I’m in Viet Nam, by the pool. The barman is doing the usual rounds, plying bronzed bathers with gaudy cocktails. Could be any pool in any country. Another attendant circles the pool, but he’s not bringing drinks – he’s offering to clean your sunglasses. This is unexpected. I’ve never had anyone offer to clean my sunnies for me. In fact, it’s extraordinary. And that’s the essence of exceptional service – by definition it’s extraordinary. If they have someone to ensure the cleanliness of my sunglasses, I’m more likely to take every other aspect of the service for granted.

So the question is, what extraordinary service are you going to provide? It doesn’t need to be time-consuming or costly – just a demonstration of the dedication you bring to the campaign for clients and reporters. When the basics are all in place, perhaps that small signature service will make you stand out?

That said, in this instance, I couldn’t bring myself to accept, so I guess it’s important to make sure it has meaningful value, and isn’t something the recipient could easily do themselves.