Sue

I used to manage for the RPM franchise of Dominos Pizza.

I speak as a manager who qualified for the company’s second highest award in my first full accounting period (of one month).

There is NO facet of your business, including complaint resolution, that you can not use to ‘wow’ a customer.

If you hit that mark, the customer will often literally say ‘wow’ … and you have just bought a level of customer loyalty that will generate sales for years — or longer! Now, go “wow” another one. And another. And another.

Good on Ms DeLorean … and good on you for recognizing her ‘one step further’ customer skills. Perhaps if their was more praise when such service was rendered, there would be more occasions for that praise to ring out!

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Thank you for contacting Guest Relations regarding the Staybridge Suites San Francisco Airport, CA. We realize you have many choices when it comes to lodging, and we sincerely appreciate your business.

We are always very happy when a guest contacts us about the wonderful service they have received. As soon as I received your comments, I immediately forwarded them to the management and ownership of the hotel. They will ensure Ms. Lisa Delorean knows what a great job she has done and also ensure she is recognized for her efforts.

I have also forwarded this information to the appropriate parties to ensure Mr. Andrew Coslett’’s office gets this compliment. Thank you again for your kind words. We hope to have you as a guest in one of our hotels again soon.

Sincerely,

Amanda Hopfensperger, Guest Relations, IHG

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So to all who say big companies don’t listen to small customers, I’d say we just found a wonderful exception. In fact, I’d argue that a company listening to its small customers is precisely how it gets big in the first place. The question is, “do they remember to listen to small customers *after* becoming big?” Try getting service like this from your telecom company.

I’d also like to make a follow-up comment to Kalei from Vancouver, who works at a Staybridge there: Our business travels to Vancouver several times a year, so you just gave us a wonderful tip on where to stay the next trip.

I didn’t even know there was a Staybridge there. So now Lisa’s handwritten note is helping not only her own San Fran hotel but based on comments in this thread she’s also having a positive effect on Staybridge properties in New Orleans and Vancouver as well! This *is* the essential goal of relationship-centric brand loyalty.

just wanted to follow up a bit, as I do appreciate all the comments back both on here and in private email. One thing that I did forget in my original post is that I am strongly introverted — anyone at Future Now can confirm *that* ! — so at a hotel the last thing I usually ever want to do is interact more with people, I just want to be left alone to chill out and I would never be one to go to the social happy-hour event hotels often offer in the lobby, for example. I think it speaks even more highly of the impact of efforts such as Staybridge’s Lisa DeLorean’s that she managed to prod an Introvert so positively as to blog about it!

Happy Thanksgiving to you John and thanks for giving all of us a view of what it takes to take care of our guests!

Sincerely,
Kalei LaFave
Staybridge Suites-Vancouver, WA.

I have to admit having never heard of the hotel prior…now, twice in two days. Hmmm…I think I’ll give them a try!

Way to go Lisa!

Way to go, Lisa!

Lucky Balaraman

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Thanks for sharing!

Very cool.

Best always,
- Peter