What causes great business results?

I've been doing a lot of research over the past six months about positive customer experiences and how it affects business results. Many people want to know the secret of gaining lots of exposure and business (including me), but instead of flat out giving you the answer I've found, I thought it'd be cool to do a little activity ;)

Think of three brands that you've interacted with that you absolutely love and have purchased [something - service or product] from more than once. For me I think of...

• Jet Blue Airlines
• The Trunk Stylists
• Apple

 Why do I think these companies/businesses are so great? Well, I was introduced to Jet Blue when I was pretty young and I loved that they had TVs on the back of every seat so I could watch cartoons - not having to sit and watch a movie (one I prob. didn't want to see anyway) on a screen 4 rows ahead of me! Pretty convenient for each of their flyers, huh? They also provided me with a snack and drink (people always respond favorably to food loL), the airplane was clean and the seats were pretty comfy. As I got older and started paying for my own flights I quickly learned the value of "Free checked baggage" which is something Jet Blue has always offered over most of their competitors! I've experienced a few different airlines and always seem to be disappointed because none of them measure up to the standards of Jet Blue, in my opinion.
   The Trunk, my favorite local boutique store! What's so great about this boutique? Simple, Aneesa and Marianne. The two of them have shown excellent customer service and we've since passed the point of owner/customer relationship, I really feel like we are friends. They greet everyone who walks through their doors and if you are a more frequent shopper they will most def. greet you by name which I think is something everyone likes. On top of selling extremely stylish clothes they provide a service that gains them promoters who spread the word of their shop and keep people coming back.
     Apple. 'Nough said, right!? loL ;) - Apple produces products that are just unmatchable. They really do provide excellent products! The design of each product is always modern which appeals to people. The fact that they are a premium product, in my opinion, makes them all the more appealing to potential customers. They pay exquisite attention to detail in their product designs, customer service and marketing efforts; because of this rarity customers have jumped in line to purchase!

The point is, no matter which company or business you came up with you'll probably note that they all deliver excellent customer experiences! Whether that means they offer free checked luggage, go the extra mile in remembering your name, asking how you're doing and genuinely care and listen, or pay attention to the details that you as a customer care about and then go beyond those expectations. Remember, excellent customer experiences produce great business results because it causes people to promote you and your business! Having those "promoters" are the BEST way to keep and increase business.

And only because a post looks so much better with an image, here's a sneak peek to a photo shoot I had earlier this morning on the beach....