Customer Service: Make it Happen!

"Don't wish Mommy, 

work hard and make it happen!"

A couple weeks ago I attended the  Palo Alto 99 banquet as the guest speaker, and met incredible people like Sue Ballew and this week's Friday Flyer Marjorie Johnson. But there was another woman that I met along the way who touched my life. She made me a life long customer of Holiday Inn and the IHG Intercontinental Hotel Group.

Cannon is the Director of Sales & Marketing Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites San Mateo-San Francisco SFO & San Mateo SFO Airport Hotel. While many organizations advertise customer service, sometimes effort falls short because the attitude, "it's not my job." However, this was not the case and allow me tell you what happened. 

 

With work, school, grandkids, and life in general, my schedule is tight. However, on this particular day I arrived in the morning earlier enough to avoid potential snags for the event, and found a hotel. I selected the Holiday Inn in San Mateo, south of SFO airport to be close to Palo Alto, yet still have van service back to the airport the following morning. I booked a taxi to pick me up 1 hour prior to the show time.  5 pm rolled around and no taxi. The front desk called him every 7-10 minutes for the next 35 minutes, and each time the driver said he was three to five minutes away. The driver no-showed.

Cannon said, "I'll take you!" This transportation service was not part of her job, and she used her personal vehicle for the drive. The trip to Palo Alto Airport was 45 minutes in traffic, one way. After a long day of work, she took her time and gave it to a me. I made my event, and met a new friend. 

This woman is not only a corporate super star, but is raising two incredible children. The quote above is something she shared with me that her 11-year-old daughter said.

Thus... for anyone looking for a hotel, and value customer service, I would recommend IHG hotels, because of this most valuable employee. When customers receive bad service, we blame the company. But people are the success behind organizations, and people like Cannon make the difference in the lives of everyone.  Thus we need to celebrate the employee for a job well done.

Thank you so much 

for going beyond the call of duty Cannon!

And Holiday Inn, 

you have a superstar on your payroll!!

Enjoy the Journey!

XOX Karlene