Maybe it’s just me

The plane was delayed. I arrived in the city in the south—which I shall leave unnamed—with my wife and my daughter (they form my production team now). We entered the hotel at around 9:45 p.m.  We were all dead tired. The organizer met us in the lobby and offered to take us out for dinner. We politely declined as we would rather go to bed and sleep than have a late dinner. My talk would begin early the next morning.

I kid you not when I tell you that it took almost 25 minutes for the young people at the front desk to check us in. I understand it is a huge hotel, the favorite of big convention organizers. I had been in and out of that hotel more times than I cared to remember, but they never even bothered to use technology to speed up the registration process. It’s amazing how they still did not have my name on file.

My client had paid for the rooms. The participants had already checked in, yet there I was standing in the lobby, waiting for almost half an hour before the keys were finally handed me. Now here is the funny thing. I did not lose my cool, not because I was a patient customer, but because I was just so tired. I literally dozed off with my hand on my chin while leaning on the counter.  Good thing nobody put me on Instagram. It would have been a sight to see.

Twenty-five minutes! I could have hit the bed early or I could have done so many things, rather than wait for the hotel to do what they have been doing for so many years—with no apparent improvement.

I went up to my room. I wanted to know where the gym was located so I could exercise in the morning. I called the front desk. I kid you not again when I tell you that the phone rang 20 times, but no one answered the call. Maybe all the staff were in bed.

I guess it’s just me, but why do I keep thinking that the hotel does not care about my needs and concerns? That’s ok. Different strokes for different folks, but I won’t give them business and will even encourage my clients to consider other places.

I guess it’s just me, but why do I suspect this hotel does not want to invest in technology and training to improve their services? Is it because business is doing well for the meantime, and they feel that there is no competition?

There is a word that describes businesses like these: MEDIOCRE.

Unless they improve, this hotel is destined for failure. 

I am not a chronic complainer, and I am extremely patient with people who are trying their best. The young people behind the front desk tried their best. They smiled, they were polite, and they were accommodating, but the hotel’s system really sucks! For this I do not blame the staff but the management.

Time is the most valuable currency in the 21st century, and it is becoming a scarce commodity. Being made to wait for 25 minutes by the front desk is a terrible crime committed against the client.

Maybe it’s just me.

Should my client book me for a stay in the same hotel the next time, I hope they will have improved. In case they haven’t, I know what I will do. If the registration will take another half an hour to accomplish, I will not complain. I will hold my peace. I will put on my pajamas and sleep on top of the counter. Wouldn’t that be exciting?

(Mark your calendar. Francis will team up with famous speaker and author Krish Dhanam on May 15 in a whole day seminar entitled “Achieving Peak Performance” at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries contact Inspire at 09158055910 or call 632-6310912 for details.)