Indonesia

Customer Service Hangover

I just returned from a long weekend in Bali, Indonesia. The place is a tropical paradise – it’s devastatingly beautiful there, and the people, equally so. I spent just four days and three nights there and during my brief sojourn I was blown away by the level of customer service I experienced.

From the moment I stepped foot off the plane and into Ngurah Rai airport I was greeted by smiling friendly faces directing me where to go. Upon leaving the airport, I was met by my hotel driver, Jumbo. He welcomed me to his beautiful country, put a lei around my neck and cracked a few jokes. He showed genuine interest in where I was from, what I wanted to do while in Bali and offered a myriad of suggestions of things to do during my stay.hotel-staff

He noted that my hotel room would not be ready until 2pm – two hours from when I arrived. Rather than leaving me to languish in the lobby, he offered to drive me around Bali and show me some of the sights. The most notable venue was the home of Luwak Coffee – a coffee that has been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet. For the record, it’s very smooth and delicious. Take a moment to pause and think: when was the last time you received this level of service in Australia?

Another customer service triumph was in a local restaurant. The waitress had just finished serving another patron when I caught her attention. She walked over and I asked her if I could place an order. She said “Certainly, just let me grab my order pad”. Now in Australia, I probably wouldn’t see the waitress for another 10-15 minutes. Before I could roll my eyes, she had returned ready to take my order. It sounds small, but this kind of on-the-ball service is a rarity.

Finally, the piĂšce de rĂ©sistance: my hotel’s ‘breakfast box’. Staying in Santi Mandala in Ubud, I was a good hour away from the airport. My departing flight to Perth was due to leave at 7am, so I had to be up and out the door at 5am. One of the reception staff noticed this when I checked in and arranged a small box filled with breakfast goods for me to eat on my way to the airport as the restaurant would not be open this early. I was blown away. I didn’t have to ask for it or even hint at it. It was simply provided. Needless to say, it left a lasting impression and here I am telling you about it.

Bali is a beautiful place and it’s made more beautiful by its kind, giving people. They’re always smiling and always so happy to have you in their country. The pride they have in their country, their work and their culture is what lifts the experience into the upper echelons of customer service mastery. They give more but with so much less, which begs the question: what can you do to bring this sort of attentive service into your business?

– Lachy

Holiday Hospitality

The tropical vibe, magnificent views and never-ending hustle bustle make Bali a fine example of a holiday island paradise. The fact that you can feed your family three courses for less than a tenner is nice too. I consider myself a Bali veteran and I’ve seen just about all there is. But if I were to choose just one thing (besides the wild monkeys – I love those little fellas!) that keeps me coming back, I’d have to say it’s the service. Take this recent experience for example.

My hotel offered complibikementary hire bikes for every guest, so I took advantage one day and rode out to grab a ‘Romex’ watch and have a few tuxedos tailored. It didn’t take long for me to realise that my bike didn’t have a bell. If you’ve been to Bali, you’ll know that the traffic makes an Australian peak hour freeway look like a picturesque suburban backstreet. So lacking a bell, I had to resort to yelling at people, which takes a toll on your throat.

When I returned to the hotel, I let reception know that bells would be a good idea, expecting a sympathetic nod or complimentary fruit bowl in return. Although I got both, it was what I noticed the next morning that I really wowed me. My bike had a bell attached to it – as did every other bike in their fleet!

I’ve never even seen a bike shop in Bali in two decades’ worth of visits, but somehow in the space of 12 hours, the team managed to attach new bells to their entire fleet – that’s hundreds of bikes. That’s the level of service that sees thousands of visitors returning year after year, and if you set the same standards, you’ll get repeat business too!