This time I am not
putting blame on anyone. Nor sole responsibility. Positive outcomes come from clear communication. When I read Shep Hyken’s blog (featured below intact
because all is so true and on point), I thought about the many times that we
missed the mark on a proposal, or lost money on a budget because we didn’t ask
the right questions, or the “extra” questions as Shep says.
In the event
industry when we ask a venue if they have power and they say “yes” that isn’t
the answer to the real question. The question is “Do you have power and is
there a charge for it and if so, how much is that charge, and then what does
that include?” Simply put you need to ask, “Is there any cost that will be
applied to anything that we are doing that I need to know about?” Then, whatever the outcome of the communication, memorialize it in writing. There is
no such thing as a good assumption.
Vendor, you need to
be forthcoming and ask, “What will you be doing and what will you need?” Keep asking the questions so you are clear. Then you, too, are responsible for
memorializing the conversation.
How many times have
you had to eat the cost of those taxes or service fees you forgot to ask about?
Or tables you assumed were the right size? Or if the cost of floral or
furniture included delivery and pick up?
One of my
favorites… and I thought I had asked the right questions… silly me. “Is
there a charge for power?” I asked. “Yes, it is included in the rental fee.”
What they didn’t tell me was that there was a $5,000 charge to turn on the
power.
Enjoy Shep’s
observations and keep asking questions… all of you. -Andrea Michaels
My brother, Rusty
Hyken, was on a trip to Utah with his wife and two dogs. It’s a leisurely
three-day drive for them. He made their hotel reservations, and for each hotel
they planned to stop at on the way to Utah he asked, “Is your hotel
dog-friendly?” All of them said, “Yes.” But to his surprise, while checking
into one of the hotels he was told there would be a $120 charge for the dogs to
stay in his room. This was a surprise as he called and specifically asked about
dogs, and the hotel never mentioned the fee for the dogs.
So, I did some
checking. Apparently, there are many dog-friendly hotels, and most do not
charge fees. The Starwood Hotels and Kimpton Hotels are just two of the many hotels
that don’t charge for pets and are proud of their pet-friendly policy. Kimpton will actually provide fish in your room if you crave the companionship of a pet. (Really!)
Now, I totally
understand the fee for a dog. Not all dogs are “hotel trained,” which could
lead to an accident on the carpet, which takes more time and costs more money
to clean. Yet, some hotels will recognize this effort and cost as a small price
to pay for a positive reputation among pet lovers.
All of this leads to
the point of the article. My brother didn’t ask the right question. He asked if
the hotel was dog-friendly. He didn’t ask if there was a charge. In fairness to
him, he’s stayed at many hotels with his dogs, and this was the first to charge
a fee.
When he checked in,
the conversation with the hotel clerk was contentious. My brother didn’t want
to pay the fee. The hotel clerk asked my brother, “I know you asked if we were
a dog-friendly hotel, but did you ask if we charged for dogs?”
Are you kidding me!
That’s exactly what my brother thought, too. So, he asked to speak to the
manager.
The manager came out
and had a nice conversation with my brother. He also asked, “Did you ask if
there was an additional charge for the dog?” When my brother started to get
upset, the manager informed him that he was not asking to make a case for
charging him the fee. The manager wanted to know the conversation so he could
teach his team to handle future pet-friendly inquiries a different way.
Many of you who read
my work or watch my videos know about my concept to Ask the Extra
Question. Sometimes a customer says one thing but means something else.
So, asking an extra question – or two or three – can help you understand what a
customer really wants. For example, when a customer says, “I need this
quickly,” ask the extra question, “How quickly do you need it?” Your concept of
quickly may be different than your customer’s expectation.
Yet, the situation
with my brother was different. The answer the hotel reservationist gave him on
the phone was the exact answer to his question. However, he didn’t ask the right
question. And, that is the point of this lesson. My brother, as a guest, could
have – if he knew to – asked an extra or different question. However, maybe the
reservationist should have asked the extra question for him.
Truly customer-focused people ask their customers at least one extra question
to ensure they understand their customers. They also ask questions on behalf of
their customers, because their customers don’t always know what questions to
ask.
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a customer service
expert, hall-of-fame speaker and New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. He works
with organizations to build loyal relationships with their customers and
employees. He is also the creator of The Customer Focus,
a customer service training program that helps organizations develop a customer
service culture and loyalty mindset. For more information contact (314) 692-2200 or www.Hyken.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com.
Andrea Michaels is
the founder and president of Extraordinary Events, an international,
multi-award-winning event agency based in Los Angeles. She is the author of Reflections of A Successful Wallflower: Lessons in Business; Lessons in
Life. She may be reached
via amichaels@extraordinaryevents.com.
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