I have written about the importance of consistency in customer service before. This time, I want to take a little different twist on it and illustrate it with one company that I think is entirely consistent. You may have had a different experience with this company, but I will not and cannot argue with you. I can only discuss my experiences.
First, why does consistency matter? It is reassuring! It makes it easy to make a decision! In countless other ways, it just helps you. The daily work (and personal) lives of most people are so crammed with things to do that most anything that they can count on (consistency) for either a good meal, a fun time, or a service they do not have to worry about is something they value.
How does this play out for me? I travel a lot. Honestly, there are many things I worry about when traveling (e.g., TSA, poor airline service, taxis, etc.). When I get to my destination, I want a refuge of peace and quiet. I want to know the room will be clean, the bed comfortable and the staff courteous. I most often find that at Hilton Hotels (Hampton, Hilton Garden, Embassy Suites, etc.). A classic example of their service happened in New York City. I typically do not expect good service in hotels in New York unless I choose to stay in ones out of my price range. Not a bias but a view based on past experiences. My wife and I were in New York in April and stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan for several days. We found the accommodations nice, the breakfast tasty, and the friendliness of the staff to be exceptional. This was in NYC!
As I thought about it, further this is a relatively typical experience for me at a Hilton Hotel. Nice people. Rooms that are clean and quiet. A quiet and peaceful refuge from the outside world. In fact, as I write this, I am sitting in a Hilton Garden Inn in West Chicago.
What does this say to us? At least as far as the hotel business is concerned you just have to do a few simple things well. If you make it easy for a customer to make a choice, they will come back, and back, and back, and back. Think about it.
Lynn
