24 Ways to Impress and Delight Your Customers

Impressing your customers and creating delightful experiences is key to encouraging loyalty and positive reviews. By going the extra mile, you not only meet expectations but exceed them, fostering stronger relationships and increasing the likelihood of testimonials and referrals. Here are some impactful ways to impress and delight your customers.

Brick-and-Mortar vs. Online Businesses

Different business models require unique strategies to impress customers. Brick-and-mortar businesses have the advantage of face-to-face interaction. A warm greeting, knowledgeable staff, and a well-designed physical space can create a memorable experience. Hosting in-store events or providing samples can also leave a lasting impression. These businesses can foster connection by delivering tangible experiences that online stores cannot replicate.

On the other hand, online businesses rely on digital tools to impress. Personalization can help create a memorable and enjoyable expeirnece—leveraging customer data to recommend products or create curated shopping experiences builds loyalty. Fast, reliable shipping with thoughtful packaging can surprise and delight customers. Interactive features like augmented reality tools or live chat enhance convenience and engagement. By embracing their strengths, online businesses can deliver exceptional experiences tailored to their virtual environment.

Understanding the unique opportunities within each model helps businesses build strong, positive impressions on their customers.

Why is Impressing and Delighting Customers Important?

Impressing and delighting customers is essential for success in any industry. Research shows that customer-centric businesses are 60% more profitable than their counterparts because satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal and make repeat purchases. Additionally, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for an excellent customer experience, and businesses that excel in customer experience generate 5.7 times more revenue than those that fall short. Loyal customers also become brand promoters, with a lifetime value 6 to 14 times higher than average customers. This impact extends to impulsive behavior; 49% of shoppers make spontaneous purchases after receiving personalized experience

1. Personalize the Experience

Customers love feeling valued. Who doesn’t? Use personalization to make your customers’ experience unique. This can be as simple as addressing them by name in emails or offering recommendations based on their purchase history. For a brick-and-mortar business, this might mean remembering a repeat customers’ order.

2. Send Thoughtful Surprises

A small, unexpected gesture can leave a lasting impression. Consider mailing a birthday or holiday card, adding a thank-you note, or including a small gift with their order. For a brick-and-mortar business, this might mean putting a thoughtful touch on a product. This can be something small, like a bow, small flower, a hand-written note or even a fun design.

3. Communicate Effectively

Clear, timely communication is essential to impress and delight your customers. Providing updates on order status, estimated delivery dates, and any changes that might affect a customers’ experience will help you get in front of issues before they happen. This also helps to simplify a customer’s experience, since they won’t have to look up their order status or track down their package themselves. Good communication will also give your customers more confidence in your business, and show them that you care about their experience.

4. Empower Your Employees

Inevitably, problems will happen. But, when you can solve a customers’ problem and still make their experience great, you can impress and delight them. This starts with the people who deal with your customers everyday; your employees. Train and empower your employees to solve customer problems. Allow them to go beyond standard procedures to ensure satisfaction, whether that means offering a discount, free products, free services, refunds, or something else.

5. Follow Up After Purchase

After a customer makes a purchase, follow up with a thank-you email or a quick survey. This shows that you care about their experience and value their feedback. When you receive responses, be sure to act on the feedback you receive. Remember that negative feedback isn’t strictly bad; wouldn’t you rather know about problems, so you can solve them?

6. Offer Free Resources or Tips

Providing free, useful resources—such as how-to guides, webinars, or exclusive content—shows customers that you’re invested in their success and happiness. If you offer software, for example, make sure that your guides and helpful resources are readily available, so customers can answer their own questions, if they choose.

For brick-and-mortar businesses, consider the information that your customer might need or look for. For example, a coffee shop might offer a map to a nearby bookstore, free newspapers, or free wifi. A store specializing in athletic gear might provide a roster of local running events or sports-related clubs. A hotel might provide a printed sheet of local highlights and hotspots. Bonus points for offering the sheet in the customers’ preferred language!

7. Make Customer Support Seamless

Customer service is a cornerstone of a great experience. Make sure your customer service is accessible, efficient, and helpful. A live chat option or 24/7 support hotline can make a big difference when customers need assistance. If the person in charge of this hotline or chat system is knowledgeable and friendly, they can make a big impact by resolving a customer’s confusion right away.

