Tale of Two Customer Experiences

In January 2011 we experienced a very different set of experiences regarding our hotel stays in China. We arrived in Shanghai on January 6, 2011 and were taken by taxi to the Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel. We were greeted and checked in for a delightful two days in the city. We were located conveniently close to the Metro for the Science and Technology Museum and found the service and the staff to be very helpful. We stayed at this property using our Marriott Rewards Platinum Premier points.

After two days in Shanghai, we took the train to Hangzhou where we were scheduled to stay 10 days at a different hotel chain. This was a fairly new hotel and we were booked using points through our hotel membership program. Upon arrival at the Hangzhou train station, we secured a taxi to take us to the hotel for check-in. Upon arrival we discovered some major problems with the reservation that was offered under our Platinum membership. The website had indicated the room was capable of up to three people – so the assumption was a room with two queen beds would be available. However there was only an option of a king bed, or two single beds available. We were offered, after some strong displeasure with the finding, to put a rollaway bed into the room for 200 RNB per night. The room was barely large enough to put the bed into and left no room for moving around – it really was an unworkable solution. We also were told that there was no breakfast included with the room, nor access to the executive lounge. Having stayed in dozens of this chain's properties over the past years – this was quite a shock since the website only shows three available room types and all include items we were not offered nor being allowed access to. Our normal experience is to be upgraded to the next level as a club member – not downgraded because we were using points for our stay to a room offer that is not even listed on the hotel website. (Web shot below)

The description on the website for even the lowest end room indicated it would be more than adequate. Upon a return trip to the front desk to again express displeasure, the night clerk called a manager to see if we could be upgraded to a family suite so we could at least all sleep comfortably. After waiting in the lobby for 15 minutes or so, the message came back that no upgrades would be made available and if we wanted to stay in the property we would indeed have to pay the 200 RNB per night cost for the rollaway and no breakfast or lounge privilege would be provided. At that point I indicated we would be checking out in the morning and moving to a Marriott property. I will give credit to the manager that they did refund the unused points for the other 10 days of our stay, but to be honest, my faith in this chain and particularly the value of their club membership program have been badly damaged. The total unwillingness to seek a satisfactory resolution for a member of Platinum status was quite unbelievable.

We moved to the JW Marriott which was just opening a few miles away. At the time we booked our trip, there were no Marriott properties available to make reservations at. This property was in soft opening mode – so we expected some slight glitches as they were training and putting things into operations. I realize that the level of the JW Marriott is not exactly par with the hotel we had left – it is a couple levels higher in terms of the quality of the property – but the true differentiator has been in the customer service area. We arrived at the hotel at 8 AM – as we checked out of the very uncomfortable environment at the other hotel and moved to the JW Marriott first thing in the morning. We were greeted and immediately checked in – upgraded as well – which is the common Marriott practice for Platinum members. We had two guest service representatives who escorted us to our room and explained all the benefits we would receive while staying in our room – also paid for with points as we had planned to do at the other property. (Interestingly, the points needed at the other place were 15K per night while the JW Marriott was only 12K per night for a much nicer property). We had a slight elevator issue on the way up to our room but our guest service representatives resolved the issue and got us safely to our room. They then escorted us to the executive lounge for breakfast, even though we hadn’t spent the night before. That was service beyond our expectations. We had full executive lounge privileges for our entire stay which was a significant value for us.

We stayed at this property for 10 nights and it is with joy that we highly commend the Marriott brand for customer service the way it should be expressed. From the moment we walked in to the property, we were treated exceptionally well. From Simon and the team in the executive lounge who greeted us daily and are sure we got a hearty breakfast and evening meal, to Tony and Andy who helped us as concierge’s extraordinaire and printed us maps, directions and helped us secure train tickets for our return trip to Shanghai, to the bellmen, desk staff and every other member of the Marriott team, we experienced superb customer service. The omelets which were prepared for us by the executive lounge chefs were perfect, our room was kept clean and tidy with care, taxis were secured as needed, and we were greeted by name and with a smile every time we walked back into the hotel. The differences between our experiences with the two hotel chains there were staggering. Marriott has trained their staff extremely well and taught me the importance of creating raving fans. They have done exactly that with us on this trip. As we return now to the US, and plan meetings and travel for the dozens of events and trips that will occur over the next 12 months, Marriott properties will be the clear choice when available. They have earned the right and mostly our hearts as fans of their customer service.

