Be right, or do right?

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Comments

[Dick Richards]

Let's see...I'm kinda new at this...there it is....yes, that's the right term...(I hope its right)...

Ka lā hiki ola Rosa.

[Rosa]

Excellent Dick, you got the kahako (macron over the ā) correct and the kaona (hidden meaning) too!

Actually, you have no idea how insightful your comment was, for I had written something in my journal yesterday morning while walking through my fog of Zach's last day home, and the title (yes, now I title my journaling too...) was "Ka lā hiki ola; The dawning of a new day." Now I'm thinking I may have to clean it up (pure stream of consciousness brain dump at this point) and share it with all of you.

By the way Dick, so far I am enjoying your home state so much more this time around (despite this glitch in this post) with the temp in the 80's versus last time with the mercury tickling the 110 range!

[John Richardson]

What a timely post Rosa. I could feel the text getting bolder as you went along. The frustration in your voice of someone who is tired and just wants a problem solved. Your post was needed therapy. I have been dealing with a customer service nightmare for over a week now. My frustration level is so high I just ask the question... why? I posted about it today on my blog along with your question... "to be right or do right?" Thanks for the insight! John

[Phil Gerbyshak]

The hotel took an opportunity to win you over and totally dropped the ball. How sad, and unfortunately, how typical. This has happened to me a number of times recently, where I call ahead, and then they don't have what I specifically requested. Now if I only had the discipline to stop going to those places.

Thanks for sharing. Sorry it had to happen. Sounds like you handled it better than the staff at the hotel did.

[Adrian Savage]

There's a great management lesson in your post as always, Rosa.

True empowerment is giving people the freedom to work out what needs to be done (be a gracious hostess) and do it without fuss. True development of staff is making sure they understand this and have the know-how needed to do it.

Couldn't really be more simple, could it? Yet the results of not doing it, as you show so clearly, are disasterous.

Adrian

[David St Lawrence]

Rosa,

I am sorry to hear that the Prescott SpringHill Suites by Marriott has become the "Hotel from Hell".

It will be interesting to see whether management takes any action to correct the situation. If this new desk-person is a permanent fixture, the corporate culture may be breaking down. Bean-counters may have driven out the courteous reception people in favor of lower-priced labor.

If their only response is to tell you to fill out the standard rating card, you will know.

Better luck on your next stay.

[Jane Chin]

I'm a big fan of writing letters to management. Usually I write nice, glowing letters for employees who go above and beyond their call of duty. I make sure I send it to a high enough level executive where it makes a splash. Good customer service behaviors must be recognized and hopefully encouraged and perpetuated.

In your case, however, you may want to write a top level executive about your experience, mention the competitiveness of the hospitality industry and ask him/her to guess the dollars that the hotel has lost due to the sulleness of one employee - who I'm sure has gone through customer service "training".

If I may be so bold, I'd even suggest a few pointers and if the executive is interested in learning more, to give me a call on how I can help.

[Dick Richards]

I gotta fess up Rosa. I cut and pasted Ka lā hiki ola from the sidebar of your blog. But I'll take credit for getting the hidden meaning! That's part of my life work -- getting the hidden meaning.

[Rosa]

Thank you everyone for your comments. This has been a busy trip thus far; Zach and I have returned late to the hotel these past few nights. So I have not shared this experience with the hotel management yet, however I will, for as a management coach I can certainly empathize with their need to know, and as I'd written of this past June, this hotel does a lot right and has so much potential.

We have not encountered this unfortunate attitude with the rest of the staff here, and I'm not one to judge the entire place based on my encounter with just one employee; I hope you will not either.

You've given me much motivation to now find a good customer service story to share with all of you before my Prescott stay is done, and I will! Like Jane, I've written many Hurrah! letters to managers, and I love doing them: I'm a big believer in acknowledging and rewarding the behavior you want to see more of.

I've been hoping to see more of that Front Desk receptionist: I'm bound and determined to draw out the aloha I know she must have within her. Then this will have been a fantastic trip!