Articles: customer experience

Customer experience starts before the purchase and does not end at the till. It is built from many small signals, most of which work below the level of conscious thought. The articles under this tag look at the tangible side of it - paper, touch, sound and the objects a customer carries away.

The senses work together

Sensory marketing sounds grand, but in practice it comes down to simple choices. A soft finish on a leaflet slows the hand and lengthens the time spent with the message. Calm music lowers tension in a waiting room, provided it suits the age and mood of the people sitting there. A scent can fix the memory of a place more firmly than any sign in the window.

• Touch - textured or softly finished paper stays in memory noticeably longer.
• Sound - volume and tempo matter more than genre; aim for calm, not drowsiness.
• Sight - one leading colour repeated across print, interior and packaging.
• Something to keep - a small object taken home reminds people of you without advertising.

Before, during and after the purchase

A promotional item works best when it has a place in the whole story. Something that draws attention at a trade fair, something that helps a decision at the counter, and something that stays at home afterwards - three different jobs, rarely done well by the same object.

Start by walking your own customer path from first contact to the door. You will usually find two or three moments where a small piece of print or a gift genuinely changes the impression.