“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” – Bobby Unser
The road to success has many sayings, but the common thread is preparation. Customer service excellence revolves around making every interaction memorable. When customers leave your business, returning and retelling their experiences should feel as natural as breathing.
Transforming Customers into Ambassadors
Each customer interaction should strive to turn customers into ambassadors—enthusiastic champions who promote your products and services. Ambassadors are more than satisfied customers; they are advocates, boosters, and promoters who campaign for your brand.
But how do you transform a customer into an ambassador? While many approaches exist, I focus on preparation as a powerful means of conversion. Organizations that consistently prepare to exceed customer expectations at every touchpoint have a greater chance of turning customers into lifelong advocates.
The Power of Preparation
Hotel guests typically book in advance, which offers hotels the perfect opportunity to prepare and ensure each guest interaction is exceptional.
During my time at the Four Seasons Georgetown in Washington, DC, I witnessed firsthand how preparation can drive success. At this hotel, there were no shortcuts when it came to customer service excellence. Before every guest’s arrival, the customer-facing staff received a detailed dossier containing personal preferences, past interactions, and other valuable insights about the guest. This level of preparation ensured the guest’s experience felt personalized and welcoming.
Especially for repeat guests, these dossiers were incredibly detailed. Staff members studied them carefully so that when guests arrived, they were greeted like returning friends. They used the guest’s name, inquired about their children and pets, confirmed preferences, and acknowledged any recent changes in their likes and dislikes. Instead of asking basic questions, they verified details, making the guest feel valued and understood.
Anticipating Customer Needs
There’s a special feeling when someone remembers your preferences and anticipates your needs—this is easy when they have a “cheat sheet” like the guest dossier. This kind of preparation ensures that the entire guest experience is memorable, which not only guarantees repeat business but also converts customers into ambassadors for your brand.
Humans are creatures of habit, which makes it possible to anticipate certain behaviors in customer interactions. For example, I am allergic to feathers. If a hotel replaced feather pillows with hypoallergenic ones based on my previous stay, I would feel cared for and remembered. This simple yet thoughtful gesture would make me more likely to return.
Organizations can ensure these experiences by noting customer habits and preferences, then leveraging that information to create memorable moments. These seemingly small details can make the difference between a one-time visit and a lifelong relationship, turning customers into true ambassadors.
The Importance of Knowing Your Customers
Remember the theme song from the TV series Cheers:
“Sometimes you wanna go
Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.”
(Cheers Theme Song by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart-Angelo)
The takeaway is clear:
Prepare for the customers before they arrive. You already have their data—use it! Preparation ensures that when a guest walks into your establishment, they feel like they’re coming home. And in doing so, you’ll have created an ambassador.
“A prostitute is a black woman wearing a skirt and high heels.”
He sat down, and I was stunned into silence. I responded, “Okay, so I am a black woman, wearing a skirt and high heels right now. Does that make me a prostitute?”
He stuttered, “No… no, Madam, not you, but…”. Then he sat down, looking utterly miserable. Poor man. If the ground could have opened and swallowed him whole, I think he’d have welcomed it.
This was during a training session (Eliminate bias in customer service) for a hotel’s security team. I had asked for volunteers to share their definition of a prostitute. This man had bravely volunteered, not realizing the landmine he’d stepped on.
I continued, “So, if she were wearing trousers or arrived in a car, or was not black, then she wouldn’t be considered a prostitute and would have been allowed access, right?” The room filled with discomfort. There was a lot of mumbling, and no one dared to answer, afraid of insulting me further.
This training was prompted by a rather embarrassing incident for the hotel. The wife of a director had been turned away at the entrance by a security guard who thought she looked like a prostitute. He explained that the hotel “did not allow access to prostitutes.” The backlash from this incident led to the training session.
But what were we really addressing in this training? Was it just about poor customer service, or was it deeper—racism, prejudice, and bias? Or maybe it was about understanding who qualifies as a “desirable customer.” And what about the policies guiding such decisions? Did they even exist?
The glaring issue was how the security staff’s perception influenced their behavior. They were making decisions based on personal biases rather than any clear company policy. This led to discriminatory outcomes and poor service experiences.
This hotel was a beach resort known for its family-friendly environment. The security team’s mandate was to prevent anything deemed “non-family-like.” But in their eagerness to maintain this image, they made decisions based on their own prejudices. To them, anyone fitting their mental picture of a prostitute was denied entry.
One of the most glaring problems was the lack of a clear policy for handling guests, particularly those arriving on foot. Without documented guidelines, the staff relied on personal judgment—judgment clouded by bias. With a clear policy, the security team could have handled the situation better, perhaps by verifying the guest’s identity in a respectful manner.
Clear policies are crucial for maintaining consistent standards and avoiding biased behaviour. They reduce guesswork and prevent staff from making decisions that could offend or discriminate against guests. In this case, without a proper policy, personal biases dictated the actions of the staff, leading to discriminatory behaviour.
Once proper policies are in place, it’s essential to ensure staff training on these policies. Judging by how the training unfolded, this hotel—and perhaps many others—could benefit from comprehensive customer service and sensitivity training. Bias, especially racial bias, is unacceptable. Decisions should be grounded in documented company policies, not personal interpretations.
Clear procedures should guide staff on how to handle uncertain situations, thus eliminating bias in decision making and subsequently ensuring every customer is treated with dignity and respect. While organizations have the right to determine their clientele, it must be done fairly and equitably, maintaining respect for all.
