Thursday, August 11, 2016
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Reader Frustrations
As an editor, one of the most frustrating things I do is attempt to read a poorly edited ebook for pleasure. I feel as though the publisher has stolen my money - how unprofessional is it to publish a book that spells "rifle" as "riffle"? And where the wrong forms of "you're" and "your" are used...consistently??
I can't enjoy what I'm reading because I'm so angry!
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Merging...
After some consideration, I'm going to merge an older travel blog that I had with this one. Since I don't want to lose those posts when I delete that blog, I'm going to post them here --
Winter Travel Favorites
As wintertime (or what passes for it!) approaches Texas, our thoughts begin to turn to the fun to be had on the ski slopes just a few days drive to the north. Although every skier has his or her own favorite tracks, there are many other factors that come into play when choosing a resort or vacation destination.
Our favorite ski resort is Wolf Creek Pass — famous for having the “Most Snow in Colorado,” and rightly so, as it boasts amazing amounts of powder early and late in the season. As of today (Nov. 7), they are reporting more than 80 inches of snow for this season, with all the lifts open and operating.
Since there are no hotels or properties in the Pass, guests must choose to stay in either Pagosa Springs, or South Fork. While South Fork affords an easier drive up and down the pass, there are very few restaurants or nighttime activities on the east side of the pass, and Pagosa Springs is the more popular choice for most visitors.
Our favorite place to stay in the last few years has been Hart’s Rocky Mountain Retreat. They have 4 incredible, fully-furnished cabins, which can accommodate groups up to 10 people. We’ve been made welcome every time, and will go back there every time! (http://www.4getaway.com)
All three of my children were Wolf Pups, and learned to ski like pros…so now it’s the grandbabies turn! Can’t wait!!
Our favorite ski resort is Wolf Creek Pass — famous for having the “Most Snow in Colorado,” and rightly so, as it boasts amazing amounts of powder early and late in the season. As of today (Nov. 7), they are reporting more than 80 inches of snow for this season, with all the lifts open and operating.
Since there are no hotels or properties in the Pass, guests must choose to stay in either Pagosa Springs, or South Fork. While South Fork affords an easier drive up and down the pass, there are very few restaurants or nighttime activities on the east side of the pass, and Pagosa Springs is the more popular choice for most visitors.
Our favorite place to stay in the last few years has been Hart’s Rocky Mountain Retreat. They have 4 incredible, fully-furnished cabins, which can accommodate groups up to 10 people. We’ve been made welcome every time, and will go back there every time! (http://www.4getaway.com)
All three of my children were Wolf Pups, and learned to ski like pros…so now it’s the grandbabies turn! Can’t wait!!
Customer Service — The Good, The Bad…Well, You Get the Point!
How important is customer service…really GOOD customer service…in determining your brand loyalty? In the past year, I’ve experienced excellent customer service, and customer service that basically ignored even my most basic requests, and certainly didn’t go above and beyond to retain my loyalty.
In February of 2012, my husband and I made an anniversary trip to Walt Disney World. The background here: we are regular visitors to WDW, as Annual Pass holders, we visit several times each year. On each visit, we tend to stay at a different hotel (although we do have our favorites!), and on this particular visit, we were excited to be once again staying at the Beach Club.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the bellmen, welcomed to the Beach Club, and directed to the registration desk. It is always a pleasant surprise to be greeted by name – and I have yet to figure out how they know our name! I promise we are NOT there THAT often!
After check-in, we proceeded to our room – on the wing that we’d asked for, although not on the first floor. I am aware that all room requests cannot be met, and I never mind being placed anywhere in a Disney hotel! The room, at first glance, was the standard Beach Club room, and so we put our carry-on bags down, and began to make ourselves comfortable. Since it was late evening, our plans were simply to wait for our luggage, unpack, and get a good night’s sleep before an early start the next morning.
Unfortunately, this is where the first problem arose. Upon turning back the sheets, hubby found a hair on one of the pillows. This would have been a minor irritation for me, but he was quite unhappy, and promptly called housekeeping to ask for the bed to be remade (a reasonable request, I think).
