The doorman extended a cheery welcome as we arrived at the QV Hotel at about noon. First impression matters, so we felt we were off to a good start.
At the reception area, both the employees looked up from what they were doing and welcomed us warmly to the hotel. Another deposit in the Service Bank! We really appreciated this as during most check-ins, while the person checking us in is pleasant and friendly, other receptionists behind the counter would not bother to look up and acknowledge positively, even when there are no other guests around.
The welcome drink was a glass of warm chocolate with cookies, well-suited for the cold weather. As the employee presented a separate wooden tray with two mini compressed towel tablets which when wet, expanded into bigger sheets for hand wipes. The jovial individual teased, "Perhaps some marshmallows to go along?" We played along and asked if we could roast them too. We all had a chuckle at the light-hearted atmosphere while gulping down the drink.
We were also somewhat impressed that the receptionist noted from the passports that we were celebrating an upcoming birthday in a few days' time. (Nothing had been mentioned during the reservation.A small birthday cake was subsequently received during turndown service).
After the adminstrative process was completed, the employee informed us that the room was not ready and offered to show us around the property. Mmm, we would have preferred if this had been made known to us earlier in the process. If we had known, we would have chosen to enjoy the chocolate beverage leisurely in the adjacent lobby lounge, seated in the plush armchairs next to the grand piano. If we had known, we would have first retrieved few items from our luggage left with the porter. When I asked approximately what time the room would be ready, I was only informed of the official check-in time of 2pm. The employee said she "would check if it can be ready earlier" but didn't do it immediately. Another missed opportunity for a Service Bank deposit would have been to ask if we would like to have lunch or grab a bite at the hotel's restaurant.
In the end, another front office employee led and showed us the external parts of the property where the spa was located. He also pointed out the shortcut to the waterfront. After some usual pleasantries along the way, we were back at the reception desk within 5 minutes. (Perhaps the dining outlet/s and breakfast hours could have been highlighted. For guests who are interested, how about sharing with them some pertinent point about the hotel's history and origin?) At this point, we asked the same receptionist again the approximate time for the room to be ready, highlighting that it was just so that we could plan what we do with the time. It was only then that she picked up the phone to ring Housekeeping, which meant that she had not done what she said she would do in the first place. This left us feeling let down.
It is not about wanting to get the room earlier, but having knowledge of the approximate waiting time so that it allows us to plan our programs.If we had just 30 minutes to wait, we were likely to just stay at the lobby lounge. If we had an hour, we might want to order some finger food to go along. If we knew it would take at least 90 minutes for the room to be ready, we would have walked to the waterfront, grabbed lunch there before heading back about two or even three hours later.
Service Bank: Analyze the ups (deposits) and downs (withdrawals) in the above encounter. What could have been the maximum deposits? What is the actual "balance", in your perspective?
Reflective thoughts: Knowledge of realistic waiting time matters. It can manage guest expectations and help them to make suitable plans. When does your service fall short of this?