Gorgeous luxury golf resort just completed a $250 million renovation. Villa rates start at $400 a night, so pretty posh. Guests have fairly high expectations that their experience will be flawless. And the management thought they had nailed it.
Golf course greens in tournament-playing condition? Check.
Amazing spa? Double check.
Luxury suites with gold-leaf details? Hell yes.
Truly lovely and thoughtful service? You got it.
I’ll bet you’ll never guess what the number one complaint was.
Coffee.
That’s right. Guests couldn’t figure out how to use the in-room espresso machine (told you it was posh). The management was using the coffee maker’s instructional diagram, and it just wasn’t cutting it. Here’s the irony: I own the same damn espresso machine. And you know what? The manufacturer’s instructions aren’t intuitive or easy to follow. What does that tiny coffee cup mean again? And why are the lights still blinking? I totally understood the guests’ frustration and why the client wanted clear, easy-to-understand instructions that would fit on a 2″ x 3-1/2″ card. I was happy to oblige. They are couple of lessons here:
1/Coffee is serious business. Really.
2/Your customer experience is only as good as the smallest detail.
3/Respect your customer. The hotel management didn’t dismiss this complaint. They realized that if it mattered to their guests, it should matter to them.
4/Don’t assume that just because the brand wrote it, that there isn’t room for improvement. Is it easy to understand for all users? If it’s not working, fix it.
Off to pour myself another cup…
