Experiences and internet: how curiosity killed the element of surprise

For some time now, people have been talking about experiences. It is a term that is gaining in importance and covers many angles: customer experience, user experience, patient experience, employee experience... But what lies behind this concept?

I don't intend to provide an academic definition of the term, but to communicate what it evokes in me: an experience (a positive one, I should hasten to add) is feeling something nice, unforgettable – something that has a pleasing effect and is surprising.

Brands appeal to our emotions to sell and build loyalty among their customers; meanwhile, companies must make an effort to understand how their employees feel at every moment of their working lives, or even before they start work there, to provide them with the best possible experience that will lead them to view the company as a good place to work.

Surprising them in a positive way and exceeding their expectations would be a very good way to achieve this. But in the world in which we live, I can see certain contradictions and obstacles that stand in the way of reaching this goal.

Companies must make an effort to understand how their employees feel at every moment of their working lives

With relation to this, let me give you a personal example; it is something I have pondered on for some years now. There is a bench high up on a promontory, with views of a beautiful beach. It is one of my favourite spots because of the views and the feeling of peace it transmits. A tree stands beside the bench, and whenever I go there, I can see a bunch of flowers tied to the trunk. I ask myself what must have happened.

Regrettably, everything leads me to think that a tragedy occurred, but I have no idea as to the story, nor have I ever seen the person who replaces the bouquet when the flowers become dry.

I have felt tempted to search the internet for a news item about this particular location, in order to satisfy my curiosity, but I have deliberately decided against this, because it would very probably change the idyllic nature of the place for me and interfere with the wonderful experience of sitting on this bench and admiring the view. I have decided that I will only ask about what occurred if I ever coincide with the mysterious person who replaces the bouquet.

Bearing this example in mind, brands and companies set out to showcase the experience of the customer – or the future employee – in terms of how they will feel if they choose that particular brand or company, before they actually have the experience itself.

There are companies that record some of their employees' day-to-day activities, so they can clearly show their candidates what they will find if they join the company, thereby creating a set of expectations.

The same thing occurs, for example, when we go on to the website of a restaurant and we can see the menu and the interior… the only thing that remains is for them to send a sample of what we will eat to our home (I haven't seen this, but I'm sure it's already been invented, if not, it will only be a question of time).

If we take all this information that the company makes available to its potential customers or candidates, together with the wealth of details that can be gathered from the internet with respect to opinions of customers, consultants, influencers, brand ambassadors and many other sources, we are clearly provided with a lot of information for taking decisions.

Internet has frustrated promises of great experiences

But at the same time I think this spoils the element of surprise, and worst of all, our expectations are raised so high that it becomes difficult for the brand or the employer simply to adjust to them, let alone exceed them.

Focusing strictly on the world of work, it will not be possible to generate a good employee experience if we are unable to keep our promise regarding the expectations we have previously created in the candidate's mind.

Therefore, it is very important to be clear about our essential characteristics as an employer and how these can be improved, before highlighting grand plans in the showcase provided by the internet. Otherwise, we may be surprised – negatively this time – to see that when seeking to reconcile reality with their expectations, the employee actually has a bad experience.

They say curiosity killed the cat, and I am quite sure that internet has frustrated promises of great experiences. This is why I believe that sometimes it is better not to search so much and to let your heart guide you, as I do when I sit down on that marvellous bench to enjoy the view of the beach.