We are all shocked and deeply saddened by the events of this past weekend that so tragically impacted Orlando and our entire country. Orlando is one of the great cities of the United States, and it has served as “home” to our business for many years.  What occurred is unspeakable and horrifying, and as we go forward, we are united and coming together to help, heal, and fight.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the many innocent victims, as well as all of the people of Orlando and the United States.  We give thanks to first responders, doctors, nurses, grief counselors, and to all acting in love.  

For hotels, the competition for securing sales and catering business is at a high. This record-breaking level of competitive demand is not forecasted to stop any time soon, so what can hotels do to maximize the amount of business that they reel in?  Differentiation is key. 

You are in business, which means you have customers.  Where there are customers, there are difficult customers.  We have all been put in that tough position of dealing with a very unhappy customer, and at times, we have a hard time keeping our cool.  Here are some simple quotes, along with my take on them, which will give you advice and tips for handling these tough customers and situations...

First impressions are powerful. So powerful, in fact, that in customer service, they have a direct impact on your bottom-line.  This should be an obvious and known fact, but if so, why is it that we still witness so many poor, sloppy, and sometimes embarrassing first impressions from businesses?  Don't let your customers be victims of this.  We have quick tips and helpful information for you and your team so you all be masters of the first impression (which translates to more business and revenue!).

Let's make customer service fun. Why?  Because you do better when it's fun, and if you aren't having fun, it's time to evaluate why.  Now the "why" could be for a lot of reasons outside of customer service, but I just want to focus on service.  How exactly do you do better when you are having fun?  Many reasons, but the biggest are that it leaves a lasting impression on your customers so that they want to return for more, and you feel so good doing it that you want to do it more! 

Trust.  Such an important topic because I have been witness to countless situations and experiences where it was lacking.  For example, the time when I made a big purchase from a charismatic vendor who then stopped communicating with me after the check was received.  Or, the time when I was surrounded by leaders making big decisions, but not one of them could walk their fancy talk. In both situations, I lost trust (and respect) for the leaders and their companies, which means that ultimately my relationship with them also soured.  How do you think this translates to their bottom line?