We all have our stories about amazing experiences in the hospitality industry. Those moments when someone goes above and beyond, making us feel like the most important person in the world. I had such an experience recently at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, which got me thinking about the power of personalisation in business.
I was at breakfast during a marketing conference, navigating the spread with my usual caution due to my strict Jain dietary restrictions. Among the offerings, I spotted a bagel labelled “Vegetarian”. For me, a bagel in the US is hard to resist! However, in my experience, “vegetarian” doesn’t always mean egg-free. I approached one of the servers with my query, fully expecting a polite but uncertain response. After all, I was just one among 150+ attendees with an off-the-syllabus question.
To my surprise, the server, despite not knowing the answer immediately, promised to check. A few minutes later, he returned with his phone in hand. “I wanted to be absolutely sure,” he said, showing me a photo of the ingredients list from the bagel packaging. “There’s no egg. You can check for yourself – and also make sure the other ingredients are okay with you.”
As I sat on the terrace later, savouring both my bagel and the breathtaking views of the bay, I realised that this was the epitome of hyper-personalisation that marketers should strive for. I was a segment of one. Someone had gone out of their way to address my specific need, treating me as if I were a VIP.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. During my stays at the Residence Inn at Times Square in New York over the past few years, I’ve experienced similar attentiveness. Despite visiting only twice a year for about 15-20 nights total, I’m always greeted with a warm “Welcome back, Sir” upon check-in. One front-desk executive, in particular, has gotten to know me well, and we always share a friendly chat when he’s on duty.
These experiences underscore a crucial lesson for businesses: the art of N=1 personalisation, creating memorable experiences for a segment of one. While AI and data analytics can certainly help in tailoring services and products, it’s the human touch that provides that extra layer of difference. The genuine care and attention shown by these hospitality workers can’t be replicated by algorithms alone.
The challenge, of course, lies in scaling this level of personalisation. How can businesses provide this VIP treatment to every customer? A good starting point is to focus on your best customers – an approach I’ve termed “Velvet Rope Marketing.” By identifying and prioritising your most valuable clients, you can dedicate resources to providing them with exceptional, personalised experiences.
Ultimately, N=1 personalisation is about making every customer feel seen, heard, and valued. It’s about going beyond creating meaningful connections that stay long after the transaction. In a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions, these human moments of care and attention can be your greatest differentiator.
As businesses, our goal should be to create more of these moments – to make every customer feel like they’re the only customer that matters. Because in that moment, to them, they are.
