Issue #2

Remember My Name

Providing Service That Builds Reputation, Retains Customers

By Bernard Micallef
Managing Director, Donbass Palace and Opera Hotels

In the hospitality business, we primarily sell beds, just as airlines sell transportation, supermarkets sell food, and auto salons sell cars. Sometimes we act as though we have nothing in common with each other, yet in reality we have everything in common with each other. We share one attribute, one key element that is most important to the success of each of our businesses.

We're all really in the service business. When we ignore service, we ignore the customer. Ignore the customer, and he'll take his business where he feels appreciated, even special.

There are few businesses that aren't in the service business, one way or another. Even government gets into the act: Politicians know that providing attentive service to constituents creates loyalty at the polls.

I've spent my working life in the hotel business, and believe that great hotels spend more time just thinking about how to improve service than most any other industry. I may be wrong, but it is difficult to imagine any other sector of the economy that puts such an emphasis on service. Mark it up to the name we've given our industry: Hospitality. You simply cannot consider a customer a guest and want to make him welcome without emphasizing the service element.

It used to be that if a hotel failed to provide great service to a guest, it would risk losing that guest's business. Perhaps the guest would tell a few friends or business associates about his bad experience. That negative word of mouth could harm a reputation, but it was usually limited in scope or duration.

Today, TripAdvisor (www.TripAdvisor.com) and similar websites actively solicit reviews - good or bad - from guests. People read these reviews, they give them credibility, and the reviews can remain on the Internet for years. This makes it imperative that each guest receive the best possible service from our employees, from the moment a reservation is made through check-out and departure.

In fact, post-departure service (which is both a means of assessing a guest's experience and getting him to start thinking about his next stay) can be crucial as well.

We strive to create a 'Wow!' response from every customer. You don't necessarily get a 'Wow!' by offering a super-low rate or a free welcome cocktail. Do the ordinary things extraordinary well. Be consistent, and show a real commitment to excellence. Exceed expectations at every turn, anticipate needs and add personal touches like remembering a guest's name, and the 'Wows' will follow.

Imagine arriving at your hotel after a nine-hour flight from New York, 45 minutes in passport queues and baggage claim, and another hour driving into the center. You're tired, overheated, and generally feeling abused. The front office agent can greet you with, "Good evening. Would you like to check in?" or "Good evening, Mr. Swenson. Welcome to the Opera Hotel. If you will just sign here, please, we will take care of the rest." That, accompanied by a genuine smile, tells the guest that it's OK to relax, finally. He's arrived, and is among friends.

Service doesn't just happen by chance. It takes hard work and commitment. It takes training, discipline and practice to remember and use a guest's name, but there's no sound as sweet to a customer's ear. It tells the guest, "We know who you are. You're important. Moreover, you're important to us.

The most important thing that a guest takes with him when he leaves the hotel is his memories. Those small memories are what counts, and we have the power to influence what will be remembered. Will it be that we charged him extra for the sugar sachet that came with his coffee, or will he remember the way we greeted him by name - from the front desk agent to the bellman to the barman and housekeeper? Those memories will shape the reputation of the hotel in the months and years to come. In the end, service is all about providing a memorable experience.