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    Your Customer Service DNA

    Posted by Chris Hazen ·

    Keep checking back at PagerGenius.com for customer service blogs and other tidbits about keeping your business moving forward with technology. 

    Your Customer Service DNA (www.hyken.com)

    Some people are just naturally good at providing great customer service. They are people pleasers. They pay attention to details. And, it seems to come naturally to them. So, are they born with it, or do they learn it? How do they recognize that this is what they are good at?

    Just a few weeks ago I went through an exercise and one of the questions was about my “entrepreneurial DNA.” I took a different approach to the question. It wasn’t just about being an entrepreneur. I realized that there was a point in my life that I could look back and say, “That’s when I knew I was passionate about taking care of customers.” I didn’t know it then but looking back I can see that it was what defined me. That was my “Customer Service DNA.”

    The same could be said for any profession. The president of a major bank looks back and says, “That’s when I knew I was good at numbers and wanted to work in finance.” Or, the artist at some point realized, “That’s when I fell in love with painting.” It could be a career or a hobby. It’s what you’re passionate about. With enough thinking, many people can look back and realize there was a point in their life that defined who they are today. That leads me up to my defining moment, and I refer to it as the Snow Plow Moment.

    I was just sixteen years old. I had spent $900 on an old Jeep with a snowplow. The snow plow was worth about $700, so the jeep was worth only $200. It was a “hunk of junk.” My goal was to make money in the winter plowing driveways. Before the first snowfall, I had secured 15 customers in the area. The first snowstorm came that winter and all worked perfectly. Same with the second snowstorm. It was that third snowstorm that was the defining moment.

    It was 4:00 am and I was getting ready to plow the driveways, and my car wouldn’t start. Nothing I did was going to get that engine to turn over. I was upset. Not because the car wouldn’t start, but because I promised these people that I would plow their driveways. They were going to wake up and not be able to get their cars to the street.

    A friend of mine had a brand-new Chevy Blazer with a plow. He plowed parking lots and athletic fields for schools. Maybe he could help me. So, at just a few minutes past 4:00 am I called him. His mom answered the phone. I explained the problem and she woke her son. I told him how much I charged for each driveway and that I would be happy to give him all the money if he would pick me up and help me take care of my customers. He did, and my customers never knew there was a problem.

    At the young age of 16, I knew that all I wanted to do was take care of my customers. The money didn’t matter at that point. They depended on me, and that’s all that mattered. It would have been easy to call them and tell them my car wouldn’t start, but that was not me. As I look back at my youth, I can see how certain “moments” defined me. That was the Snow Plow Moment, and today that is how I treat each and every client. I’ll do what I have to do to take care of them. That’s my customer service DNA.

    So, what’s your version of a Snow Plow Moment? Looking back, what moment helped define who you are today? Once you recognize it, it will give you a renewed sense of purpose. It’s who you are and why you do what you do.

    Original article - https://hyken.com/customer-care/your-customer-service-dna/

    Don’t Lag Behind: Emerging Hotel Technology Trends for Hospitality Industry

    Posted by Chris Hazen ·

    Don’t Lag Behind: Emerging Hotel Technology Trends for Hospitality Industry

    By Berta Melder, Brand Manager & Co-Founder at Masterra.com

    Not so long ago, all the hotels had the same checking procedures, the same TV channels, and delivered the same experience in general. However, it couldn't last forever and the age of digital technologies introduced new standards of service. People are looking for customization and automated solutions. One-third of all hotel guests in the world are millennials, and experts predict that they will make up over 50% of clients in two years. They want to make reservations from their smartphones, they are looking for a stable network and convenient minimalistic design. The hospitality industry as we know it is going to change forever, and if you want your business to withstand these changes, you need to catch up with the latest trends.

    What the Leaders of the Industry Say

    It's impossible to ignore the latest hi-tech solutions when you want to please your customers. For example, AI technologies conquer more and more industries every day. We still cannot relax and drink cocktails while AI is searching for a hotel and making reservations, but artificial intelligence is a new technology which has proven to be promising. Hotels that don't want to lag behind have already started using it.

    SIMILAR STORIES

    A great example is Hilton Worldwide. This company introduced an AI-driven concierge in 2016. They called this robot Connie. It's based on a powerful IBM computer Watson. Connie can help visitors in many ways, describing features of the hotel, making dinner recommendations, and suggesting attractions. It greets guests, answers questions, and constantly learns. The more it interacts with the customers, the smarter it becomes, and the more useful its suggestions.

    Jonathan Wilson, vice president of Hilton Worldwide says that their team is "focused on reimagining the entire travel experience to make it smarter, easier and more enjoyable for guests." Rob High from IBM notes: "This project with Hilton and WayBlazer represents an important shift in human-machine interaction, enabled by the embodiment of Watson's cognitive computing. Watson helps Connie understand and respond naturally to the needs and interests of Hilton's guests — which is an experience that's particularly powerful in a hospitality setting, where it can lead to deeper guest engagement." If now you can talk to the AI concierge, what else should we expect from the hospitality industry in the nearest future?

