Show me you care - and I'll still be there

Problems are inevitable no matter how hard you work to prevent them. To me, an important mark of a good business is how it works to address issues when they come up. Learning organizations that put a focus on remedy and recovery can retain business even when something goes wrong.

Today's blog features two recent instances when businesses have gone above and beyond to resolve problems.

Case Study #1 The Venetian Las Vegas

In February of 2015 I stayed at the Venetian in Las Vegas. The experience did not meet my expectations based on my first trip to the property or its brand image as a luxury destination. As a result I wrote an unfavourable review on Trip Advisor.

To my surprise, I was contacted by the Guest Experience Manager via Trip Advisor who was concerned that I hadn't enjoyed my stay. I realized after the fact that I had not shared my concerns about the property with anyone while we there. This was a really important reminder for me that companies cannot improve if we don't take the time to tell them what we are thinking in a constructive manner. The Guest Experience Manager encouraged me to give the property another try. Which is why when I needed to return to Las Vegas I decided to stay at the Venetian and how I am writing this entry from the "beer garden" at B&B Burger & Beer, overlooking the clock tower. (I am the only person sitting outside on this beautiful day enjoying the view and relative quiet).

When the Venetian contacted me, I came to understand that providing good customer service is a priority to the team here even if they do not execute perfectly every time. Perfection is not a realistic expectation but a culture that strives towards it consistently is the basic standard.

At a large resort property like the Venetian and its attached sister property the Palazzo (together they have around 7,000 rooms!) one of the challenges is how many different touch points there are with customers. Today I directly interacted with staff at the concierge desk, fitness centre, a café, and two restaurants - most of which are not operated by the Sands Corporation that owns the Venetian and the Palazzo. I have walked through the property several times on my way to various appointments where I saw many thrid party retailers of varying types. In some places the service is amazing, fast and friendly. In other locations its less enthuiastic or friendly but slow and not overly helpful. It is confusing because as a customer this is one Venetian/Palazzo experience but in reality, each point of contact is operated differently and the service standards are not consistent.

While the Venetian is clearly concerned about the customer experience and understands how it impacts their brand image and revenues, they haven't mastered how to work with their partners to deliver a consistent experience for their guests.

Case Study #2 Oliver's Labels

My daughter left for summer camp on July 11. We did not need to make any big purchases this year as she is a seasoned camper with all the gear so preparing for camp wasn't top-of-mind. As a result, I realized on July 4 that I had neglected to order labels for camp. The labels are really important if you want to have your child return from camp with all of their belongings - which I do.

I went online and discovered that the vendor I use for this service, Oliver’s Labels, offered an express service that promised delivery in Canada within two business days. Saved! I ordered the labels and paid the stupid tax also known as the express delivery premium ($9). Having ordered on Saturday, I expected my labels to arrive by Tuesday best case scenario and Wednesday at the latest. Tuesday evening I called Oliver’s Labels as I had not received shipping notification with a tracking number. Heather in customer service called me back first thing Wednesday to discuss the situation. She told me that the package had been dispatched but that sometimes delivery to my region could take longer than two days. I explained that the advertised service standard (for which I paid a premium) was 48 hours. The tracking number was located and we learned that the parcel was still in Mississauga and would not arrive in Halifax within the guaranteed timeframe. Heather immediately agreed to refund the shipping premium.

It was absolutely the right thing to do and I appreciated the gesture. Still getting my money back did not solve my problem. I needed labels before the end of the week. Heather immediately contacted the delivery company to track the package and agreed that if the labels did not turn up by Thursday that they would be reprinted and shipped overnight for Friday delivery. This drastic step was not required because first thing on Thursday Heather called to confirm that parcel was on the truck for delivery. I received that labels shortly after noon. Once Oliver’s Labels understood the issue - that a promised service time that they're charging a fee for needs to be respected - they really did work very hard to correct the situation. I hope they also take the time to adjust the content on their website to reflect realistic service times to various destinations. Managing expectations and meeting established service standards is key to customer happiness.

Oliver's Labels was willing to go above and beyond to make an error right and as a customer I appreciate that. Next year I will use Oliver's Labels for camp labels for the fourth year in a row.

We have all made mistakes. What matters is the steps we take to learn from those experiences. I will always be open to giving a learning organization another try to keep my business.

#Branding #Service #CustomerExperience