Resort-worthy customer service
In early February, my wife and I traveled to Mexico on our honeymoon, to a resort just about an hour south of Cancun. Ladies and gentlemen, I have to tell you that it is an absolutely beautiful region to vacation in. If you have never stayed in an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend doing it at least once during your lifetime. Want breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You’re covered. Want a drink or 12? Oh yeah, covered again! Whatever it is you need, the staff is there to accommodate you to the best of their ability, which will more than likely exceed one’s expectations. And all with a smile on their face and a hand on their heart.
Which leads me to the point: How good are we at Customer Service?
That trip opened my eyes in regards to servicing customers. Personally, I feel like I’m pretty good at it, as is all of our staff, but this resort operates at an entirely different level.
From top management to the everyday workers that you don't normally have direct contact with, every employee was ready to help. And if they couldn’t, they would escort you to someone that could. I would not describe my wife and I as being high-maintenance, but I can imagine the oddball requests that the resort probably gets. And just think, this was only one resort in a highly traveled region of Mexico. Rumor has it that nearly all operate in this manner.
That being said, how can customer service be improved?
Here are just a few examples: What if I could be a bit more personable? What if I said “Hello” to every customer that I pass at the nursery, whether I'm neck-deep in a project, helping out a contractor with their order, or just passing through the shop on my way to lunch? What if I could provide a perfect solution to customer requests, not something that just "works out fine"?
Jim at the counter does this often, but what if I handed out bottles of water to contractors getting their trucks loaded when it’s super hot out?
To me, it’s the accumulation of the little things that can turn someone’s day around and make them feel welcomed and looking forward to patronizing your business. I’m sure that we all started out that way at the beginning of our careers, but maybe we’ve strayed away from our roots and the principles that got us to where we are today.
Thank you to our friends south of the border for helping me remember that we can all be better at what we are doing, whether it’s been three days or three decades.
