| I was making arrangements to attend a
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| | and made another reservation, again using
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| conference in Los Angeles, California.As
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| | my frequent flyer award coupon and my new
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| a frequent flyer, I receive award coupons
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| | Premium Club membership number. This time
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| offering a 50% discount from normal hotel
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| | I kept my mouth shut about attending any
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| rates. I contacted the call center of a
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| | conference.I paid $100 per night when I
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| major hotel chain to make my
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| | went to Los Angeles. I enjoyed the Towers
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| reservation.The reservations clerk was
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| | room and a complimentary fruit basket
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| friendly and very helpful. She took my
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| | upon arrival. No thanks, though, to this
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| name and contact numbers. She confirmed
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| | hotel's absurd policy and
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| the dates, my room preference and credit
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| | customer-unfriendly procedures.Somewhere
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| card number. She asked if I was a
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| | deep within the marketing department of
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| 'Premium Club' member, which I was not.
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| | this hotel chain, yield-management
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| So she registered me for Club status over
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| | professionals carefully calculate the
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| the phone.Then she remarked, 'Mr.
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| | maximum rate they can squeeze from
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| Kaufman, now that you are a Premium Club
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| | participants at each international
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| member, I can offer you an even lower
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| | conference.Meanwhile conference
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| rate for an upgraded room on a higher
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| | participants are also thinkers...real,
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| floor. And a fruit basket will be waiting
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| | live customers! Yield managers, are you
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| for you upon arrival.'I was surprised and
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| | listening?
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| delighted. My special room rate was just
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| | Key Learning Point
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| $100 per night.Signing off from this
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| |
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| great telephone experience, I said:
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| | -----------------------------------------
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| 'Thank you for your help. I am looking
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| | ---------------------------------------
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| forward to staying at the hotel during
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| |
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| the conference.''The conference?', she
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| | When your policies cross, collide or
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| quickly replied, 'What conference are you
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| | contradict, your customers will find out.
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| attending?'When I told her about the
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| | Clean up the confusion!
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| event, she said, 'Oh. If you are
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| | Action Steps
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| attending that conference, you have to
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| |
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| use our conference rate of $124.'I
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| | -----------------------------------------
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| laughed and assured her I was happy with
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| | ---------------------------------------
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| the special rate and Club status she had
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| |
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| already confirmed.'Oh no,' she repeated.
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| | Review the many ways your customers can
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| 'If you are coming for the conference,
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| | confirm, order, book, engage, hire, rent
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| you must use the special rate. We have a
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| | or purchase your products and service.
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| block of rooms already reserved for you
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| | Look for mismatches and inconsistencies
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| on a lower floor. And I'm afraid you
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| | in the policies and procedures. Get them
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| don't get the fruit basket.'A lower
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| | back in line so your company and your
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| floor, higher rate and no fruit basket? I
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| | customers stay aligned.Ron Kaufman is an
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| protested. But my protest was in vain.
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| | internationally acclaimed educator and
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| She checked with her supervisor, who
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| | motivator for partnerships and quality
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| concurred. 'I'm sorry, but that's our
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| | customer service. He is author of the
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| policy,' she said without much concern.I
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| | bestselling "UP Your Service!" and
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| surrendered to her insistence, listened
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| | founder of "UP Your Service College".
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| sadly as she cancelled my Premium Club
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| | Visit for more such Customer Service
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| reservation, but declined to have her
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| | articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or
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| book me back into the hotel at the higher
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| | to buy his bestselling Books, Videos,
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| conference rate. I hung up the phone in
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| | Audio CDs on Customer Service from his
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| disbelief.Then I called right back and
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| | secure Online Store.
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| reached a different reservations clerk
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| |
|
