Many years ago, an Exceed Sales client offered a software product that helped major corporations get one single view of their customer’s activity over the customer’s lifetime. That was probably over ten years ago. Indeed by 2022, I assumed most companies had maybe not purchased the software but adopted the view that it was profitable and customer-oriented for an organization to have a single lifetime view of their customer’s activity. But a recent experience may prove that is not the case.
I booked a three-night stay at a major hotel chain on our recent trip out west. Unfortunately, the airlines rescheduled our flights home, and I needed to stay only two nights at one destination and change my last night to another location with the same hotel in the same state.
When I checked in, I alerted the manager that I needed to adjust my reservation and asked him to modify my reservation in his computer system. His response was astounding to me. The manager said he could not accommodate my request because the significant hotel chain did not have a unified database system of all locations, employees, or customers; therefore, he could not adjust my reservation.
I asked how I could resolve my situation. The manager answered that he would cancel my stay last night at his hotel (mind you, this major corporation owns all hotel locations under the same corporate name). He then said I should call or book a reservation online for the hotel location of my choice.
Hmmm, that decision swung the door wide open for lost sales for his corporation. Stayed tuned to find out the repercussions to first me first and foremost once a loyal customer than to the corporation in our next March post.