Poor service to one group of guests could be costing you with them ALL!

I do not shop as intelligently as I could. I often sacrifice savings for convenience as I am usually in a hurry. This past weekend however, my wife booked us into a  very nice hotel using Priceline, saving us about 20%.

After we checked in around 3:30pm, we entered our room and found ourselves face-to-face with two men standing right outside our window and staring at us! I have never stayed in a room at ground level on a busy street! The room was noisy and stunk of cigarette smoke.

My wife immediately went back to the front desk to seek a room change. With a quick scan of their computer, the front desk clerk curtly told her that, “there was absolutely nothing he could do.” They were sold out and not prepared to switch our room – even though most of the bookings had yet to check in.

I then went in hot pursuit of the manager on duty. After explaining that we were contemplating leaving the hotel – in the rain – to search for different accommodation, he agreed to have another look. He logged in and immediately identified “the problem”. The room had been booked on Priceline and the hotel was sold out. He continued to confirm that many of the rooms were still vacant, but that MY ROOM “would simply not be suitable for regular guests!” Needless to say I was FLOORED.

I offered to upgrade, to pay ANYTHING to make my wife feel SAFE & COMFORTABLE. In a very condescending tone, he declared that it was too late. This made a bad situation even worse.

I have spent my life working in the service industry. It has NEVER occurred to me to treat a person in accordance with the price tag of their purchase.

Don’t get me wrong – I have never bought an economy airline seat and expected to sit in business class, but I have also never bought an ecomony seat and been expected to fly in cargo!

As more and more businesses are relying on discount websites and offers from the likes of Groupon or Living Social to fill up their venues, we should NEVER lose sight of the fact that WORD OF MOUTH continues to be the factor that can make or break a business.

My first – and likely ONLY – impression of that particular hotel group is the substandard room and denigrating service. People never remember how much they paid, but they ALWAYS remember how they were made to feel!

Tired but inspired!,

As managers, we spend a good portion of our time telling people what to do and how do it.

Great leaders get traction FAST by appealing to why their audience should act a certain way, buy a certain product, or use a certain service.  It is the difference for many between success and failure.

Great business leaders have being doing this for years, but have always found it hard to articulate.

Click the image for an 18-minute video from Simon Sinek, who gives the best explanation I have ever heard.

Start with WHY and finish first!,

Right now YOUR career is being restricted by ONE MAJOR challenge. You know exactly what it is (but have a hard time articulating it) and struggle through it daily.

The good news is that someone in your city has been where you are, gained valuable experience conquering the challenge, and WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE THE FORUMLA WITH YOU FOR THE PRICE OF A CUP OF COFFEE!

The only thing between you and a GIANT LEAP FORWARD is conquering your negative self-talk (you know, that little voice saying ‘Why would anyone take time out to help ME, especially a stranger?’). GET OVER YOURSELF! REACH OUT!

1. Divide a blank piece of paper into 4 sections:
   .
   Box 1: Write YOUR #1 Challenge – they say ”a problem well stated is a problem half solved”
   Box 2: How it is affecting your business/career
   Box 3: What steps you have taken to correct this (if any)
   Box 4: What you would GAIN if this problem were alleviated

 

2. List 5 people who you believe have overcome this challenge

 

3. Start Dialing and ASK FOR THEIR HELP – you only need one person to agree to 30 minutes of their time over a coffee
   

 

4. Spend the first 5 minutes walking them through your four boxes
   

 

5. Ask them EXACTLY how they have overcome this challenge
   

 

6. Shut up, listen + write down what they say
   

 

7. Apply the advice
   

 

8. Follow up with them – tell them what worked/what didn’t

 

I have bought more coffees than I can count, from which I received priceless advice that changed my life.

The first call is the toughest.

PUSH through it!

Click above for a cool video of our P2P Everglades retreat!

“How do I get my team out of the rut we are in?” This is by far the most common question I am being asked lately.

The recession has set a somber tone in many businesses and has become the “new normal.” It is up to us to CHANGE THE FOCUS and get back to the things that make you great as a company. Back to having fun!

THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL that I have ever used to change momentum is the Peer-to-Peer Award. I utilized them at every bar/restaurant that I have ever run (and I still use it today with Barmetrix). I have yet to come across a more effective, lower cost way to ignite a team and get everyone focused on the right things!

JUST FOLLOW THIS LINK TO A FREE WHITEPAPER THAT GIVES YOU STEP BY STEP INTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR OWN PEER TO PEER AWARDS.

Kicking it up a notch!,