Great Stories about Great Service
by Mac Anderson
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little ‘extra’.” ~Mac Anderson
When it comes to customer service, the bottom line is this: It’s not a department, it’s an attitude.
Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless
by Jeffrey Gitomer
You’d heard of jaw-dropping service, right? Maybe you’ve even received it; and you certainly strive to provide it. Here’s one idea designed to WOW! customers that officially qualified as phone-dropping.
“Hi, my name is Kim Waggy, I’m the concierge at the Broadview Hotel (in Wichita, KS). You’ll be staying with us on the 15th and 16th of October and I’m calling to see if you need anything special.”
“Oh my God,” Gitomer said. Total shock. Five hundred hotel stays over the last three years and this is a first in service. I screamed at our staff. Told them Kim’s quote. They gave her a standing ovation on the spot. Over the phone I could hear Kim blushing. Memorable service is about surprising someone. I was flabbergasted.
I asked Kim what typical reactions were to her call. “Surprised, very surprised,” she said. “People realize we’re going an extra step to satisfy their needs. It makes the guest feel more welcome, helps people remember us as a step above. Pleased—valued—thought of. Not just a name in the computer.”
I don’t know about you, but I wanted to find out what people ask for when they get Kim’s call. “Very little out of the ordinary. That’s not the only reason we call them. We want our guests to have an experience here, not a stay—and we believe that starts before the guest arrives. I make sure my friendliness and service orientation set the tone and the expectation for their stay.” WOW!
“How surprised are they?” I asked.
“Well, today three people dropped the phone,” she said.
“How did you come up with this idea?” I asked.
“Leo Villafana, our front desk manager, came up with the idea. We have a weekly meeting to review the guests coming in. We were brainstorming, trying to EXCEED their expectations. We were stuck for an idea about the best way to find out the guests’ needs and Leo said, ‘Why don’t we just call the guests and ask them?’ (duh) We decided to call each guest one week in advance to pre-determine their needs. If we don’t ask, we don’t know. If we don’t know, we can’t wow.” WOW!
“We just implemented this practice a few weeks ago. The response has been positive,” said Kim with her Midwest modesty. “Most people don’t need big stuff. But they love the call.”
I asked to speak to Leo Villafana. There was great music on hold—no surprise.
“Our corporate philosophy is to put the person staying at the hotel at the top of the list. To make customers feel special,” Leo said. “…every guest should be a name, not a room number. The advance call is not just a courtesy, it’s a philosophy.”
Cool.
All the Best,
Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths
www.simpletruths.com
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