Not to Complain, But…
Filed under: Build Business, Get Results, Lead People, Take Action
It’s 4 am and I am in a hotel room in Pleasanton, California packing and preparing to head back home after a quick two-day trip to facilitate a planning session for a client. And though I promised myself to never let my blog become a place where my personal complaints were vented, my promise to you to be on the lookout for lessons that impact business growth must override this morning.
That said, let me share a few experiences from my time at this particular hotel property that reveal some important challenges and opportunities faced by any business serving the public.
Here’s a chronology of my interactions with the hotel staff during the past two days.
Day One, 1:00 pm…I arrived and was greeted with smiles by the front desk team, provided with a quiet room, directed to the restaurant for a quick lunch, and told about the Happy Hour snacks each evening.
Day One, 1:30 pm…Walked by the fitness center where I planned to workout later in the day and discovered that they were removing the equipment; a sign on the door indicated it was closed for renovations and that the front desk had passes to a nearby club where I could work out.
Day One, 1:40 pm…Waited for about 5 minutes while the hostess in the nearly empty restaurant finished a phone call, then was seated and received great service and excellent food.
Day One, 2:30 pm…Stopped by the front desk to pick up passes for the nearby health club. Waited for 3-4 minutes while two woman behind the desk finished their conversation (and ignored my presence), then was curtly informed they did not have an onsite fitness center. When I asked about the passes the curt young lady dragged out a notebook and gave me a map that showed the 2.2 mile route to the facility. The other woman left to go check with the manager about the passes.
Day One, 2:40 pm…The woman returned from the manager and looked in a drawer for the pass information. More maps were located and the manager appeared in the background. When asked about the passes mentioned on the sign, she asked me what sign I was talking about and in response to my clarifying that it was the one on the fitness center door, she indicated that they did not have that set up yet as they were waiting on a return call from the off-site facility for which I now had two maps.
Day One, 3:55 pm…While taking a nap I was awakened by the hotel phone. It was the front desk calling to ask me how everything was in my room. Now that I was awake I reviewed the services book about the fitness center and found a statement that indicated they offered passes to a different local club for those wanting more equipment…I guess no one ever asks for those, or the book is just seriously out of date.
Day One, 7:30 pm…After responding to e-mails I turned on the TV and discovered that the picture spanned the width of the screen as expected, but it was just over 4 inches high. A call to the front desk brought a quick response…within 10 minutes the friendly maintenance guy was at the door with a new TV, telling me that they have no clue why this happens, but it does frequently so they just swap them out and send them out for repair.
Day Two, 4:00 am…After smelling cigarette smoke in my non-smoking room (in what is supposed to be a smoke free hotel) for the better part of an hour I got up to start my day, opting to remain on east coast time for my short visit here. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower to discover that there was no hot water. I let the shower run for 10 minutes to make sure and surrendered to call the front desk.
Day Two, 4:10 am…Explained to the front desk person that there was no hot water in my room in building 300 and was informed that there was no hot water problem in building 300, that problem was in building 600. After my assuring her that there indeed was no hot water in building 300 she said she would attempt to leave a note for the maintenance people who came in between 6 am and 7 am. I requested that she move me to a room where I could shower and prepare for my day, and was told the property was fully booked. She did not apoogize for the problem and seemed a bit annoyed that I actually expected her to do something to fix it.
Day Two, 6:05 am…After testing for hot water every 15 minutes since my last call, I again called the front desk and inquired about the status of the problem. The young woman indicated that she had left a note for maintenance and when they came in they should find it and work on the problem. I asked her if she had a number to call them since this would soon be an emergency for everyone else in the building when they awoke to find no hot water, and she assured me that she now knew it was a problem because she had received several other calls confirming what I had told her two hours earlier. I suggested she call the manager or someone who could take action, and she responded that she did not have any emergency contact numbers and was the only one here.
Day Two, 6:45 am…The breakfast that I ordered using the little card you hang on the door arrived. Not surprisingly, it was not what I ordered.
