Last night city councillors in Saskatoon sought to strike down taxi stand leases despite the loss of revenue that this would represent. Why? Because when the taxi drivers fight over fares, they are so rude that they give the city a bad name. (For the story, please see: http://bit.ly/hYcKT0)
Last week a family vowed never to eat again at their local hamburger joint because the counter staff always bickered in front of their children.
Earlier this month three teenage girls sat in Starbucks complaining about how the [attached] Chapters bookstore staff kept “dropping the F-bomb”.
Before that one of my colleagues switched dentists because of strained way in which the hygienist and dentist interacted.
And those were just a few of the things that I’ve encountered so far this month. I can only imagine what else is happening in retail and service establishments across the globe... and can only shudder at the hard-won clients being lost because of bad behaviour and/or bad morale.
Just a reminder: It’s not just how your employees treat customers that counts.
This blog is intended to offer some insights into what constitutes good customer service - and what is considered to be really, really bad customer service. Hopefully you’ll find the "bad" examples amusing and the tips of use in improving the level of customer service in your own organisation. Happy Reading... and Good Customer Service!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Well this is not exactly about good customer service – it’s more about having fun through self service. When my mom sent it to me, I found it a welcome break in the middle of a busy day. Enjoy!
Happy Hour In Africa
This is a real video from a French documentary about Africa. Even if you don’t speak French the video is funny. In any event, there is little voice over; most of the soundtrack is simply a musical accompaniment to what you see on screen.
The Marula tree, from which Amarula liqueur is made (Marula fruit and cream), grows in Africa. There it is also known as the "Elephant Tree," because elephants have a fondness for its fruit.
The fruit of the Marula tree is very juicy... and it contains a high percentage of alcohol. Or at least that’s what it produces in the belly.
To compensate for the lack of water in Africa, animals munch on the fruit while using the shade of the tree to help protect themselves from the heat.
As for what happens next, you can watch for yourselves... and it’s not hard to spot the over-indulgers!!
Happy Hour In Africa
This is a real video from a French documentary about Africa. Even if you don’t speak French the video is funny. In any event, there is little voice over; most of the soundtrack is simply a musical accompaniment to what you see on screen.
The Marula tree, from which Amarula liqueur is made (Marula fruit and cream), grows in Africa. There it is also known as the "Elephant Tree," because elephants have a fondness for its fruit.
The fruit of the Marula tree is very juicy... and it contains a high percentage of alcohol. Or at least that’s what it produces in the belly.
To compensate for the lack of water in Africa, animals munch on the fruit while using the shade of the tree to help protect themselves from the heat.
As for what happens next, you can watch for yourselves... and it’s not hard to spot the over-indulgers!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
35% of Employers Admit to Using Facebook to Check Out Candidates
Today I read an article on BusienssInsider.com (and passed the link on via Twitter) about candidates being blackballed by some employers because of what they write on their Facebook pages and on other social medium sites. This prompted me to go back and check out what the 1,500 employers in our on-going research study had to say on the subject.
Over 35% admit to using Facebook and other sites to see what the candidate “is really like”. Said one employer, “If they are rude to their friends, it’s likely they’ll be rude to our customers. I won’t take a chance that they won’t deliver excellent customer service and I don’t hire them.”
Same thing in terms of exercising bad judgement about the images they choose to post or tag themselves in.
So be forewarned: Manage your online profile, watch what you have to say and make sure to set your privacy setting appropriately!
Over 35% admit to using Facebook and other sites to see what the candidate “is really like”. Said one employer, “If they are rude to their friends, it’s likely they’ll be rude to our customers. I won’t take a chance that they won’t deliver excellent customer service and I don’t hire them.”
Same thing in terms of exercising bad judgement about the images they choose to post or tag themselves in.
So be forewarned: Manage your online profile, watch what you have to say and make sure to set your privacy setting appropriately!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Wealthy People More at Risk of Getting Ripped Off?
Earlier today I read an article on BNET.com that describes how wealthy customers are more likely to be charged higher rates than customers who seem to be in the same income bracket as the people performing the service.
This is not something we have ever researched, but my own experiences support the findings in Kimberly Weisul’s article, “This is Broken Customer Service”.
Recently, the exhaust system on my car started to make worrisome noises so I took it to the dealership – a dealership I had been loyal to since 1994. Through multiple vehicles, I had remained true to the marque... and to the dealer. Even when we moved, I continued to make the 1 hour drive to have my car serviced at the place I trusted. Note the past tense.
