Where Has Service Gone? (Part 1) - By Michael Chaffin

It's not so much that service is broken as it is the lack of passion and focus behind it that's missing. I don't think budgets are trimmed. I think they are misaligned. Too many resources are placed into programs designed to make-up for poor product design and/or lack of talent to relate to the customer. Money is too often spent on the 'icing' without any concern for what's in the 'cake'. No amount of slick advertising, image campaigns or PR will make-up for an average product or for people who don't care about what they do.

Here are more specific insights into the problem...

Adaptation - Memorable Experiences are difficult to produce because they can't be prescribed. It's an evolutionary process which occurs by building relationships with customers. While the product (thing being sold, or the physical hotel) is relatively static, customer relationships are not. It's more than smiles and using someone's name. It's about being 'adaptive', and continually moving the experience along a path of higher and higher expectations.

The Wrong Audience - This one seems to affect all types of companies, large or small. It's easy to fall victim to thinking that a product or service will be liked by everyone, especially by the producer who is typically tied to it emotionally. But, a very large part of providing memorable experiences is relating to the correct customer. It is extremely difficult to 'change' customers' beliefs about anything. So, rather than using push and bully tactics to 'force' people to like the experience, find people who are truly interested in feeling what was designed into the product or service in the first place. It's so true that an experience can't be 'all things to all people'. And, when that's attempted, it just aggravates those looking for a different experience....to the point they might even think you provide 'bad' service.

The Purple Cow - I'm borrowing the term from Seth Godin because it's quite perfect.

This should really be the first item on your list no matter what you're offering to the market. Forget about being a winner in the minds of the customer if there's no true commitment to being the best, or better yet, the only one doing it. Be Remarkable! And, make it more memorable with a great story...because that's what people remember, and that's what they buy.

Unfortunately, it's too often about making money first, and building something great last.

Part 2 is available here. Part 3 is available here.

About the Author
Michael's hospitality career has spanned two decades and taken him from coast to coast. He has served as GM since 1996, and held progressive leadership positions in eleven properties, all at the upscale and luxury levels.

Since 1998, Michael has become focused in the area of hotel openings and repositionings. During this time, he personally led three pre-opening campaigns, and assisted with six start-up projects.

Michael currently serves as general manager of Keyah Grande, a small and elegant property set amidst 4,000 acres of pristine wilderness in Southwest Colorado. Michael is a respected authority on hospitality marketing, service and brand design.

His work is published at *Star In The Margin and he is currently writing a book, Memorable Solutions, which is planned for publication by early 2006.

In addition to a distinguished hotel career, he has voluntarily served at the board level in ten civic and industry organizations including city and state hotel associations in Texas and North Carolina, and as President of the Austin Hotel Motel Association in Austin, Texas.

Michael is a private pilot with an instrument rating. He and his family reside in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Michael Chaffin's Web Site

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