“THIS IS BRIAN, HOW MAY I INSPIRE YOU?”
Authored by Linda Peters-Getchell
It had been a long day of telephone calls, listening to mechanical answering systems. By the way, have you ever notice they all tell you to listen carefully as their menu has changed? Well, I had listened to a sufficient number of those this one afternoon last week that my neck and shoulder were sore from holding the phone. Sometimes you just want to scream out, “I want to speak with a human being.”
I had been making calls to find the perfect hotel and meeting place for the next Champion meeting.
Plugging in my headset to offer a little relief to my shoulder and neck, I made the next call expecting the same old same old. Not so this time, what a pleasant surprise when I heard a real human being very sweetly answer the phone with, “Thank you for calling Indigo, How may I inspire you today?”
Pleasantly surprised and a little taken aback, I smiled at such a marvelous greeting and asked for the sales office. The phone to the sales office rang and again a real human being answered with “This is Brian, how may I inspire you today?” I was feeling inspired just by their message.
I told Brian what I was looking for and he told me that unfortunately they did not have a boardroom size meeting room that we required. He said they were working on one so perhaps they could accommodate us next time. Meanwhile, he said he could offer me a block of rooms if we wished to go outside the hotel for meeting space, although he knew most folks would not want to do so.
I told him he was correct, we wanted the meeting space where we were staying. He understood, and then asked, “How can I help you? Were you looking to be in this area?”
I told him that we were and his next words were, “Well, if you would like my suggestions, I would first recommend The Such and Such, this is their number, 222-2000, and secondly the Other Place. Their number is 333-3000. They are both fine hotels and in the vicinity you would like to be with your group. If I can be of further help, please don’t hesitate to call. I will look forward to serving you in the future.”
Now how is that for customer service? Do you think I will call him again in the future? You bet I will!
I wanted to grab my husband and go stay the weekend at the Indigo just to experience the Indigo.
Want to know how many times I have told this story? I have told it to anyone and everyone who would listen. It was such a delightful interlude amidst the endless parade of answering systems and waiting for the correct button to push, the abrupt, near-rude folks who finally answered my calls. It was such a fine example of exceptional customer service I want everyone to know about it.
I am blogging about it now because I wanted you to know about it. I hope it triggers ideas for how you and your people can offer such exceptional customer service. How may Brian inspire you today?
Meanwhile, I will keep checking back with Brian to see if they have created that boardroom yet.
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Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.
