Until a decade
ago, travelling a few hundred kilometres was considered a demanding task. Now
though, a new breed has taken over for whom travelling has become a way of life
and hotels – cosier than home. On the one hand, hotels are competing with each
other to win customers through superior customer service and giving
personalized experience. Due to the high level of competition hotels are forced
to be on their toes by going out of their way and making guests feel at home.
Luxury
hotels probably in this regard aren’t hesitant to go above and beyond for
customers if they suspect it could result in free press. While great customer
service stories can be a dime a dozen if you’re looking for them, you can’t
help but think that some of these tales seem especially calculated. It makes
good business sense to treat customers well, doesn’t it? A good, well thought
present goes a long way in customer service and provide the hotels two main
advantages. Firstly, it pleases the customer and makes sure they return again
and secondly it provides word of mouth advertisement which makes a whole lot of
difference.
Consider Christina McMenemy’s experience. Every
year that she attended a blogging conference in Nashville, she would stay at
the Gaylord Opryland hotel. One thing that she absolutely loved about her room
was the radio clock that played serene music that relaxed her as if she were
actually getting a massage at a high end spa every time it played. Christina
was hooked and she wanted to experience the same serenity at home since it
allowed her to sleep like a baby. Christina tweeted the folks at the hotel
where she could purchase one. The one they suggested online however, lacked the
spa music feature that Christina loved so much. Disappointed, she thanked them
for the effort anyway. Next time she was at the room, she found that there was
a noise machine sitting on her bed along with a thank you note.
You can see how this is one situation where the
gift is a memory for life and the hospitality is endorsed by the story as well
as the recipient. Personal touch such as this will give the guest an unforgettable
experience and at the same time make them an ambassador for the brand. The
biggest takeaway from the above story is that the gifts don’t have to be expensive,
it can be trivial for many but the investment you make with it can be invaluable
and it can win a customer for a lifetime.
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