You’ve likely heard of the 5 stages of grief. At some point in all of our lives, we are likely to go through that process.
On the other hand, I had never heard of the 5 stages of dining. That is, until my experience at the Inn at Little Washington. Patrick O’Connell has created an amazing institution and, for me, one of the most magnificent parts of the experience lies in the fact that Patrick is a self-made chef and business owner. As part of his philosophy in creating a world-class experience, Patrick has coined the 5 stage of dining:
1. Anticipation: As early as when a customer contemplates making a reservation, she begins anticipating and envisioning the experience that is to come
2. Trepidation: Will it be as good as I think it will be? Did I make a mistake?
3. Inspection: From the process of traveling to the destination to every detail in the dining process, guests take a ‘microscope’ to every aspect of the experience
4. Fulfillment: As diners progress through the courses, they begin getting full and reaching a point of maximum utility
5. Evaluation: Was it worth it? Would I come back? What will I tell my friends and family members?
If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit the Inn, I’ve got to tell you—as high as your expectations will be—the team at the Inn will exceed your wildest imagination. My friend, Barry Glassman, said it would be so, and he was so very right.
As I was reflecting on the experience, I couldn’t help but think of you, the reader, the entrepreneur, the business leader, the front line manager, the front line employee, and the experience your customers have. Every business has their own version of the 5 stages—even if you don’t realize it. At entreQuest, we lead our clients through this process with 3 stages (research shows that it is easier to remember things in 3s). Use them to create experiences about which your clients will rave:
HOPE: this typically occurs in the sales and marketing stages—when prospective clients initially connect with your business (even as early as when they are searching for solutions and haven’t found you yet). The prospective client HOPES your business can help them—even if they aren’t clear on exactly what their challenge is yet, they know they need help, and haven’t been able to solve the issues on their own.
BELIEVE: there is no specific time frame in which clients reach this stage, but it is defined by the clients believing that you and your organization can help them (this applies also to the employee lifecycle). They have likely begun doing business with you, and your organization has established credibility, and likely achieved some visible measures of success.
KNOW: you have consistently delivered on your commitments to clients, often exceeding expectations. Clients have become an extension of your organization, and view you as a true trusted partner and advisor. Clients actively refer business to you, and are happy to speak on your behalf.
So, these are the stages of your prospect/client experience. The opportunity for you, as you create your industry’s 5 star version of the Inn at Little Washington, is HOW you choose to move prospects and clients through the process. HOW are you defining a winning experience? What do you want clients THINKING, FEELING and SAYING about your organization? What are the processes, roles and responsibilities that will help you consistently deliver the desired outcomes?
If you’ve not considered these things, now is the time. I can tell you as someone who just experienced flawless execution of such a philosophy, I’ll go back—often—and I’ve already shared the experience with close family and friends, as well as my entire social network (and now, all of you!).