    Top-5 Emerging Hotel Technology Trends

    1. Smart Guest Rooms - Smart homes are nothing new, and the majority of millennials are looking for the same experience when choosing a hotel. In the nearest future, everyone will be able to book a specific room of a certain size, with a certain type of the floor, certain lighting, etc. Guests will control air-conditioning and lights with a few taps on the screen. Obviously, hotels also need to re-think design, including accessible plugs in every part of the room so that their guests could easily charge all their devices.
    2. More Data - Technologies of data collection offer countless opportunities for hotels that want to improve their guest experience. Almost 50% of resorts and hotels are now looking for new ways of collecting data from their guests. This task involves analyzing guest reviews, search engines, and a hotel's cloud-based services. If you don't know where to start, we suggest recording such information as the most popular requests, the most commonly ordered drinks, and methods of booking.
    3. Energy Conservation - Energy is one of the largest costs, so the majority of big companies is focused on effective energy management. Intelligent technologies allow hotels to monitor energy consumption and improve energy performance. Hilton has already started gathering data from over 4,500 hotels, and Interel went even further, monitoring water consumption. Their guests can control water temperature and flow by using special smart panels that also include an eco mode.
    4. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality - VR technologies allow guests to navigate through a hotel before they decide whether or not they're going to stay there. It's also an opportunity for a hotel to tell an engaging story and make the best presentation possible. The Hub Hotel from Premier Inn also found a great way to use the technology of augmented reality by placing special maps in guest rooms. Their guests can point a smartphone to the map and see interesting local places.
    5. Mobile Technologies - Mobile devices have changed the way guests interact with hotels, and the latter need to interact with the guests the same way. Nobody wants to wait. Immediate mobile bookings, check-ins, and even mobile keys are the latest trends that gain popularity at a frantic pace. Mobile check-ins help hotels eliminate lines, and mobile keys increase security, as hotels get more information on guests who are using them.

    Today's hotels are focusing on customization, local experiences, and inspiration. Modern travelers put these factors above all, and the hospitality industry changes to meet their expectations. New technical solutions not only allow hotels to attract more guests but also create a completely new, memorable and genuine experience.

    Original Article - https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4089375.html

    How to Rent Pager Genius Equipment

    Posted by Chris Hazen ·

    Pager Genius offers a special rental program for those looking to utilize a paging solution for one time events. To begin the rental process or ask how we can accommodate your event, call 800.289.3823 and ask for an account executive.

    Read more

    How to Keep your Customers Coming Back

    Posted by Bryan Bohlken ·

    Repeat business is one of the best ways to help your company grow. You want customers who will return for future needs, while also sharing their finds and experiences with their friends. Word of mouth is free and effective advertisement. But how do you manage that? How can technology help to keep your customers coming back?

    It’s All About the Engagement

    Your customers need to feel like they’re important to you and that means engagement. They need to feel like you value their time and money spent in your store or place of business; that they are all that matters to you every step of the way.

    Technology is one of the most powerful ways to engage with your customers and make them feel wanted. With pagers, you make it easier for your customers to get in touch and stay up to date. They can get one of the waiting staff to see to them right away, without looking around for someone. When they need an update on timings for open bowling lanes or for golf club rental, a pager allows them to wander around but still remain up to date.

    This level of engagement gives them the positive feeling of the business. They don’t have to sit around while they wait for their turn, so they feel like they’re having more fun throughout the experience.

    Surprise them with Technology

    Another way to keep your customers returning is through surprises. Make their first visit something they never expected. Pagers certainly do that. This sort of technology won’t be something your customers expect, especially out of a restaurant setting. They don’t expect to get a device that keeps them informed and makes it easier to get in touch with someone within the building.

    This is a good surprise, as they now know they can enjoy their time on your premises more. They get the chance to explore, go to the bar, or even go to the arcade with their children. They’re not trying to keep their children sat down while they wait for a free bowling alley or a table because they need to keep an eye on reception or for their name to be called.

    Make It Easy for Customers to Get in Touch

    While after their experience, customers will want to get in touch, you also want to make it easier for them to get in touch during their visit. This is where the engagement comes into play and will help to keep them coming back. When there’s a problem, you want to make it easy to rectify it there and then.

    If your customers are looking around for a member of staff due to the wrong dish served, an issue with the bowling alley, or a missing item, then they’re less likely to get in touch there and then. They won’t waste their time looking out for someone who has other tables to wait or other jobs to do. The minute they realize there’s nobody free, they decide not to say anything and take their complaints online. After all, they don’t feel valued.

    When you use PagerGenius technology, you open the communication both ways. With a press of the button, a member of staff is alerted that a customer needs something. The customer doesn’t have to look around and hope they catch a staff member’s eye. They sit back and enjoy the rest of the meal or event until someone comes over to them.

    This type of engagement helps to avoid issues afterwards. Your customers can go online to say how their complaints and issues were resolved while they were there. They know you care about them when there is an issue, so they return another time.

    Engage Afterwards

    The use of technology can also make it possible to get email addresses for future conversations. You can send vouchers and deals direct to your customers, opening the chance that they will return in the future. When people are given the choice, they’re more likely to keep that communication open, especially after a positive experience.

    People aren’t likely to remember you right away. Assume that they’ll forget and keep the conversation open to show that they were a valued customer. This encourages them to return and makes them feel wanted.

    Technology is your best friend when it comes to keeping customers coming back. You want to open the channels of communication and improve engagement with your customers, giving them the positive experience they need to want to return.