Comments on: Don't Do This To Your Customers… http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/ Copywriting and Marketing Tips, Tricks and Tactics Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:09:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: JEFF WELLS http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-1882 JEFF WELLS Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:46:38 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-1882 Please, for the sake of sanity! Do not download <a href="http://www.netstumbler.com/" rel="nofollow">Netstumbler.</a> It would only cause even more pain to find out the Hotel may have been in a community free wireless access area. Please, for the sake of sanity!
Do not download Netstumbler.
It would only cause even more pain to find out the Hotel may have been in a community free wireless access area.

]]> By: Gail Trahd http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Gail Trahd Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:40:06 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-120 Ray - I've noticed that the hotels on the East and West Coast do this but the mid-west seems to have the whole "free high speed internet access" plastered all over their ads. If they can charge they will. As long as we keep paying - they'll keep charging. UGH! Warmly, Gail Ray -

I’ve noticed that the hotels on the East and West Coast do this but the mid-west seems to have the whole “free high speed internet access” plastered all over their ads. If they can charge they will. As long as we keep paying - they’ll keep charging. UGH!

Warmly,
Gail

]]> By: Ray Edwards http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Ray Edwards Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:57:46 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-119 I really appreciate all the feedback and support. Willie, you're dead-on target. It seems to me that all the hotels on the uppper end of the business market are charging exorbitant fees for Internet Access. Marriott has been the exception in my experience. Last I checked, they offer free Internet access. Kudos to them. Brian, you hit the nail on the head with your comments. I don't think "tact and diplomacy" will get the job done in a case like this. It's why I posted the whole thing on my blog. I don't want a refund - I want Hilton to change it's brain-dead policy. Why can't they take a few minutes and think creatively? It's not hard to do. Here, let me take a shot at coming up with a few ideas that will make them more money AND make their customers happier at the same time: <ul> <li>First, get rid of the PIN code. That's just stupid. It only inconveniences paying customers - anyone who wants to hack in to your network can figure it out with Google and 10 minutes of idle time.</li> <li>Next, how about offering free high-speed access to your Honors members? A clue as to why you should: I'd stay at your hotel instead of at the Holiday Inn Express.</li> <li>If the above suggestion is too much for you, why not offer unlimited wi-fi access for a low annual fee? I'd pay $100 for it. Just don't muck it up by forcing me get a PIN code from a clerk (who doesn't understand the difference between a LAN and a WAN).</li> <li>Or...if you <em>must</em> charge for daily access..how about charging a more <em>reasonable</em> rate, like $3.95 for 24 hours -- but give it to me <em>free</em> once I reach a certain number of stays in a year?</li> </ul> Look, if Burger King can give me free access, so you can you. Especially in view of the fact that you're already gouging me for phone calls, room service "service charges" (in addition to the price of the meal and the 18% "gratuity" you automatically added to my bill), and the $2 sodas. Okay, that's enough free consulting. Maybe that'll get you started. I know it will be easy to find a way to water each of these ideas down so that they're meaningless to your customers... but why not go wild and actually <em>try</em> one of them as-is? <em>What if it worked?</em> I really appreciate all the feedback and support.

Willie, you’re dead-on target. It seems to me that all the hotels on the uppper end of the business market are charging exorbitant fees for Internet Access. Marriott has been the exception in my experience. Last I checked, they offer free Internet access. Kudos to them.

Brian, you hit the nail on the head with your comments. I don’t think “tact and diplomacy” will get the job done in a case like this. It’s why I posted the whole thing on my blog. I don’t want a refund - I want Hilton to change it’s brain-dead policy. Why can’t they take a few minutes and think creatively? It’s not hard to do.

Here, let me take a shot at coming up with a few ideas that will make them more money AND make their customers happier at the same time:

  • First, get rid of the PIN code. That’s just stupid. It only inconveniences paying customers - anyone who wants to hack in to your network can figure it out with Google and 10 minutes of idle time.
  • Next, how about offering free high-speed access to your Honors members? A clue as to why you should: I’d stay at your hotel instead of at the Holiday Inn Express.
  • If the above suggestion is too much for you, why not offer unlimited wi-fi access for a low annual fee? I’d pay $100 for it. Just don’t muck it up by forcing me get a PIN code from a clerk (who doesn’t understand the difference between a LAN and a WAN).
  • Or…if you must charge for daily access..how about charging a more reasonable rate, like $3.95 for 24 hours — but give it to me free once I reach a certain number of stays in a year?

