Real World Story: I was late for breakfast. The morning meal service ended at 9:30, and the time now was 9:25. I raced down to the restaurant and crossed the threshold at 9:26. I was expecting to be greeted by the restaurant staff with a heavy sigh and an attitude that I was bothering them. On the contrary! A staff member who looked almost pleased that I had arrived greeted me with a huge smile. He slowly walked me to my table – not rushing and obviously giving me time to compose myself, explained the buffet format, and even arranged for a cook to come out and prepare an omelet for me. The staffer made me feel welcomed and special. Even the waitress, who noticed my late arrival, quickly brought me coffee in a special full carafe should I run out faster than she could refill it. I was shocked and surprised by this wonderful service.
Naturally, I had to find out what was going on, so I pulled the first employee to the side. It turned out that he was the restaurant manager, JP Senuta, at
this Doubletree in Overland Park, KS, where I was staying. When I asked him how he and his staff had developed such great and consistent customer service skills, he shared the following tips.
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Daily Huddles: These are critical! During these quick 5-minute meetings, he acknowledges team members for what they did right. He knows that the more he recognizes people and focuses on the positive, the more they will enjoy their jobs and continue to deliver exceptional service.
- Weekly Topics: The Hilton provides guidelines for the daily huddles and topics to be discussed. For example, how to make a difference with associates one week, how to make a difference with guests the next week. The organization truly promotes the concepts of working together and constant and consistent communication.
- One-On-One Meetings: These meetings are conducted every 3 months. Sometimes they’re scheduled, but sometimes they are impromptu. This is an excellent opportunity to stay in close contact with team members and to find out what he as a manager can do to make their lives easier and better.
- Daily Log: Victories and goals are logged and displayed for easy reference and recognition. For example, logging the number of guests served or noting which customers have challenges that may need special attention.
- Department Meetings: Held monthly, these group meetings are yet another opportunity to acknowledge great work, discuss important and necessary information, and celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and more.
Remember: When employees are recognized publicly and regularly for the positive things they do, they will enjoy coming to work and will continue to go above and beyond in delivering exceptional service to your customers.
What do YOU do to get your team to deliver consistently exceptional customer service? I’m eager to hear your stories in the comments section below.