Housekeeping arrived quickly, remade the bed, and left. And then…the sinks in the bathroom were dirty, there were some stains on one of the bedcovers…several other small issues – the end result was a call to the front desk manager. Hubby was polite, and was simply asking for a different room. He explained that this was NOT the Disney experience to which we were accustomed. Not terrible, just that we definitely were not getting into the Disney mindset and escape that we need.
The front desk quickly arranged for a room change – just next door to the room we were in – and sent a Housekeeping manager to check the room for perfection. THEN we received a phone call from the night manager. Now, it wasn’t that late at this point – perhaps 11 PM? However, he informed us that he was issuing a credit for the full night’s stay to our account, as an apology for our inconvenience and because what we experienced was not a reflection of what was expected from the Beach Club. If this doesn’t seem like such a big deal, allow me to point out that one night’s stay at the Beach Club, in the room we were in, was $478.00.
Did this change our perception of our stay? Of course it did. While we already knew that this was not typical of Disney housekeeping, the fact that they went far beyond our expectations, to make our stay perfect, ensured that we will continue to return to the Beach Club, and to WDW again.
So….what brought this situation to mind during my more recent travels? A few weeks ago I was staying at the Airport Hilton in Austin Texas. Not my first stay at this property, since I am there quite often for various meetings and conferences. Slight disclaimer: I am a Hilton Honors Silver Member, and try to stay at Hilton properties often. Upon checking in, I was assigned to a room on the 3rd floor. The first time I’ve ever stayed on any floor other than the 4th, but since the hotel was sold out, it was to be expected. All of my usual room requests were met – close to the elevator, king-size bed, non-smoking room.
This hotel is unique in that it is built in a donut shape, with the rooms encircling the main lobby and restaurant area. There are two sets of elevators – on either side of the lobby – so if you take the east side elevators up, and your room is on the west side, you have a LONG walk to your room.
Since I was alone on this trip, I had two trips to make to my room to unload. Trek to the elevators, and I notice that one of the elevators is out of order, which leaves only one working car on my side of the hotel.
Arriving in my room, the first thing I noticed was the black marks on the wall. Obvious scuff marks, they hadn’t been cleaned, or painted over, just left on the wall. Dropping off my luggage, I began to unpack. Hmmm…let’s fix a Sprite (I always bring a small cooler with me on these trips – my own cups, breakfast food, Sprite, snacks). Off to the ice machine, which is just a few doors down…nope. Out of order. Onto the one working elevator and up one floor to fill my ice bucket.
Back to the room, and I collapse into the chair in the corner. Pull over the ottoman…and it’s filthy. Black stains across one entire corner (it’s a light beige plaid ottoman), and I am reluctant to put even my stocking feet on it. Ugh!
Well, I have work to do, so maybe I can at least watch TV while I work…? Remote doesn’t work. Now – I know that this is probably just a case of the batteries being low – but at this point it is just the final straw. Some of these things are not worth complaining about. The marks on the walls are just an annoyance – they aren’t going to be fixed during my stay, and I’m not changing rooms. I do however, need a working remote. It’s late, and I can survive the night, so I wait until first thing the next morning (thinking that they can more easily handle things with me out of the room). 7:30 AM, I call the front desk – after I change phones, as the one next to the bed doesn’t work. I inform the front desk clerk that the remote doesn’t work, and the ottoman is dirty and needs to be replaced. He assures me they will take care of those things.
Off to my meeting, and I am busy until just after noon. Upon returning to the room I find…it hasn’t been serviced, and nothing has been replaced. Elevator and ice machine are also still out of order. Back out the door, and downstairs I go. To the front desk, where I politely inquire if someone can tell me when, approximately, the items I requested will be handled? The two young men behind the counter apologize, and offer me a free dessert in the hotel restaurant. Now, I am not ungrateful for that, but I was not complaining in order to get something for free. I just wanted a remote that worked, and a clean ottoman.
I also asked when the ice machine might be working (found out then that they didn’t know it was down, despite the presence of an “Out of Order” sign on the machine), and when the elevator might be back in service (working on it).
