Every company touts outstanding customer service but truth be told, how many companies really deliver exceptional customer service? Yet, the ones who do gain unrivaled brand loyalty from consumers whether it's shoppers, hotel guests, travelers, passengers, gaming guests, you can name any customer type. It seems like it should be a no-brainer for brands to strive to deliver excellence in their customers experience. And many do, but fall short. But, there are clearly some premiere brands that consistently excel. Here's a recent story of one.
Recently, my family was on a vacation and the hotel we stayed at had outstanding customer service in a way that made all of us feel so special. It wasn’t just one situation or an example we can cite from our vacation experience but the entire seven days this hotelier got it right. At check in, greeting us by name, having a cool drink ready for us (including an age appropriate fun option for our young daughter) and the genuine friendly escort to our room. That night, my husband and I both had beautiful robes but our daughter didn’t and she asked why she didn’t have a robe? Like most kids (not fair, right?) she wanted one too. Well, I stopped at the front desk to mail a letter and the guest relations representative asked me if we were enjoying our stay. I told her everything was great . I then proceeded to share the story about my daughter and the robe just as a cute story. Well, that night after dinner when we went back to the room there was a beautiful child’s robe, a stuffed lion (who was a wonderful addition to the two stuffed bears and turtle) and a box of chocolates – all gifts to help our daughter feel extra special too! Plus, all were to take home after our trip with a lovely note from the guest relations representative.
That was the first time we stayed at that brand on a family vacation and now we stay at no other hotel brand for our vacations. The additional cost is well worth it for us because we always know we will be more than satisfied with our experience. We are now super loyal guests and we look forward to each experience at their properties. We even keep a comparative survey that we complete after each stay. And, each time regardless of the destination the brand consistently exceeds our expectations.
Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and Founder of the eRetailer Summit. Sonya has extensive experience in creating original innovative solutions to overcome major business challenges. Sonya has spent most of her career visiting headquarters across global industries and has built strong business relationships across diverse brands.
Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter and they live in Fairfield County Connecticut.