Their verdict: The entire exhaust system needed to be replaced. The part alone was $1500. I explained that I did not want to put that kind of money into a car I was planning to replace in the spring and asked if they could do a simple repair.
The answer: NO – there was no way to repair the problem. The fee to render this verdict was discounted to $50 because I was a long-time customer.
Although warned that the car was unsafe to drive and that the entire exhaust could go any minute, I decided to postpone the repair in favour of a new car search. Well they were right; six weeks later the “worrisome” noise progressed to “horrible” and the smell of exhaust filled my car.
This time I went to a local garage that had been recommended by a neighbour. The first person told me that it would likely cost about $400 to repair, but that he would have the owner call me with a final estimate.
When the mechanic drove me home, I had him pull up in front of the triplex up the street, rather than dropping me off in front of my home. On the way home, I also “let drop” that I was in the process of looking for a job. The result of my “experiment”: A $175 repair.
A couple of months ago, I had another experience of being quoted a lower amount than a friend for the same service. The only difference was not deliberate on this occasion: I had gone in wearing old sweats and an even older ski jacket.
These two anecdotes are by no means conclusive, but they tend to make me agree with Ms. Weisul’s assertion that these types of actions represent customer service that’s indeed in need of repair!
This is not something we have ever researched, but my own experiences support the findings in Kimberly Weisul’s article, “This is Broken Customer Service”.
Recently, the exhaust system on my car started to make worrisome noises so I took it to the dealership – a dealership I had been loyal to since 1994. Through multiple vehicles, I had remained true to the marque... and to the dealer. Even when we moved, I continued to make the 1 hour drive to have my car serviced at the place I trusted. Note the past tense.
Their verdict: The entire exhaust system needed to be replaced. The part alone was $1500. I explained that I did not want to put that kind of money into a car I was planning to replace in the spring and asked if they could do a simple repair.
The answer: NO – there was no way to repair the problem. The fee to render this verdict was discounted to $50 because I was a long-time customer.
Although warned that the car was unsafe to drive and that the entire exhaust could go any minute, I decided to postpone the repair in favour of a new car search. Well they were right; six weeks later the “worrisome” noise progressed to “horrible” and the smell of exhaust filled my car.
This time I went to a local garage that had been recommended by a neighbour. The first person told me that it would likely cost about $400 to repair, but that he would have the owner call me with a final estimate.
When the mechanic drove me home, I had him pull up in front of the triplex up the street, rather than dropping me off in front of my home. On the way home, I also “let drop” that I was in the process of looking for a job. The result of my “experiment”: A $175 repair.
A couple of months ago, I had another experience of being quoted a lower amount than a friend for the same service. The only difference was not deliberate on this occasion: I had gone in wearing old sweats and an even older ski jacket.
These two anecdotes are by no means conclusive, but they tend to make me agree with Ms. Weisul’s assertion that these types of actions represent customer service that’s indeed in need of repair!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The customer is NOT always right
Actual Customer-Change Room Staff exchange… as recorded 12 months ago
Ethnographic research (the kind where you watch happens in the stores, listen surreptitiously to conversations, etc.) revealed a couple of interesting things:
Our approach
If that didn’t diffuse the situation (though it often did), then employees were given permission to respond using the following types of remarks:
“I found what you said [or did] to be disrespectful. To be fair to me, the other employees and your fellow shoppers, I would ask that you speak to me politely.”
“I really don’t feel comfortable with the way you are treating me. Would you please show me more respect?”
“I’m sorry this is not going well. I’d like to invite you to leave the store now and to return when things are better for you.”
By making it okay to say ‘no’ to ‘bad’ customers, employees were able to create a better store atmosphere and a better shopping experience for everyone... and that is reflected in a better bottom line, too.
If you’d like to learn about other times when “just say no” has helped a business, please feel free to call me, or to drop me a note: jmc@theQgroup.com.
A customer had 16 items she wanted to try on; the change room limit was six. The sales clerk politely told the young woman that she could take six items into the change room and offered to hand in new garments as they were needed.
Customer (C) – in a belligerent tone: “No – I’ll take in what I want, when I want.”
Staff (S) – politely: “I actually need to ask that you choose six items to start… and then I’ll pass you in whatever you’d like when you’re ready to trade me things.”
C (said somewhat menacingly): “Back off B----. I’m taking these in now. Want to make something of it?”
S (in a cowed, frustrated voice): “Fine. Go ahead.”
Imagine working in a place where that kind of scene was repeated multiple times in a shift. No wonder the staff member left the area to complain to a co-worker (giving the teen in the change room an opportunity to 5-finger a few items)… and not surprising that the 17-year old clerk ended her shift in tears.
