Serve Customers ‘Vacation Cereal’

Early morning flights can be tough, especially when you live two hours from the airport. So, the night before a "crack of dawn" flight, my wife and I elected to stay at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel right beside the Atlanta airport. We requested a room on a high floor on the runway side of the property. I am a Marriott platinum guest, which means I frequent their properties.

"Oh, trust me, you will absolutely love this room," said the friendly desk clerk when my wife reminded her of our special high floor request. She was right. The top floor room was a huge corner suite complete with a full kitchen, expansive living room, and two baths. I called the front desk clerk to thank her for the luxurious upgrade. "Oh, we do this occasionally to surprise our special guests like you." It was vacation cereal!

"Vacation cereal" is the label my daughter-in-law, Lisa, uses to characterize expanded boundaries and irregular exceptions aimed solely at making vacations unique. Sugary cereal at the beach starkly contrasts with the healthy fare that dons their year-round breakfast table. It goes with sleeping late, no homework, and very few chores. It signals unique, exceptional, and out-of-the-ordinary. And it makes children, grandchildren, and customers feel special.

The Dark Side of “Vacation Cereal”

There is an obvious dark side to the customer version of "vacation cereal." Could extravagant service have a return on investment significant enough to warrant it? Should leaders challenge employees to "bring me more lavish bills for unplanned, unbudgeted red-carpet treatment for our customers?" In this era when waste reduction and expense control have become the bread and butter of all organizations, how do you cost-justify encounters that are, by definition, extravagant?

How do you put a governor on the frontline's desire to "make a customer super happy?" We all enjoy playing Santa Claus to the people who fund our revenue. But could this extra generous behavior elevate customer expectations? Where does “vacation cereal” fit on a tightly controlled budget? How do you prevent unique from becoming usual thus disappearing its magic. With all its cautions, “vacation cereal” has its advantages.

"Vacation Cereal" Turns Routine Appreciation into Viral Advocacy

Andrea Cassell is an award-winning author of children's books featuring her dog, Kibby, a miniature labradoodle that teaches life lessons. When Kibby died of cancer, the family had to cancel their long-planned holiday trip. The Delta Airlines contact center operator spent enough extra time on the phone to learn she was speaking with the author of books that had made a major impact on her young, bullied son. Not only did she accommodate the Cassell's last-minute airline cancellation and extend the deadline for using their no-refund tickets, but Delta also sent a giant care package of goodies, a note of condolence, and a heartwarming sign that read, "Heaven should have visiting hours." Author Andrea penned an article celebrating the compassionate spirit of the call rep and Delta Airlines.

Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Disney theme parks, TD Bank, and Chewy.com are all organizations that have benefited from heartwarming expressions of extravagance that gain them over-the-top social media that goes viral. Again, it does not require a steady diet of indulgence. A once-in-a-while gesture communicates the character of the organization to the marketplace. The key is communicating random acts of kindness to all associates to give them the authority and guidance to demonstrate generosity effectively and appropriately.

"Vacation Cereal" Releases Employee Power

Celebrating service heroics and occasional exceptions encourages employees to "take it to the limit" and "push the edge of the envelope." When boldness is matched by affirmation, they learn to take risks in other areas. The goal is not to set employees up to get hurt but to encourage them to experience the limits. If they go too far, they can learn the leader response will be support and coaching rather than punishment and rebuke. Empowerment begins with error; error begins with risks. Employees take responsible risks when they believe failure will spark growth, not censure.

A patient at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee had a favorite pair of sneakers

mistakenly discarded by housekeeping. The worn condition of the sneakers had led the housekeeper to conclude they were trash. The patient demanded their return. When this proved impossible, the hospital offered to pay for their replacement. But the patient was not mollified. Another housekeeper, getting a description of the sneakers, went to a nearby mall and purchased a replacement pair with his own money. The now elated patient proudly displayed her new sneakers. The employee received the first-ever "Golden Sneaker" award for over-the-top service at St. Luke's Medical.

"Vacation Cereal" Keeps Innovative Service Top of Mind

Every organization's challenge in sustaining an innovation culture is finding ways to keep the "shiny from wearing off." The early elation of "The Year of the Customer" or the "National Customer Service Week" big deal kick-off quickly turns to exertion when the umpteenth irate customer makes some unreasonable demand on an already exhausted front line. How do organizations ensure excitement wins out over despair?

Effective service celebrations begin with "see." The telling of "vacation cereal" service stories provides a graphic picture of what innovative service looks like. Too often those witnessing a celebration...." and, this year's 'CSR of the Year' award goes to"..., learn who but not why. Tell the story in detail, along with the philosophy or attitude demonstrated. People will be reminded of the importance of occasional extraordinary service, not the fact that the way to get the big award next year is to send a customer home in an unbudgeted limousine because "we screwed up her account."

"Vacation cereal" must be framed as unique. Otherwise, the customer will come to view it as standard fare. The Renaissance Hotel front desk clerk did not say, "Come back again, and we'll upgrade you to that same suite." She carefully left the "this is an exception" label on our experience. "We do this occasionally to surprise our special guests like you." Wise organizations help employees remember extravagance is extraordinary. And they work to let them learn the principle behind the peculiar.

Just like too much "vacation cereal" leads to adverse health consequences, the same is true for the health of your bottom line. Give elbowroom for "vacation cereal" along with guidance for its proper place and your employees will be energized to deliver service performances that customers will want to gleefully share with their world.