I was confident in the service I provided to guests when I was a concierge at The Rittenhouse Hotel, a AAA Five Diamond award winning hotel in Philadelphia. But what if for a few minutes during my eight hour shift I turned my back to the lobby, pulled out my cell phone, and started scrolling and laughing, completely unaware that a guest had approached?
In that two-minute span, what do you think the guest’s perception was of my service?
What do you think the perception was of The Rittenhouse Hotel’s service?
Because the quality of service, as perceived by the customer, is the number one driving force for the success of any customer facing business, we must find ways to consistently exceed expectations. Meeting expectations isn’t going to cut it anymore. Falling short of expectations, as illustrated above, is when a customer is going to take their business elsewhere.
One of my biggest takeaways from my decade spent as a concierge was how to make memorable impressions EVERY DAY, and I’m excited to share my Five Keys to Service Excellence with you below. Do these five things consistently and I promise your customers will love you!
- Give each customer personalized attention.
Strive to make each customer feel as if they are your ONLY one. Think how wonderful you feel when a server or bartender remembers your favorite drink. Or when your hairdresser remembers your child’s name. Getting to know your residents and documenting their individual preferences ensures that everyone is made to feel like a VIP. It can be as simple as noticing that someone is wearing a Philadelphia Phillies hat and saying, “Go Phillies,” when you see them and commenting on last night’s game. - Anticipate the needs of each customer.
Reactionary behavior is acceptable when you have a transient customer-base. Residents are here to stay. Strive to remain one step ahead in order to fulfill the unexpressed wishes of your customers. Turning unexpressed wishes into a reality requires you to be acutely aware of the situation. If you saw a resident struggling to hold a heavy package, would you wait for them to ask you for help? No, you’d proactively offer assistance. Also, consider the unexpressed wishes of a new resident, an elderly resident or a resident with a young baby. - Under promise and over deliver.
If you promise the world, then make sure your team can deliver. Stating a particular time for a deliverable (i.e.: 20 minutes, end of day, within 24-hours, etc.) can get you into big trouble. It’s often best to guarantee a lesser solution and then when you are able to go above and beyond, or beat the deadline, you will be a hero in the eyes of your residents. - Offer first person resolution.
Does your team have a take charge mentality? Are they empowered to successfully answer resident questions and troubleshoot complaints? Customers don’t want to be kept waiting or even worse receive a run around when trying to obtain information, schedule an appointment, etc. You should aim to answer/solve the resident’s question/problem and if needed say, “Great question, let me get the answer for you.” This is what great companies do. - Provide timely service recovery.
You cannot always predict when someone is going to be upset, but you can control the way you handle their big feelings. The way in which your team attempts to right a wrong can leave residents feeling even more frustrated. Strive to make them forget why they were even mad in the first place by listening, treating their emotion (practice makes perfect!), and then taking action. Remember the mantra, “it may not be my fault, but it is my problem” and you’ll always do right by the customer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Cooperstein is a Business Partner Member of the CAI Keystone Chapter and CEO, of J. Cooperstein Hospitality Consulting, LLC. Jamie teaches companies, job seekers and students to enhance the customer experience which is a natural extension of a decade spent as a “Five Diamond” concierge. Learn more at: www.jcoopconsulting.com or contact Ms. Cooperstein at: jamie@jcoopconsulting.com.
