💳 A FORGOTTEN CARD, AN UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCE...

I recently had to go to a Santander branch because I forgot to take my card out of the ATM. You know what it's like: you make an appointment, you sit down, suddenly you hear the scents of the person next to you, you stare at the bank screens while you feel your life slipping away between cold greetings, account numbers, and long waits, hoping that by some miracle the system will jump to your turn, while somehow figuring out how to justify my mistake , to put it in the most decent way possible. Knowing that executives are measured against placement targets for cards, insurance, etc., and I'm trying to shave at least another 25 minutes off them.

After a little over 20 minutes, my turn comes. I get up, walk to the desk, and the first thing I notice is a sign with my name on it . I thought, "That's weird! Did they make a mistake?" And to break the ice and start justifying my mistake , I say to the executive, "Look, namesake!"

He replies with a smile: “No, my name is XXXX, the name is for your attention, Mr. Francisco.” I put XXXX because those who know me know that names don’t stick with me (nothing personal).

I was amazed! What seemed like a routine, distant, almost mechanical visit… transformed into a friendly, close, almost human experience. So much so, that even the executive at the next desk intervened to tell me it was part of a new initiative to improve the customer experience.

📌 It is certainly not a new concept, since a certain coffee chain... made it famous, but I had never experienced it in a bank , let alone in a branch that is not even the one I usually visit, suddenly in Hospitality it is more common, since they even treasure the tastes and preferences of the guest, and it is one of the first things they ask when you propose migrating their PMS system.

🎯 WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE

How much difference a small gesture can make !

Hopefully, in our daily professional lives, whatever the field, we can incorporate that personal touch that connects, humanizes, and builds trust.

A simple chalkboard with my name on it was enough to transform a cold interaction into a personalized and memorable experience. It wasn't technology, it wasn't a huge investment. It was intention . And that intention generated connection.

👉 This made me think: How much do we focus on the small, big details that make huge differences?

In times when everything is automated, standardized, or outsourced, the true value lies in what cannot be easily replicated: the human touch .

📍Whether in banking, consulting, hospitality, retail, or any other industry, anyone who understands that the experience starts with the details, not the product, has a real advantage .