So what’s the lesson here? Quite honestly there are several that I want to be sure you understand clearly:
1. Always listen to the customer. It was obvious that we were not being listened to and understood. It is impossible to deal with problem resolution without a clear understanding of what the issues are.
2. Check out the facts. I requested multiple times that the clerk look at the website to see exactly what we saw as the facts in the matter. We were told that it didn’t really matter what the website said – this is the way it is. If there is misinformation, it is important to know that and correct it.
3. Understand what needs to be done to satisfy the customer. We were never asked what would be required to resolve the situation. There was no understanding nor apparent concerns with what our expectations were.
4. Know the impact. At HTG we book well over $750,000 worth of hotel meetings each year covering thousands of room nights all over the country. The impact of the treatment we received will result in a significant opportunity cost to the other hotel brand over the coming months and years. It is critical to understand the long term impact of customer service decisions.
5. Remember that the customer has to be treated as if they are always right – even when they are not. The end result of customer service has to be coming to a satisfactory resolution to the issue.

As is always the case, things happen for a reason. There is little doubt that our experience here in China was significantly enhanced because we stayed at the JW Marriott. The location was better, the service superior and we were pleased in every way. Had we actually received our expectations at the other hotel, it would not have measured up to what we were blessed to experience. So while the experience was definitely frustrating for 12 hours or so, the outcome was magnificent as we made the move and enjoyed a time beyond our dreams or expectations. Thanks to the JW Marriott staff in Hangzhou for creating a memory that will last a lifetime. We are grateful for your service and are raving fans!

Customers Matter

This is the ninth blog post regarding the 10 Things I Accidentally Learned on the Path to Growth. Ther reality is that we must always keep our eye on the customer. It seems so simple and almost foolish to include - but I am amazed at how many of us lose connection with what customers truly want and we miss the boat completely in our solution and service offerings. We have to be willing to get back to basics and listen carefully to what customers are asking for. It isn't about them buying what we want to sell. It is about us offering what they want to buy. We tend to get it backwards sometimes. After all, we are the experts aren't we. We know best what they need. And we go to events where we hear the formulas for how to build the right cloud offer or managed services program so they should just line up.

Customers control the wallet
But that is not exactly how it works from my experience. We can have the greatest services and solutions and never sell any of them if we miss the customer expectations and needs. When we lose sight of this reality - we can set ourselves up for some difficult days at the least. Customers decide when to write checks and for what. So it is critical we listen and listen well. That means we need to spend time with customers - in their offices - observing their pain points. It means we need to pay attention to their requests and study their service utilization. We can learn a lot by just perking up our attention to their needs.

So what are they asking
I don't know about you, but here are some common things we hear from customers in our patch. See if your's are different:

•Reduce my costs
•Use my data
•Get more from my investment
•Help me communicate better
•Prove an ROI
•Just make it work – reliably
•Help my workers be productive anywhere
•What is this cloud thing anyway?

There are some pretty basic requests that continue to come, along with some new things as well. In HTG we see the future this way:


The cloud is causing some confusion and uncertainty in exactly what is needed or wanted as it gets defined and matures - but the basic requests are the same. What may change is how we meet those needs - but customers are pretty consistent. They want to spend less, get more, and have it work all the time.

How are you paying attention
So just what are you doing to hear the voice of the customer. We use surveys and roundtables and face to face discussions. It is important to have ongoing interaction constantly so you are current in meeting their requirements. Don't ignore the need here. If you serve your customers well, they will come. But if you fail to meet or exceed their needs - they quickly vanish. Don't make that mistake. Listen, respone, serve and execute.

