As soon as I entered the Hilton
lobby, a young man approached.
“I’m the assistant front desk
manager” he said. I’ll take you to Mr. Frank’s room.”
“Thanks, but I know how to get
there.”
“He’s a VIP. We want to make sure
everything goes smoothly.”
We took the elevator to the
penthouse. The manager knocked. When the door opened, he announced the doctor’s
arrival, waved me inside, and walked off.
It seems a no-brainer that when a
hotel provides good customer service it should (a) provide the service and (b)…
there is no “b.”
But hotels can’t leave well enough
alone. They feel the irresistible urge to (a) provide the service and (b) MAKE
SURE THE GUEST KNOWS IT!!!
For example, when I phone a hotel I
want to reach my party quickly, but I’m forced to listen to something like,
“Good morning. Welcome to the Del Mar, the premier choice for business and
pleasure in Southern California. This is Roxanne. How may I serve your every
need?” (I’m not making this up).
I’ve never understood why hotels
order employees to greet everyone who passes. It’s supposed to be a friendly
greeting, but no one can keep up the cheer after greeting a few hundred
strangers, so I’m forced to respond to a string of bored salutations as I make
my way to a guest’s room. The poor housekeepers (whose English may be limited
to “good morning”) don’t look up from their work as I pass but dutifully follow
orders.
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