Wake Up America - Let's Get Back to Customer Service!

We made the rounds to our local hotels the other day to pick up directories for the various chains.

At Holiday Inn Express, I was informed that they no longer print a directory of their locations.

Well, if you are on the road and planning to stop when you are tired, or when it is getting dark, it sure would be nice to have a directory to see where the next hotel is!

If Holiday Inn Express thinks I have a computer at home to book reservations, they are correct - if I know exactly when I am staying in a certain city and for how long.

If, however, they presume I am carrying a laptop or using an Iphone or Blackberry (with internet) as we set out to drive up the road, 1650 miles to Canada, they are very wrong!

The assumption of so many businesses that everyone is living online 24-7 may cause them to lose a lot of business.

In prime holiday times, we book before we leave to make certain we will have accommodation each night. The problem with that is that there are deadlines and schedules which take a lot of the fun out of traveling.

This time we have opted not to book ahead "on the road". We are still taking a chance on this trip as certain areas may have conventions or special events that fill up rooms. When I have a directory in hand, I can use my cell phone to ascertain their situation.

I absolutely detest walking into a hotel and asking if they have a room for the night, even though I have the cards for most major chains. It is very time consuming and morale deflating if there is no availability.

What are these people thinking? Do they ever travel themselves or are they just looking at how they can cut costs?

I am surprised that many front desk clerks have no idea what the layout of a room looks like. That is fundamental. My favorite layout is to have a bed at one end and a sofa with a coffee table across from the TV. That, to me, is a comfortable layout. I also want a micro frig to keep our water cool and it is a bonus if there is a microwave, although we generally eat out in the evening.

Isn't it fundamental for the people booking the rooms at the front desk to know the layouts? Funny thing is I can pull that up on my home computer, so why can't they?

If we want to get back to basics and a sound economy where there is business for everyone including hotels, we need to get back to customer service.

How long does it take to show a new employee the 5 or 6 room styles you have at your hotel?

Wake up, America! Bring back customer service!