Customer Service at Its Best

Customer Service. It’s a phrase we hear all the time, but last week I had the pleasure of seeing “customer service” in action like never before. We were producing video coverage of Marriott’s “Mastering the Association Meeting Experience” in San Antonio, Texas. Marriott invites their best cutomers to this event each year for education, networking, and to show them what the hotel chain has to offer associations. From the opening keynote, we heard from excecutives talk about customer service being a top priority for Marriott. Let me tell you… they mean it.

I was impressed with every Marriott employee I met. From the woman at the front desk, to the housekeeping staff, to the general manager. They all said “hello”, smiled, and were ready to answer any questions. The waiters in the restaurant were helpful, and observant. They didn’t interrupt when we were in the middle of a conversation. Every associate was knowledgable, and went out of their way to help. When we asked where something was… they actually walked us there! It was truly “customer service” at its best.

This hotel chain also “walks the walk” when it comes to appreciating their associates. One of the vice-presidents explained that in the past year they have continued to offer health benefits to employees who only received 30 hours a week. That cost the company $1 million a month. When a company puts their wallet where their mouth is, they really mean it. There was also an emotional moment during the final general session. Executives on stage said “thank you” to all the associates who worked at the JW Marriott in San Antonio where the event was held. They formed a line at the back of the ballroom, and all walked on stage to shake their bosses hands. Music played, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation. I have no personal ties to Marriott, or any of the employees, and it was touching.

It just goes to show you that it’s not always easy to “walk the walk” when it comes to customer service. It takes focus, training, and often a financial investment. Regardless of the cost, it's worth it in the end. Just ask my new friends at Marriott.

Small Details... Big Difference!

My husband and I recently took our kids to a hotel in Orlando for a "stay-cation" close to home. When we walked into the lobby, there were homemade chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven! The smell was fantastic, and my kids faces' lit up like you wouldn't believe. Our short vacation started off with smiles, and I was immediately in a good mood. It's amazing what a big difference something as small as chocolate chips can make! From the hotel's point of the view, their return on investment was huge. We were satisfied customers for the cost of a cookie.

We had a similar experience going to visit some friends in a new neighborhood.

When the security guy asked me for my ID, he had lollipops for the kids. For the record, I'm not a fan of gated communities or showing my ID to visit my pals. However, I was so distracted by the lollipops, and my kids were so happy, it didn't bother me at all. That security guard turned a frustrating moment into a positive one, and now, my kids can't wait to go back!

I believe businesses of all sizes can apply this same lesson. Maybe it's not actually cookies or lollipops, but instead a small gesture to make clients feel important. Sometimes a hand-written note in the mail, or a cheerful voice on the phone can make all the difference. Even a friendly retweet on Twitter can put a potential client in a good mood, which can help build relationships. Do you have a picture of you with a client? Send it to them. Did you receive positive feedback about their event? Let them know. Can you recommend them to a friend? Go for it. It's the small extra steps that make all the difference.

What are you doing to make your clients happy, and keep the relationship positive?? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Marketing 101

Call it "Marketing 101".

I received a call from a local university asking our company to buy ad space in their football program. We already do work for this university, and it's a smart move for them to call us. But when the woman on the other end of the phone didn't know my name, or anything about my company, I was terribly frustrated.

In this day and age, if you can't spend three minutes looking at my website, I can't find a good reason to write you a check. We are very easy to find. I'm on Twitter, my company is on Twitter, we're on Facebook, we're on Linked In, we have a website, it's really not hard to find out one or two sentences about what we do. Not to mention that our company has done work for the university in the past! We're probably in her database.

When you're calling a potential client, aren't they worth the few minutes it takes to look them up online and find out something about them? In the meetings industry, we need to know when and where the client's next meeting is.

If you follow the potential client on Twitter, you may be able to find out what that client is doing at the moment you're about the pick up the phone. Don't "go in blind". Find out about the client, know what they're doing, and let them know you cared enough to do your research. I know I will.