8. Ask Questions and Act On Answers

One of the best ways to impress and delight customers is to ask them what they want. Sometimes, you might try to surprise and delight customers, but provide something that they didn’t ask for and didn’t want.

Consider asking questions that are relevant to your products or services. For example, if your customer buys your software, you might ask what they’re using it for, and send them a personalized email with resources that they might find helpful. If a customer makes a reservation at your restaurant, you might ask them if they are planning a special event, and what you can do to make it memorable. If a customer makes a purchase at your bookstore, you might ask them what other books they’ve recently enjoyed, and make recommendations.

9. Act on Feedback

Sometimes you have to ask questions, and sometimes customers provide feedback on their own. You can also ask for feedback about particular things. When customers tell you what they’re looking for, listen. Implement their suggestions where possible and let them know when their feedback has been used to make improvements.

10. Celebrate Milestones Together

Recognize customer loyalty by celebrating milestones, such as anniversaries of their first purchase or significant order histories. Offer discounts or exclusive rewards as tokens of appreciation.

11. Prioritize Ethical Practices

Many of today’s consumers value businesses that align with their values. Use sustainable practices, support community initiatives, or give back in ways that resonate with your audience. Make sure your audience knows about these initiatives. You might provide details in a newsletter, blog post, or social media posts.

12. Simplify the Review Process

If you want customers to share their positive experiences, make the process simple. Provide easy-to-follow instructions for leaving reviews, and use software that simplifies the collection of testimonials and video reviews.

13. Offer Loyalty Rewards

Create a loyalty program that rewards repeat customers with discounts, exclusive products, or early access to sales. This not only delights your customers, but encourages continued engagement.

14. Give Gifts

Everyone likes a gift! Free gifts are one of the best ways to surprise and delight your customers. This can be something small, like a free sample of a new product on the horizon, or a related product that you think your customer will need. For example, luxury airlines often give customers toothbrushes, toothpaste, and eyemasks, knowing that their customers are likely to need them.

15. Host Exclusive Events

Organize webinars, virtual meetups, or in-person events exclusively for your customers. These provide valuable networking opportunities and personalized insights.

16. Provide a Hassle-Free Return Policy

When a customer buys an item that doesn’t work for them, they’re still likely to buy another item, but only if you make it easy to return the first item. Make returns and exchanges as straightforward as possible. A flexible and customer-friendly policy creates trust and encourages purchases.

17. Respond Rapidly to Queries

When customers have questions and they actually ask you, it means they are invested in your brand. This is a great time to provide a delightful experience. A quick response time shows customers that you prioritize their concerns. Aim to reply to inquiries within minutes via live chat or email for a positive impression.

18. Use Feedback to Customize Offers

Analyze customer preferences and create targeted promotions or bundles that cater to their needs. This personalized approach demonstrates attentiveness and care.

19. Send Anniversary or Thank-You Gifts

Celebrate the anniversary of a customer’s first purchase with a small gift or exclusive offer. These gestures make them feel valued and appreciated.

20. Train Staff to Build Rapport

Your staff build relationships more than anyone else on your team. Encourage employees to establish a genuine connection with customers by remembering their preferences or past interactions. A personal touch makes a big difference, and this will help you make an impact on customers.

21. Offer Free Samples

Providing free samples of new or popular products introduces customers to more of your offerings and creates excitement about your brand.

22. Leverage Social Media to Engage

Engage with customers on social media by responding to their comments, reposting user-generated content, or hosting fun contests and giveaways.

23. Surprise Customers with Upgrades

If possible, surprise a loyal customer by upgrading their service or product for free, such as increasing storage limits or providing enhanced features.

24. Show Appreciation Publicly

Acknowledge and thank customers on social media for their loyalty or contributions. Public recognition adds an extra layer of appreciation.

Why Impressions Matter

Every interaction with your customers is an opportunity to leave a positive mark. Delighted customers not only return, but also become your brand’s advocates. With tools to collect and showcase their glowing testimonials, you’ll amplify your success and create a cycle of positive feedback and growth.