The unexpected gift to delight a customer

Companies struggle now to surprise customers with the customer experience. Expectation is generally very high and there and numerous forums where customers can vent about their poor and unsatisfactory service. So to surprise a customer and create an epic experience they were not expecting is becoming increasingly difficult. Amazon are trialling a new incentive for their customers by offering post purchase gifts in the form of credit on a future purchase. This goes a step beyond the lazy email offering you "10% off your next order over £57" and gives customers a free gift rewarding them for their custom. What makes this more valuable in terms of epic customer experience is that it is a surprise. It is an email that attempts to delight the customer and even if the credit is only £10 it makes a lasting impression. This could be extended into the realms of gamification where customers can win back the value of their goods in a pinball extra ball style opportunity. Surprising customers is a great way to create more epic customer experiences.