Look, if Burger King can give me free access, so you can you. Especially in view of the fact that you’re already gouging me for phone calls, room service “service charges” (in addition to the price of the meal and the 18% “gratuity” you automatically added to my bill), and the $2 sodas.
Okay, that’s enough free consulting.

Maybe that’ll get you started.

I know it will be easy to find a way to water each of these ideas down so that they’re meaningless to your customers… but why not go wild and actually try one of them as-is?

What if it worked?

]]> By: Brian Ochsner http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Brian Ochsner Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:54:21 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-118 Ray, I couldn't agree more with your takes on the 'customer service' you received from Hilton. I see too many companies nowadays not taking care of their customers, and not using common sense in their everyday business. Namely, treating others as you would like to be treated. If I remember right, one of Jay Abraham and/or Dan Kennedy's principles is to make it as EASY as possible to do business with you. Hilton is taking advice from brain-dead beancounters and/or Human Resources folks who don't have the common sense God gave a goose. Why not just let your guest hook up his or her laptop in the room without having to jump through a hoop and get a PIN code?! Think about it - you're hosting a traveler who's in unfamiliar surroundings, is probably tired and focused on their business or vacation. As a hotel, why would you want to make their hotel stay more aggravating and stressful?!?! Can you make more money in the short-term by gouging your guests $10/day for Internet access? Sure. You're also making them mad and decreasing the chances that they'll do business with you in the future! It's another example of these publicly-traded megacorporations using short-term Wall Street thinking, which boils down to this: "How can we get more money in the door today, and the heck with tomorrow." That's why I'll tip well whenever I receive good or great service at a restaurant or bar - because good service is really rare nowadays. On the flip side, one company that has top-notch customer service is Chik-Fil-A. Chik-Fil-A has great food, and the folks that work there almost never fail to be friendly. Feel free to tell it like it is in your letter to Hilton. Normally I'd agree you should use tact and diplomacy in most communications, but I think the only way that this 'customer service deficit' will be fixed is if enough folks make enough noise to let these companies know that enough is enough. Great take, enjoy the rest of your weekend. Ray,

I couldn’t agree more with your takes on the ‘customer service’ you received from Hilton. I see too many companies nowadays not taking care of their customers, and not using common sense in their everyday business. Namely, treating others as you would like to be treated.

If I remember right, one of Jay Abraham and/or Dan Kennedy’s principles is to make it as EASY as possible to do business with you. Hilton is taking advice from brain-dead beancounters and/or Human Resources folks who don’t have the common sense God gave a goose. Why not just let your guest hook up his or her laptop in the room without having to jump through a hoop and get a PIN code?! Think about it - you’re hosting a traveler who’s in unfamiliar surroundings, is probably tired and focused on their business or vacation. As a hotel, why would you want to make their hotel stay more aggravating and stressful?!?!

Can you make more money in the short-term by gouging your guests $10/day for Internet access? Sure. You’re also making them mad and decreasing the chances that they’ll do business with you in the future! It’s another example of these publicly-traded megacorporations using short-term Wall Street thinking, which boils down to this: “How can we get more money in the door today, and the heck with tomorrow.”

That’s why I’ll tip well whenever I receive good or great service at a restaurant or bar - because good service is really rare nowadays. On the flip side, one company that has top-notch customer service is Chik-Fil-A. Chik-Fil-A has great food, and the folks that work there almost never fail to be friendly.

Feel free to tell it like it is in your letter to Hilton. Normally I’d agree you should use tact and diplomacy in most communications, but I think the only way that this ‘customer service deficit’ will be fixed is if enough folks make enough noise to let these companies know that enough is enough. Great take, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

]]> By: Maria Madeira http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Maria Madeira Sun, 23 Jul 2006 13:02:32 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-117 Ray, I do admire you, and you are rigth about complain, but you did wrong way!!! Please go to http://www.burg.com/complaintswrittenwithhumility.html and read "Complaints Written with Humility Get Better Results" By Bob Burg. I can tell you that I have been using what Bob teaches, and I can tell you, it really works! Thanks, Ray,

I do admire you, and you are rigth about complain, but you did wrong way!!!