A Lesson On Customer Service

The Harvard Business Review daily email last week had some comments on Strategy's Golden Rule. I found it rather intriguing. They stated that:

The single most common competitive mistake investors, CEOs, and entrepreneurs alike make is this: striving to do slightly better what their fiercest rival already does incredibly well. The result is usually a muddled, incoherent mess of a strategy — one that fuels not disruptive, explosive differences between a firm and its rivals, but their very opposite: bland, boring similarities. Most companies are competitively challenged — and the Golden Rule of Strategy is how I triage them. It says:

"What your fiercest rival does badly, do incredibly well." In difference lie the seeds of disruption. In similarity, only obsolescence, and decay.

HTG just finished a week of meetings at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Los Colinas Texas. We had a fantastic week there, due in large part to a staff that understands customer service. The Omni practices the idea of being really good at what many of their competitors don’t do well at – exceeding customer expectations. To be totally honest, the venue is busting at the seams when we are there. But the service is so good and our experience has been so fantastic that we continue to come back and have our expectations exceeded year after year. Customer service is about the customer and that is what the folks at the Omni seem to really understand. They do all the things you would expect any decent hotel venue to do – nice rooms, good food, clean etc. But they go above and beyond which is what really sets them apart from my perspective. Here are a few of the little things that really caught my attention.

We arrived on Saturday a full day ahead of our event. We were greeted with a couple 20 ounce bottles of Diet Mountain Dew (DMD) and boxes of Junior Mints. If you know me at all – DMD is my drink of choice and Junior Mints my wife’s snack of choice. We have not stayed at the Omni for a full year and they remembered those items and made sure we had them in our room. Not just any snacks and cold drinks – the ones we really like. Not only was DMD available at check in – but during the event there were random bottles of DMD among the Coke products that are the norm at the Omni. That is customer service and exceeding expectations.

I recall my first stay at the Omni I had informed the coffee shop that Chai Tea was really my preference over Starbucks regular coffee drinks. I always ask for that everywhere I travel – Chai is just better than coffee to me. They didn’t have it there the first day a few years ago, but they tracked me down the second day and on every subsequent stay since they always have Chai Tea. I have no idea if it is part of their normal menu, but when HTG is in the house they certainly do. I travel extensively and can tell you that few hotel Starbucks carry Chai, and no other hotel has ever offered or made the effort to have it in their coffee shop or DMD in my room due to customer request. Except the Omni – they exceeded my expectations again.

We had one setup snafu on the first day of our peer group meetings. We discovered it about 20 or 30 minutes prior to HTG3 starting – and within 15 minutes a team of about 10 folks turned that room and had us ready for action. That included some of the management staff – they didn’t just assign it – they dove in and made sure things were as expected. Part of great customer service is the ability to correct things that sometimes don’t go as planned. That happened and expectations were met.

The banquet team fed us too well, but their serving a group of 300 plus is an art form. The food was hot, it came quickly and they were not disruptive to our packed agenda. One of the waiters pulled me aside during a lull in the action and shared a little of the shenanigans that happen among the staff there. Seems he hid in the bathroom and scared a fellow teammate early one morning before things got started. It is those little personal things that make the relationship real and alive. The food exceeded expectations, particularly the fact we had BBQ on the menu this year!

Before I left the week I was privileged to have a drink with Chad and Terri who are part of the sales team at the Omni. They called and personally invited me to spend a little time reviewing the event, asking what could be done better, and pondering things we can do to take it a level further next year. They didn’t need to do that. We have already signed the contract for 2011. But they made time in their very busy schedule to again exceed my expectations by listening to my feedback, sharing ideas and updating me on the roadmap for improvements at their hotel over the next couple years. It was a valuable time and sincerely appreciated.

To say that the Omni team understands customer service doesn't really capture it. They go beyond - taking advantage in areas their competitors don't - to do the little things that differentiate their hotel. All of the major brands do the basics pretty well. In a market like that - it then comes down to the little touches and personal attention to detail. We can learn a lot from that for the IT space. As we move into the transition to the cloud, when the services are commoditized and differentiation will be difficult, it will be the little things, the personal and small details, that will cause people to not only remain loyal customers but also become raving fans.

