Creating an experience your customers will never forget should be about them leaving with an excellent experience, and one they will be happy to share with others.
Unfortunately customers often leave with a bad experience planted firmly in their thoughts and are happy to share their negative experience with others.
I am always happy to share my thoughts with the business I encounter who does not, in my opinion, live up to my expectations. It's not about offering me a freebie "for next time" or a gift to help me get over "this time". It's about ensuring a better experience for everyone else, so that they receive excellence and not the shoddy, thoughtless, lack of care I did.
Because I travel a lot for business my hotel stays are something I look forward to. A clean room with great customer service and food that tastes good is all I ask for. Before I started my own two businesses I worked three jobs at the same time and one of those jobs was as a cleaner in a hotel, so my standards are quite high where cleanliness is concerned. On the occasion I have shared a complaint in a hotel their first thought is to upgrade me to a larger more expensive room! This is not only an inconvenience as I have already unpacked and want to relax, it's papering over the cracks and not taking ownership about the real problem.
Restaurants seem to have the same thoughts when complaints are shared, they offer a gift card for the next time, versus making sure they listen to the complaint in order to ensure they better their services. I often return to a hotel or restaurant and give them a second chance. If they have not changed in any shape or form I am not only angry, I know for certain I will never return and I will share my bad experiences, for the second time.
As customers if we don't offer feedback we deserve what we get, but when we take the time to share our concerns, that's the chance the business has to offer an excellent experience from that moment on.
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