Each year, Insight with Passion choose a central initiative that forms the base of many of our Seminar and Motivational work, and the platform for much of the Access for All scheme that sees us dedicate 20% of time back into the community.

This year, after listening and understanding many of the challenges out there for consumers, retailers and suppliers alike – we are championing great customer service – with our initiatives Customer At The Heart (CATH).

Though it is only March, I have already been amazed at the passionate debate this instills in the wide variety of audiences we have presented to – from students to struggling town centre landlords, thriving brand owners to CFOs.

There is an overriding theme generally, though there are examples greatness – most audience members (who are all active consumers themselves) have experienced poor – to shocking customer service in the last 6 months.

In a quick seat poll each time, there are more in the audience that have walked away from an issue – than have progressed it through feedback and got a resolve (maybe because its suggested to be damaging for our health? http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201201/does-complaining-damage-our-mental-health) – but there is a significant and growing number of people that are saying – ‘enough is enough’ – and raising their issue. Mobile phone companies, energy providers, apparel retailers and airlines seem to be high on the list of repeat offenders.

For the past 15 years – I have had to travel extensively for work – and so top of my list of challenges with Customer Service sits with the hotel industry.

I am so tired of reading the negative onslaught of press about what everyone is getting wrong all of the time – I wanted to focus on a story about getting it right. And why the market value of that for me was around £7/$10 and getting it wrong £1.40/$2.

Recently, I was a guest at a premium boutique hotel. It was, in theory, meant to be a slick operator with a strong brand identity and a wide range of services to aid the busy traveler – be it for business or leisure. After hours of travel – I arrived at the property and wanted the very basics – refreshment/shower and somewhere to rest. The lethargy in handling my check in and the overwhelming tone of ‘couldn’t be bothered’ was exacerbated when I thought I would just head to the restaurant, get some breakfast and hope that tomorrow was a better day. Ordering from the menu – I chose “2 eggs – as you like them”. I chose hard boiled. It was an incorrect choice.

Somehow, in the definition of ‘as you like them’ this hotel had created a parallel universe in which egg boiling was certainly not an option. In fact, the very notion caused such offence, that I seemed to have upset the kitchen team it and the manager told me in no uncertain terms  that there would be no ongoing egg boiling on their site.

Service went from bad to worse as over the course of the stay waiting time increased, orders went wrong and the team displayed a dismal approach to customer care. Though I raised it and fedback to a variety of mangers and team members, the issues experienced were never rectified – and even when, as a last attempt I wrote to the CEO – I never heard back.

I just vowed not to come back. Sadly, my travel concierge had other ideas. I had to engage with a sister property to the brand yesterday – for a short stay. I was apprehensive and having already experienced some challenges in my accommodation this visit*, I hoped for a bed and running water and was ready to close my eyes to the rest.

I could not have been met with a more refreshing situation. My check in process was personal, friendly and upbeat. No enquiry was too much of a challenge – and the experience and maturity of the team showed they were thinking ahead.

When I checked into my room, I was delighted to receive a really personalised card (handwritten and not the usual ‘welcome’ note) and my choice of breakfast drink in the fridge. I hadn’t given the hotel any information as to my requests prior to my stay – so this ‘consumer insight’ has obviously been passed on within the group.

It’s a shame that it wasn’t all handled brilliantly to start with on the first trip (they could have had a customer for life) – other than capacity issues in town, there was little chance I would have given the brand a second visit. Though I don’t mention brands I’ve had challenges with in the blogs – I know a colleague of mine is so thoroughly impressed with my experience – she is considering staying at the 2nd property – so the word of mouth has already worked.

SO that’s the story of how one boutique hotel chain turned 2 sour eggs into one happy fruit juice.

You cant leave customer service to chance. Its a tough economic climate out there – and many businesses have stiff competition for every £/$/€. We gravitate to ease of service, and I know, like me, the dream for many customers, is for things to be simplistic and right first time. The step to ‘plus one’  a customer on a journey is never far away  - yet so many businesses fail to take it. I don’t believe enough businesses even know what the step looks like – or never truly take the time to find out.*

Everyday, Insight with Passion work with a range of businesses who need help in improving or being the best they can be at customer service. If you feel you need to give more focus to this area – contact us.

*Interestingly, a much larger International chain with a brand value of ‘home from home’ gave such a challenging experience, en route this week, I had to speak with the team about the issues I had experienced.

Some of the problems were resolved, but the ease, friendliness and personalisation was never put into the stay – and it seemed there was a limit as to how much care and attention the team would ever put into turning it around.
I agreed after discussing the challenges with the management of the hotel, I would just leave it – as I have work to do and there is only so much time you can invest into leading a horse to water.

Two interesting things to note was the sheer disappointment on the doorman’s face when he asked about my stay on departure – you could see he felt personally concerned that a guest was leaving with such a bad impression.  The other was that part of my reason for staying at the hotel, was for a conference, and I spent much time discussing the hotel with other guests who had also experienced challenges. Of the group, I was the only one that had raised my challenges – and its unlikely I shall ever go back.

Think how many others felt the same but the brand will never know or get the chance to remedy it. I think its one of the saddest things to see is a customer walking away from a business who they will never get back – but they never had the chance to remedy it.