Sales Training Weekly: Delivering Delightful Service - The Power of Moments

Many salespeople spend the majority of their time managing customer complaints, firmly believing that “no complaints” equate to ideal service. Most people are trained to fix potholes but not trained to build peaks.

While delivering “problem-free” service can rarely leaves a lasting impression on customers — let alone motivates them to actively recommend you. Addressing complaints is not to be confused with winning affection.

As a customer, when was the last time you experienced remarkable service? Did you share that experience with friends or colleagues? Most likely, the answer is “yes”.

Because the customer experiences that move us are never about the absence of problems. They are built on peaks of surprises and thoughtful care.

Every Interaction is an Opportunity

Every customer interaction — whether a call, a meeting, or even a casual email — is an opportunity to create a share-worthy experience. How can you seize these opportunities to create “remarkable moments” that customers remember and share?

The Power of Moments: Standing Out in a Sea of Similarity

The market is flooded with salespeople using the same opening, offering similar products and services. As a result, most customers are left with generic, forgettable experiences.

However, top-performing sales professionals understand how to create distinctive “moments of impact” in every interaction. They know how to build peaks.

In the book “The Power of Moments”, Chip Heath and Dan Heath explain that human memory is highly selective. Even after a full day at Disneyland, visitors tend to remember just two or three moments — space mountain, Iron man shows, parade or fireworks — while mundane moments like queuing or an underwhelming lunch are easily forgotten. Why?

Because remarkable moments are created by novelty and emotional peaks.

The same principle also applies to sales. By deliberately designing such remarkable moments, you can build stronger emotional connections, earn customer loyalty, and even spark referrals.

The Pitfall of Only Managing Complaints

Unfortunately, many companies focus heavily on managing complaints, adopting a “better safe than sorry” mindset. While this may prevent negative feedback, it fails to create memorable, share-worthy experiences.

A Forrester study of US Customer Experience Index in 2016 examined this through two strategic approaches to enhance customer experience for airlines:

• Plan A: Focus on unhappy customers (scoring 1–3) and improve their experience to a 4.
• Plan B: Focus on average-to-satisfied customers (scoring 4–6) and elevate them to a 7.

While most companies instinctively choose Plan A, the data tells a different story:
Customers scoring 7 spent an average of $2,200 per year, compared to just $800 for those scoring 4.

In other words, enhancing moderately satisfied customers to a high level of satisfaction yields significantly greater business value than merely fixing problems for the most dissatisfied.

The Two Moments Customers Remember Most

Research shows that people remember two types of moments most vividly:

1. Peak Experiences: The best (or worst) moments.
2. Transitions (Opening and End Moments): new experience on situation change such as beginning or concludes.

To create a memorable peak experience, four elements are essential:

1. Elevation

Break away from routine scripts. Deliver surprises and sensory delights that exceed expectations.

2. Insight

Help customers gain new perspectives. Create “Aha!” moments of realization and clarity.

3. Pride

Enable customers to achieve something challenging, giving them a sense of accomplishment and pride.

4. Connection

Foster emotional bonds through shared purpose and meaningful interactions.

Average service merely follows a checklist. Outstanding sales professionals intentionally design peak experiences around these four elements to stand out.

Mastering Three Critical Customer Moments

Successful salespeople understand how to leverage three critical moments to build peaks:

1. Milestones

Celebrate important life or business achievements with your customers, showing genuine recognition and support.

2. Transitions

Be there when customers face major changes — whether personal or business-related — offering expert advice and guidance.

3. Pits (Low Points)

Support customers during tough times, becoming a trusted and reliable partner when they need it most.

Practical Tips to Create Remarkable Moments

To become a successful sales professional, start with these simple yet powerful actions:

• Continuously observe and respond to customer feelings and needs.
• Instead of saying, “what we can’t do,” emphasize “what we can do for you.”
• Follow up diligently and honor every promise you make.
• Always prepare an agenda before client meetings — this shows professionalism and respect.
• After each meeting, send a follow-up email summarizing key points and expressing gratitude.

These small yet impactful gestures enhance both the peak and end experiences of your interactions.

Service is About Heartfelt Attention

At its core, excellent service is about thoughtfulness, kindness, and doing the right thing for the customer.

By adding just a bit more care and creativity to every interaction, you can create unexpected, delightful experiences.

When you do this consistently, customers will naturally become your most loyal advocates — promoting you not because they are asked to, but because they genuinely want to.

This is the most powerful form of marketing there is.

12/5/2025–18/5/2025

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