Have you been there? You get 10 minutes down the road and realize you left something on in the house…that “oh no!” moment. We’ve all been there right? I had a business version of that recently and thanks to great customer service (and Brandi), my day was saved.
My “oh no” moment happened somewhere between Tennessee and Indiana. It hit me that I had forgotten to print a report for a client meeting. “Inconvenient, but no big deal, “ I thought. I could just print it in the hotel business center. And the story begins.
I’m a Hampton Inn fan. As a business traveler, I love the convenience, rates, and amenities of these hotels. And more and more, it’s where I find great example of service.
Now back to our story.
I arrived late that evening and headed to the business center to take care of my report so I would be prepared for the next day. Then technology threw me a curve ball and for some reason the printer would not recognize my file. I tried a few tricks but to no success.
So I went to Front Desk to find the location of the nearest Kinko’s and this employee beat me to the punch! Meet Brandi. Without any hesitation, she said, “No problem, I can print that for you at my desk.” And she did. In less than 5 minutes, a printed report was in my hands.
Problem solved. Brandi saved my day (not to mention printing expense and travel time to Kinko’s).
Why share this story? Because when you experience great service you are compelled to share the story. And in today’s marketplace, smart businesses know the secret to great success is always in your people.
So what about Brandi stood out?
She did not hesitate.
With a second delay, she offered to print my report on her computer. It was more work for her but her focus was on my need. Imagine what your business would be like if EVERY employee had this mindset?
She was a problem solver.
Brandi jumped into a “let’s fix this now” mindset. Rather than try 4 or 5 options in the Business Center, she recognized a way she could solve my problem quickly so I could move on with my evening. She saved me money and time. Dream a bit. What would your customers think if every person they encountered on your team were problem solvers? How would that change your business.
She was nice in the process.
Finally, what took my experience over the top was HOW she helped me. When you encounter an attitude of kindness, a smile and genuine helpfulness, a good experience becomes one you rave about. It’s those “people skills” and the difference-maker in the service world. What about your employees? Do they help your costumers because they “have to” or because the “want to”? Guess what? Your customers know the difference.
In the service world it’s those intangible behaviors that have a tangible impact to the customer. Her interactions drove me to talk about it. And here’s the big question: what are your customers talking about? No news? Not good (you’re no different than anyone else). Complaints? Not good (you disappointed them). Raving reviews (it’s where success happens).
My experience with Brandi created this rave review. Who will inspire your customer’s next one?
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