the resources you require to deliver the MAGIC!