7/30/18 In Home Inspections - Service is Everything

"Well done is better than well said."

Benjamin Franklin

To me, the definition of good customer service is the ability of an establishment to take something from the mundane and transform it to an experience. Contrary to some beliefs, the home inspection business is actually a service business. So as an owner of this business, I am always trying to learn and improve our service experiences. 

Recently I was fortunate enough to be reminded of what good customer service is, and, in conjunction, I was reminded of the opposite. Both were experiences from hotel stays, so the comparison is parallel. I'd like to share two experiences, see if you can tell the difference.

The first was a stay at a property owned by a large company commonly referred to as the 'Happiest Place on Earth.'  When our family arrived at the valet stand to park at the hotel, the valets were standing around having a conversation with each other. They did not open the doors, they mouthed a simple 'hello' and walked to the back of the car to get the bags. As we walked in the hotel, it was easy to notice the beauty of the structure, but then we were greeted with a long line at check in. When we walked to the room we passed several employees that seemed too busy to acknowledge our existence, including a couple of people in suits that almost ran us over. My wife and I decided to spoil ourselves with a spa visit but were informed upon arrival to the spa that the facilities would actually be closing immediately after our massage. The facilities that we had been told we'd have access to, after our service, at the time of booking, would actually not be available for us to use. The room was clean and the view was beautiful, but the entire experience felt transactional. 

The second hotel is an iconic Paradise Valley hotel. When we arrived, we were greeted by the valets opening our doors, assisting with our luggage and opening the front door for us. As we passed every person on the staff, they stopped what they were doing and looked up, smiled and said 'hello.' When we entered into our room, we were greeted with a welcome snack and a personal note to call if we needed anything. The room was clean and the view was beautiful, but the experience felt welcoming.

Great service is easy to provide. It is not about the product you provide, but how you make your customer feel. It requires attention to detail, genuine care for your customers, and the ability to adapt to your customers' specific needs. Additionally, it requires specific service based training for your staff and a company culture that sets that standard. Great service is the defining moment that elevates an experience from transactional to memorable. Thank you for the opportunity to provide service to you and your clients, we sincerely value and appreciate you. 

- Sean Garvey
Dwell Inspect Arizona
(480) 867 - 4599