Turning Complaints into Customer Loyalty

Vacation is supposed to be relaxing, but what if your stay doesn’t live up to your expectations? That’s what happened to our resident Bookkeeper Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, during his recent South Carolina getaway. While most of the trip was great, the accommodations had a few problems. But instead of just complaining, Paul is here to share the surprising outcome and what small business owners can learn from how the management handled the situation.

Episodes mentioned: 

• Ep 38: Building Your Business Bookkeeping Team, https://www.buzzsprout.com/2188873/15460097-building-your-business-bookkeeping-team
• Ep 39: Bookkeeping mishaps to avoid, https://www.buzzsprout.com/2188873/15513778-bookkeeping-mishaps-to-avoid
• Ep 40: Treat Your Customers Well Instead of Bean Counting, https://www.buzzsprout.com/2188873/15575616-treat-your-customers-well-instead-of-bean-counting

Transcript

Episode #41

In our last episode, I spoke about the McDonald’s Hot Coffee case from 30 years ago.  And I talked about ‘the bean counting’ concept, which could have been the reason why they didn’t settle (and if you haven’t heard that episode yet… why not?)  Today, as a logical next episode, I want to tell you about my vacation in South Carolina from just a few weeks ago. And don’t worry, it won’t be a step by step, itinerary based, boring episode -- it will be related to accounting and personality and customer service. After all, this is a small business (and occasionally a big business) podcast.   I’m refreshed and still tan but hard at work, Paul Rosenblum.

 Before I continue, if you are an educator or in the education field, please let me know if you use any of these episodes as class assignments or in-class discussions and how I can better assist you in your teachings.  Email me at Bookkeepermensch@gmail.

Also, Steph has worked very hard on the YouTube channel, so check that out, and let me know what you think @ youtube.com/@bookkeepermensch. Click on the link under the description of this episode. We also have a new Facebook page as a companion to this podcast – the link is below.  And if you are a small business who would like to sponsor some episodes here, use email or the text feature! I would love to give you the exposure and have you be part of this pod! 

I should start this episode by saying that I’m generally not the best customer in the world, as I am so into customer satisfaction with my business that I expect to get what I pay for, and I expect everyone to try as hard as I do with my clients to satisfy me as a consumer. I’m not unfriendly about it (I usually use humor to diffuse the situation), but I do say something, if it’s in a small store, or a taxi, or an internet service provider phone call to their version of ‘customer service’. But I don’t let it go without saying something. As we say in NYC, “If you see something, say something’. And I do just that. The following is one of those stories. 

My wife and I are a good team for shopping for vacations.  She researches the vacation spots and hotels or resorts, and then she starts showing me what she found.  This time she found Myrtle Beach (neither of us have ever been there), and then found a resort in North Myrtle Beach, much less crowded than Myrtle Beach itself but only 15 miles away. 

Once we decided where we were going and the place that we were staying, then she passed it on to me to find the best deal.  I usually go to Expedia and Travelocity as well as Priceline and a few others to check prices and overall deals.  This time I went to AARP, since we are members and have been for a while.  The same exact package through Expedia where my wife was, and AARP (they piggyback Expedia) was about $150.00 less per person.  Hey, I’m the bookkeeper in the family -- I just have to! I’m not ‘cheap’, just ‘smart’! 

I am not going to critique this whole trip, but I have to say that since they re-built and improved LaGuardia airport, that experience was amazing.  Easy to check baggage, easy to get boarding passes, and a very short line going through security. We get to Myrtle Beach airport, pick up the car, and drive to the resort.  

We are both very careful when we shop for vacations.  My wife found a resort that had houses, regular hotel style rooms and Villas. We read the description and looked at the pictures very carefully, and chose a villa with a terrace, which was important to my other half, a little less important to me.  When we checked in and drove over to the Villa, the first thing we noticed was that it was a walk-up to the second floor.   My wife, just a few months removed from knee replacement surgery, luckily had been doing her physical therapy and exercises every day, and was able to walk up the stairs, but wasn’t terribly happy about it.  (And guess who lugged the 50-pound suitcases up the stairs!) But I digress, as usual.  

As we were getting settled, my wife wanted to go out onto the terrace.  She couldn’t find one, WHY?  because there wasn’t one.  I went back to check in to see if they could move us, but although they were very nice about it, said that they were all filled up.   I let it go. I was on vacation.  

Then we changed into our swimsuits to check out the 5 pools and wanted to put our valuables in the safe.  It was locked and would not unlock.  It looked like it wasn’t plugged in since no lights were on.  I texted the front desk and they sent someone over very quickly.  They fixed it in 10 minutes.  As we were leaving for the pool, I noticed that the front door handle of the villa was loose, so I texted the front desk again, and they would send someone over when we got back from the pool if we wanted.  

