Several years ago, after the birth of our first child, I began pouring pancake batter in unique shapes that our son would recognize from his world. When he was very young, I poured shapes ranging from puppies to pacifiers. As he grew older, I adapted the shapes to his interests—whether dinosaurs or chess pieces.

And holidays always provide fodder for themed shapes. I pour shamrocks in March, firecrackers in July, Jack-O-Lanterns in October, and candy canes in December. The kids love them and enjoy making requests for made-to-order shapes. Breakfast transforms from a predictable meal, a base to be touched each morning, to a festive event where the family lingers and memories are made.

I got to thinking about how this equates to customer service. According to research by Beyond Philosophy, a customer experience consulting firm, 44 percent of consumers described the majority of customer service experiences they have as “bland and uneventful.” These are the process-focused transactions that are marked by apathy, routine, and indifference. To me, that sounds like eating a bowl of Cornflakes. Even though you’ve eaten, and may even be satisfied, you’re not going to remember it.

Contrast that with pancakes in the shapes of dinosaurs—or whatever shapes are meaningful to you: your college mascot, a symbol of your favorite hobby—such as a tennis racquet or a chess piece, or even a pet. Would you describe this breakfast experience as “bland and uneventful?” Is a pancake in the shape of a rook forgettable if you’re a chess enthusiast? I think not!

Now, ask yourself, how does this concept apply to my business? How can I be intentional about transforming a product or service offering from one that may be perceived as process-focused, routine, and uneventful (i.e., a bowl of Cornflakes), into one that is seen as customer-focused, refreshing, and memorable (i.e., a pancake in the shape of a T-Rex)?

Here’s just one example: I know of a bank’s voice mail system which concludes a long menu of options by saying, “If you’d like to hear a duck quack, press 7.” Now, I’ve listened to my share of predictable voice mail directories but have never come across something as refreshing as this. I’d call back just to let my preschooler listen to the duck quack!

If this sounds like it’s going to require extra time and effort, you’re right. It’s definitely faster to prepare a bowl of Cornflakes and easier to pour round pancakes. But remember, they’re forgettable. Even so, you don’t have to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and invent this stuff. Look around for inspiration. It’s everywhere.

Talk with others about unique experiences they’ve had with companies that have made lasting impressions on them. Look for opportunities to surprise and delight your own customers through your company’s products and services.

Just like shaped pancakes, the possibilities are endless and the memories, priceless.

Last Friday night, our family ate out at Ted’s Montana Grill. The menu was kid friendly as was our server, Jonathan, but what really got our attention was the individually packaged Wikki Stix www.wikkistix.com that were provided to each of our older children (ages 4, 5 & 8).

Like most parents of young children, we have come to expect a set of crayons and disposable children’s placemats with a menu on one side and a variety of games (Word Search, Connect the Dots, Crossword Puzzle, etc.) and coloring options on the other. Our children have come to expect the same and, on occasion, are not sufficiently engaged to avoid the restlessness that begins to set in after waiting 10 or 15 minutes for their meals to arrive.

The Wikki Stix, however, were brilliant! Described on the packaging as “twistable, stickable, buildable, playable one-of-a-kind creatables!”, these were novel in their simplicity. Each package contained several Wikki Stix in a variety of bright colors. They were bendable and self-adhesive in order to form a limitless number of designs. One of my boys made a surfer on a surfboard! His brother made a representation of Indiana Jones! Kennedy, as I recall, fashioned hers into a pony.

They continued playing with the Wikki Stix right up until the time their food arrived at the table. That gave my wife and I a chance to check in with each other—at least in the few minutes we had between pacifying our 18 month-old, Carter, who is too young for Wikki Stix!

We enjoyed our entrees, the service was great—especially for a busy Friday night—and the price was reasonable. Even so, there are a dozen other restaurants in the area that offer a comparable experience. That is, until you ask the kids where they want to go.

Despite the fact that they enjoyed their hamburgers and macaroni and cheese entrees, they want to return to the restaurant “with the Wikki Stix!”

It’s yet another example of something that is unique, refreshing, and unexpected winning out over the bland, uneventful, and predictable. Look around your business. What are you continuing to offer that customers may perceive as typical or ordinary? How could you alter it to make it unique and memorable?