A single question has always kept hunting me, “Is there any solid rocket science to pacify an irate customer in the age of branding and cut throat red ocean market or silence is golden?” After going through many scholarly articles published in many national and global dailies, I feel still there are miles to go in this gruelling journey of customer service. Warren Buffet once told we need to be extra careful to give our customers memorable moments of delight beyond satisfaction.
He is true but the marketers need to figure out a start to finish marketing strategy which can neutralize and diffuse the questions of customer dissatisfaction and eventually be responsible for buying more wee times. Happy hours to be promoted more in this world virtual reality and star wars. Customers today want an electrifying and extra-terrestrial experience with go-getters. One ought to think beyond swiftness and traditional hyper shopping or hospitality. Radio silence or political illiteracy is almost prohibited.
This brief case let would describe something for the profound readers in context to wellness and recreation industry which can be a transformation model for sectors like hospitality, airlines, and travels where you need to please everyone because “Customer is Always Right.”
The case is all about Hotel Dino Castle, a luxurious hotel in a smart city. The hotel is famous for its unique landscaped gardens, fruit orchards, manicured lawns add an old world charm which is perfectly complemented by our warm and caring service.
Mr. Augustine is the new age boss which is almost a power center next to CEO of this upmarket hotel which has always extended banquet, conference halls, airy rooms, hic lodging, free Wi-Fi, lounges, restaurants, swimming pools, private beaches to give concierge services to its loyal international customers. He is again famous for his crisis management ability and people skills which are much needed competencies in these kinds of industries.
Once in a marigold morning-Mr. Augustine receives a distress call from one of his colleagues regarding a customer complaint which hardly happens there. When he rushed inside the dining hall, he found Ms. Carolina Marin who happens to be a tough press woman and regular customer of his hotel. She needed a bottle of “Bormiolli Rocco Dedalo Decanter” whisky which she has ordered much before her trip to the locality. Alas! The order was out of stock. In a crux, Mr. Augustine tried to pacify the situation as he is personally connected to her.
In a crux, Mr. Augustine tried to pacify the situation as he is personally connected to her. Still, the beautiful woman looked dissatisfied. We can link loyalty management to customer behavior where dissonance acts as a massive influencer. We have to make a psychological difference.
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The Prodigy of Modern Customer Orientation
Now let’s discuss what could have been a better approach even if seasoned actor like Mr. Augustine has done his best. The following points have always irked as well as tickled me amidst all philosophy.
Let me present you a mind game out of my experiential learning which may give an essence and would be a value addition to you people management skills. While dealing with difficult customers, we must apply a polishing touch to create a positive image of self and organization. Thank you, apology, I am sorry, sorry for the interruption, what exactly you want me to do-all these terminologies would fail if you miss the timing. An angry customer wants to be heard and doesn’t want to be reshuffled from one desk to another.
We need to develop a kind of methodology and plan where we encourage the customer facing abilities within an individual. After all, elephants can’t dance in mountains but we can make them to go for a rain dance. Escalation matrix may not always come into your rescue when you lack your basics which in turn can convert your good service into monkey or freezer service. There is no such thumb rule. To create more footfalls of loyal customer, one needs to put herself or himself into customer’s shoes so that the pinching holes can be identified.
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I can thus conclude action is louder than words. It can win many platinum customers who would like to stay with you so that you can leverage something. You should have some creative content and some brainstorming ideas while communicating with these kinds of customers because they want you to speak out like an advocate for a lawyer.
Good luck sales champions and brand advocates. The war has just begun. Allure as much as you can because bad mouthing can spoil anybody’s business in this ever-changing world of toughest customer orientation.
