I’ve recently had a couple of hotel experiences which have reinforced the importance of being able to put yourself in the shoes of your clients and understand what they are thinking, feeling and doing at each stage of their journey with you.
Hotel Experience 1
Well known Sydney Hotel
Hotel Experience 2
Well known Melbourne Hotel
What I am doing
Checking in at 10pm
What I am doing
Checking in at 9pm
The experience
It took over 10 minutes to complete check in using what looked like a very outdated process.
Breakfast arrangements explained.
I was to get a complimentary wine but I said I’d like a juice instead. Also asked if there was any chance of a banana. Didn’t get either and no one communicated with me.
The experience
Warmly welcomed
Check in completed in under 4 minutes
Breakfast arrangements explained.
A fresh “cookie” provided.
I was to get a complimentary bottle of wine but I said I’d like tonic water instead. Two bottles immediately obtained and put in a small bag for me.
A text on my mobile shortly after from Assistant Manager welcoming me and providing a few key points to help with my stay
What I’m feeling and thinking
This is so slow, frustrating and surprising for a big name hotel. I’ve never stayed before but already I’m not happy and wonder if I should cancel a future booking. They did not do what they said they would do and I’m annoyed.
What I’m feeling and thinking
I’ve never stayed here before but I like it.
That was easy, personal, friendly
Perhaps I should stay here more often.
Which hotel experience is closest to what happens in your firm when you bring a new client on or are doing regular work for a client?
There are many, many accounting firms in Australia and arguably most can service clients well from a technical standpoint. The client experience however is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from others and to have your clients feeling like they’ve had the hotel 2 experience.
My advice – map out what the client journey is step by step with your firm and put yourself in the shoes of the client. What are you thinking, feeling and doing at each stage? How can you make it a better experience?