When I was in Vancouver, I visited a beautiful aromatherapy shop called Saje in the Kitsilano neighborhood. The shop’s walls were lined with a lovely selection of lotions, essential oils, and natural wellness remedies. However, what most impressed me about Saje wasn’t the products for sale. It was a thoughtfully arranged “tea station,” complete with tea kettle and a selection of colorful teabags, and the retail associate who asked me “Would you care for a cup of hot tea? I’ve just put the kettle on.”

As someone who works for one of the most innovative retail companies in the world, I’ve become quite interested in the retail experience. What works, what doesn’t, and why. The tea station at Saje was a powerful reminder that at work, and in life, it’s so often the thoughtful little details that make the big difference.

What I liked about the tea station:

• Offering another person a cup of tea is a universally recognized gesture of hospitality. In any language, it says, “Welcome. You’re home. Kick off your shoes, and stay awhile.” I instantaneously felt a connection to the retail associate. In fact, she was no longer a retail associate, but a potential friend. Someone I might laugh with over a cup of my favorite tea.
• It aligned with Saje’s mission to connect people to the healing power of plants (herbal teas are one such way of doing this) and their brand identity of wellness, serenity, and natural living. The tea station reinforced the way Saje’s guests view the world and themselves.
• It added an additional dimension to the already multi-sensory experience of perusing Saje’s projects. Seeing the pretty, espresso-colored bottles. Smelling the heady perfumes of jasmine, neroli, and sage. Listening to mellow music. Sipping a cup of chai tea. It all made sense together. It became a cohesive experience.

The experience I had at Saje got me thinking about how we create these kinds of thoughtful touches in our own lives. Since returning from Vancouver, I’ve put extra care into the details of my everyday routine. A few forms this has taken include:

• Creating a “coffee bar” in my own kitchen, a designated corner of counter space that houses my coffee machine, espresso maker, tin of organic coffee beans, and two kinds of flavored agave nectar.
• Arranging a stash of my favorite soaps, bath salts, and bubble bath on a platter in my bathroom. Whenever I walk into my bathroom to take a bath, I feel like I’m at an upscale spa with my choice of bath treatments. It’s such a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference to my state of mind at the end of a long day.
• Stocking my refrigerator with a selection of coconut water, almond milk, and iced green tea. Again, such a simple thing, yet it feels strangely exciting to choose from a variety of beverages when I open the fridge.
• When cooking, taking care to set the stage for a relaxing experience. Lighting a candle, playing some Ella Fitzgerald, and occasionally having a glass of wine while I cook all turn the act of cooking into an experience.
• While walking the dog, taking the time to be interested in all facets of the walk. The way the light hits the burnt orange leaves just so, the way my dog walks slightly crooked, taking time to really talk with my neighbors instead of just exchanging the usual pleasantries. When I view walking the dog as an experience, it ceases to be a chore, and becomes a wholly new pocket of warmth and wonder.

I’m sure there are other things I’ve done almost sub-consciously, but can’t think of right now.

Have you ever had a retail experience that made a lasting impression on you? How do you create a sense of hospitality and thoughtfulness in your own life?

(All opinions expressed in this post are my own, and in no way represent the views of my employer.)