Yes – this tale does have a happy ending.
One of the clients I work with is a mid-size retailer with 12 stores. They cater to a slightly upscale teen audience. The chain had been experiencing increasing employee turnover and diminishing sales. The impact on the bottom line was not pretty.
Ethnographic research (the kind where you watch happens in the stores, listen surreptitiously to conversations, etc.) revealed a couple of interesting things:
- Over 25% of potential customers entering the stores were rude to the sales staff… not simply discourteous but highly disrespectful (okay, “downright rude”) and dismissive of all people working there.
- Only 1 in 25 people who tried on clothes bought anything – a figure below industry average and far below the stores’ historical performance figures.
- Only 1 in 52 people who entered the stores actually bought anything. Again, this figure was below the Canadian average, even allowing for the fact that most retailers seriously over-estimate their “browsers-to-buyers ratio” *.
- +50% of browsers who left the stores without buying anything did so because of the negative store atmosphere.
- Sales team members were reluctant to engage customers in conversation and, although they would ask adults if they could be of assistance, rarely offered to help teen shoppers. No great shock given the way that the sales staff was often treated.
Our approach
Employees were encouraged to stick up for themselves. The staff training including sessions where clerks were taught to gently and graciously deliver phrases such as…
“We really appreciate your business and value you as a customer, so out of respect for you and the others in the store, I’d like to suggest that you and I change the dynamics of this conversation. Now, how may I help you?”
“Is everything okay? You seem to be having a bad day. Would you prefer to try this on at another time?”
“I found what you said [or did] to be disrespectful. To be fair to me, the other employees and your fellow shoppers, I would ask that you speak to me politely.”
“I really don’t feel comfortable with the way you are treating me. Would you please show me more respect?”
“I’m sorry this is not going well. I’d like to invite you to leave the store now and to return when things are better for you.”
All 50 phrases, with suggestions of what to say when, were printed on pocket-size card stock and given to each employee.
Managers were urged to acknowledge employees who had handled a difficult customer well – or had legitimately refused service to a customer who was behaving badly. Special reward cards were issued that could be exchanged for cash or merchandise.
Being given permission to deviate from the normal “the customer is always right” not only empowered employees, it made them feel valued. Morale soon started to climb.
That was a year ago. We just got the new stats back:
- Less than 10% of potential customers entering the stores are rude to the sales staff.
- 7 out of 25 people who try on clothes buy something. Yes, there is still plenty of room for improvement, but that’s a 7-fold increase in 1 year!
- On average, 5 out of 50 people who enter the store buy something.
By making it okay to say ‘no’ to ‘bad’ customers, employees were able to create a better store atmosphere and a better shopping experience for everyone... and that is reflected in a better bottom line, too.
If you’d like to learn about other times when “just say no” has helped a business, please feel free to call me, or to drop me a note: jmc@theQgroup.com.
Until next time. JMC
*Note: The browsers-to-buyers ratio (i.e. conversion rate) is one of the metrics used around the world to assess retail performance. The most accurate way to measure this is by using video of the store’s entrance and comparing the number of people entering the store with the number of sales tickets on any given day. The challenge: The ratios fluctuate by store location, season (weather and holidays).
Sunday, January 9, 2011
How to Stop Your Service Reps from Messing up Your Marketing Efforts
What do you do when you run a business where the customer’s only contact with you is through a phone rep and/or in-field rep... and they don’t care about their job?
It won’t matter how much time and effort you put into finding a way to differentiate your products and/or service (which is becoming increasingly difficult these days), or much you invest in marketing campaigns and loyalty programs, you will lose customers if your CSRs don’t measure up.
I just had one like that leave my home... and I may be switching providers as a result. He started off acting like a total jerk. He was rude and didn’t really care too much about what he was there to do.
Not wanting my problem to go unresolved, or for it to be fixed in a so-so fashion, I decided to take the “let’s make friends” approach, and said, “It sounds like you must have had a long day in some very cold weather.”
“Huh?” he grunted in response.
As kindly as I could, despite not feeling very charitable inside, I said, “I know haven’t done anything to upset you, but from the sounds of it, someone has. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
With that the service rep turned and looked me in the eye for the first time. “Yeah, that would be great.”
Over the next 30 minutes or so, I learned that...
It won’t matter how much time and effort you put into finding a way to differentiate your products and/or service (which is becoming increasingly difficult these days), or much you invest in marketing campaigns and loyalty programs, you will lose customers if your CSRs don’t measure up.
