The pen is mightier than the sword … or is it discuss
The hotel industry has changed considerably since the invention of the internet with everybody’s views and experiences visible on the review websites and not a chance for the hotel concerned to reply to the review. So it got me thinking.. is the pen mightier than the sword???
A couple of years ago my husband bought me a radio for my birthday a new design that you could record on to a memory card the programs you wished. I loved the radio and it was working well in my kitchen for a couple of years. One day we turned it on and nothing happened the whole of the display was blank. We had an electrical expert look over it and the power side was fine it was the computer side that had gone. We also had a small portable radio of the same make and our main stereo was also of the same make and were experiencing the CD skipping which meant that all my CD’s from the 80’s and 90’s could not be played and I was not prepared to turn them all into another format just to be able to play them. So this moved my husband to search the review websites and see if anyone out there was having the same problem and they were, both the issues we had were all over the sites. This was the last straw for my husband and he wrote to customer service asking when we can expect the portable radio to give up the ghost. This worked and the kitchen radio has been sent off for repair and a brand new stereo now sits pride of place in the front room all at no charge.
So the pen worked and we were filled with a new scene of faith in customer service. That was until we took a day trip and parked in a pay and display car park. We arrived and paid for a ticket then placed it on the dash board and went off for the day but not before returning to the car for the coat left on the back seat. We had a lovely day out with lunch by the river and when we returned the car was clamped. We had to pay there and then to be released and were give the details of how to appeal. The operator said she could see the ticket upside down on the floor but could not read it. This must have blown off when we picked up the coat. So I wrote to appeal believing I had done nothing wrong and it was just a bit of bad luck. Everybody I spoke to said yes you will get it back relaying their stories. This filled me with confidence and making sure I stuck to the facts that I had paid for the ticket and the operator could see the ticket and the ticket was valid I was confident the pen would work. But the first letter came back saying no in fact two pages of no. Not deterred I wrote again, many people said they will always send out a no in the first letter, the letter came back and was three pages of no. So I am still unsure if the pen is mightier or not and when does customer service come into it.
A couple of years ago we were booking our holiday in turkey and when we picked up the brochures from the travel agent and hot footed it home and searched the websites for the reviews and they were mixed. One review said that the food on offer was very poor and no choice was offered another said they food was fantastic and the choice was vast. We decided to book with this resort and when we arrived at the hotel we could not believe it they were right. The choice of food was phenomenal you have never seen so much choice of breads and salads. They were catering for a wide variety of nationalities and you could see all the breads of the world and the choice continued on to lunch and dinner. My 16 year old sons agreed with the other review there was nothing to eat not a fish finger or chip insight. So does it depend on your views and requirements or is it down to customer service…. discuss.
With many offers available at the Abbey Hotel we would like to welcome you to Great Malvern this summer maybe for one of the many music festivals in Upton Upon Severn only a few miles away.
24 – 26 June 2011 Jazz festival,
15 – 17 July 2011 Blues festival,
26 – 28 August 2011 Upton music festival,
See you soon.
Rachel Proctor
Business Development Manager.
