Have you really experienced five star service?

Have you ever felt shortchanged by the service you’ve received?

The chances are that you can probably answer yes to both.

My recent experience of 5 star service was in a hotel in the southern hemisphere. Some might have called the actions of the staff over the top, even obsessive.

On reflection, the service received highlighted some important characteristics of the culture at the hotel. Every little detail had to be correct, nothing was left to chance. The staff felt able to admit mistakes to their superiors. Each and every guest was treated like royalty.

We were made to feel special, valued and cared for. Needless to say, we enjoyed the experience.

“People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

In contrast, a recent mechanical issue left me feeling less than satisfied. Now, cars breakdown, I understand that. Not being kept informed during diagnosis and repair, being passed around between service team members and having to take action myself to resolve the situation isn’t 5 star service.

So, what can be learnt from these two experiences and applied in day to day dealings with clients?

1. If you make a mistake, own it
2. Have a single point of contact to keep the customer informed
3. Never wait for the customer to contact you… it won’t end well!
4. Make it right, ideally going above and beyond their expectations

If you have a complaints process, would you be happy being it’s subject? If not, why not?

Do you put the client first & make them feel valued all the time? Do you keep them informed?

Thanks for reading.

(first published on Medium 25th Feb 2019 - pre-ai revolution) https://medium.com/@adrenalinehit/five-star-service-2a6d04b2d5df