In a rapidly commoditized marketplace, one of the most reliable and sustainable competitive advantages is providing extraordinary customer service; customer service so impressive that it drives true customer loyalty.Â
Here are some of the customer-service delivery lessons I share with hotel associates that can help a hotel drive stronger customer loyalty:Â Â Â
- Situational empathy. Situational empathy is the type of empathy that nearly every employee can learn to exhibit. Train employees to reframe before every customer interaction—when an employee has had 45 similar calls, it’s important that they have the right frame of mind going into call 46—that this call, even if it seems rote to them, is going to be a unique experience for the caller.Â
- Gold-touch customer service. It’s a straightforward, yet magical way to improve the guest experience and differentiate a property. Gold-touch customer service is a simple practice that can quickly elevate how customers think of a business and it comes in two varieties: Do-extra: When you give a customer more effort than they’ve asked for or would reasonably expect. Tell-extra: When you provide customers with additional value by answering questions in a particularly thorough way or by connecting with customers on a human, shared passion level. Often, the best kind of tell-extra is when you make use of a particular tidbit of information that you’ve picked up about a particular customer. The secret to finding these nuggets: listen with your ears, look with your eyes. It’s not that hard!
- Anticipatory customer service. This means getting to where the hockey puck is headed before the puck gets there. It’s about giving the customer what they want before they ask for it and before they even know they want it. Anticipatory customer service involves hearing more than what a customer says out loud. Uncovering and taking care of unspoken needs and wishes and answering unasked questions is a master principle of hospitality that will bring any company that embraces it into a new reality; a destination populated with delighted customers who provide the kind of loyalty and enthusiastic referrals that help a company grow and prosper for the long term.
- Language selection. The language that employees use with customers can strengthen (or sabotage) the customer experience, perhaps more than anything else. I recommend creating a “Say This, Not That” guide or lexicon, which outlines effective phrases alongside those to avoid. For example, replace dismissive language with empathetic alternatives that reassure and connect with guests.
- Service recovery. Though most companies have a service recovery protocol for unhappy, angry or even anxious guests, elevating this practice to a mastery level is key. Employees trained to address unhappy or anxious guests effectively can leverage the service recovery paradox, which states that a customer who has a problem resolved is more likely to become a loyal and engaged customer than one who experiences no issues at all.Â
Mix and Match Â
When implementing a customer service training initiative, consider a mix of delivery methods:Â
- Live training, whether in person or via Zoom. Live training is the classic delivery channel. It can be used exclusively, or in concert with eLearning, if the approach is structured properly. Live training should also be customized and unique.
- eLearning. Consider the value of building a custom eLearning customer service training program. ELearning, if done right, offers the opportunity for asynchronous learning that doesn’t require everyone to train in the same place and at the same time and that keeps paying for itself as new employees come onboard. Â
Your business isn’t generic; your customer service shouldn’t be either. By combining thoughtful employee training methods with a brand-aligned customer service philosophy, earning guest loyalty could not be easier. Â
Story contributed by Micah Solomon, customer service expert and guest service trainer. He can be reached at micah@micahsolomon.com.