The Service Experience

YOU walk into a busy restaurant and amidst the bustle you see a free seat and you carefully squeeze between laughing guests and hurrying waiters and settle down with satisfaction, ignoring the look of the well-dressed businessman you just beaten to the chair. A waiter takes your order of a cappuccino and a croissant. You settle down with anticipation as you wait for a very hot cup of java topped with that mountain of exquisite foam to arrive at your table. Five slow minutes pass before the waiter returns holding the promised cup. He dumps it unceremoniously in front of you before rushing off.
You pick up the cup and find that it's lukewarm! Not only that instead of a heap of froth, there is a tiny dot of foam floating in the sea of coffee. Bad experience?

The history of coffee goes back to the 13th century when Ethiopians discovered the energising effect of the coffee bean plant.From there the pressing of the bean spread to surrounding countries and started to create an industry. The Ethiopians did manage to extract the incredible caffeine out of each bean, but they were not able to turn it into a commodity or see the value of the black bean as a trade luxury. A company called Starbucks was born in the United States of America and took that little bean that originated in Ethiopia and not only extracted a "Buzz" out of the oils, but managed to launch a worldwide revolution of the coffee experience with over 17 000 stores in 50 countries.
At a Starbucks branch, a joyous smiling waiter that is interested in your name instantly becomes your friend. A variety of new music is always playing in the background, there is attention to clean colours and store layout, daily specials and freebies, and better yet - it's the same beautiful experience every time, no matter where you are in the world. The taste is not much different to our local brands. A bitter bean was transformed into a multimillion-dollar company because "Starbucks" focused on the experience.

Takeaway, it is no secret that the true value of something is often overlooked. Packaging the value into an experience is what will turn rocks into an engagement ring and a bean into a brand.
For young entrepreneurs out there who are creating clients and business relationships ask yourself: "What kind of experience do I bring to a middle-aged man dressed in an uncomfortable suit who cannot wait to retire?" What kind of atmosphere is in my shop? From products to store fronts, to your own personality - people want a real experience.

The movie industry in the country went from movie cinemas, straight to the very well-known "Jack Sparrow" - partly because the experience of watching a 12-month-old movie just didn't cut it.
This column is dedicated to young entrepreneurs, and young business people with dreams to create, explore and develop ideas that can play a part in assisting with the Zimbabwe's expansion.

"People will forget what you've said, forget what you've done, but they'll always remember how you made them feel." - Anonymous.