Smile and acknowledge guests as soon as they enter your establishment.
Have you ever had a customer service experience that made you feel surprisingly good? I had such an experience.
Real World Story: About one week after my recently blogged-about adventures in Bermuda, I had an unexpectedly great experience at an unassuming location.
It was at the Hampton Inn in Salinas, CA, a modest yet agriculturally thriving area. To be honest, I was not expecting anything extraordinary. However, from the moment I walked in, to the moment I checked out, I had the best hotel experience in a very long time. The moment I entered the building, I was greeted with a huge smile by an employee named Aaron. He was so kind, so friendly and so patient with me, even while I fumbled for my credit card and driver’s license during check-in. And although I had stayed at this hotel previously, he took the time to explain the hotel’s amenities: locations of the elevator, gym and additional parking areas, as well as breakfast time. He was clear in his communication and so calm that I truly felt he cared that I knew this information.
At one point, I came down in a cowgirl outfit because my client was taking me to a local rodeo. I felt a little uncomfortable in my outfit; however, when I walked by the front desk, Aaron and I made eye contact. He smiled and greeted me with a “Yeehaw,” which made me laugh out loud!
Every single time I walked by the front desk, Aaron would smile and/or make a friendly comment. I truly looked forward to seeing Aaron because he made me feel like I was one of the family, like I was a valuable part of the hotel’s business.
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Be like Aaron! Smile and acknowledge guests as soon as they enter your establishment. They will feel important and special. You know, what customer service is all about.
- Explain like Aaron! Whether or not your customers are first-time guests or regulars, always explain to them the important information they need to know. Do this in a way that is friendly and helpful, not condescending and rude. Be like Aaron!
- Be consistent like Aaron! – Consistency of service with every customer, every time, is vital to your business’ reputation and ultimate success. Consistency should never depend on when you feel like it, or not only when the customer is nice to you. Consistency happens with every customer, every time – just like Aaron!
Remember: It takes just as much energy to acknowledge customers as it does to ignore them. Choose the positive option and watch how many happy customers write a glowing blog post about you!
What do YOU do to deliver a positive experience to every customer every time?