Meet Isaac. He is a shuttle driver for a Hampton Inn in the Washington DC area. I had the pleasure of meeting him recently and my experience was so delightful, I had to share it with you.
Shuttle drivers are a pretty common service element for hotels today. As I checked out with my party on Sunday morning, we asked the front desk for area brunch recommendations. Isaac was near the front desk and overheard our question. The front desk agent explained that most of the restaurants in the area were not open for breakfast then Isaac piped in.
Oddly enough, he suggested brunch at a neighboring hotel. “It’s the best in the area. I would go there if it were me and you can’t go wrong. In fact, I’m happy to drive you there myself!”
And he did. As we arrived at what I’m sure is a rival property, Isaac did more than simply drop us off. He escorted us inside, said hello to the front desk agents and explained why we were there. He then continued to walk us to the restaurant and explained where to go to be served. As he left he offered a ride back to [our] hotel after brunch if we needed him. “You just call me and I’ll be here in a flash,” he said.
Needless to say, Isaac had a huge part in making our final day in DC such a memorable one.
I suspect many organizations could learn a thing or two from Isaac. If you are in a service organization [and every company is in some way], don’t miss this opportunity to learn three skills that define remarkable from this shuttle driver – and could do the same for your business too.
#1 Put yourself in the customer’s shoes.
This skill sounds simple but a bit harder to perform. Isaac offered a brunch location he would choose himself. Too often, employees have great intentions to help customers but get sidelined by the trappings of the job. Isaac really wanted to make our stay a pleasant one. He offered us something he would participate in himself. How often do we think about every point of contact with our customers from their perspective?
#2 “It’s my pleasure” is more than a script.
Taking the time to drive us to another hotel for breakfast would probably fall into that “other duties as assigned” on Isaac’s job description. What was so refreshing is how he was so intent to ensure we had a good brunch experience. His words reinforced that, his body language and his actions to immediately take us there. “It’s my pleasure” was genuine not a script we hope our employees will say to customers. How would you describe your team? Are interactions genuine or scripted?
#3 Service attitude is contagious.
When we arrived at the hotel, Isaac escorted us inside and greeted the staff. What really caught my attention is how they interacted. He approached them, said good morning and introduced himself then introduced us as well. His friendliness was so contagious that you could feel the energy in the lobby rise. That’s the energy Isaac created around him. He brought a smile to everyone he met. In our businesses, how often do we describe our service attitudes in this way? Do your employees make those around them smile and would they look forward to an interaction with anyone on your team?
Now back to our brunch. The food was good but our time with Isaac made the morning great. I wish you could meet Isaac. It makes me wonder…who on your team is creating those interactions that create great moments your customers talk about? It’s good food for thought.