Lessons from a Cabbie

I spent a few days this week in Houston to attend the HP SMB Partner Advisory Council. Great meeting and more than ever I know why HTS is an HP partner and why I own stock in that company. Great company - they do get the channel - and they are going to dominate the marketplace in time. They have their act together, great people driving the bus, fantastic technology and a deep understanding of the need for a strong partner base with deep customer relationships. So good meetings and I feel proud to be a partner.

But the real learning for me happened after the meetings ended. The biggest learning of the time in Houston happened on my ride to the airport. Herb Charles was the cabbie that picked me up Monday afternoon at Hobby and drove me all the way up to north Houston. He runs an independent cab and treats his fares as clients. We had a delightful visit on the way up to the hotel, and when we arrived I asked if he would be willing to pick me up and take me back Wednesday. I don't do that with most cabbies - I am just glad to have survived the ride. So I called Herb in the morning and he agreed to be there at noon to grab me. He was there 15 minutes early and waiting when I hit the lobby. Now this is a regular cab driver – not a limo or town car guy. We talked about how he runs his business and the reality that a lot of his business comes from repeat customers which is far better than finding new ones. He said many people call him when they return to town, and most who travel do come back at some point. That is some forward thinking - long term - they will be back and he wants them to remember him. He has been hauling rides for 17 years and does pretty well. Much happier now that he paid $1.36 a gallon for gas this week, but the reality is that he understands customer service. When I dug a little deeper it quickly came to light that his success is all because he pays attention to the details. He talked to me about things of interest and made sure I was comfortable and happy with his service. He had business cards and a few things on there really stood out. Remember, Herb drives a cab, a Caravan to boot.

Prompt, professional and courteous service
Spacious, comfortable and immaculate
Appointments welcome

And he has an email address listed on his card – he gets his email on his phone, suggests his “clients” text him or email their schedules and he will reply with an appointment. This is a cab driver folks – he gets it. No he didn’t polish my shoes or hand me a newspaper or bottle of water, but he gave me a great ride, down to earth conversation and taught me something about life too. Herb demonstrates how taking care of the customer is always the way to grow your busienss and your future. Lessons from a cabbie - I learned some, or was reminded of them in a very real way today!

Thoughts on Customer Service

I had the chance to fly Southwest airlines this weekend to a one day meeting in Chicago. Two flights in 24 hours. I used to call them the cattle herd airline because they really made flying a bit of a challenge with no seat assignments and chaos in the airports as people lined up for an hour prior to boarding to get a better position in line. I was one of those who would camp out in line sitting on the floor to get a good spot. I didn’t like it, but always felt it worth it so I could get a good seat. I really prefer exit rows and so the earlier in the boarding process the better for my chances for those seats.

If you haven’t flow SWA recently you may not know that they have moved away from chaos to a much more orderly boarding process. The trick now is to get checked in at the 24 hour prior to departure timeframe to get your seat in line. They now have created an orderly self managed boarding system where people group themselves into groups of five and board in the order they received their boarding passes. This system is great if I have access to a computer 24 hours ahead, which is not always the case. But on these flights I was a little late so in the A40’s both ways.I was delighted to get exit row seats on both flights – actually my choice seats – one on the aisle on the extra wide side and the other the seat without any seat in front of it on the other side. Homerun on all accounts.

But the thing that set apart my trip was the fun we had doing the mundane. The flight crew sang, did their work in poem and rap, they made the boring stuff fun. Before, during and after the flight they were focused on delighting us captives on their plane. That is the way I see a lot of the folks that work at SWA. They think different. They think customers and fun. They are about the experience. The tools they have to work with are the same – seats too close together, overhead bins too small, lousy peanuts and the same old drink list - but they make it work in a different way than their competition. On my last flight they went to extra lengths to make sure to stuff every last bag overhead so people would not have to gate check. They didn’t have to do that – but they did. They came by twice to make sure we had all the drink we needed – probably not in the job description – but they did. Customer experience is something we all need to work on. It needs to be consistent and enjoyable. People do business with those they like. People like to be appreciated and have a little fun. We need to figure out how to make technology fun and create that awesome customer experience each time we interact. It can be as simple as our VM message to a note or email telling people hello but we need to make it happen.