Georganne Mires at Colwick Travel in Dallas has been my travel agent for over twenty years. When my friends chide me about why I don’t save tons of money by booking my flights and hotels on Tripadvisor, Orbitz or Expedia, I just tell them a Georganne story.
“Assume you landed late at midnight in Columbus and your flight connection to Chicago has long gone. All the following morning flights have already been booked by passengers whose flights were cancelled before you arrived. Can your travel agent find you a charter plane to get you to O’Hare in time for your 8 am keynote?”
“It is 10 pm and all flights from Newark to Atlanta are cancelled. Can your travel agent re-route you to another city within driving distance, rent you a car, and book you a hotel at a cheap day rate where you can shower and change before your breakfast meeting in Atlanta—all completed inside of 10 minutes?”
Online travel sites are great if everything works like it is supposed to. But, as someone who has traveled almost every week for thirty years, “everything works” is just a pipe dream. Nature and mechanical hiccups make Georganne worth her weight in frequent flyer points. But, the best part is her capacity to create a monogrammed experience.
My wife and I were vacationing on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington State. Knowing we enjoy unique, waterfront romantic lodging, she zeroed in on the antique Rosario Resort and Spa. When we arrived the front desk informed us that Georganne had given them strict instructions to put us in the Roundhouse Suite—a luxury, circular bungalow that sat along on the edge of a rocky bluff overlooking the ocean. Built in 1913, it was originally the Moran children’s playhouse complete with fireplace, kitchen and panoramic view. Deer grazed outside our bedroom window and giant bald eagles sat in the trees. The sunset was to die for! Our wonderful stay has been a story to tell for several years.
This is National Customer Service Week—a time to remember your customers. One of the most powerful ways you can show your appreciation is by monogramming their experiences. Find a way to show your customers how much you know about their hopes and needs. And, if you need a great travel agent, I have one I can recommend!!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service
by Chip R. Bell
Giveaway ends October 11, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Chip,
My wife and I recently had a memorable shopping experience provided by a friendly staff at J.Crew. We travel often but rarely get to take our dog with us on our trips. This trip was different since we were able to take along Gypsy, our four year old schnauzer/terrier. We were excited to take her on her first trip to the beach. Traveling with animals is great, but it can limit where you go to shop. This time we decided to shop at an outlet mall and one of us would keep the dog outside on a leash while we alternated going in the stores. I went in J.Crew to look around while my wife waited patiently on the sidewalk with Gypsy. After standing outside for several minutes, one of the sales associates spotted the two of them waiting on me. He promptly went to the door and invited both of them into the store. You should have seen my face when my wife walked in with the dog in her arms. She said “It’s ok, he invited us in”. The associate understood how much people love their animals and that they will sacrifice shopping to get to take them along. In this case we got to do both. You better believe that I bought something there. Best yet, I will always remember that J.Crew allowed me to shop with my ‘whole’ family, even the furry one. Guess where I’ll look next time I need a shirt or pants.