An extra step - victory from defeat
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2008-04-25 01:37:09 - Graham EllisNo-one can get everything they do 100% right every time - things will go wrong, even in the most carefully assessed circumstances where all practical steps have been taken to reduce the risk. I feel secure, and fully knowledgeable of the line below which the quality of service that I get at the particular hotel chain that I've been staying at this week. And for the first time that I can recall, I was let down by one particular, but serious, error and subsequent security lapse. I am not, by nature, one to go marching over to the front desk ... but in this case I did.
Of course, I have one leg in either camp - customer and hotelier.
Top marks to the reception staff for their handling of this livid man - and confirmation to me that our policy at Well House Manor of going "one step beyond" is the right one. I was looking for an explanation, duly given. I was anticipating (for what it was worth) an apology, which I got. I was hoping for a step or two to be taken to avoid the same thing happening to another guest. That was promised and probably followed through. I wasn't anticipating the complimentary tray, delivered to my room as I had an evening of work to do.I try never to turn away from a well-liked supplier based on one unfortunate incident, so it's unlikely I would have given this chain a miss in the future even if I had been given a "don't care" type brushoff. But actually the whole has cemented by brand loyalty - victory from the jaws of potential defeat, if you like. Someone - please remind me to tell this story at our next staff meeting, and to remind our team (who know it anyway) to go that extra step.