Exceptional Customer Service: Small Actions Have Big Impact
When your work takes you to lots of hotels you get to experience many different levels of service. A great deal of the training I do around the world has me delivering training at hotels. This has taught me a LOT about exceptional customer service.
Usually I spend the first hour of my day frantically trying to find the boxes I sent that are essential to the workshop. I have had to beg to go into their storage rooms after the staff has searched for them. I have seen my boxes end up in the strangest places. This sets off my day with anxiety. Not a good way to start.
Lately, I have been delivering workshops at the Hanover Marriott in New Jersey. These folks have service nailed down. The night before my session I walk into my training room and the boxes are there. No hunting, no fighting, no anxiety. I will admit I am a bit spoiled by their wonderful staff.
But this week was different. Yes, the night before the boxes were there, as expected, but there was a surprise. Next to my boxes was a pair of scissors. May not seem like a big deal to you, but it was one of the kindest most considerate acts that has happened to me on the road.
My boxes are extremely taped up so that they cannot burst open in transit. Since I only do carry-on bags, I can't carry a razor, or scissors in my bags. Normally this means that I have to hunt someone down to open the boxes. Sometimes there is no one around and I have to use my keys or try to find a knife. Again, this is stressful.
When Emily Watson, Event Planning Manager, thought to leave the scissors, I felt that someone finally understood my life. Knew where the hard parts were and sought to alleviate the problem.
This is a small act of kindness and consideration. However, in the thirty years I have been delivering programs across the world, NO ONE has ever thought to do this.
What can you do for your customer that will let them feel like you truly understand them? What can you do to provide exceptional customer service?