Good customer service outside the country?

Posted on | March 18, 2009 | No Comments

It exists, I assure you.  My wife and I got married in Costa Rica in June of 2007 at Villa Sol.  Jorge was our sort of wedding planner and an all around stand out guy.  It was just the two of is, we’re not big on big deals.  Jorge worked with us via email to figure everything out.  We were going for a week and planned on getting married the second day we were there.  It was going to over look the ocean in the late afternoon.

When we got there, Jorge showed us around and made sure we were taken care of the entire time.  This was all inclusive which allowed us to eat and drink all we could want.  Jorge showed us where we’d get married, then pointed to where we’d do the ceremony if it was raining, and said if it was really raining, we’d do it tomorrow.  It was perfect, it was easy going and relaxed.  The wedding went off without a hitch and we couldn’t be happier.  It was $600 for the lawyer to do it with some flowers and out photographer Jorge working behind the scenes.  Turns out the lawyer wanted cash.

The closest ATM is about 20 kilometers away and since he was getting paid, we made the lawyer drive.  Well the entire time, Jorge who went to school in Connecticut was giving us the tour of Costa Rica.  His English was excellent and the only thing better was his love of Costa Rica.  You could hear the pride in his voice and as he pointed out sights and sounds in the jungle you knew he wasn’t just passing time, he was truly loving what he was doing.  We stopped and he showed us some beaches and monkeys in trees.

While we were at the resort they offered snorkeling and kayaking for guests.  We wanted to do the snorkeling on Wednesday but Justin, the snorkel guide, bartender, and towel boy wasn’t going that day.  He offered to take us even though he wasn’t going.  It wasn’t some elaborate snorkeling tour but it was truly appreciated since he didn’t have to do what he was doing.

Now maybe the entire country of Costa Rica is the friendliest place on the planet.  It’s possible, but doubtful.  I didn’t happen upon a single person who was anything less then extraordinarily friendly but I doubt they’re all that great.  Maybe it’s the fact that their in the hospitality industry and it requires excellent customer service to compete?  I’d say that has a lot to do with it but there is more, these people are truly grateful for a job and are willing to work hard at that job.  In talking with them they all seemed to appreciate the work and the income it affords them.  Now they work hard, they get like three days off a MONTH.

The point being, I want to model Crowd Rent in a similar fashion.  I want to have hospitality industry service levels and ensure every customer is thrilled with their experience with us.  Our customers have a ton of choices but they choose us.  I also want to make sure everyone who you come in contact with at Crowd Rent is in it for more than a paycheck or a payday.  You’ll never make a dime if you can’t make your customers happy.  You can’t make your customers happy if you’re going through the motions and just milking the clock until the day is over.  This is why I can say you’ll likely get a reply to your email within 30 minutes if you send it between 7 am and 11 pm Mountain time, we never stop working for you.

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