We were also hoping to finish a Netflix series that we were watching at home, so I checked out the two TV’s. The first one had cable, but no Netflix app, and the second one in the bedroom had cable and a Netflix app, but couldn’t connect to the Wi-Fi, which every villa should have hd its own connection. Our room, #204, did not. The front desk said that we could connect to any WI-FI that came up, they all had the same password.  I texted the front desk again, got an immediate response and they sent someone right over.  They were able to fix the cable TV part but not the Netflix connection.  After the person left, I figured it out in about 20 minutes and got it to work. 

And don’t worry, there is a point to all this, I promise. 

The rest of the week, we had a good time, lots of swimming, eating great food (I don’t think South Carolina people know what a small snack is), went to Myrtle Beach, rode the large Ferris Wheel, ate some great ice cream on the boardwalk, went to some factory outlet stores, and I had a rare glass of wine, and did some sightseeing and a dolphin watch.  Ok, stop digressing Paul, get to the point!   OK! 

As I was checking us out at the front desk, I was very friendly, and discussed all of these things that we were not happy with.  The lack of a terrace, the Netflix problem, the front door handle, and even the rather uncomfortable bed (although maybe I’m just spoiled at home) and told them that we were disappointed because we are both such careful shoppers when we go on vacation.   And I expected them to say ‘We’re sorry you feel that way.  You can call AARP Expedia and see what they can do”.  

But that didn’t happen.  Here’s the point, folks, finally. Before I could say more, the manager, who was there and overheard the conversation walked over to the computer, typed in a few things, and looked at me and said ‘I just credited you 2 ½ days of the resort charge for your dissatisfaction. I’m so sorry that this happened. 

If the end of this story was very negative, I wouldn’t mention their name, but I will, in this case because this is how a business should be run.  Allowing a budget and creating a chart of accounts revenue account in their financial system called ‘Refunds and Allowances’ and using it is the right thing to do.  

Listen to episodes 38-40.  I talked about ‘Personality’.  This is yet another example of it. The bad taste in my mouth disappeared after the refund was issued, even without asking for it.  This should be an unwritten (or possibly written) law for every business in the United States and probably world-wide. If you have a dissatisfied customer for good reason, just do the right thing. Let’s call this the “Do the Right Thing Law”. 

Even though there were issues, I’d consider returning to the resort if we go back to South Carolina. “The North Beach Resort and Villas” in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  This is not a commercial for them, it’s just an example of a company truly understanding tourism, and how to successfully run a business, especially after a pandemic.  Good for them. And good for us. And good for all of you.  And thank you, for doing the right thing.

Some commentary here:   

1. I booked this through AARP since we were members because they are a good organization, not just because the price was less.  However, they do piggyback on the Expedia database which I am also a member of, and they don’t have any control of the content of vacation packages.
2. I asked the front desk why there was a picture of a villa with a terrace on the villa we selected. They told me that they send stock photos to Expedia and the other travel sites, and they have no control of which pictures are used by individual sites.  They have had other problems with similar situations to ours.
3. AARP, to become a member, you have to be at least 55 years of age.  Why isn’t there a mechanism to weed out the walk-ups to rooms, villas, and cottages at resorts and tell people about it?  Just a hint here -- some older people have trouble walking upstairs with or without luggage. (and some younger people too, for sure!)
4. With all the travel sites on the internet, shouldn’t we all feel comfortable that what is being advertised is what we are paying for? Why isn’t that considered false advertising or at least deceptive advertising?  Or ‘Bait and Switch’?  
5. To digress a bit, if one books an airfare on the internet, pays for it, gets a confirmation, arrives to the airport, prints boarding passes, checks their luggage, gets to the gate 1 ½ early, do you know that you are still not guaranteed that the flight takes off on time or even takes off at all?    How do they legally get away with that? (Oh… Travel Secretary of the U.S. Buttigieg, where are you?) 
6. The Travel industry is one of the worst ones to be in.  Customer service should be the #1 concern but isn’t.  They know what they can get away with, without people complaining too much. 

I preach on this podcast about the importance of customer service as you run your business.  Part of that is being honest in the advertising. It’s all part of the ‘personality’ of the company.  It isn’t regulated by the government, but maybe it should be. I’m just saying.  

After 60 hours a week working for 50 or 51 weeks a year, I, as a consumer, shouldn’t have to worry about if I end up getting what I paid for, especially when I go on vacation and prices are what they are now.

We did get a partial refund in this case, but many others might not say anything to anyone, hence, just roll with the punches. 

But I’m not a roller. Although sometimes I’m a heavy tank. (with a very quiet muffler and good shock absorbers)

Accounting is everywhere we go. One can’t get away from it. But most people can put it in the back of their mind, especially when they are on vacation. Us self-employed people, especially bookkeepers, generally can’t.  

And now, back to your regularly scheduled podcast ---   I’m Paul Rosenblum