Day Two, 7:25 am…As I walked out the door after my cold water cleansing and shaving experience, I tested the water and there was now hot water. Apparently the maintenance people had arrived, found the note, and fixed the problem, but the only way I knew was by checking it myself…there was no call to let me know it was back on and still no apology for the inconvenience.
Day Two, 4:10 pm…Returned to the hotel after a day on-site with my clients and found the tray from my breakfast still sitting outside of my door (as were several other trays in the building). Also found an open shampoo bottle from one of the rooms lying in the middle of the hallway.
Day Two, 4:55 pm…Returned the restaurant, was seated immediately, and enjoyed another very good dining experience.
Day Two, 6 pm…Stopped by the front desk to inquire about a cab to the airport for 4 am tomorrow morning. The young woman at the front desk gladly helped me by making arrangements for a cab to take me back to the airport.
So there you have it. A rather detailed play by play that demonstrates how many little things can go wrong in a period of about 30 hours. By themselves none of these are really that terrible to deal with, though the lack of hot water for a morning clean-up session would be a more significant problem for those who still have hair atop their domes, they add up to a very frustrating experience.
It is the kind of experience that will have an impact on the brand in general and the hotel in particular. For one thing, my client booked me here and they regularly send people to this hotel, but that is not likely to continue after hearing of my experience. Additionally, I will now be much less likely to choose this brand of hotel in the future based on this experience, and I may or may not waste my energy telling them about my experience (though I am quite sure my client will).
A quick look at the underlying causes suggests:
1. A lack of training and preparation of the staff…they do not know what to do when unexpected things happen, and they are not well prepared to take action;
2. No shared commitment to quality, except in the restaurant…too many little details are being missed and compromising the image of the property and the experience of the guest; and
3. Leadership is lacking in several areas and especially at the top…my brief interaction with the hotel manager made this obvious, though my contact with maintenance suggests that department may be well led, and there were interactions wih three people at the front desk on two different occasions who definitely do get it.
ACTION STEP: Think about this situation in the context of your business and your interactions with your customers. Whether they are on-site, online, or via the telephone, any or all of these kinds of things can, do, and will happen from time to time. How well is your team prepared to handle them? Are your leaders leading? Are you training people to rise to the occasion and deal with the problems that occur, or simply to do the routine things and hope it works out? Are your customers committed to supporting you because you care, or do they feel undervalued as I do after this series of incidents? Take action now to fix the problems and prepare for the realities so that your business will not lose customers because of bad 30 hours!
It’s All in the Details
Filed under: Build Business, Expand Market, Get Results, Lead People, Take Action
It’s the little things that really matter the most. Because it is in the details where we really show our intentions and demonstrate our core beliefs.
Think about it. If you say you care about your customers and that you will go the extra mile, where do you think they look first? Here’s a hint–it is not the obvious stuff that everyone else does to try and show they care, it is the little, small details that show you really do walk your talk.
For example, this morning I am writing this entry from an upscale inn at the shore. Sitting in my comfortable room with the lovely lamps in my comfy robe as I catch up on e-mail before heading down to the complimentary breakfast buffet with the omelet station, the wide variety of fruits, teas, coffees, and sweet treats.
But in the midst of this I am bothered by the little things they didn’t do more than I am by the big things they did. And though these are not major problems in any way, they make the experience fall short of a similar experience at a California inn last fall where they really got it…they walked their talk at every turn and created an experience that I will remember and recommend.
Before I share my comments about the little things they missed here, I want to remind you that my goal here is to get you to think about the places where your business isn’t walking your talk and delivering what it promises, and more importantly overdelivering in little ways that turn customers into raving fans. Also, please don’t take my comments as being nit-picky or demanding…for though I share them with the world here, I will not complain to anyone in the management because like most other guests, I don’t see it as my job to tell them how to deliver first-rate service–if they say they offer it, then it is their job to know how to do it!
