The skill Japan does better than anywhere I’ve ever been
I've been all over the world as a tourist, and there is one thing Japan does that I’ve truly never experienced anywhere else:
They anticipate your needs before you even know you have them.
And what makes it so special is that this thoughtfulness doesn't come from managers or concierge staff.
Regular employees and strangers bring this energy.
Here are three moments that still live rent-free in my brain:
✈️ When we checked in for a domestic flight, the staff member who checked us in walked us through every detail on our ticket with thorough instructions:
The gate! The boarding time! How to get to the gate and which stairs to take!
🏺The elderly man whose driveway we accidentally pulled into while looking for a ceramicist’s studio.
He could’ve just said “not here” and pointed vaguely down the road.
Instead, he spent five minutes explaining the route (slowly, and several times, to our friend who spoke Japanese), and then walked down the street as we drove away to make sure we turned the right way.
👒 And when I bought a hat that can twist into a scarf, the cashier insisted I take photos of the instructions.
THEN she gave me a live demo and had me take a video, just to be sure.
All of these strangers had the same instinct:
“You will be confused later, so I will spend a little extra time up front making things easier for you."
✨ Above and beyond isn’t about extra effort: it’s about anticipation.
The lovely people I met in the above stories would never see me again. Their lives would have been unaffected by my confusion later had they not helped me.
But it's not really like that with our clients.
When clients are confused:
AT BEST: We have to spend extra time answering questions for them.
AT WORST: We have no idea they felt confused, and they tell their friends they didn't like working with you 😅
INSTEAD - anticipating where clients will get stuck turns an OKAY client experience into a PHENOMENAL ONE they tell their friends about.
And I really need you to hear (read) this:
If complete strangers (people who owe us nothing) can take time to help tourists find success and ease in our day…
Shouldn’t we, as business owners who often charge four or even five figures, bring that same level of proactive care to our clients?
Clients should NEVER have to:
wonder what comes next
chase you for clarification
feel embarrassed because they “don’t know the process”
spiral in confusion until they finally message you
They deserve to feel guided before they ever feel lost.
This is exactly what Process Mapping is for.
When you map out your full client journey, you suddenly SEE:
🔎 where confusion happens
🔎 where clients slow down
🔎 where you end up putting out fires
🔎 where reassurance is needed
🔎 where you can step in sooner, not later
Process Mapping lets you build proactive touchpoints instead of scrambling in reaction mode.
You’re leading with clarity, intention, and ease from the very beginning.
That’s the kind of “above and beyond” I want in my 2026 client experience.
