Posted on July 14, 2025 by Danny Snow
Great customer service can be very hard to define. Right? You know it when you get it, but more importantly, you know it when you don't
Most businesses are completely missing the boat on this. They think great customer service has to be some massive, expensive gesture that requires moving mountains.
Dead wrong.
The truth is, the most powerful customer service experiences are often the simplest ones. The little moments that cost practically nothing but create customers for life.
I'm about to share 5 real-world customer service examples that I've experienced personally over the past year. Each one took almost zero additional time, cost next to nothing, but created unforgettable experiences that we are STILL talking about.
Here's what most business owners don't realize...
Customer service isn't just about solving problems; it's about creating moments.
Moments that surprise. Moments that delight. Moments that make people say "Wow, I've never experienced anything like that before!"
And the beautiful thing? Your competition probably isn't doing this, which means you have a MASSIVE opportunity to stand out.
Picture this: A regular garbage collection day. My son and I are throwing a football in the front yard when the garbage truck rolls up.
Instead of just doing his job and moving on, the driver does something unexpected. He hops out and lets my son control the mechanical claw to pick up our trash bin and dump it in the truck.
Total time invested? Maybe 2 minutes.
Cost to the city? Zero.
Impact? My son STILL talks about it months later.
Garbage collection is about as transactional as it gets. You barely notice when it happens (but you sure notice when it doesn't!). But this driver recognized an opportunity to create an experience for a young kid. And he took it.
That's the difference between good customer service and great customer service.
My wife and I were grocery shopping at Publix (already known for excellent customer service) when we couldn't find a specific product. We asked the manager for help. He wasn't sure where it was on the shelves, but here's what he said:
"I'm pretty sure we have it in the back. Keep shopping. I'll go find it and bring it to you."
Now, we figured maybe he'd come back, maybe he wouldn't. Most stores would just say "If it's not on the shelf, we don't have it."
But sure enough, a few minutes later, he found us in the store and delivered the product personally.
This manager understood something crucial: Customer service excellence is about follow-through.
Anyone can make a promise. But actually delivering on it? That's what separates the winners from the wannabes.
At Chatham's restaurant in Orlando, the food was incredible. But what really stood out wasn't the cuisine, it was a simple purse stand.
When we sat down for dinner, staff brought over small stands so the ladies could place their purses beside the table instead of hanging them on chairs or keeping them in their laps.
Cost? Maybe $5 per stand.
Impact? It became one of the most memorable parts of the entire evening.
This wasn't about the purse stand itself. It was about what it represented: Thoughtful attention to detail.
It showed that the restaurant had thought through every aspect of the dining experience. Every little moment that could make guests more comfortable.
At Andretti's Indoor Racing, my son had accumulated tickets from arcade games but came up just short of the prize he really wanted.
I asked if I could pay the difference which was maybe $10 or $20. The employee said they couldn't accept additional money, but then he asked...
"What prize is he looking at? You know what, just take it. Cash in the tickets you have. I want him to be happy."
This employee could have easily stuck to policy. Nobody would have blamed him. But he recognized the moment and chose to create joy instead of disappointment.
That's the kind of customer service that creates customers for life.
At an Orlando Magic game, two concession stand employees did something remarkable. They didn't just take our order, they engaged with my son.
They asked about his favorite players, what he thought of the game, and genuinely connected with him. When we returned in the third quarter, they remembered us and welcomed us back.
In a setting where speed and efficiency usually rule, they took time to be human.
Concession stands are typically the definition of transactional. Get in, get out, process as many people as possible.
But these employees understood that every interaction is an opportunity to create a connection
Here's what made each of these experiences unforgettable:
They were unexpected.
They went beyond the basic transaction. They surprised and delighted in simple ways that cost almost nothing but created enormous value.
Most businesses think great customer service requires:
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
The most powerful customer service moments happen in the little interactions that most businesses don't even think about.
Every business has multiple touchpoints with customers. Map them all out:
Want help with this? Get your FREE Customer Experience Map here, https://stan.store/DannySnow
Look for places where you can surprise and delight:
Your team needs to understand that every interaction matters.
Give them permission to:
Track not just satisfaction scores, but:
Here's the beautiful truth about exceptional customer service:
Most of your competitors aren't doing it.
They're stuck in transactional thinking.
They're focused on efficiency over experience.
They're missing the small moments that create big loyalty.
Which means you have a massive opportunity to stand out.
Ready to create experiences people can't stop talking about?
Start with one simple question: "What's one small thing we could do differently that would surprise and delight our customers?"
Then do it. Test it. Measure the impact.
You'll be amazed at how these tiny changes can create massive results.
Remember: Great customer service isn't about grand gestures. It's about consistent, thoughtful moments that show you care about more than just the transaction.
Your customers will notice. They'll remember. And most importantly, they'll come back.
Pick up additional customer service resources at https://stan.store/DannySnow
Danny Snow is a customer experience expert as well as a keynote speaker. You can connect with Danny on LinkedIn or email him at danny@snowassociates.com. You can also find additional articles from Danny at https://snowassociates.com/blog.