005: The Details of Customer Experience with Darren Ross.

Can free popsicles, fun and customer service create a number 1 Hotel in Los Angeles?  

Darren Ross, Owner and CEO at Service Freak Hospitality and COO of Magic Castle Hotel, shares the process of making marketing easy by providing guests with a creative approach to service. 

On appearance, The Magic Castle Hotel in Los Angeles is nothing special. It is an old apartment complex built in 1937 that was converted into a hotel in the 1980s. Despite this though, from 2001 Darren and his team has transformed this hotel into one of the most sought-after hotels in Los Angeles - famous for being a fun, family focused hotel and offering incredibly creative customer experience. 

In return, not only do guests to spread the word by leaving amazing reviews for their hotel but their amazing customer experience has been featured in many publications and best-selling marketing books. 

Darren’s most notable experience is the pool “Popsicle Hotline” - allowing families to experience free white gloved delivery of their favourite ice-block poolside.

Listen to hear how this guru has built one of the most referenced and remarkable hotels in the world. 

Take away points 

• Take the problem from the customers. Give them the gift of time back to their family.
• Create moments.
• Amazing customer service is hard. It is not automated. You have to do it manually.
• Hire employees with personality, that is what is important.
• Don’t be afraid to be playful. Your customers want to feel something, they want to be moved. Show respect to your customers.
• Stand by your brand, on who you are.  

Quotes:

13:23 What we lack in modern facilities, state of the art gyms, we more than make up for in how we make our customers feel by the time they leave.

13:43 I can’t compete with the Five Star Hotels in Los Angeles, but I will compete all day all with the same Five Star Hotel in the same way we make our customers feel by the time they leave.

42:15 Listen carefully, respond creatively is how you reach people and sets you apart from your competitors.

45:01 Decide to be a customer service company first. 

45:48  Be Bold and have fun conversations to brainstorm.