At the end of the day, every guest should feel welcomed, respected, and valued, regardless of personal bias. Policies, adequate training, and a commitment to customer service excellence can help achieve that.
Call to Action
If you found this piece insightful, head over to I-solf.com for more on customer service, training, and how we can create better experiences for everyone. Let’s keep the conversation going—what are your thoughts on bias in service industries?
“Excuse me? Could I get some help, please?
Did he just roll his eyes? Okay, maybe not, he is heading here and smiling, I must have seen my own things”.
I started explaining my issue to the staff member, as I was talking, I noticed his posture, the way he stood half turned away from my table, the constant tapping of his pen on his note pad, and the blank expression on his face, he refused to make eye contact with me. He was physically at my table, though he looked like he would rather be somewhere else, doing something else, and not listening to my problems.
His demeanour screamed volumes. “I am not listening, I don’t have time for this, I would rather be somewhere else doing something else. Can you finish already?”
Call me paranoid, but I am a hospitality practitioner specializing in customer service and quality assurance, as such, I have heightened attention to detail. Sadly, this means that even when I am not at work, I am at work. So when I say there was a problem with this service person in front of me, believe me, there was a problem. The Issue? How he communicated. His very being screamed bad attitude, yet he did not speak a word? How? Non-verbal communication.
His body told me everything he dare not verbalize. His posture, facial expression and general mannerisms all indicated that he did not want to be there, listening to or dealing with my problems. Yet he never spoke a word.
In non-verbal communication, tell-tale signs send a clear message. So that even when one does not use their vocal cords, they can still get the message across. When serving customers, staff may be unaware that they are projecting. The slightest roll of the eyes or the lifting of an eyebrow, turning away before a customer completes their request, and so many other such gestures. Customers see these mannerisms and interpret them as a lack of interest, empathy, impatience, and bad attitude. They feel unwelcome and uncared for. Not good for customer service!
Non-verbal communication can also be positive. Leaning forward towards a customer shows that you are attentive, listening, and giving your undivided attention. Smiling, the beginning of each customer encounter, signifies welcome. Shows that staff are glad to see you and happy to serve you.
Careful with smiling though, in the wrong context, it can be misconstrued. Smiling at the wrong time might make the customer think that they are considered a joke, hence their issues will not be taken seriously.
Customers can read insincerity and know when the person serving them is not engaged or committed. Though not speaking, staff may be communicating how they feel, by the way they carry themselves, their mannerisms and their expressions and not realise it.
In a customer-centric organization, staff should be aware of the power of non-verbal communication. Paying attention to the following:
All staff should learn about non-verbal communication and how to project in the right context. By all means, smile and be welcoming, lean forward and be attentive, light up in welcome when you see a customer, and always be sincere. Remember you are on stage and customers are watching!
Service recovery refers to the action taken by a service provider to address a customer complaint regarding a perceived service failure (Grönroos, 1988)
No matter how well-prepared a company is to create a customer-centric environment, customer dissatisfaction can still occur. This is inevitable because every customer has unique preferences. Service failures may not always be the direct fault of the company. Sometimes, a customer’s preferences can be so specific that the company cannot fully satisfy them, at least not initially. This does not mean the company should not make an effort try.
A personal example illustrates this point: a few years ago, I decided to exclusively consume whole-grain products, avoiding refined flour. This dietary choice made it challenging to find suitable options in many restaurants, as my preferences were not the mainstream norm. No, I am not gluten intolerant and it is not a medical choice I made. Rather a lifestyle decision.
Dining in most restaurants left me unsatisfied because the menu had no whole-grain product offerings. It’s amazing the quantity of flour-based products offered in restaurants.
However, my story is about how one restaurant turned my disappointment into die-hard loyalty. After hearing my friend’s glowing reviews of a restaurant’s Panini, I decided to try it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t order the Panini due to my self-imposed dietary restriction. The restaurant used white refined flour for their Panini, which didn’t align with my whole-grain preference.
Undeterred, I attempted to discuss alternative options with the waiter, but to no avail. The owner/manager overheard our conversation and intervened. He generously offered to purchase a 100% whole-grain bread roll from a nearby bakery to make my Panini. I was ecstatic!
Bread sourced, and my customised Panini served, the restaurant had lived up to my friend’s praise. Delighted at the restaurant’s willingness to accommodate my request, I willingly paid for the Panini and the remainder of the whole-grain bread.
The restaurant’s willingness to go above and beyond was enough to win me over. The owner/manager even allowed me to bring my own whole-grain bread on subsequent visits, offering to substitute it for any bread items on their menu. I particularly adore their French Toast.
This restaurant, Barista & Co., has become my preferred choice in Nairobi’s Sarit Centre mall. I wouldn’t dream of dining elsewhere at the mall, because they transformed my initial disappointment into a delightful experience.
Price isn’t always the deciding factor; a memorable experience can turn a customer into an ambassador. This transformation occurs when a customer feels a company has gone the extra mile. It makes the customer feel special, creating a lasting impression that encourages repeat business.
Mistakes will happen, even with the best efforts a company cannot please every customer every time. When customers are dissatisfied, regardless of the reason, a well-structured recovery process is necessary for customer retention. This is particularly true when the dissatisfaction is due to a customer’s unusual preferences.