Back up to the room, and the housekeeping staff are in the hall – seems they had a meeting earlier, which has made them late for cleaning the rooms. When I mentioned to the housekeeper that I was waiting on a working remote, she went to her cart, and pulled one out for me. Traded me for the one I had, and that quickly, that problem was solved. About 45 minutes later, someone from maintenance showed up to collect the ottoman. The problem there? He never brought a clean one back, so for the rest of my stay, I had a chair, and no ottoman.
The elevator was repaired late the second evening, and the ice machine? Never did work while I was there. The only choices were to walk to the other side of the hotel, or get on the elevator and go up or down a floor for ice.
And the hotel’s response? Literally…nothing. The only “response” I ever received was when I physically went to the front desk, and they offered me a coupon for dessert (I’m sure they are told / trained to offer dinner, drinks or dessert to customers with complaints, but I simply wanted my problem corrected!)
The contrast between the customer service offered by Disney and that offered by this Hilton property is staggering. Do I think Hilton should have comped me a night? No, of course not. Offered to change my room? Perhaps, but they were sold out, so I understand if that wasn’t possible. Should they have done whatever they could to correct the problems in the room, and make a long-time customer happy? Absolutely. Someone in management should have been in the room to ensure that the problems were fixed. They should have called to make sure I was satisfied with the solutions.
Will I continue to stay at Hilton properties? Probably. Will I recommend this Hilton property to friends and family? Not unless I see some changes. Better-trained staff and more attention to the details of the rooms, to start. In the years I’ve been traveling to Austin, I’ve stayed at numerous properties. I’m sure I can find another that I like, and there are plenty of Hilton properties out there.
Brand loyalty. Excellent customer service is one of the best ways to earn it.
In February of 2012, my husband and I made an anniversary trip to Walt Disney World. The background here: we are regular visitors to WDW, as Annual Pass holders, we visit several times each year. On each visit, we tend to stay at a different hotel (although we do have our favorites!), and on this particular visit, we were excited to be once again staying at the Beach Club.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the bellmen, welcomed to the Beach Club, and directed to the registration desk. It is always a pleasant surprise to be greeted by name – and I have yet to figure out how they know our name! I promise we are NOT there THAT often!
After check-in, we proceeded to our room – on the wing that we’d asked for, although not on the first floor. I am aware that all room requests cannot be met, and I never mind being placed anywhere in a Disney hotel! The room, at first glance, was the standard Beach Club room, and so we put our carry-on bags down, and began to make ourselves comfortable. Since it was late evening, our plans were simply to wait for our luggage, unpack, and get a good night’s sleep before an early start the next morning.
Unfortunately, this is where the first problem arose. Upon turning back the sheets, hubby found a hair on one of the pillows. This would have been a minor irritation for me, but he was quite unhappy, and promptly called housekeeping to ask for the bed to be remade (a reasonable request, I think).
Housekeeping arrived quickly, remade the bed, and left. And then…the sinks in the bathroom were dirty, there were some stains on one of the bedcovers…several other small issues – the end result was a call to the front desk manager. Hubby was polite, and was simply asking for a different room. He explained that this was NOT the Disney experience to which we were accustomed. Not terrible, just that we definitely were not getting into the Disney mindset and escape that we need.
The front desk quickly arranged for a room change – just next door to the room we were in – and sent a Housekeeping manager to check the room for perfection. THEN we received a phone call from the night manager. Now, it wasn’t that late at this point – perhaps 11 PM? However, he informed us that he was issuing a credit for the full night’s stay to our account, as an apology for our inconvenience and because what we experienced was not a reflection of what was expected from the Beach Club. If this doesn’t seem like such a big deal, allow me to point out that one night’s stay at the Beach Club, in the room we were in, was $478.00.
Did this change our perception of our stay? Of course it did. While we already knew that this was not typical of Disney housekeeping, the fact that they went far beyond our expectations, to make our stay perfect, ensured that we will continue to return to the Beach Club, and to WDW again.
