Customers want experiences.

"My customers want special extras, like upgrades, free limo pickup, fruit baskets and champagne," Katrin said as-a-matter-of-factly.

No longer do customers buy merely for functional use but also for the experiences created during the purchase and service.

It is time to get our act together - goods, and services are no longer enough. Customers now want experiences and they are willing to pay for them, and only those of us who truly engage our guests will succeed.
from left: Bunny, Summer, Shirley, Long

Mistakes are inevitable; dissatisfied customers aren't

"Address the problem, meet the guest and offer a solution immediate while the guest is still in-house," the participants of the focus group unanimously agreed. "Don't wait till he checks out...then it's too late."

I've found out that the faster we correct a problem, the better. The customer wants an immediate adjustment, not wait for someone to ask a manager or "check with finance."

The best way to create a fast recovery time is to empower front line employees to make customers happy. We have to authorise our front-line people to take corrective action when it's needed.

Mistakes are inevitable; dissatisfied customers aren't. Unhappy customers, once made happy become our most loyal customers. We have to do whatever it takes to turn a negative situation around.

And do it even if the error isn't ours. Those situations in particular create the excellent experiences customers rave about to their friends, family and colleagues.

from left: Shirley, Bunny, Summer, Alex, Johnson

Promoting from within

"Instead of promoting me, they hired someone from outside,"Agnese recounted. "That's why I left and started this company 2 months ago."

Many employees will ultimately measure their firm's commitment to them by the degree to which they had the opportunity to achieve careerwise all they are capable of achieving.

I have a comprehensive promotion-from-within program, and adhere to this program tenaciously.

It's all in the mind

"England keeping tabs on Rooney's mind," many sports papers including the Daily Mail reported recently

One of the most ragged cliches in sports is the importance of "the mental game," that players who are psychologically prepared will have an edge on competitors who might be more physically gifted. Like most cliches, it's absolutely true.

And since sports is such an irresistible metaphor among business executives, "mental toughness" is also essential in the corporate world.

Keep everyone laughing

"Where do you come up with these one-liners," Adrian asked when he stopped laughing.

A guy who can remember jokes and keep his friends laughing will form few enemies. The only danger of telling jokes and being everyone's friend is that you may attract the reputation of being a clown and therefore not capable of anything but being a clown.

from left: Johnson, Jia Li, Ms Mao Tai, Alex and Bunny

Loyalty flows both ways.

"If it's their fault, I will let them burn," BeRt said. "But if it's not, then I will back them up."

We must cultivate staff that we can trust. I never judge the members of my team by raw ability alone. I look at character.

I always remember that loyalty flows both ways. If we expect loyalty from team members, we must also be prepared to stand by them at every turn.

standing: Brian (left), Tanuj (right)

front row: Vic (Left), Emy (right)

Continuous recruiting

"6 Tips for effective recruiting on social media sites," mashable.com ran an article.

Recruitment should be a continuous process, not only when a vacancy occurs. I believe a proactive approach to recruiting reduces the likelihood of holding on to a staff whom we should let go or hiring an unqualified staff because we have an open position.