Do you remember a time when you received GREAT customer service?
After the incredible customer service experience I received on vacation, bringing some of that sweet Aloha spirit to the LowCountry became so important to my business.
I definitely try to give service providers all the grace in the world because I too, am a small business owner that juggles a bit and we all make mistakes. Today I want to highlight the Best Customer Service Experience I’ve Ever Received!
It was at the Ritz-Carlton Maui in Kapalua and it just blew my mind.
So the pictures you’ll see today aren’t the polished, put together images that I typically share.
I’m going back a couple of years (Pre-COVID if you can believe that) and reflecting on the absolute best family vacation we’ve EVER taken and just what it is that the Ritz-Carlton did better than any hotel we’ve ever stayed at.
And, if you’ve been keeping up with my family, you know travel is my favorite word so we’ve been to many destinations.
So, what exactly did the Ritz-Carlton in Maui do to secure a spot as our best customer service experience?
I’ll be breaking that whole story down below!
Picture this
It’s about 5am, you haven’t gotten more than 3-4 hours of sleep because you’ve been packing and prepping for a trip.
You’ve got 4 excited kids to get clothes, shoes, snacks, and toys for so it’s a bit hectic.
This is the first time you’ve traveled with a child that’s exactly two (this is going to be very important!), you are under the (incorrect) impression that children 2 and under fly for free so you only buy 5 instead of 6 plane tickets for the 40 minute flight from Oahu to Maui.
At the airport (yay!)
You finally offload the car, get everyone into the airport, and start the not-so-fun-for-a-big-family process of checking in. Then you realize that your “just turned 2 year old” cannot board. She doesn’t have a ticket. SURPRISE! 😳
You cannot just buy a ticket because the flight is PACKED and actually, EVERY SINGLE FLIGHT for that day is packed with the exception of one…which has only 1 seat left. Splitting up your family leaves mom with all four kids…less than ideal. 😳
So there begins what was supposed to be a perfect family vacation.
Well, then the reservation was mixed up with the rental car. The website said your SUV can seat 7, it only fits 5. Again, family of 6 here!
Luckily you catch a break and they upgrade your car at the rental center. Things are turning around! Yay!
Well, now it’s about 11:00am and you’re not supposed to check into your hotel until 4:00pm.
Original plan: Go sight seeing first thing in the morning
New plan: SLEEP! EVERYONE is exhausted.
Enter: the best customer service EVER!
I called the Ritz-Carlton customer service number, nearly in tears from stress, exhaustion, and the unexpected expense of a last minute plane ticket to Maui. I asked if there was anything available at all that we could just check into early but that I totally understand if there’s nothing available yet, I also understand if I have to pay to get into a room early.
I just needed help.
Well wouldn’t you know it, in the hardest morning of our trip, EVERYTHING CHANGED because of one kind employee. Forever cementing the name ‘Ritz-Carlton’ in my mind for amazing customer service (and I told every single one of my friends to stay there when on vacation)!
The customer service employee that taught me about business. (Cue the Aloha!)
The lady informed me that there weren’t any Queen Double rooms available at all.
They were fully booked. But…they did have a suite available. Fearfully, I asked for the price difference (knowing it’d easily be $1,000 or more).
As if a customer service miracle had manifested into our lives, she said they’d upgrade us at no charge!
zero…zilch…nada…nothing…$0.00 dollars
I’ll be honest…I was floored! Not only was it the nicest hotel we’ve ever been too but it was filled with the friendliest and most helpful staff! The room was gorgeous and provided a lot more space that we didn’t even know we needed.
“Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”
Thanks to the gracious customer service that we received, our vacation was absolutely incredible and my kids could hardly believe that we were in such a beautiful and luxurious place…Rafael and I were also pretty shocked!
The employees were so amazingly skilled with customer service that they even went the extra mile to find pool toys for our kids (which hadn’t even occurred for me to bring).
Another great example of the wonderful customer service, the employees were so helpful by providing us dinner recommendations, activities for a large family, and details of the infamous “Road to Hana”.
Our family also found the BEST THING EVER…aside from great customer service, it’s imperative that you visit: The Burger Shack!
The milkshakes were SO GOOD that we wrote down the recipes, and still have them.
Our family favorites:
NUTTY COCOMEL
SHAKE, RATLLE & ROLL
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