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