It’s Important to Recognize People Who Make Your Vacation Great
I have always believed it’s important to recognize the people who do a great job, whether that’s with your vacation, at a restaurant, or even your coworkers. Truth is, most companies and bosses only hear about their employees when something goes wrong. Most people only send a comment when they want to complain about something.
I recently sent an email to a hotel manager commending an employee, and it reinforced how important it is to recognize people who make your meal / vacation / etc. great along the way.
What Happened
The person I recognized is the Pre-Arrival Ambassador from the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Hawaii (read my review here). My wife and I recently stayed at this hotel and really liked it.
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What made the stay great is this particular employee. She contacted me before the trip to greet me, recognize my Marriott status, and let me know about my Elite perks, welcome gift options, etc. However, she really went above and beyond along the way. She coordinated with the chef to find out about breakfast options, since my wife and I are both vegan. I simply asked what my ‘breakfast’ welcome gift option included, but she went far beyond.
I mentioned to her that we were going to Hawaii to celebrate my wife’s new job. When I asked her to simply put a card in the room saying “congratulations”, she went well beyond our expectations. We had flower leis in the shape of hearts on the bed.
And a handwritten card included free champagne at the hotel bar. Thus, I thought I should recognize her great work by telling her boss about how much we enjoyed these touches.
Contacting the Boss
After our stay, I emailed the Pre-Arrival Ambassador and thanked her for her outstanding service. I told her that I wanted to recognize her and commend her great work to someone, such as a supervisor. She provided me with the email to the hotel manager.
I emailed the manager saying that this particular employee works behind the scenes and likely is overlooked or unknown to many hotel guests. I related our experiences and how happy we were with everything that Kristy (the Pre-Arrival Ambassador) had done.
Outcome
I received an email from the hotel manager thanking me for letting him know about the great work one of his employees was doing. He mentioned that they had a staff meeting that day, and he would be sure to read my email out loud to the group, since he also believes it’s important to recognize people who do great work. She deserved the kudos. He also mentioned giving her a certificate of some kind.
That evening, I received an email from the employee herself. She informed me that she had been very hesitant to move from the front desk to this behind-the-scenes job and only started this position a month ago. However, she is really glad that she took the job, because comments like mine reaffirm that this is a good fit for her. She loves the new job and sometimes misses the face-to-face interaction she had at the front desk, but when she gets emails and praise from guests who say she made their stay great, it makes it all worth it for her.
It’s important to recognize people who do great work. They may be overlooked, working behind the scenes. Plus, most bosses just hear about their employees from customers when someone is complaining. I think it’s important to highlight the good and the bad.
Final Thoughts
The next time someone goes out of the way to give you great service, make sure their boss knows about it. Take a few minutes to recognize people who provide great service, because their work is often overlooked.
Plus, they could be doubting whether or not this job is a good fit for them. Your words might make a big impact.
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Ryan, great article. So many times when I leave a great hotel, and have so many positive comments to share, many times I just forget to go online and share my positive experiences.
In my mind, I know I have tipped the staff very well, but that note of commendation can make all the difference in the world. Thanks for the reminder
If you ever are a repeat guest at a particular hotel, recognizing good service has an amplifying effect on that good service. And, tip the housekeepers.