<P> Customer delight is surprising a customer by exceeding his or her expectations and thus creating a positive emotional reaction . This emotional reaction leads to word of mouth . Customer delight directly affects sales and profitability of a company as it helps to distinguish the company and its products and services from the competition . In the past customer satisfaction has been seen as a key performance indicator . Customer satisfaction measures the extent to which the expectations of a customer are met (compared to expectations being exceeded). However, it has been discovered that mere customer satisfaction does not create brand loyalty nor does it encourage positive word of mouth . </P> <P> Customer delight can be created by the product itself, by accompanied standard services and by interaction with people at the front line . The interaction is the greatest source of opportunities to create delight as it can be personalized and tailored to the specific needs and wishes of the customer . During contacts with touch points in the company, more than just customer service can be delivered . The person at the front line can surprise by showing a sincere personal interest in the customer, offer small attentions that might please or find a solution specific to particular needs . Those front - line employees are able to develop a relationship between the customer and the brand . Elements in creating motivated staff are: recruiting the right people, motivating them continuously and leading them in a clear way . </P>

When is the customer delighted from a product or service