So….what brought this situation to mind during my more recent travels? A few weeks ago I was staying at the Airport Hilton in Austin Texas. Not my first stay at this property, since I am there quite often for various meetings and conferences. Slight disclaimer: I am a Hilton Honors Silver Member, and try to stay at Hilton properties often. Upon checking in, I was assigned to a room on the 3rd floor. The first time I’ve ever stayed on any floor other than the 4th, but since the hotel was sold out, it was to be expected. All of my usual room requests were met – close to the elevator, king-size bed, non-smoking room.
This hotel is unique in that it is built in a donut shape, with the rooms encircling the main lobby and restaurant area. There are two sets of elevators – on either side of the lobby – so if you take the east side elevators up, and your room is on the west side, you have a LONG walk to your room.
Since I was alone on this trip, I had two trips to make to my room to unload. Trek to the elevators, and I notice that one of the elevators is out of order, which leaves only one working car on my side of the hotel.
Arriving in my room, the first thing I noticed was the black marks on the wall. Obvious scuff marks, they hadn’t been cleaned, or painted over, just left on the wall. Dropping off my luggage, I began to unpack. Hmmm…let’s fix a Sprite (I always bring a small cooler with me on these trips – my own cups, breakfast food, Sprite, snacks). Off to the ice machine, which is just a few doors down…nope. Out of order. Onto the one working elevator and up one floor to fill my ice bucket.
Back to the room, and I collapse into the chair in the corner. Pull over the ottoman…and it’s filthy. Black stains across one entire corner (it’s a light beige plaid ottoman), and I am reluctant to put even my stocking feet on it. Ugh!
Well, I have work to do, so maybe I can at least watch TV while I work…? Remote doesn’t work. Now – I know that this is probably just a case of the batteries being low – but at this point it is just the final straw. Some of these things are not worth complaining about. The marks on the walls are just an annoyance – they aren’t going to be fixed during my stay, and I’m not changing rooms. I do however, need a working remote. It’s late, and I can survive the night, so I wait until first thing the next morning (thinking that they can more easily handle things with me out of the room). 7:30 AM, I call the front desk – after I change phones, as the one next to the bed doesn’t work. I inform the front desk clerk that the remote doesn’t work, and the ottoman is dirty and needs to be replaced. He assures me they will take care of those things.
Off to my meeting, and I am busy until just after noon. Upon returning to the room I find…it hasn’t been serviced, and nothing has been replaced. Elevator and ice machine are also still out of order. Back out the door, and downstairs I go. To the front desk, where I politely inquire if someone can tell me when, approximately, the items I requested will be handled? The two young men behind the counter apologize, and offer me a free dessert in the hotel restaurant. Now, I am not ungrateful for that, but I was not complaining in order to get something for free. I just wanted a remote that worked, and a clean ottoman.
I also asked when the ice machine might be working (found out then that they didn’t know it was down, despite the presence of an “Out of Order” sign on the machine), and when the elevator might be back in service (working on it).
Back up to the room, and the housekeeping staff are in the hall – seems they had a meeting earlier, which has made them late for cleaning the rooms. When I mentioned to the housekeeper that I was waiting on a working remote, she went to her cart, and pulled one out for me. Traded me for the one I had, and that quickly, that problem was solved. About 45 minutes later, someone from maintenance showed up to collect the ottoman. The problem there? He never brought a clean one back, so for the rest of my stay, I had a chair, and no ottoman.
The elevator was repaired late the second evening, and the ice machine? Never did work while I was there. The only choices were to walk to the other side of the hotel, or get on the elevator and go up or down a floor for ice.
And the hotel’s response? Literally…nothing. The only “response” I ever received was when I physically went to the front desk, and they offered me a coupon for dessert (I’m sure they are told / trained to offer dinner, drinks or dessert to customers with complaints, but I simply wanted my problem corrected!)
The contrast between the customer service offered by Disney and that offered by this Hilton property is staggering. Do I think Hilton should have comped me a night? No, of course not. Offered to change my room? Perhaps, but they were sold out, so I understand if that wasn’t possible. Should they have done whatever they could to correct the problems in the room, and make a long-time customer happy? Absolutely. Someone in management should have been in the room to ensure that the problems were fixed. They should have called to make sure I was satisfied with the solutions.
