Who says good service is dead?

I have to admit, I was one of those people saying that the concept of delivering good service is long gone.  But recently I have had to eat my words.  I don’t know why things seem to be changing for the better:  if it’s the recession and the glut of hotel rooms available these days, or the hotel chains trying to be more competitive, or all the complaints about bad service.  I don’t know, and I don’t really care – I am just happy to experience great service and hope it continues.

Sometimes it takes something going wrong to determine just how good the service is at a hotel.  Sometimes you get surprised as soon as you walk in the door.  Here are a few examples that have happened in the last few weeks:

Hilton Garden Inn – Naperville, IL. 

I requested a first-floor room because I hate waiting for the elevator.  My request was granted and when I checked in and got to my room, I immediately went over to the window to make sure it was closed and locked.  Being on the ground floor, having a window that doesn’t lock is an obvious safety concern.  I could not get my window to lock and stay shut, so I called the front desk. She sent the manager over and he could not get the window to lock either, so he gave me 3 options:

     1 – I could stay in that room and he would get something to block the window from being opened

     2 – I could move to the room next door

     3 – he could give me a suite on the 3^rd floor

Hmmmm…..tough decision here…..I think I will take the suite.

It was no big deal to move because I hadn’t unpacked anything yet.  He went and retrieved keys to my new room and personally escorted me to the suite – and what a nice suite it was.  1 and a half baths, huge living room that I could have done cartwheels in (maybe backflips too, but I am a bit too old for that now), big bedroom with the full bath that had a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower stall.   I’m impressed. 

Given that the manager did not have to upgrade me, I think it is an example of his desire to offer the best possible service to keep the  guests coming back….and come back I did – the very next week.

So a week later I check in and this time I requested a room on the 2^nd floor.  My request was granted and I made my way to my room.  Not enough space to do cartwheels, but a nice, standard room nonetheless.  I didn’t have any problems until the next morning.  I turned on the shower and the water never got hot.  I kept waiting, but it never happened.  I was not in a position to call the front desk and wait until the problem was resolved, so I took a cool shower and packed up because I was checking out.  On my way past the front desk I mentioned I had no hot water and asked if it was just my room or a bigger problem.  The assistant manager told me it was a bigger problem that was being investigated, and for my trouble she offered to buy me breakfast.  Wow!  I didn’t even have to fight her – she just offered it.  Well I was running late and couldn’t take the time for the breakfast, but I mentioned that I had another reservation in a couple of weeks and she offered to give me breakfast at that time.  I then told her that I actually had 2 reservations separated by a couple of days during that week and she said she would give me breakfast BOTH days!   Again, she didn’t have to offer breakfast for that morning, she certainly didn’t have to offer it for a future stay, and she really did not have to offer it for 2 future stays, but in doing so she showed that my business is important, and being important makes me want to stay there again.

Marriott Wardman Park – Washington DC

I was “wowed” as soon as I set foot in this hotel.  This was my first time staying here and the sheer size of this hotel was a bit overwhelming.  This hotel claims to be the largest in the city, but to me that’s not a good thing.  It usually means that there is no time for personalized attention.  Well, I was happily proven wrong. 

Right from check-in, I was pleasantly surprised.  I happened to be staying here on points.  I made 2 reservations; one for Saturday night only, the other for Sunday – Wednesday.  I did this because I wasn’t sure of my travel plans and sometimes changing reward stays at the last minute can be problematic.  My goal was to stay in the same room for all 4 days.  I was informed that I had been given a standard room for the first night, and a suite for the other 3.  If I wanted to keep the same room, the obvious choice would have been to stay in the standard room the first night and all the rest.  But I would be giving up my suite for the 3 nights.   Courtenay at the front desk worked her magic and was able to get me the suite for all 4 nights!.  SWEET!! 

When I got to the room, it was so big that I could have done an entire floor exercise routine!  It had a huge dining area with table and chairs, next to the sitting area with a sofa, loveseat, and 2 chairs, foyer area with a desk and some antique reproduction pieces, large wet bar/counter with a refrigerator, the bedroom and the bathroom.   It also had a nice balcony that overlooked the grounds/garden area, which were beautiful this time of year.  But amidst this perfection there was a problem….the French doors to the balcony would not close or lock.  Since I was on the first floor again, it was an obvious security concern, so I called the main number and my request was promptly taken care of.  Between the first night and second, I had called the main number a few times to ask questions and to request a few things.  On a few occasions, Aretha picked up the phone.  She was the one who had maintenance fix the door. 

One thing I always request is a robe and slippers.  Marriott’s have seemed to stop offering slippers recently so I wasn’t surprised when I was told they didn’t have any.  The next day I called to ask about internet service pricing and Aretha answered again.  She asked if I needed anything I mentioned that I wanted slippers but was told that they don’t have them.  She said “let me see what I can do.”  Wouldn’t you know that not only did she give me free internet service, but she also found me some slippers!  I called her back and told her she was AWESOME!!  She has an “in” with housekeeping and told them to check their special stash and they came up with some slippers.

OK, so you are probably thinking “who cares about slippers?”  It’s a little thing but it’s huge at the same time.  To go out of her way to find them for me when the standard response is “we don’t have them” is HUGE.  The same with the internet.  I had access to free internet in the concierge lounge, but in the room there is a fee.  She wanted to make life as comfortable for me as possible and just extended the free access to my room.  All these things tell me that my business is important, and if I feel important then I will be back.

So because of these recent experiences, which were at different hotel chains in different parts of the country, I am a believer that high quality service and attention to detail are coming back into fashion.  I have been waiting for this for quite some time.  Let’s see how long it will last.