Customer Service 101: Why Sparkplugging Will Not be Returning to the Sahara

Written on October 13, 2008 by Susan Payton

We were psyched. Epson had decided to sponsor us for BlogWorld, which meant we had an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas! Being dutiful and frugal bloggers, we elected to stay in the Sahara.

Or as we now call it, the “Suckahara.”

Upon arrival, my check-in was fast and efficient. The room looked fine. BUT THEN (enter daunting music: DUN-DUN-DUNNNNN)

• Someone went into Shannon Hutton’s and my room and rifled through her personal belongings.
• Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry found black mold on the wall.
• Other Sparkpluggers found stains eerily resembling blood.
• The hotel messed up our reservation about 100 times. Wendy Piersall and Amber Watson-Tardiff got pissed.

Several of us, over the weekend, attempted to talk to management about the unacceptable situation. I even gave it a shot. I told the man at the desk what had happened. I told him someone had been in our room. He didn’t even look up. No apology, no recognition, no “quelle horreur!”

Ok, Sahara, you may be the cheapest room in town, but you have a thing or two to learn about customer service.

1. You should be online. Just by searching, you would find dozens (if not THOUSANDS) of complaints about your service. This is your opportunity to do something positive to change people’s opinions.
2. You should react. In case you were gambling during Customer Service 101: the customer is always right. Especially when it comes to blood stains and break-ins. An apology, free dinner, gambling chips…anything can help when you’ve pissed people off that will blog about you.
3. You should train your staff. To be nice. Not to break in rooms. To clean off murder scenes.

That being said, you could all learn a lesson from The Sahara. Be nice to your customers or they will blog about you.

Posted in Customer Service and Loyalty

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