Will I continue to stay at Hilton properties? Probably. Will I recommend this Hilton property to friends and family? Not unless I see some changes. Better-trained staff and more attention to the details of the rooms, to start. In the years I’ve been traveling to Austin, I’ve stayed at numerous properties. I’m sure I can find another that I like, and there are plenty of Hilton properties out there.
Brand loyalty. Excellent customer service is one of the best ways to earn it.
Sunday, September 08, 2013
Kittens in the Subway
The news story reports that the New York subway system shut down 6 miles of track yesterday as personnel searched for two kittens who were reportedly loose on the tracks. The danger, of course, was that they would either touch the deadly third rail, or be hit by a moving train.
Commuters were inconvenienced and the NY Police Dept was brought in for crowd control. As I watched the film footage from the local ABC affiliate in New York, I thought at first how adorable the kittens were. I am, after all, a cat person. But let's take a step back here. Is this a uniquely American attitude towards animals? To shut down the public transportation in THE major metropolitan center for hours, just to avoid the death of two homeless kittens? I mean, these animals are considered a food source in some parts of the world. And even here, hundreds of thousands of them are euthanized every year after being abandoned. Looking at the film footage, one can easily see that the subway system is a dumping ground for all sorts of refuse -- trash is piled up along the edges of the rails, and strewn along the pathways. Rats and mice can be seen scurrying in and out periodically...certainly no one is stopping the trains for them!
Well, if they hadn't halted service, and rescued the kittens, the story could have gone one of two ways. Either no one would have ever known, or it would have blown up in their faces, and they'd have been vilified. So...August and Arthur, the rescued kittens, are now safely in the Brooklyn Care Center, awaiting adoption, the subways are running again....and here's a picture to coo over!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Train Up A Child....
My very best life-long friend is going through a trial at the moment - a family situation that is breaking her heart. When I logged into my Facebook account at lunch today, I saw that her status read "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me..."
As I read that line, I immediately began to think of other scriptures that applied to her situation. Matthew 18:19 of course, since I've been praying with her about this. Psalms 138:8, which is a promise my mother clings to in any time of trouble. Romans 8:28 leapt to my mind...and then I began to think further.
How is it that these scriptures come so swiftly to mind?
The answer to that, of course, is that I was brought up in a household that serves the Lord. My parents took me (not sent me) to Sunday School. Reading the Bible, memorizing scriptures, even hearing my parents quote scripture to me, and to others...all of these served to hide the Word in my heart, so I would have it when I needed it.
When I am afraid, when I am sorrowful, when I am in pain, there is an answer to those problems waiting for me. A promise, and He has never failed to keep a promise, if only I know where to look. My hope is that I have managed to pass this on to my children...that someday, if my parents are not here, if I am not here, they will still know where to turn for help. For His mercy? Endureth forever.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Roots
Ok, the title? It's a trite, over-used phrase. I know this, but it is the title that fits this post, and my thoughts for the day.
My husband has family visiting from out of town. Just to clarify, hubby is the youngest of 9 children (all of whom are now grown). One of their siblings, our beloved Ginger, has already gone on to her reward...But the rest of them? They, and their dad, seem to see each other...sporadically. Years can go by, and brothers and sisters haven't seen one another, sometimes haven't even talked on the phone. I don't understand this.
My mother is also one of 9 children, and only 5 of them are still with us. But when I was growing up, as long as I can remember, my Momma's family was my family. If you say the words family, or relatives -- my aunts and uncles, my 26 first cousins on that side -- that's who I think of. Multiple times each year (and almost every holiday), we gathered at the family home place in East Texas. There were certain fixtures that never changed...when my Grandma was alive, she would be in her rocker in the corner of the living room, and as a young child, that was the first stop - go hug Grandma's neck. I realize now that my parents must have trained me in those behaviors - part of learning manners as I grew! But...I would love to have another chance to hug my Grandma now...
At times over the years, various uncles or aunts lived far away - Virginia, Colorado, Tennessee, Alaska -- so if they were present for a holiday, it was a big deal! I can remember waiting on the front porch to see whose car would turn into the drive next - and there was great joy when the cousins "my age" arrived: Jessica Lynn, Kevin, Deanne and myself - all born the same year.
