20. 10 Real-Life Examples of WOW Customer Service
- Ashley Conway
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever cried at a Starbucks counter or been moved by an email from a business that actually felt human—you already know the power of unforgettable customer service.
I’ve been passionate about customer experience ever since my very first job out of college, where I was asked to audit the renewal process for policyholders at a major insurance company. One of the hardest customer touchpoints? A letter that says your premium is going up. Not exactly a joy-sparking moment.
So we rewrote it.
We gave it a warmer tone. We gave people options. We let them feel seen instead of blindsided. And that small shift? It made a difference. That project lit a fire in me—and it’s why I believe service-centered marketing isn’t a trend. It’s a calling.
In this post, I want to get your creative wheels turning. I’m sharing 10 real-life WOW customer experience moments—stories that will remind you of what’s possible when we lead with empathy and empower our teams to serve people like people.
So take a deep breath. Shut down your email. Set aside your sales goals for a minute. Let the creative side of your brain come online—and let these stories speak to you.
10 Real-Life WOW Customer Experiences
The Starbucks Memory A woman in her third trimester walked into Starbucks, clearly exhausted. The barista offered her a seat and walked her drink over with a note: “You’re doing amazing.” She cried right there at the counter.
The Chick-fil-A Shortcut After a long day of errands, a dad accidentally ordered the wrong kid’s meal. Instead of making him go back in line, a team member brought out the correct one, added a free cookie, and said, “You’ve got your hands full. We’ve got you.”
The Zappos Rescue A woman called Zappos to return shoes she had bought for her late mother. Not only did they accept the return, they overnighted flowers and a condolence card the next day.
The Chewy Vet Bill A pet owner called to cancel an auto-ship after their dog passed away. The rep processed the refund, told them to donate the food, and sent flowers and a sympathy note two days later.
The Trader Joe’s Snowstorm Delivery During a snowstorm, an elderly man couldn’t get groceries. His daughter called around. Trader Joe’s - who doesn’t normally deliver - brought soup and essentials to his door, free of charge.
The Ritz-Carlton Giraffe A little boy left his stuffed giraffe behind. The hotel overnighted it home with photos of the giraffe lounging by the pool and getting a massage so he’d know his friend just needed a vacation.
The Disneyland Buttons A family celebrating their adoption day visited Disneyland. A cast member noticed their shirts and brought celebration buttons and fast passes. “Families like yours make the magic real.”
The Southwest Flight Hold A man running late for his flight called ahead. The pilot personally held takeoff by 12 minutes so he could make it to his dying mother’s bedside.
The Delta Teddy Bear A child lost her teddy bear on a Delta flight. Not only did they find it, they mailed it back with a handwritten letter “from the bear” and included pilot wings as a souvenir.
The Nordstrom Tire Return A man walked into Nordstrom to return a set of tires… even though Nordstrom doesn’t sell tires. The associate honored the return anyway, because the previous business in that space had sold them.
What All These Customer Service Stories Have in Common
None of these companies won loyalty because they automated a great drip sequence or offered a 10% discount.
They won because someone on their team noticed. Acted. Served. And that’s the heartbeat of great marketing: building relationships that people remember.
Every one of these stories is built on a few simple things:
Team members who felt empowered to help without needing six layers of approval
Margin to actually notice the customer’s needs
A business culture that values kindness over efficiency at all costs
Want to build experiences like these?
Next week’s episode will walk you through how to map your customer experience plan. But if you want hands-on help right now…
A Power Hour Coaching session is the perfect next step.
In just 60 minutes, I’ll help you:
Uncover what’s working and what’s not in your current customer journey
Brainstorm specific WOW moments for your service experience
Create a plan to improve connection, retention, and referrals—without adding stress
Let’s build an experience people can’t stop talking about.