Please go to http://www.burg.com/complaintswrittenwithhumility.html and read “Complaints Written with Humility Get Better Results” By Bob Burg.

I can tell you that I have been using what Bob teaches, and I can tell you, it really works!

Thanks,

]]> By: Lawrence Yamasato http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Lawrence Yamasato Sun, 23 Jul 2006 11:07:55 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-116 Ray, Experiences like yours are becoming the norm, not the exception. Michael Masterson recently wrote of his experiences in China and Japan, where service is for the customer's benefit, not the hotel or service provider. It seems that customs and traditions like tipping can also stand some scrutiny as well, as I have come to resent that obligation on my part; absolutely the expectation on the part of those who provide often times the most undeserving of any kind of rewards. Aren't these tips supposed to be motivation for better and consistent services - not reward for arrogance and indifference? The other day I had to replace a tire, so went to a local but nationally established franchise who quoted me the usual high price and indifference to my situation. I thought to take a chance with a hole in the wall tire business who offered the same services dirt cheap. What surprised me was what I got for a third of what I expected to pay at the franchise. Not only did they put a new tire on my rim, and do the balancing; the helper then proceeded to check the air pressure and inflate my other tires as well. On top of that he sprayed all my rims with some kind of cleaning agent and got them chrome gleaming clean. You would think that this would be enough, but no; the manager noticed that my family and I were sweltering and withering in the hot sun, waiting for the repair to get done, and on his own initiative, brought and gifted us each with a cold bottled water refreshment. This stunned and so impressed me and my family that I tipped this guy and his helper gladly, profusely thanking him for his service and consideration. He will get my business and references, a five star recommendation any time. This all being said - why would I go back to the air conditioned, but sadly disappointing alternative service. Ciao - Larry Yamasato Ray,
Experiences like yours are becoming the norm, not the exception. Michael Masterson recently wrote of his experiences in China and Japan, where service is for the customer’s benefit, not the hotel or service provider. It seems that customs and traditions like tipping can also stand some scrutiny as well, as I have come to resent that obligation on my part; absolutely the expectation on the part of those who provide often times the most undeserving of any kind of rewards. Aren’t these tips supposed to be motivation for better and consistent services - not reward for arrogance and indifference?
The other day I had to replace a tire, so went to a local but nationally established franchise who quoted me the usual high price and indifference to my situation. I thought to take a chance with a hole in the wall tire business who offered the same services dirt cheap. What surprised me was what I got for a third of what I expected to pay at the franchise. Not only did they put a new tire on my rim, and do the balancing; the helper then proceeded to check the air pressure and inflate my other tires as well. On top of that he sprayed all my rims with some kind of cleaning agent and got them chrome gleaming clean. You would think that this would be enough, but no; the manager noticed that my family and I were sweltering and withering in the hot sun, waiting for the repair to get done, and on his own initiative, brought and gifted us each with a cold bottled water refreshment. This stunned and so impressed me and my family that I tipped this guy and his helper gladly, profusely thanking him for his service and consideration. He will get my business and references, a five star recommendation any time.
This all being said - why would I go back to the air conditioned, but sadly disappointing alternative service.

Ciao - Larry Yamasato

]]> By: Douglas Titchmarsh http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-115 Douglas Titchmarsh Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:11:31 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-115 Well done Ray, it's about time the people who keep these businesses in business made a little noise. They're all quick to shout about it anytime they offer a discount, or deal, but never tell you the ways they claw back every penny they give out in discounts through these underhand charges. I guess they'll probably be shortsighted enough to believe one customer is not important enough to matter, but this time maybe they're going to be proved VERY wrong. I learnt years ago in a customer service course the value of one customer, and also how one persons bad experience travels. Think about it anyone who reads this, how often do you tell other people when you have a bad customer experience, I bet you tell as many people as you can. When you have a really good experience, you may tell one or two people. There's a lesson here, to be learnt by all of us, to look at how we treat our customers, and even subscribers to our newsletters. Once again, Kudos Ray for going public, now how about some praise for someone who gave you good service to balance the world again? Well done Ray, it’s about time the people who keep these businesses in business made a little noise. They’re all quick to shout about it anytime they offer a discount, or deal, but never tell you the ways they claw back every penny they give out in discounts through these underhand charges.

