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April 25, 2008
An extra step - victory from defeat
No-one can get everything they do 100% right every time - things will go wrong, even in the most carefully assessed circumstances where all practical steps have been taken to reduce the risk. I feel secure, and fully knowledgeable of the line below which the quality of service that I get at the particular hotel chain that I've been staying at this week. And for the first time that I can recall, I was let down by one particular, but serious, error and subsequent security lapse. I am not, by nature, one to go marching over to the front desk ... but in this case I did.
Of course, I have one leg in either camp - customer and hotelier.
Top marks to the reception staff for their handling of this livid man - and confirmation to me that our policy at Well House Manor of going "one step beyond" is the right one. I was looking for an explanation, duly given. I was anticipating (for what it was worth) an apology, which I got. I was hoping for a step or two to be taken to avoid the same thing happening to another guest. That was promised and probably followed through. I wasn't anticipating the complimentary tray, delivered to my room as I had an evening of work to do.
I try never to turn away from a well-liked supplier based on one unfortunate incident, so it's unlikely I would have given this chain a miss in the future even if I had been given a "don't care" type brushoff. But actually the whole has cemented by brand loyalty - victory from the jaws of potential defeat, if you like. Someone - please remind me to tell this story at our next staff meeting, and to remind our team (who know it anyway) to go that extra step.
Posted by gje at April 25, 2008 01:37 AM