Make or Break Moments are Impossible

I was having a conversation with my Dad the other day about Make or Break Moments and he said, “You can’t have a make or break moment without something to compare it to.”

I had to stop and think about that for a minute.  I define make or break moments as those times of interaction; first impressions, dissatisfied customers, customers with unknowing needs, etc.  I thought, “if the moment is the first moment – how is there any history for comparison?” 

But of course we all have an encyclopedia of historical moments that we draw from – unconsciously most of the time – but they impact how we view a given circumstance.

He gave a great example:  shopping for a car.  When was the last time you went to a car dealer?  The lot is full.  Full of cars waiting to be sold, needing service, shopping – cars and cars and cars. 

You pull into the lot and don’t know where to park.  There is no clear area and without double parking and perhaps blocking someone in – you aren’t sure.  So you find a little spot of pavement to call your own, park the car and begin the shopping experience.  This is normal.  You think nothing of it.

My Dad told of an experience he at a Saturn dealer where he drove into the lot to discover an area by the building with a big sign “Shoppers Welcome to Park Here.”

It was a make or break moment.  He had a positive customer interaction without ever talking to a person.  He felt welcome the minute he entered the lot.  And because he’d had a prior experience for comparison it became a moment that EXCEEDED his expectations.

So what does that mean for sales associates and employees looking to serve the needs of our customers?

If we recognize that almost every moment has a historical moment for comparison – we have to strive to exceed the customer’s expectations and in doing so, start the process of building loyalty and building a relationship.

They say history repeats itself.  If that’s true – how can you make sure the newest historical moment is the best yet?