The Power of the Last and Lasting Impression

People say all the time that the first impression is important. No doubt it is. Just as important, if not even more so, is the last impression, as it leaves a lasting impression.

If you’ve been following my work, this concept may be familiar to you. Recently, I tweeted about lasting impressions (follow me on Twitter @Hyken if you aren’t already doing so). I received a response from Nayeli Burns (@Nayelihrc), the concierge at Encore Event Technologies, an “in-house” event production company in hotels and resorts throughout North America. If you’ve ever been to a hotel for a conference, they are the people who set up the audio/visual support, the staging, lighting, rigging, and more.

The Departure Meeting

Nayeli revealed that Encore maintains an unwavering commitment to customer service. As a vital component of their customer experience, they conduct a “departure meeting” during which they personally express gratitude to clients and collect feedback on the event they assisted in producing. But, there is more to it than just saying “thank you” and asking how they did. The concierge, present in each of the venues supported by Encore, collaborates with the sales manager and the director of events to orchestrate the meeting. The meeting is meant to create a memorable last impression for their client. Prior to the “departure meeting,” the director of event technologies is briefed on some of the highlights of the client’s conference, which are brought up during the discussion. The personalized nature of the meeting is important, as it reminds the client of the great service they received and that they made the right choice to do business with Encore. In Nayeli’s words, “Our clients love this.”

This “departure meeting” works for a number of reasons:

1. It is a great way to say, “Thank you!” to a customer. All customers deserve appreciation.
2. It is an opportunity to receive face-to-face and eye-to-eye feedback. Getting your customer’s feedback in a timely fashion is vital, so why not do it just as the event is coming to an end?
3. It’s personalized. This is a crucial point. The director of event technologies at Encore receives a briefing before the meeting to gather information about the event and incorporate it into the conversation.
4. Recapping the event reminds the client how Encore helped make the meeting a success. It reinforces why they should hold their meeting at a venue that Encore supports.
5. Finally, the meeting serves the purpose of leaving a powerful last impression, which is, as mentioned, a lasting impression.

The Power of a Lasting Impression

What I like about what Encore Event Technologies has done, is that they have made the last impression a formal part of the client’s journey. It isn’t a “thank you” in passing. It’s a sit-down meeting, which is a central part of the process. The “departure meeting” is a major touch-point in a long process that helps ensure that the client will want to come back.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

(Copyright © MMXVIII, Shep Hyken)