Here’s where they missed the mark in my first 24 hours here:
1. At Check In…The desk clerk forgot to explain that his request for credit card from the woman checking in right before me was for incidentals. If you travel a lot, that is something you know already, but this woman didn’t and it raised concerns for her about whether her room was being covered by the organization sponsoring her trip and created a less than satisfactory and potentially embarrasing moment for her. Something that would not have occurred had the simple explanation that is routine at most hotels around the country been provided to her.
2. Turn Down Service…While at dinner with my clients the staff provided turn down service for my bed, but there was nothing special about it. In contrast, my California Inn provided chocolates on my pillow and a lovely orchid bloom atop the covers, and set the clock radio to a relaxing mellow music station. Even though I don’t really want the chocolate and have no real use for the orchid, it is part of the service you expect when paying upscale rates in places that claim to be a cut above the rest, and it makes the experience memorable!
3. The Toilet Seat…Few things are more distracting than a half-painted and stained toilet seat. It is the last thing you expect to see at an upscale inn, and it leads you to wonder what else is in need of repair. In this case, since I know the history of the place, I am relatively certain it was a carryover from before the last renovation whch occurred about 3 years ago. If they weren’t willing to spring for the $20 to replace the toilet seat, where else did they cut corners?
4. One Vending Machine…The only source of beverages is a single vending machine located outside of the building. There is no bottled water in the room for purchase (which is actually a very effective profit center for venues like this) and there are no snack machines of any kind on the premises. These would be relatively easy sources of revenue if they were available, but they have chosen not to provide any such comforts.
5. Poor Information…There is a great brochure about the on-site spa that details all of the services they offer and the associated fees, but nowhere is there any information about the hours of operation; it’s not on the brochure and not in the little notebook listing all of the services available. The same is true for the on-site fitness center. Granted a call to the front desk might easily yield the information, but that is a step that the guest should not be required to make in order to plan their stay.
Enough said…once you define what you stand for and where you want to be positioned in the market, it is imperative that you walk your talk and pay attention to the details that make the difference. If they are taken care of, you make the grade and your customers will talk about you in the way you want them to, sending you business and
The bottom line: Be sure that you are who you say you are in every sense…that is the power of brand and indentity…and consistency rules!!
Ray’s Response Rules!
Filed under: Build Business, Get Results, Lead People, Take Action
Sometimes when you want to help people get a message, you have to expose a weakness of your own to make a point. This entry is one of those times.
It all started two weeks ago when I traveled to Orlando, Florida to attend a conference. The hotel where we were staying offered a town car shuttle service from the airport, and prior to leaving home I made a reservation for the service.
Upon arriving at the airport I placed a call to the service as they had requested and was told to meet the driver at space 18 outside of the baggage claim area. My traveling companion and I went to space 18 and found not a town car, but a dirty cab that was already occupied by two other people. The driver asked us to load our bags and get inside, but we declined, preferring not to ride in a dirty cab with two strangers. Instead we walked to the cab stand and requested a cab to take us to our destintation.
A few minutes later cab #449 pulled up and Ray jumped out to welcome us to Florida. Right away I knew that we had made the absolute right choice in passing on the group ride! Ray introduced himself, asked where we were headed, loaded our luggage into the trunk and drove us to our destination. As we arrived and were waiting at a traffic light across from the hotel, I noticed that Ray was writing something down.
Before the light changed, Ray turned and handed me a written receipt (the first written receipt from a cab driver that I can remember receiving in years…usually all they do is give you a blank piece of paper that might have their cab number pre-printed on it). He noted that he had written his phone number on it and told us that he would be happy to take us back to the airport when it was time for us to leave, and asked us to give him a call when the time came.
We drove across the street, Ray parked the cab, helped us with our luggage, and wished us a pleasant stay. Then he added a quick thank you and reminded us that he would be more than happy to take us back to the airport. The irony was that the ride with Ray actually cost us less than the alleged town car service, AND we were walking into the hotel before the cab that we turned down arrived (even though it left the airport at least 10 minuts before we did).
