You know when you go to a family gathering and the host has placed your favorite dish right near your plate so you have easy access to it? Or perhaps they’ve remembered that you hate mayonnaise and so they’ve made you your own little potato salad with just oil and vinegar. It’s a warm feeling, knowing you’re surrounded by people who know your likes and dislikes, and moreover, show empathy by quietly crafting an environment that reflects your preferences.
Ruthanne Terrero, director of luxury content for Northstar Source: Ruthanne Terrero
That’s how clients feel when they check into their guestroom and see a note from their luxury travel advisor with a gift that has real meaning. It’s not a generic bottle of wine or a giant chocolate bar which shouldn’t be eaten because the client is on a diet. No, it might be a book they’ve wanted to read that they mentioned to their advisor just in passing one day. The level of delight at being remembered this way makes one’s heart sing. And, when the client realizes there are no down pillows in that same guestroom because their advisor has told the hotel to remove them because of allergies to feathers….well, that’s just a big bundle of love that can’t be replaced by AI or any other non-human entity.
These acts also go a long way in retaining loyal clients. People don’t want to leave a professional relationship that provides them with security and comfort.
I was delighted to hear from Daniele Deiana, executive vice president of UK & Ireland at VistaJet, about what it takes to retain an ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) client. He said that this requires specific behavior from a supplier; it’s driven entirely by consistency, anticipation, and discretion. “The baseline expectation is flawless execution. What differentiates is everything beyond that , which includes anticipating preferences before they’re stated, delivering highly personalized, repeatable experiences and ensuring absolute privacy and confidentiality,” says Deiana.
If you’re not already treating your existing clients in this manner, it might be wise to start doing so. And if you’re already doing all these things quietly, give yourself a shoutout to your client occasionally. Tell them that you’ve let their private driver know you don’t want to speak when you’re on your way to the hotel from the airport and that you like the temperature in the car to be frosty cold. Get in touch with them consistently when they're not traveling to inform them that you’re reviewing their list of bucket list trips to find just the right itinerary they’ll love.
There are endless numbers of ways to reassure your clients you’ve actively got their back and that you’re always on the move to surprise and delight them. Saying these things out loud will let your clients know why they feel so darn good when they’re in your space, same as they feel when they’re surrounded by loved ones on a special holiday.
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