A business coach from Halifax, Nova Scotia told a roomful of Rotarians on Tuesday that businesses need to spend more time thinking about what it's like to be a customer.

Kirk Sievert said customers were looking for a great experience and did not want to feel underwhelmed.

If that happens "you're leaving them for someone else to come along and eat your lunch," Mr. Sievert said after recounting a customer's experience when applying for life insurance.

Businesses, Mr. Sievert said at Hamilton Rotary Club, need to make sure their customers say "wow, you thought of everything".

Every experience a customer has shapes the expectations and they are looking for an exceptional experience, he said.

Mr. Sievert said companies like Walt Disney "raise the bar" and excel in customer relations.