Now it probably goes without saying that we planned to use Ray to get back to the airport, but it turns out that the story is just beginning…
After checking into the hotel and heading up to the room, I reached for my cell phone, only to find that it was not in my pocket. After a quick search it became obvious that it was not in my possession anywhere. So what did I do? I called Ray to see if it was in the cab.
Ray quickly answered, checked in the back seat and discovered my phone. He then promised to drop it off at the hotel at 7:45 pm (which was in about 30 minutes).
At 7:45 pm I walked out the front door and there was Ray, smiling and holding my cell phone. He apoligized for my inconvenience…interesting, since he was the one being inconvenienced by having to return with my phone…and said he hoped to see us on Monday when we were heading back to the airport.
As you can no doubt imagine, I shared the story with several of the people I met at the conference and encouraged them to call Ray for a ride back to the airport. Then, on Sunday night when we returned from dinner there was a voice mail from Ray waiting on the hotel phone…wanting to confirm our plans for the morning and assure us that he would get us to the airport quickly and on time.
We called him back and made plans for our return trip. Then the next morning when we walked out of the hotel Ray was waiting as promised, complete with a dry-erase board sign with our names on it.
But the story doesn’t end there. Oddly enough I managed to leave my cell phone in the cab again that morning (I told you this story was not necessarily flattering to me). Once again I called Ray and once again Ray responded. Within 10 minutes he was back at the place where he dropped me off and delivered my missing cell phone to me.
So what is the point of this little story (aside from my needing a better way to keep my cell phone with me)?
First, notice that Ray differentiated himself from the start of our interactions. He got out of the cab, welcomed us, and loaded our bags, AND he told us his name.
Next, he wrote out a receipt, shared his phone number, and asked for the repeat business. The only thing he didn’t do was give me a couple of cards with his number that I could pass along to my friends and associates!
Finally, he responded and provided assistance when I left my cell phone in the cab. He was prompt, curteous, and he did his best to turn down my tip for his extra service of delivering the cell phone.
Action Question: How well would you and/or your team have performed in this situation? Do you deliver Ray’s Response to your customers every day?
What kind of expert are you becoming?
OK, here is the blunt and brutal reality–everyone of us in becoming an expert in something, just by the virtue of being alive and allocating our time to daily activities.
Think about it.
1. We are, by definition, creatures of habit.
2. It takes a mere 3 hours of study per day for a period of 2-3 years to become an expert in a field (and some might say that is a high estimate).
3. Our minds are always at work at the subconscious level, essentially being programmed by whatever they are continuously exposed to on a day-to-day basis.
Therefore, we are all in the process of becoming experts at something…it is as natural as waking up in the morning, and unless we consciously decide to take control, we may end up knowing everything about something that helps us very little.
I’m not sure there is a whole lot more that needs to be said about this, other than to remind all of us that we do indeed become what we think about, that we attract that which we focus upon, and that we can decide to change what we do not like.
The action steps:
1. Think about what you are in the process of becoming and expert at, and make sure that it is what you want.
2. Learn to recognize the power of the ongoing investigations of the subconscious and look for ways to make the process work to your benefit.
3. Make a decision to make the coming year a time when you learn about something that will help you to make the impact on the world that you were put here to make.
It is, after all, up to you, because you are the only one who will accompany you on every step of this journey called life.
POSTSCRIPT: This entry was stimulated by an overhead conversation at dinner. Two people were lamenting the woes of their life to a third. Each was a business owner and each talked of how they just did not have time to do this or that to grow their business. But as I eavesdropped more carefully I learned that one spent 4-6 hours each night playing online poker and the other religiously watched 3-4 hours of television each night. While I know some would say that is just their way of relaxing, the reality is that one was becoming a poker expert and the other a television expert…neither of which offers much promise to contribute to the long term success of their enterprises. Which led me to ask the question to those with whom I was dining: What kind of expert are you becoming?