Hours spent playing under the trees, building a "fort," waiting for dark to pop firecrackers (I can't remember who was so scared of them, but someone always cried!), and at Christmas we all wanted to go hunt that Christmas tree with Aunt Dorothy Faye.
Sometimes we met in different places - there were reunions and graduation parties at Roseland Pavilion in Baytown, and as cousins grew older, there were weddings (the first one I can remember was LaVerne's - I can't remember the wedding, but the rehearsal dinner for some reason!), and occasionally, funerals. I was 12 when my Grandma passed away - and I will never forget it. We'd been at Aunt Ruth's house for several days after her stroke, and Uncle Joe was standing next to her, monitoring her blood pressure, and when she breathed her last, he looked up and said "Daddy's got her now..."
Heartbreak? Yes, we had our share. Cousins, aunts and uncles taken from us too young, and they are forever missed. But we had the privilege of knowing them, growing up together, and we have memories to treasure. That's important!
I'm blessed to have memories - good and not-so-good -- of all of my cousins. I recognize them when I see them, and conversations can pick up...like we've never been apart. No matter what happens to us in this world, each of us has people we can turn to - in an emergency, I don't believe any of us would turn family away. We share our roots. We come from the same tree. And that...that by itself is enough.
So, if you're a Blackmon...and you happen to be reading this...as I typed this list, I just drifted through my memories of each person....I invite you to do the same:
Ruth, Marie, Paul, Rachel, Lois, Dorothy Faye, Mary Ellen, Lyndal and Joe.
LaVerne, Marjie Ruth, Richard, Lonnie Wayne, Jeffrey, Kenny, Rhonda, Jessica, Stevie, Martha, Jerry, Jonathan, Mike, Leslie, Fairie, Jackie, Marla, Janice, Karen, Kevin, Timothy, Lisa, Gina, Deanne, Kendra, and Mark.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Revelations....
I love it when a revelatory thought hits me, like a meteorite from heaven! And I’ve had two of those “revelations” in the last 10 minutes – my mind is reeling, and the only solution is to get these thoughts on paper.
First – I am in the middle of reading a wonderful blog (http://www.pescadoamarillo2012.blogspot.com) about a 100 day cruise, which was actually ten 10-night cruises back-to-back. The blog is great – there are wonderful pictures, it’s full of detail, and the best part? Spelling and grammar is good. ‘Nuff said.
So, I’m reading along, and there is a quick discussion about why the couple chose to do 10 cruises to the same destinations, rather than one long World Cruise, which would have been amazing…right? Here is her answer:
“We've been to all the islands we're visiting many times. We know which beach is our favorite, which snorkel site is best, how to get to the local bus station and which bus to take to get where we want to go. We know whose brother in law has a boat we can hire for the day, and which taxi driver is our favorite… It's easy, it's familiar, it's comfortable.
In fact, we've been on the Emerald Princess so many times that we say that boarding the ship on the first day is like coming home after a really long shore excursion.”
In fact, we've been on the Emerald Princess so many times that we say that boarding the ship on the first day is like coming home after a really long shore excursion.”
That’s it! That is the perfect answer to the question I am asked all. The. Time. “Why do you keep going back to Disney World?” “Don’t you want to go other places?” “Don’t you get bored?”
Well, no we don’t get bored, because we don’t do the same things every time. And we DO go other places, frequently! We cruise, we ski, we go to the lake…And yes, we plan other, longer trips too. But going to Disney World is like going to a second home for us. It’s like other people going to the river, or going to the hunting lease. We don’t have to plan every detail, because we know where everything is. We know how to get around, and if we want to just stay at the hotel for a day and sleep in, or lay by the pool? We can do that too…we’re not missing anything that won’t be there the next time we come back!
And on top of all of that? It’s my Happy Place. I can sit at the end of Main Street, late in the evening, and watch the fireworks over the Castle…and it’s just perfect. The last trip my hubby and I took, we laughed more than I can remember laughing in a year – which leads me to my next “revelation.” And that will be in the next post…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
