Recently, I was at a business conference that had nothing to do with soccer… but everything to do with customer service. We stayed at the J.W. Marriott in Tucson, AZ (which I recommend if you are planning a vacation soon!)
The entire conference was good. On the morning we were leaving to the airport, we got a car, but had a fifteen minute wait. No problem, the valet said, If you want to grab a cup of coffee at the Starbucks in our lobby, we’ll come and get you when the car is ready. Ok, so we did.
I ordered a grande, decaf, the clerk smiled and said all the right things. But when she gave me back my change, she just plopped it down in my hand with a bit of attitude, the whole time smiling and wishing me a good day.
Our advice: Words speak softly, but body language SCREAMS!! Make sure your committee, volunteers.. anyone who has any interaction with your guest teams, vendors, suppliers and sponsors understand that it is their role to manage the entire experience, not just to do a particular function efficiently.
Unfair as it is, my take-away from the otherwise good 4-day conference will be forever marked by the feel of change being slapped into my hand by the Starbucks clerk with a bad attitude.