The Power of Being Transparent
Filed under: Build Business, Generate Ideas, Take Action, Think Strategically
One of the things that becomes very clear when you begin conducting business online is the need to be open and honest about what you are doing. There are simply too many eyes upon your every action as you unfold your online presence to consider for even a moment trying to hide anything. And if you have any desires to create effective word-of-mouth marketing, it is imperative that you begin sharing information as soon as possible with those who express an interest in what you are doing!
As we have evolved BigIdeaGuru.com across the past several weeks, this reality has become increasingly apparent to us. While we intended to develop the site quietly and release it when we were ready, the fact is that many of you found it long before we were ready for you.
For example, one day we popped up an initial entry on this blog to allow us to test it out and work on the design, layout, and so forth. Then within a few hours a a visitor who found the blog posted a comment. So we hid the page and did some more work, then revealed it again while we were testing out our RSS feed and almost instantly another comment was posted.
While it was gratifying to see the interest, it was also challenging. Our action plan called for the Blog to appear and become public on March 1st, and we were simply not ready to deliver content or to respond earlier. But we also realized that in an online instantaneous world, we needed to respond quickly or risk a negative perception that could stifle our efforts completely.
A similar issue emerged when we were testing our members area…an area that we planned to roll out on March 14th. About one hour into our test we noticed that we had several people who had already signed up. It was an interesting development, since there was viritually nothing available to access, and there was no description of any benefits or services. But people found the sign up form and decided to join.
These two situations taught us an important lesson that is worth sharing because it impacts all of us in business today, and that is the power of being transparent.
Here’s how we define the concept: being transparent means being comfortable enough about what you are doing to share the details, warts and all, with the people you serve. It’s about being completely open and honest with your cutomers. It’s about sharing the pitfalls and the successes with those who are interested in what you are creating. And it’s about being comfortable with the uncertainty that can emerge from talking about your plans as they are evolving on a day-to-day basis.
In this spirit of transparency, let me share an update with you on where we are heading with BigIdeaGuru.com and what you can expect in the weeks and months ahead:
- The Idea Blog. Yesterday we formally opened the blog with a simple welcome message and our plan is to post 3-4 entries per week, and to respond to comments, feedback, and ideas that are shared by our readers. Tomorrow’s entry will be the first post that we put up when we were testing, along with the comments from our readers. Entries that follow will focus on a variety of topics that have relevance to our focus…engaging entrepreneurs, growing business leaders, and independent professionals in an ongoing dialogue regarding ideas they can use to grow their business and lead their teams.
- Ideas That Matter Online Magazine. On March 14th we will unveil the first issue of our online magazine called Ideas That Matter. Each issue will feature content in three core areas:
- Leadership;
- Service; and
- Strategy
Each of these areas will feature a podcast with an expert or a business leader, along with a feature article from the guest and a transcript of the podcast. Additional feature areas will include: BIG Ideas of the Month, The BIG Bookshelf, Recommended Resources, and a variety of reader driven sections, such as a Q&A area, a Reader’s Ideas area, and a Case Studies area.
- Big Idea Gurus Club. This membership club will debut near the end of the month to provide entrepreneurs, growing business leaders, and independent professionals with access to resources they can use each month. It will include a subscription to Profitable Ideas, a monthly DVD and Audio program for members, a private forum, an idea-focused wiki, and monthly tele-seminars and Q&A sessions for members.
- Learning Packages. Several learning packages are currently in development that will support the growth of your business and the development of your leaders. These will be released across the next 6-9 months and will include home study packages, online learning tools, and tele-seminars.
Let’s stop there for now. We have more on the way, but this is probably more transparency than you needed at this point…but it does illustrate the concept and the power of being open about what you are planning and how it will help those you are seeking to serve.
One final thought: As you begin your path to becoming more transparent, don’t underestimate the power of stating publicly what you are planning…it makes you more accountable AND it helps you to attract the people and resources you need to create your vision. So go forth and unleash the power of being transparent in your business!
