‘Customer
care has never been more important’, says former AA Hotel and
Restaurant inspector Linda Vijeh, MD of Service Matters, a leading
hospitality service training company.
‘I
spend my life in hotels and restaurants and the level of contempt and
complacency for customers has risen sharply as profits and revenue
take over. Times are changing. The severe economic downturn means
companies and individual service users are more conscious of value
for money. To put it bluntly, they are just not getting it.‘
Since
rocking the boat at the hotel conference some years ago, Vijeh feels
not much has changed.
‘Customers
are receiving less for their money than ever before. Financial
cutbacks have removed all the ‘little extras’ and freebies guests
used to receive. Customer emphasis is now very firmly on how they are
treated. To combat this downturn, discounted rooms and incentives are
being offered but this undervalues the product. Top line products are
never discounted and this has to be acknowledged. The 3 key areas,
attitude, skills and knowledge ,are never more important than now.
This
next year will sort out the wheat from the chaff. Hotel chains in
particular are going to have to sharpen up their act.
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