This past week I was the guest speaker for a client with 85 attendees in a Marriott property in Northern New Jersey. I was scheduled to speak from 10:45am – 12:15pm. After that presentation, I was scheduled to deliver a tele-seminar from 1:00 – 2:00pm to over 450 attendees so I needed a land line for the call.
I arrived at the property early to meet with management to discuss my scenario and see what arrangements could be made. Given my connection to the paying guests (my client) at the hotel, my hospitality background and extensive travel experience staying at Marriott properties, I did not anticipate a problem.
The Sales Manager was happy to charge me $180 plus the cost of the phone call. I asked to speak with the General Manager but the Sales Manager insisted he would say the same thing. It was shocking to me that management seemed more interested in standing their ground rather than brainstorming a solution for me. This went back and forth for quite a while.
I finally spoke with the Assistant General Manager who said he would charge me a day rate of $70 plus the cost of the call in a sleeping room. He said if the cost of the call was excessive, he would “work on it” for me. All I required was a phone in an empty conference room (there were several) or a house phone somewhere for one hour and I would have been more than satisfied. Even the front desk staff shook their heads at how badly this situation was being handled by management.
I was too upset to continue my debate, especially over $70. Also, I needed to speak to my live audience at the hotel with a positive mindset and realized the management team was not prepared to handle the situation properly.
So after my live presentation in Ballroom A, I delivered my tele-conference in a sleeping room and paid a total of $80.50. There was no charge for the call since it was toll free.
In retrospect, the $80.50 is minutia; it’s more about how I was treated as a Marriott Rewards Elite Gold Card member (or any guest for that matter) in a Marriott property and as a service professional with a simple problem with an even simpler solution. Wonder how I would have been treated if I wasn’t a Gold Card member!
and Get the Right Answers!
The best way to start a conversation, carry a conversation, or learn from a conversation is to ask questions. Lots of them! You don’t want to come across like you’re conducting an interview, but you do want to appear interested. Hopefully you are!
But what should you ask? Will you come across as nosy? Pushy? Or just naturally curious? If you are naturally interested, you will become naturally interesting. And those you meet will become interested about you too.
It makes a lot of sense to be prepared with questions you plan on asking others as you meet them and network. What are some questions would you ask?
If Your Resume Doesn’t Work, Neither Will You!
Resumes have changed over the last several years. They used to reflect a biographical overview of all your work experience, as well as your education and personal interests. Remember the section on hobbies? Personal interests are rarely included. Also, the resume was never to be more than one page. Today, resumes are typically two pages with the focus on the most recent 15-20 years of professional experience. Lately, I’ve been recommending that job searchers highlight only the past 5-10 years of experience unless there is a logical reason to go a bit further back.
Remember, your resume is the first impression a future employer may have of you. It serves as your sales kit, business card, and as a friendly reminder of how you present yourself and go about your work. Always keep your resume updated and within reach. You never know where your next opportunity may come from!
A friend of mine flew on Southwest Airlines for the first time. She was so impressed with the great service she received by the gate agent that she offered a compliment. How often does that happen? Anyway, half way through the flight, the attendant called out my friend’s name and had the whole plane welcome her with cheer. They awarded her with a certificate, wings, a deck of cards, and a drink. Pretty cool. She said she is definitely flying Southwest again. And why not? She posted her experience on Facebook so I imagine others will be flying Southwest as a result (including me!).
Southwest Airlines prides themselves on their high level of service and knack for being creative and different. They have a blog (the first of any corporate airline) and a strong presence on YouTube, Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, and Flickr.
The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit. Do they live and breathe their mission? It’s no wonder they are one of the few airlines in the sky that is still profitable. Since 1987, when the Department of Transportation began tracking Customer Satisfaction statistics, Southwest has consistently led the entire airline industry with the lowest ratio of complaints per passengers boarded.
In your business or practice, what’s your mission? And do you live and breathe it every day like Southwest Airlines? If not, why?
What are you doing (or what should you be doing) in your practice that sets you aside from others that do what you do?
Is it a different brand of marketing? Customer service? Do you offer your clients added value? Maybe you pride yourself on mailing (not emailing) hand written cards just to say howdy.
What can you change in your business today to earn your wings?