I just had one like that leave my home... and I may be switching providers as a result. He started off acting like a total jerk. He was rude and didn’t really care too much about what he was there to do.
Not wanting my problem to go unresolved, or for it to be fixed in a so-so fashion, I decided to take the “let’s make friends” approach, and said, “It sounds like you must have had a long day in some very cold weather.”
“Huh?” he grunted in response.
As kindly as I could, despite not feeling very charitable inside, I said, “I know haven’t done anything to upset you, but from the sounds of it, someone has. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
With that the service rep turned and looked me in the eye for the first time. “Yeah, that would be great.”
Over the next 30 minutes or so, I learned that...
- The company hires part-time union members to handle the weekend and after hours calls (which is when most homeowners are home!).
- These part-timers get no training and there is no incentive for them to be nice to customers.
- The emphasis is on getting as many calls completed in as short a time as possible and they are told to avoid going the extra yard. The direction these reps are given, paraphrased of course: “Get it working by doing the minimum work you can. Don’t do anything extra if you can help it.”
- If he gets reported for being rude, there are no real repercussions as long as the job got done. “John” told me, “Yeah, I’ve been written up before, but it doesn’t mean anything and the sheets are thrown out at the end of the month, anyway. Besides, it’s a union job and the rules don’t say anything about customer service, and I can get another one if I have to.”
Is this any way to run a business? No – not unless you only care about profits and are almost the only game in town. Not too smart, if you ask me.
We’ve worked with clients that depend on infield service people to represent their company and this is what we always tell them to do the following things:
- Hire well and pay even better.
- Be fair, supportive and create an environment better than anything else available in the market and you will likely get great cooperation from your staff because they want to keep working for you.
- Same idea expressed a different way: Let your employees know that they matter and that the job they do is important... and do so on a regular basis.
- Let your employees know – specifically – what you expect in terms of customer service and make sure that this service is delivered consistently (mystery calls, follow-up with regular calls, etc.).
- Encourage employees to go the extra yard to help your customers (remember the power of Word of Mouth, especially given how easy it is to share using Facebook, twitter and other social media vehicles).
- Provide training: Technical and customer-service-related.
- Provide regular feedback and performance reviews; reward excellent performance.
- Facilitate the sharing of knowledge and insights among employees.
- Communicate regularly with your employees letting them know about changes, things that are happening in the company, etc.
“Doesn’t this add to the overhead?”, you might ask.
The answer: “YES it does... but not as much as it adds to the bottom line!”
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Great Service at Taco Bell
We went into a Taco Bell over the holidays (there’s only so much turkey you can stuff in... so to speak) and, to my surprise, encountered excellent customer service. Truly.
When I asked the woman behind the counter how long the apple empanadas had been sitting there, she told me that they had been there about 30 minutes. Then she told that although they were probably still fine that she would make me new ones if I wanted to wait 4 minutes. I did.
Then she said she would wait to serve my fries until the pies were ready so that everything would be hot.
On top of everything else, she actually smiled a genuine smile when she handed over our food order when it was ready. Wow.
Why tell this story?
To show that it doesn’t matter where you work, or what your position... you can still make someone happy by offering courteous, customer service.
When I asked the woman behind the counter how long the apple empanadas had been sitting there, she told me that they had been there about 30 minutes. Then she told that although they were probably still fine that she would make me new ones if I wanted to wait 4 minutes. I did.
Then she said she would wait to serve my fries until the pies were ready so that everything would be hot.
On top of everything else, she actually smiled a genuine smile when she handed over our food order when it was ready. Wow.
Why tell this story?
To show that it doesn’t matter where you work, or what your position... you can still make someone happy by offering courteous, customer service.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Handling the Top Five Hotel Mishaps – According to Travellers
In the fall of 2010 we conducted research with business travellers and hoteliers across North American. Interestingly – though not too surprisingly – what hoteliers thought constituted a problem for travellers, and what travellers thought were real problems, were not always the same.
For instance, many hoteliers thought that not offering reward “miles” or credits was a problem – yet only 14% of respondents listed this in their top 10 complaints about hotel stays.
On the other hand, non-smokers being given a smoking room made it to 78% of all lists – and to 98% of non-smokers’ lists. Hoteliers? Only 17% of the 201 surveyed included this on their top 10 traveller problems list.
The top 5 things on the travellers’ list – and some suggestions on how to handle the problems – can be found below. For the full article, please go to: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=41.
