Having had the pleasure and honour of being asked by the amazing
Tina O’Dwyer of
The Tourism Space to present at her recent conference in Limerick, I shared my story of how I used customer care excellence in my thirty years of happy hotel-keeping at Harvey’s Point:
- To build our brand
- To lead our loyal team
- To differentiate from our competitors
- To survive the recession
- To grow our business
VISION / MISSION
It was our Vision to be recognised as one of the leading hotels in Ireland, delivering world class excellence in hotel-keeping and Irish hospitality. Each member of our team was aware of the importance of their role in achieving our goals of excellence. There were three essential elements to our Mission – Happy Guests, Happy Staff & Sustainable Profitability. This provided the framework for our business. All our behaviour and actions were aligned with our Vision and Mission.
OUR CULTURE – ‘One Dream, One Team’
There was (and still is) something truly special about the culture within Harvey’s Point. It was the most precious and perhaps the most important part of our strategy and it was the key to our success. Our customer focussed culture evolved over time, and while the hotel became bigger and busier during the thirty years, our core values remained the same. There was a sense of caring that was shared by the owners, management and staff, caring for each other (as internal customers) and caring for our discerning guests. As one team, we celebrated the highs and stuck together during the lows. The positive culture in our organisation energised us and motivated us to aspire to excellence, together.
LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMERS
Every customer has a voice and that voice has to be heard in order to firstly understand and ultimately anticipate and deliver their needs. Listening to our customers was a vital step in our service delivery. We listened carefully and tried to pick up on guest cues and then act on them. The act of listening occurred well before our guests arrived, during their stay and indeed after they departed. There are so many platforms from which we learned from our guests, either face to face, through social media and from even from other guests, who visited us because of high recommendation and referral. One of our key questions that we asked our guests when gathering feedback is “How likely are you to recommend Harvey’s Point to a friend”? This ‘ Net Promoter Score’ gave us a clear indication of our ranking in customer service delivery.
LISTENING TO AND EMPOWERING OUR TEAM
We recognised that our team held the key to how our customers were feeling and they also had ideas on how to raise the bar in terms of higher standards, more efficient work practices etc. Whether front of house, back of house, long serving or just in the door for a summer season, each staff member felt a connection to the hotel and it’s growth. Our high percentage of staff retention was very much appreciated by our many regular guests. Our team had the confidence to know how to make a guest feel special. It was the little touches that counted most, be it the handwritten card in the room on arrival, the complimentary bubbles in celebration of a special occasion or even a warm handshake and a friendly smile. They were also empowered to deal with issues if and when they arose and to endeavour to turn a negative situation into a positive one. Communication was key to ensuring that any issues were followed up by management before a guest departed.
SERVICE STANDARDS
While our simple mantra was that we ‘hired for attitude and trained for skill’, it was nevertheless important that we struck a balance that was aligned with our ‘Swiss Made In Ireland’ slogan – which was to deliver the highest possible standards of hotel-keeping blended with authentic Irish hospitality. Our in-house training programme educated our staff to succeed in their respective roles. There were clearly defined service standards (SOP’s) which were essential in maintaining consistency and measuring performance.
BEING CREATIVE
In our quest for continuous improvement, were were always in search of new ideas to surprise and delight our guests. No longer is a hotel guest satisfied with the ‘equation’ ‘2B&B & 1D’, they are looking for an enjoyable and memorable experience. Ironically, it was the recession that inspired us to think outside the box in terms of how to create added value rather than discounting, which our family business could not sustain. We hosted complimentary in-house activities such as cookery demonstrations, wine tastings and regular ‘Meet & Greet’ drinks receptions for residents. This was a unique way in which to engage with our customers. Our other ‘secret’ was to ensure that every one of our team played their part in customer service. For example, chefs, house-keeping and maintenance staff were encouraged to interact with our guests as well as those who work on the frontline. So simple but so effective.
FINALLY …..
Whether in Dubai, Dublin, Dingle or Donegal, whether it’s a large business or a small business, whether the economy is in recession or booming, customer service is key. As technology advances, as marketing techniques and sales channels continue to evolve, remain true to your core principles and values. Customer Service Excellence is our most important job, it’s our biggest asset. Let’s use it.
GO THE EXTRA MILE WITH A SMILE 🙂
ENJOY THE JOURNEY
