Create Entertainment

The ability of some people to create a unique moment of surprise and delight out of thin air is amazing. However, sometimes we can get stuck in a rut, doing the same old, same old thing.

When I have this happen to me (I’m sure it’s happened to you as well), I look outside of my industry for inspiration. I travel a LOT, and so often the airlines treat checking in, boarding a plane, baggage, and every part of the process as a mundane activity. It doesn’t have to be that way. Read on to see how one company changes the game and increases customer engagement.

One such moment of inspiration that came to me was sitting waiting to board a Southwest flight home from New Orleans Louisiana. The gate agent got everyone’s attention in the gate area and called up someone to the podium. She then asked them to sing their favorite songs. The person on the other end ended up being a great sport and began singing. Of course, it helped that they sang the song “When The Saints Go Marching In” 🙂 The entertainment didn’t end there, however.

The gate agent called up people who had a birthday and had the whole area sing to them, and she would call people up and ask the crowd what they wanted them to do with all the passengers chanting back “SIIIINNG!”

This guest involvement was created out of thin air, didn’t cost A DIME, yet how many lives were affected. The Southwest Airlines culture is taught and trained to all of their team members and they eat, sleep, live and breathe their brand. HINT: How can you involve your clients MORE into your creative process?

There are many ways of increasing customer engagement and the fun factor as well. What can you do in your business to promote this level of engagement with your clients?