1. The room not being available – after having confirmed a late arrival
Although not a common occurrence, this rated the most ire among business travellers. Said one executive, “There’s nothing worse than being in meetings all day, catching a late flight and then finding out that the hotel has given away your room. And that they have not made arrangements for you elsewhere.”
So what do travellers want?
• It’s simple - if a guest confirms a late check-in, don’t give away the room! You already have the credit card number and are getting paid for the room night. As one frequent traveller expressed it, “You’ve got my money. Why get greedy?”
• Don’t let your front desk staff defend the action by saying, “Well, you’re late.”
Said one executive, “No kidding. I know I’m late. I’m also tired and grumpy and just want to go to sleep – not travel to another hotel.”
• Put the guest in a suite – at your charge – before sending him/her elsewhere.
• If there’s been a screw-up, arrange transportation for the guest – at your cost. Don’t leave him/her stranded in the middle of the night.
2. The hotel “losing” a reservation
It is very frustrating to travellers to be told that the hotel does not have their reservation, or that the hotel has it listed under a different day. The problem is further compounded when the hotel offers the guest a room, but insists that the guest pay full rack rate – for whatever reason the front desk clerk comes up with. Seasoned travellers know to take their e-mail confirmation with them, but not everyone remembers to print it off before they leave.
One hotel manager's approach: “If someone is attending a conference, and we have a room, we give them the room at the conference rate – no questions asked. If we can get them in to a slightly better room, we do so and give them the same rate. Even if it’s not as easy as how we handle the conference situation, we usually do something to accommodate the guest, without charging them the full rack rate. If we can’t accommodate them, we get them another room elsewhere, at a comparable rate.”
3. Being given a smoking room – when a non-smoking room has been requested
Luckily hotels are saving more and more rooms for their non-smoking rooms. There are, however, times with non-smokers end up being assigned smoking rooms. How should you handle this situation?
• Do not simply send your guest to a stinky room hoping they won’t notice. Over 50% of non-smokers have said this has happened to them on more than one occasion and they resent the extra time this costs them at check-in when they have to get a new room. Most will not willingly return to a hotel where this has happened.
• Do not force someone to take a stinky room. Said one woman, “I had specified at the time of reservation that I had a smoke allergy. When I was told that there were no other rooms available, I spend the next 10 minutes on my cell and found a room elsewhere. I will never return to that hotel.” Her sentiments were echoed by dozens of people in the survey.
• If you have managed to persuade the guest to try the room on the understanding that you are going to spray it, put in heavy duty fans, etc. – don’t make a fuss if they are still bothered by the smoke after all your efforts. Move them – some way, some how. If for some strange reason you can’t work it out until morning, then that first night should be on the house.
4. Being over-billed – and the front desk not graciously correcting the mistake
Despite online travel advisories and other warnings, travellers continue to be overbilled at hotels around the world. Nothing deliberate, of course, but human and computer errors (yes, they do happen LOL) result in the in the average business travellers being over-billed by about $14.00 a night.
Research we conducted in early 2010 suggests that over 70% of the time, the amount quoted at check-in will, on average, be $3 - $4 dollars higher than the amount quoted when reserving the room. As long as it sounds right, most travelers don’t notice the difference.
Errors also occur in other room charges (for a complete list, please read: “Hotels Overbilling Costs Travellers +$.75 Billion a Year” on this site: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=42).
Good rule of thumb: When the matter is not clear, give the client the benefit of the doubt. Given that research suggests that less than 0.5% of business travellers (and less than 1% of vacationers) lie about having been billed incorrectly, we feel it’s better to side with the customer.
5. Getting my name wrong – over and over
One comment from the research just about sums up what everyone had to say on this matter, so I’ll let this executive's words address the point.
“I know that the Front Desk staff are told the need to address people by name – so I don’t squirm too much, even when they overdo it – but they should at least get the name right. Last week, when I checked into a hotel that I use regularly I was greeted very pleasantly by the young man behind the desk. I gave him my name; he got the folio out and then proceeded to call me by a different last name. I mentioned twice that my last name is Kessler, not Johnson and he kept on calling me Ms. Johnson. I showed him the name on the form; he apologized – and then said, oh so enthusiastically, “I hope you enjoy your stay with us Ms. Johnson. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he greeted me with a huge smile – and called me by the wrong name. Several of them, actually. If you can’t get it right, don’t bother!"
What about the other things that can go wrong at a hotel? Check out the other articles on The Q Group site at: http://bit.ly/QGroupArticles.
For instance, many hoteliers thought that not offering reward “miles” or credits was a problem – yet only 14% of respondents listed this in their top 10 complaints about hotel stays.
