Five minutes after I checked in there was a knock on the door. I didn’t order room service.
I opened the door and the special delivery from the Delano Las Vegas included a welcome note from Johanna and Nicole, the Delano Meeting and Sales Managers, a VIP pin and a beautiful gift box of Christophe Feyt chocolate.
I was in Las Vegas for the seventh time this year to deliver the opening keynote presentation for ServiceWorld Expo. Five minutes into this stay, I was already prompted with another example of branding the customer experience to create differentiation and impact. I love working in Las Vegas precisely for this reason — it delivers an experience that often exceeds my expectations — and my expectations might run counter to what typically comes to mind when you consider a trip to Vegas.
The new Las Vegas offers more than just gambling. The city is now a destination for dining, shopping, music, sports and entertainment. They throw some pretty epic parties, poolside by day and club scene by night. There is something for everyone in a city that is built on hospitality and delivering a remarkable customer experience.
You can take a page from the Las Vegas playbook to elevate your own customer relationships and drive growth in your own business. Here’s how.
Customization & Personalization
When people visit Vegas, their expectations are elevated. Customers want an experience mapped to their own specific needs and preferences. Las Vegas specializes in the Whatever/Whenever approach to customer service. You want it? Just ask. They will make it happen. Do you give customers exactly what they want, when they want it?
VIP Segmentation
Not all customers are created equal. The best properties in Vegas bend over backwards to make sure their frequent, loyal and big revenue customers are rewarded. Case in point, my Delano VIP pin “entitled me the following”:
- VIP recognition by Mandalay Bay and Delano employees
- Nightly turndown service
- Complimentary access to the spa at Mandalay Bay and Delano
- Priority seating for the following restaurants: Mizuya, Noodles, Sea Breeze, Della’s Kitchen and Bayside Buffet
- Priority reservations for the following restaurants: Stripsteak, Aureole, Rivea, Fluer
- Access to House of Blues and Foundation Room
In a market that is commoditized and extremely competitive, the best resorts understand they have to continue to earn their customers’ business. How do you make your best customers feel like VIPs?
Convenience
The Delano made the entire visit easy, fun and so convenient. This is good for business! The modern Vegas resort is complete entertainment package including every amenity possible so that guests never have to leave — and that is exactly the point! Why send customers down the strip and right into the hands of the competition? The Delano doesn’t, and they capture a whole lot more share of wallet as a result. Is it it easy (and even fun) to buy from you?
The hospitality market in Las Vegas is crowded, competitive, and over-the-top. The city’s extreme commitment to customer experience offers valuable lessons about how to win new customers and how to keep wowing your longtime VIP customers simultaneously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAslTzptb0k
VIDEO: Why Customers Will Win or Lose on Customer Experience
Should Your Business Be More Like Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is the fastest growing city of the decade and while gaming continues to evolve, the city has been able to capture the elevated interest in travel for a total entertainment experience. From my perspective, shaped by visiting seven times so far this year, Las Vegas won’t be slowing down anytime soon. The city continues to masterfully reinvent itself, which is critical to sustainable business growth.
You also have an opportunity to reinvent your own brand experience. But like Las Vegas, you’ll have to be willing to go all in. You can’t take your existing customers for granted — you’ll have to work closely with them to understand their needs and desires. You’ll have to anticipate and those needs and desires and exceed them if you want to stay relevant to them in the future.
Vegas is well positioned to grow. Are you?
