Providing exceptional guest service is crucial for the success of any hotel or business unit.
Who is to blame for poor customer and guest service?
You can probably make a list of things that make it difficult to keep your guests happy and coming back over and over again:
Poor services anger guests and make them demanding which turns offering a service into a chore.
There is often a lack of communication, training or resources available to help you navigate angry guests.
Unfriendly policies or a lack of a structured approach can get in the way.
Yet, unless you have a great big ego you need to take some responsibility, too. You were hired to do a job that helps your company. It's not always easy to do good work, but you can often do more than you think.
HubSpot research says, “83% of companies that believe it’s important to make customers happy also experience growing revenue.
Taking Responsibility for Your Customer and Guest Service:
Assuming responsibility for the customer service you provide empowers you to make a positive impact and set an example for your team members. Although obstacles are inevitable, you can be the person who overcomes them."
There are so many guest service problems that occur because people assume someone else is handling it and do not take responsibility for the customer or guest service. You hand the problem over to someone else in the team or another department and forget all about it. The team member taking over either ignores it, didn't notice it or drops the ball on it and you get the blame for the whole thing.
It catches you off guard, creates so much frustration and resentment.
A easy way to make sure that the guest service problem that comes your way, is to become the POINT PERSON for the guest. No, this does not mean, that you have to do all the work or make all the decisions (Even one's outside of your level of authority). It means that you become the person that keeps an eye on the service problem as it progressed to a satisfying solution.
This means monitoring the situation and ensuring the guest is taken care of all the way.
Let's explore three steps to help you take ownership as set out by the author of 'Getting Service Right", Jeff Toister:
Step 1: Define the Vision:
Begin by asking your boss for the hotel's customer service vision. This shared definition of exceptional customer service will align everyone's efforts.
If there isn't a clear vision in place, you can create your own personal or departmental vision.
Alternatively, You can participate in the Thank You Letter Challenge, which helps you visualize the type of service you want to provide:
Write a thank you letter that you'd hope to receive from a customer.
Read the letter each day for 21 days.
Try to receive a real version of the letter from an actual customer.
Step 2: Expand Your Influence:
Identify the obstacles that hinder your ability to deliver outstanding customer service.
One effective exercise to achieve this is expanding your influence.
For example, if your team is facing long hold times, causing frustration among customers, take responsibility and brainstorm solutions to reduce wait times.
By embracing this mindset, you can make a tangible difference in the customer experience.
Step 3: Become a Customer Advocate:
Don't accept unresolved issues as the norm.
Instead, become a customer advocate by proactively working to solve problems that negatively impact guests. If you cannot resolve an issue independently, collaborate with your team members, superiors, or even other departments to find a solution.
Consider utilizing activities like a promise audit to further strengthen your advocacy for customers.
Every company makes a lot of promises to customers and guests, and when promises are broken, customers quickly move on. Stay tuned for the steps on how to conduct a audit of your promises in the customer experience journey to avoid unpleasant surprises and prevent chronic service failures.
While customer service in the hotel industry can present challenges, you possess the power to make a positive change. Taking responsibility for your service is vital to creating an exceptional guest experience.
Remember, by embracing ownership and continuously striving for improvement, you can become an invaluable asset to your hotel and elevate its reputation in the industry.
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