On the other hand, non-smokers being given a smoking room made it to 78% of all lists – and to 98% of non-smokers’ lists. Hoteliers? Only 17% of the 201 surveyed included this on their top 10 traveller problems list.
The top 5 things on the travellers’ list – and some suggestions on how to handle the problems – can be found below. For the full article, please go to: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=41.
1. The room not being available – after having confirmed a late arrival
Although not a common occurrence, this rated the most ire among business travellers. Said one executive, “There’s nothing worse than being in meetings all day, catching a late flight and then finding out that the hotel has given away your room. And that they have not made arrangements for you elsewhere.”
So what do travellers want?
• It’s simple - if a guest confirms a late check-in, don’t give away the room! You already have the credit card number and are getting paid for the room night. As one frequent traveller expressed it, “You’ve got my money. Why get greedy?”
• Don’t let your front desk staff defend the action by saying, “Well, you’re late.”
Said one executive, “No kidding. I know I’m late. I’m also tired and grumpy and just want to go to sleep – not travel to another hotel.”
• Put the guest in a suite – at your charge – before sending him/her elsewhere.
• If there’s been a screw-up, arrange transportation for the guest – at your cost. Don’t leave him/her stranded in the middle of the night.
2. The hotel “losing” a reservation
It is very frustrating to travellers to be told that the hotel does not have their reservation, or that the hotel has it listed under a different day. The problem is further compounded when the hotel offers the guest a room, but insists that the guest pay full rack rate – for whatever reason the front desk clerk comes up with. Seasoned travellers know to take their e-mail confirmation with them, but not everyone remembers to print it off before they leave.
One hotel manager's approach: “If someone is attending a conference, and we have a room, we give them the room at the conference rate – no questions asked. If we can get them in to a slightly better room, we do so and give them the same rate. Even if it’s not as easy as how we handle the conference situation, we usually do something to accommodate the guest, without charging them the full rack rate. If we can’t accommodate them, we get them another room elsewhere, at a comparable rate.”
3. Being given a smoking room – when a non-smoking room has been requested
Luckily hotels are saving more and more rooms for their non-smoking rooms. There are, however, times with non-smokers end up being assigned smoking rooms. How should you handle this situation?
• Do not simply send your guest to a stinky room hoping they won’t notice. Over 50% of non-smokers have said this has happened to them on more than one occasion and they resent the extra time this costs them at check-in when they have to get a new room. Most will not willingly return to a hotel where this has happened.
• Do not force someone to take a stinky room. Said one woman, “I had specified at the time of reservation that I had a smoke allergy. When I was told that there were no other rooms available, I spend the next 10 minutes on my cell and found a room elsewhere. I will never return to that hotel.” Her sentiments were echoed by dozens of people in the survey.
• If you have managed to persuade the guest to try the room on the understanding that you are going to spray it, put in heavy duty fans, etc. – don’t make a fuss if they are still bothered by the smoke after all your efforts. Move them – some way, some how. If for some strange reason you can’t work it out until morning, then that first night should be on the house.
4. Being over-billed – and the front desk not graciously correcting the mistake
Despite online travel advisories and other warnings, travellers continue to be overbilled at hotels around the world. Nothing deliberate, of course, but human and computer errors (yes, they do happen LOL) result in the in the average business travellers being over-billed by about $14.00 a night.
Research we conducted in early 2010 suggests that over 70% of the time, the amount quoted at check-in will, on average, be $3 - $4 dollars higher than the amount quoted when reserving the room. As long as it sounds right, most travelers don’t notice the difference.
Errors also occur in other room charges (for a complete list, please read: “Hotels Overbilling Costs Travellers +$.75 Billion a Year” on this site: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=42).
Good rule of thumb: When the matter is not clear, give the client the benefit of the doubt. Given that research suggests that less than 0.5% of business travellers (and less than 1% of vacationers) lie about having been billed incorrectly, we feel it’s better to side with the customer.
5. Getting my name wrong – over and over
One comment from the research just about sums up what everyone had to say on this matter, so I’ll let this executive's words address the point.
“I know that the Front Desk staff are told the need to address people by name – so I don’t squirm too much, even when they overdo it – but they should at least get the name right. Last week, when I checked into a hotel that I use regularly I was greeted very pleasantly by the young man behind the desk. I gave him my name; he got the folio out and then proceeded to call me by a different last name. I mentioned twice that my last name is Kessler, not Johnson and he kept on calling me Ms. Johnson. I showed him the name on the form; he apologized – and then said, oh so enthusiastically, “I hope you enjoy your stay with us Ms. Johnson. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he greeted me with a huge smile – and called me by the wrong name. Several of them, actually. If you can’t get it right, don’t bother!"
