A concert at Chicago’s Symphony Center got me thinking.
It was the 15th annual Welcome Yule celebration. A full choir, children’s choir (including my niece and nephew) and orchestra provided a great celebration for Christmas in Chicago. I was sitting next to a 5 year old (my own) and each time I thought we were about to lose our battle with the “antsy boy syndrome,” the show would shift and change. There would be an unexpected surprise, like Santa’s very own Chicago police officer detail sent in advance of the Big Guy interrupting the show. My son’s attention would immediately focus on the new distraction.
Any sort of theatre production has to think about not just antsy 5 year old boys. There are also those patrons who don’t appreciate the slow, quiet musical piece and the ones who don’t care for “all that dancing.”
Why not use this approach to architect or reengineer your customer experience?
What if you started thinking about your customer experience as a show? What would you do differently? Off the top of my head, here’s what I was thinking.
Open big. But don’t give it all away in the first act.
Provide the unexpected, pleasant surprise when things are just too predictable.
Get your audience’s attention quickly following an intermission.
Assume they are antsy and dying to get out of there. Give them a reason to stay and enjoy.
Ask for feedback at key points. Let them know when the song is over versus just a pause between movements.
Perform to receive a standing ovation. Every time.
Thank your top performers with accolades and more. They are why your customers stood up and cheered.
Is your customer experience worthy of a standing ovation? Why or why not?
