Modeling Behavior 

The Messages You Send

  The customer service behaviors that we exhibit send more powerful messages to the staff than anything we tell them. It's an old axiom but still true - you have to "walk the walk" not just "talk the talk." See if the following behaviors look familiar and what messages they send to your staff:

 The front desk is swamped with a group check-in. You have a report that was due two hours ago so you stay in your office to complete the report.
Message: Reports are more important than guests.

 The 'head office' (or whatever we are calling it these days) has sent several people from accounting to review your financials. You are in a meeting explaining why your NOI is not in line with budget when a staff member comes in and tells you that there is an upset guest demanding to see the manager. You respond to your staff member by telling them to ask the guest to leave a card and you will get back to them.
Message: The head office is more important than the guest. Never mind that the only reason there is top line revenue to bring to the bottom line is the customer. (For those of you who work for a corporate office, does this shoe fit?)

You ran a full house last night, will turnover fifty percent of the house tonight, there was a snowstorm and half of the housekeeping staff did not show up. You roll up you sleeves, consult with your executive housekeeper and grab a maid's cart to clean rooms.
Message: You care about assisting your staff when the chips are down and will do whatever you can to ensure that the guest is taken care of. 

 It's finally the weekend and you and your family are fifty miles away from the property. Occupancy is minimal and the cell reception is spotty. You think about calling in but you need the break and the staff can handle it. A guest falls and has to be taken to the hospital. The staff member tells the guest it was our fault that the floor was wet and we didn't post a sign. The guest sues. You write up the staff member for admitting liability.
Message: 1. Shame on you for not providing guidelines and training on emergency procedures. 2. The staff learns that they are not empowered to take initiative - to do so results in disciplinary action.

Upon your arrival on the property every morning you walk the lobby talking to the guests and inquiring how well your property served them.
Message: You care about the guest and the service that your hotel provides.

You have difficult choices to make among the competing priorities for your time every day. If your hotel truly is customer-centered, the guiding principal is which of these things do I need to do now to ensure good customer service to the guest. Everything else can wait.

You have received this newsletter because you have subscribed or a friend has shared it with you. If you would like to share this newsletter, we request that you forward it in its entirety. Thank you.