What about the other things that can go wrong at a hotel? Check out the other articles on The Q Group site at: http://bit.ly/QGroupArticles.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Top Five Embarrassing Hotel Moments – According to Hotel Employees
We do a lot of work in the hospitality industry and thought I’d share a couple of tidbits from things we’ve learned along the way.
I know, I know, when things go wrong in a hotel, they seem so much worse than the missteps that happen in “regular offices”. They are also a lot more comical – and far more embarrassing for all concerned.
The top 5 “Most Embarrassing Moments” as reported by hotel employees are listed below, along with suggestions on how to handle them.
Obviously the first thing you do is to apologize sincerely, profusely and even abjectly depending on the situation. Apologizing is such a given that it won’t be repeated in every answer below, but rest assured it’s there in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS.
Side note: What seems a little scary is that only 1 employee out of 150 surveyed indicated that losing a guest’s luggage, fax or other belongings was embarrassing. Most chalked it up to “stuff happens in a hotel” – obviously not a great customer service thought.
1. Spilling something… on someone. Interestingly, only very new waiters listed serving the wrong meal to a diner as an embarrassing moment (perhaps more experienced staff know there are things that are far worse). After clearing away the worst of the debris and fetching salt, soda water and clean napkins, you should a) provide the guest with your full name and card if you have one, b) give him or her the manager’s card, c) offer to pay to have the clothing item cleaned, and d) comp the dessert, drinks or meal depending on the severity of the spill.
2. Accidentally outing a guest. Whether it's letting it slip that the person is gay, or that the guest has been to the hotel before with someone else, it can be very painful for all parties. Seasoned staffers suggest the best thing is to take your cue from your guest and respond accordingly. Follow your guest’s lead. You messed up, so it’s only right that you help fix things as best you can. If you can cover your mistake by suggesting that you simply made a mistake, this may be the best option. To read how one quick-thinking concierge handled, things, please go to: http://bit.ly/ha9d2y.
You can, however, avoid this situation altogether by changing your greeting to "Welcome; it's a pleasure to have you here" - without adding "again", when the person is travelling with someone. This is especially if you don't know the guest's travelling companion very well.
3. Walking in on a naked guest (or worse, one engaged in a “private” activity). After apologizing (okay, I couldn’t help but add it here), turn and leave (instead of the customary backing out) and don’t bring it up again.
Don’t talk about it and don’t indicate you saw anything when you see the guest the next time. Over 90% of guests who have been “caught” this way are embarrassed enough that they don’t want any reminders of what happened – and they don’t want to feel like they are the only ones to whom this has happened. Making it seem like a novel event compounds the situation for most guests.
4. Falling as you show a guest around a room (especially if you land on their luggage or bed). Usually humour is the best response. Also, unless you are seriously hurt, save checking on your bruises until you have left the room. Instead, let them see you check to ensure that their luggage was not damaged, and restore the room to its initial state (smooth the bedspread, pick up the chair, etc.).
5. It’s late and no room is available – despite the guest having confirmed a late arrival.
Although not a common occurrence, this rated the most ire among business travellers surveyed. Given the remarks of one executive, which echo the thoughts of most respondents, it’s not surprising that front desk people rate this situation in their top five most embarrassing moments, too.
Said the Sr. VP Sales, "There's nothing worse than being in meetings all day, catching a late flight and then finding out that the hotel has given away your room. And that they have not made arrangements for you elsewhere."
What to do?
• It's simple - if a guest confirms a late check-in, don't give away the room!
• Put the guest in a suite - at your charge - before sending him/her elsewhere.
• If there's been a screw-up, arrange transportation for the guest - at your cost. Don't leave him/her stranded.
Says one hotel manager: "On the few occasions when we have had to turn away a confirmed guest who has arrived in the middle of the night, we make sure the person is given a superior room - at the rate of the originally reserved room - and we arrange transportation to the other hotel (and back if the person's attending an event at our hotel) and we still award the frequent guest points. Yes, it costs us some - but it sure makes them come back again."
Whether it’s at home or on the road, life is filled with its share of embarrassing moments, but if you handle them with prevailing hotel standards of concern, courtesy and discretion, you and the guest should be able to surmount just about any obstacle “thrown” your way
Whether it’s at home or on the road, life is filled with its share of embarrassing moments, but if you handle them with prevailing hotel standards of concern, courtesy and discretion, you and the guest should be able to surmount just about any obstacle “thrown” your way
For more about handling hotel mishaps, please see: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=41.
