Forty inches of rainfall Portland, Oregon gets every year creates an expectation: October means the rains start and it’s okay because rain gives the city the green(ery) we love. We are used to having only two seasons in Portland: summer and rain. Except it’s been sunny almost all month.
Failure to deliver on their promise can be dangerous for brands. “Disappointed believers are the worst skeptics,” as I overheard someone at GoGreen’08 say. Fooling a customer even once often means they’re gone and are not coming back.
Contrast that with delivering beyond the brand promise. A sudden and consistent improvement in customer service. A courtesy thank-you card. A special deal for referrers. An event invitation. Surprise your customers with something positive they have not expected and see your relationship with them thrive.
Portlanders, native or transplanted, love this town precisely because it shines through the gloom of rain when we least expect it. The gorgeous autumn has been delivering rayloads of sunshine into our conversations. And so defying expectations with pleasant surprises works wonders for brands that do it.
Rain is predicted for Friday, the last day of October. I can’t wait.
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As a fellow Portlander, I completely appreciate this analogy. Thinking of a pleasant surprise for a customer as being like a sunny day in October for me brings the point home in a way I’ll definitely remember.
Thanks!