Lessons in customer personalization for convenience services operators from the hospitality industry

If you have checked into a hotel recently, you have probably experienced what the hospitality industry calls “personalization.” According to the hotel property management company, OTA Sync, guest expectations have increased as they no longer book rooms: They book experiences.

Does that sound familiar to you, as a convenience services operator? You aren’t just creating a breakroom: you are creating an experience. Knowing your customer — making it personal, finding issues that resonate in a positive nature, making people feel that their happiness is important to you — that makes sense. Unfortunately, it is often done on such a superficial level, and its inadequacy is so transparent that it is annoying.

A perfect model

The hotel industry provides a perfect model of the right way to do personalization — and the wrong way. Let me share a recent example of the wrong way.

After four grueling hours in Orange County traffic, I checked in at the Omni Resort. I’m tired, I want to get to my room (and maybe the bar) to relax and get settled. Instead, I am greeted by a desk clerk who has been trained in personalization.

Desk Person: Where did you come in from today?
Me: Encino.
Desk Person: Oh, that’s not too far. How was your drive down?
Me: Ugh! It was a long drive.
Desk Person: Any special plans while you are here?
Me: Yes. I have organized a group of 28 golfers. Do you not have any of that information?

To compound the annoyance, I just had the same conversation with the hotel valet when I pulled up in my car.

Here is what is suggested by Hotel Technology News. “Hotel staff should be well-versed in the nuances of having these types of conversations. Not every guest is going to want to engage, and that’s okay too. But staff should recognize when to keep the conversation going or simply send guests with what they need to get on their way.”

The right way (did not happen)

Of course, there was a right way to greet me at the hotel and make me feel like the special person that I am. The right way would have required a more thoughtful approach.

Desk Person: Hi, Mr. Tullio. I see you are here as the coordinator of a large golf group. Have you played the courses before?
Me: I’ve only played one of the two courses.
Desk Person: You and your group are in for a treat. The North course is the home of the NCAA Championship. I see that your trip coordinator is Sarah, and she put a note on your account: “Please have Mr. Tullio contact me directly if his group has any questions or concerns or if I can do anything to enhance your stay.” May I make a couple of suggestions for your group? We had a golf group in recently, and here is something they enjoyed…

The desk clerk tells me a story about the great experience that another golf group had last month, out at the practice green, with cocktails, at happy hour, hearing the band, having a putting contest, before heading into the dining room.

Then, after giving me some drink tickets and two bottles of water, he sends me to my upgraded room — a token of appreciation as the organizer. (Or at least that’s what I was told.) Now, I can relax, and I’m feeling special!

The lesson for operators

What do we learn from this interaction as convenience services operators?

Use some data to prepare for a sales meeting or a customer service meeting, and know who you are dealing with.
Before a sales presentation, the rep should speak to the customer service department to find out if the sales prospect is a former customer.
For both sales and customer service, look up the contact person on LinkedIn. Have they ever worked for a company that your company has served? Do they have shared contacts — names you can drop?
Do you understand what industry they are in so that you can tell them a story about how you provided a wonderful solution for a company that was similar to theirs?

As a customer service representative, before you visit a customer, in addition to checking their LinkedIn profile, ask the sales rep about the client. What do they know about them? Have there been any serious issues pertaining to the account?

It is certainly more impressive to visit a client or prospect and say, “We are so excited about the opportunity to serve you again.” Much better than being told by them, “We did business with your company 10 years ago” and not having a clue about that. In short, there are three keys to a successful call:

Be prepared.
Use your data.
Know your customer.

There is one more thing: don’t be afraid to spoil people. That’s something I learned a long time ago. Instead of a meeting, make it a lunch meeting. Pretty basic but very effective. Instead of coming to a meeting empty-handed, offer sports tickets or an invitation to a client event. Just like the perks during the hotel check-in process that can make everything better, perks matter.

This Omni story just happened last week. Unfortunately, it was the wrong approach and —on an amusing note — it continued at check out.

Desk Person: How was your stay at the Omni?
Me: Excellent, thank you.
Desk Person: What was your favorite part of your stay here at Omni?
Me: Ugh. Dealing with the front desk.