In the meantime, I wish you and your colleagues a wonderful 2011 and “uneventful” travels as you get back to work. Jane-Michele
I know, I know, when things go wrong in a hotel, they seem so much worse than the missteps that happen in “regular offices”. They are also a lot more comical – and far more embarrassing for all concerned.
The top 5 “Most Embarrassing Moments” as reported by hotel employees are listed below, along with suggestions on how to handle them.
Obviously the first thing you do is to apologize sincerely, profusely and even abjectly depending on the situation. Apologizing is such a given that it won’t be repeated in every answer below, but rest assured it’s there in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS.
Side note: What seems a little scary is that only 1 employee out of 150 surveyed indicated that losing a guest’s luggage, fax or other belongings was embarrassing. Most chalked it up to “stuff happens in a hotel” – obviously not a great customer service thought.
1. Spilling something… on someone. Interestingly, only very new waiters listed serving the wrong meal to a diner as an embarrassing moment (perhaps more experienced staff know there are things that are far worse). After clearing away the worst of the debris and fetching salt, soda water and clean napkins, you should a) provide the guest with your full name and card if you have one, b) give him or her the manager’s card, c) offer to pay to have the clothing item cleaned, and d) comp the dessert, drinks or meal depending on the severity of the spill.
2. Accidentally outing a guest. Whether it's letting it slip that the person is gay, or that the guest has been to the hotel before with someone else, it can be very painful for all parties. Seasoned staffers suggest the best thing is to take your cue from your guest and respond accordingly. Follow your guest’s lead. You messed up, so it’s only right that you help fix things as best you can. If you can cover your mistake by suggesting that you simply made a mistake, this may be the best option. To read how one quick-thinking concierge handled, things, please go to: http://bit.ly/ha9d2y.
You can, however, avoid this situation altogether by changing your greeting to "Welcome; it's a pleasure to have you here" - without adding "again", when the person is travelling with someone. This is especially if you don't know the guest's travelling companion very well.
3. Walking in on a naked guest (or worse, one engaged in a “private” activity). After apologizing (okay, I couldn’t help but add it here), turn and leave (instead of the customary backing out) and don’t bring it up again.
Don’t talk about it and don’t indicate you saw anything when you see the guest the next time. Over 90% of guests who have been “caught” this way are embarrassed enough that they don’t want any reminders of what happened – and they don’t want to feel like they are the only ones to whom this has happened. Making it seem like a novel event compounds the situation for most guests.
4. Falling as you show a guest around a room (especially if you land on their luggage or bed). Usually humour is the best response. Also, unless you are seriously hurt, save checking on your bruises until you have left the room. Instead, let them see you check to ensure that their luggage was not damaged, and restore the room to its initial state (smooth the bedspread, pick up the chair, etc.).
5. It’s late and no room is available – despite the guest having confirmed a late arrival.
Although not a common occurrence, this rated the most ire among business travellers surveyed. Given the remarks of one executive, which echo the thoughts of most respondents, it’s not surprising that front desk people rate this situation in their top five most embarrassing moments, too.
Said the Sr. VP Sales, "There's nothing worse than being in meetings all day, catching a late flight and then finding out that the hotel has given away your room. And that they have not made arrangements for you elsewhere."
What to do?
• It's simple - if a guest confirms a late check-in, don't give away the room!
• Put the guest in a suite - at your charge - before sending him/her elsewhere.
• If there's been a screw-up, arrange transportation for the guest - at your cost. Don't leave him/her stranded.
Says one hotel manager: "On the few occasions when we have had to turn away a confirmed guest who has arrived in the middle of the night, we make sure the person is given a superior room - at the rate of the originally reserved room - and we arrange transportation to the other hotel (and back if the person's attending an event at our hotel) and we still award the frequent guest points. Yes, it costs us some - but it sure makes them come back again."
Whether it’s at home or on the road, life is filled with its share of embarrassing moments, but if you handle them with prevailing hotel standards of concern, courtesy and discretion, you and the guest should be able to surmount just about any obstacle “thrown” your way
Whether it’s at home or on the road, life is filled with its share of embarrassing moments, but if you handle them with prevailing hotel standards of concern, courtesy and discretion, you and the guest should be able to surmount just about any obstacle “thrown” your way
For more about handling hotel mishaps, please see: http://www.theqgroup.com/articles-b.php?ArtID=41.
In the meantime, I wish you and your colleagues a wonderful 2011 and “uneventful” travels as you get back to work. Jane-Michele
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