I guess they’ll probably be shortsighted enough to believe one customer is not important enough to matter, but this time maybe they’re going to be proved VERY wrong. I learnt years ago in a customer service course the value of one customer, and also how one persons bad experience travels. Think about it anyone who reads this, how often do you tell other people when you have a bad customer experience, I bet you tell as many people as you can. When you have a really good experience, you may tell one or two people. There’s a lesson here, to be learnt by all of us, to look at how we treat our customers, and even subscribers to our newsletters.

Once again, Kudos Ray for going public, now how about some praise for someone who gave you good service to balance the world again?

]]> By: Ivan P. Greindl http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Ivan P. Greindl Sun, 23 Jul 2006 06:54:52 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-114 Hi Ray, I obviously approve your attitude and your reflections. And I thank you to have shared your impressions with us: there is indeed a *lesson* here: you need all the time to be focused on the customer's SERVICE! Period. Best regards, friend -- and congratulations for your work. Ivan Hi Ray,

I obviously approve your attitude and your reflections.
And I thank you to have shared your impressions with us: there is
indeed a *lesson* here: you need all the time to be focused on the
customer’s SERVICE!
Period.

Best regards, friend — and congratulations for your work.
Ivan

]]> By: Robert Agar-Hutton http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Robert Agar-Hutton Sun, 23 Jul 2006 05:35:58 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-113 I'm a Hilton Honors member - I joined after staying at an excellent Hilton in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over Christmas 2006 - Normally in the UK where I live, I don't use Hilton very much. However your blog has certainly put me on alert - When I'm travelling abroad, I'll check to see what my hotel options are and on future stays probably won't use Hilton as much as I'd expected to... I’m a Hilton Honors member - I joined after staying at an excellent Hilton in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over Christmas 2006 - Normally in the UK where I live, I don’t use Hilton very much. However your blog has certainly put me on alert - When I’m travelling abroad, I’ll check to see what my hotel options are and on future stays probably won’t use Hilton as much as I’d expected to…

]]> By: Stephen Voight http://rayedwards.com/dont-do-this-to-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-112 Stephen Voight Sun, 23 Jul 2006 04:51:51 +0000 http://rayedwards.com/?p=15#comment-112 Ray, It is sad to see the hotel market follow the banking business model and decide that they can create money from thin air. It is also sad to see that so many big businesses are afraid to be responsible for giving value and developing lifetime clients. I can only be a good example in my business ( Art Gallery and Frame Shop) and try to set a different standard for brick and mortar businesses that is equal in value to the customers; as the type of business you and many others operate online. You see, all too many businesses are stuck with offline standards and it is obvious that the customer is NOT always right and in fact is not allowed to have any say in what he/she gets in value exchanges. Just look at the recent gouging being done in the oil business and how that simple power to effect the marketplace works its way down to our neighborhood businesses. On the street a lot of businesses have lost their connections to customers and clients and are afraid to be of true service and to offer more value in exchange for that received. As more businesses get online they are sure to see a different marketplace and maybe find a way to adopt some oldtime principles back into the lifetime value of the buyers of their products and services. I only say this because I am much happier with my online transactions and relationships than I am with my offline relationships as far as being a customer goes. Your stuff is great Ray and I am grateful for your value to me. Ray,
It is sad to see the hotel market follow the banking business model and decide that they can create money from thin air. It is also sad to see that so many big businesses are afraid to be responsible for giving value and developing lifetime clients. I can only be a good example in my business ( Art Gallery and Frame Shop) and try to set a different standard for brick and mortar businesses that is equal in value to the customers;
as the type of business you and many others operate online. You see, all too many businesses are stuck with offline standards and it is obvious that the customer is NOT always right and in fact is not allowed to have any say in what he/she gets in value exchanges. Just look at the recent
gouging being done in the oil business and how that simple power to effect the marketplace works its way down to our neighborhood businesses. On the street a lot of businesses have lost their connections to customers and clients and are afraid to be of true service and to offer more value in exchange for that received. As more businesses get online they are sure to see a different marketplace and maybe find a way to adopt some oldtime principles back into the lifetime value of the buyers of their products and services. I only say this because I am much happier with my online transactions and relationships than I am with my offline relationships as far as being a customer goes.
Your stuff is great Ray and I am grateful for your value to me.

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