I was recently traveling to Maine and stopped at a lovely hotel on the way, in Portsmouth, NH. As I unpacked I realized I forgot my hair brush. Yikes!!! The weather was very hot and humid therefore, this was going to be a big problem for me. I remembered that the front desk staff had been very helpful upon arrival, so I stopped there on my way to dinner. I asked if there was a CVS or drugstore around where I could purchase a hair brush. The girl at the counter said, “Oh boy, not really in walking distance….. and we don’t have any here at the desk. I’m so sorry.”
Needless to say, panic started setting in. I guess the other gentleman working at the desk sensed my distress and softly said to the girl, “I wonder if there is a salon close by that might sell brushes.”
He quickly googled and made a call. He put me on the phone with the person at the salon, which he had already confirmed was open until 8PM and sure enough, they had a brush that would get me through my trip. A block and a half walk and I was all set.
The first representative didn’t really do anything wrong. She answered my question and apologized for my inconvenience. I think she really felt bad. But the second representative did so much more. He was a star. First of all, he looked for a solution to my problem, beyond what they could do at the hotel and then he didn’t embarrass the other representative. He helped her with a smooth gentle transition.
This is the kind of consistent service world class organizations provide. Some people are a natural at it, while others need help. But when the culture is one of service, everyone is thinking, “HOW CAN I HELP?” That’s when the true transformation occurs!
Thoughts……