The other day a work colleague shared a great story with me, one that illustrates the value of empowerment:
A couple of years ago, the colleague took a family trip to Disneyland. This was his first time in the Los Angeles area, so he was completely unfamiliar with the city. Prior to his departure, he called Marriott, told them that he was staying at the Marriott "in LA" and asked if the hotel provided transportation from the airport. He was told that they did and was given instructions for how to find the shuttle bus once he landed.
Exiting the terminal at 11pm, he and his family found the Marriott shuttle bus. But when he told the driver they were staying at the Marriott in Irvine, the driver said the bus didn't go there! Upset, but realising this was no time to argue, he and his family got off the bus and into a cab.
Imagine his rude surprise when he found out the cab would cost $100! Unbeknownst to him, Irvine was over an hour away! Now he wasn't just upset – he was furious. A trip that he thought would cost him nothing would now be $100.
Well past midnight, they finally got to the Marriott. My colleague was fuming, so when welcomed by the night clerk, he angrily recounted the entire story. Without getting flustered, the clerk calmly asked how much the cab fare was and then said, "Sir, our manager will contact you in the morning."
My colleague didn't expect much from the manager, maybe a few breakfast vouchers, as he didn't have a receipt for the $100. So imagine his surprise when he woke up the next morning to find an envelope waiting for him at reception with $100! He was completely blown away, and Marriott's standing with him was not just salvaged but elevated.
To me, this is an excellent example of how the empowerment of employees can be of significant value to an organisation. Management can prepare for all sorts of scenarios and implement protocols on how employees should respond, but most situations, especially those involving customer service, are unpredictable. So how do you deal with those? You put trust in your people (with the right training, of course!) and empower them to make decisions in the moment.
This night clerk working the graveyard shift – probably one of the most junior people at this hotel – was given the authority to assess my colleague's situation and make a promise to him, fully confident that it would be supported by the manager the following morning. And that manager the next morning was equally confident that he could refund $100 to an irritated customer without being questioned by corporate.
Through these actions, the night clerk and manager avoided creating a disgruntled customer who would never stay at a Marriott again and share his negative experience with many. But more importantly, he created a customer who now calls Marriott his hotel of choice! What business wouldn't spend $100 for a lifetime worth of patronage?