It's Personal
by Janet Lindstrom
I’m writing this from a lovely room in a lovely B&B in a lovely town. There are many things that make the room and the inn lovely: hardwood floors, etched glass transoms, a claw foot tub, and a charming breakfast spread. What really makes the place special are the personal touches that radiate to every corner of every room.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes a business special. For a while, I thought it was the difference between small and big, but I realized the core difference is between personal and impersonal. Recently I found myself at another inn, only this was a chain hotel. After some trouble with my reservation, I eventually got into my room, only to find that there was no soap. No soap. No soap, no shower gel, no soap. So I trek down to the front desk and inform the clerk there was no soap in my room. He proceeds to tell me that the entire hotel is out of soap. Supply truck delayed… blah blah blah. He did offer extra shampoo and directions to Wal-Mart should I want to go buy soap.
OK, I know no soap is not the clerk’s fault and I know things happen, but soap is a pretty bare minimum requirement for a hotel room. That night I watched “Undercover Boss” and it dawned on me that the manager should have gone to Wal-Mart and gotten soap for his guests. I suggested this very thing when I spoke with the manager the following morning. His reply was that corporate did not want them putting “unbranded” products in the room. I get that but we’re talking no soap! The manager of that property was just a link in a chain of chain hotels, following faceless directives from above.
Fast forward four months. Call in the inn, speak to the owner. She wants to be sure I am aware that there is a restaurant downstairs that may be noisy. She explains the shared bathroom and the age of the building. Arrive at the inn, where I am greeted by the owner. She walks me up to the room, shows me the coffee pot and asks when I would like breakfast. I instantly felt at home, I felt like an actual guest.
I found that personal touch had some effects on my behavior during my stay. I wanted to be a good guest, a thoughtful guest. I wiped out the claw foot tub. I neatly folded the washcloths and draped them over the edge of the tub. I did not leave food trash in my room. I placed my drink on my own magazine and not on the table. Chain hotels had never had such an effect. I had met the owner, I had seen her face and had conversation. I did not want to leave a mess for her.
This idea of personal service is one reason why I like being a small business owner. I like seeing my client’s face when we’ve exceeded their expectations. I like hearing the stories behind the gift or the embroidery. I like finding the perfect font, the perfect thread color, the perfect layout, the perfect gift. In essence we are personalizing the personalization.
I invite you to drop by sometime and take a look around. Julianne, Audrey or I would love to help you with your next gift or embroidery project. For us, “It’s Personal”.
For more information about the Inn at the Springs 1897, please visit http://www.innatthesprings1897.com/.
