Five Days, Four Encounters, One Clienteling Lesson

Over the last week, I took my mum to Shanghai and Hangzhou for a mother–daughter trip.
Across the five days — from a 10-dollar soft drink to 5-star hotels – what stands out for us was consistent:

The hardware matters only to a certain point.
It is the software – the human interactions – that make a trip truly memorable.

Here are a few moments that reminded me why clienteling is, at its core, the art of caring about the other human being.

Be A lighthouse, not the spotlight.

We joined a yoga class at Summer’s Mi Tierra studio.
What stayed with me wasn’t the poses we learnt – it was how attentive and present Summer was as a yoga teacher.

She paid attention to our gestures, our breathing, our postures and so on, and she would adjust us subtly, without interrupting the moment.

While many yoga teachers chase perfect form, being present for your students matter a lot more than perfection.

Alice and Joy from the front desk at Hotel Indigo Shanghai followed up with us over WeChat to check if we enjoyed our stay.

When I mentioned that we would return for one more night before coming back to Hong Kong, they didn’t just “note it down.”

They proactively offered a complimentary upgrade and breakfast to thank us for the repeat visit.
A small gesture, but one that made us feel genuinely valued.

At Four Seasons Hangzhou, the bartender Jeremy overheard my mum and I chatting about our plans for the next day.

Instead of staying behind the bar, he leaned in with warm curiosity.

He asked what we hoped to explore, learned that we were searching for Hangzhou’s signature silk outfits, and immediately recommended a destination we might like – even writing the name down and explaining how to get there.

We might forget what we ordered that night, but we won’t forget how Jeremey made us feel.

A small one that goes a very long way.

We met a wonderful DiDi driver, Mr. Shu, who offered to drive us from Hangzhou back to Shanghai.

To make the long journey pleasant, he cleaned his car, prepared a local soft drink for us,
and even offered to pick us up from our last stop in Hangzhou before sending us back to the hotel.

A humble, thoughtful gesture that goes a long way.

These five days reminded me of one simple:

It is the human behind every hardware – the hotel, the restaurant, the car, that makes the experience memorable. 

So here’s a reflection for your team this week:

How are your staff seizing everyday moments to create memories for your clients and guests?

If you are ready to turn memorable human interactions into your most powerful business differentiator, we are here for you.

Whenever you are ready, here are the ways we can support you (or your business) to thrive in your industry:

• Review your customer loyalty strategy

• Audit luxury Customer Journey & Experience

• Master The Art and Science of Clienteling

• Design your VIC Event & Experience

• Deliver an Inspiring Keynote

• Support your leadership and communication development