Err on the Side of Generosity - The Small Things that Stay With Us.

We often think of surprise and delight as grand gestures… upgrades to first class, luxury hotel suite upgrades, VIP passes. But the truth is, the most powerful experiences for customers are often the smallest acts of generosity.

Recently, my son and I popped into Subway for lunch. If you’ve been lately, you will know the ordering experience has changed. You no longer tell a team member how you would like your sandwich, you tap your choices into a screen while the team work on it behind a counter, almost hidden from view. They’re right there, but there’s little reason to speak to you.

That day though, as a member of the team handed over our order at the end of the line, they slipped in two cookies – one for my son, and one extra "for Mum." It was such a small thing, but it made me feel great. That unexpected kindness and the simple act of noticing me transformed my perception of Subway in an instant, and challenged my belief that the shift to contactless service is the death of empathy and care within customer experience.

It also reminded me of a moment years ago, when I was running some customer research for a hotel chain. I was speaking to a guest about her favourite holiday, and she lit up as she described her fantastic trip to Venice. When I asked her what made it so special, she said, “Every night, the hotel left a little chocolate on my pillow.”

That was it. A small, thoughtful touch that made her feel noticed and valued, a memory that stayed with her for years after.

That’s the beauty of generosity in customer service. It doesn’t have to cost much. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just has to show someone you’ve thought about them, that you’ve gone a little further than expected, simply because you could.

When we err on the side of generosity, we create moments people remember. Not because they were expensive, but because they made someone feel like more than just another transaction. And sometimes, that’s as simple as a free cookie, or a chocolate on a pillow.