Two women who know a thing or two about treating hotel guests well — Lori Rabon and Deborah Kunz — will have their say in the next couple of days. Rabon is being honored, deservedly so, for her unstinting dedication to the cause of Princeton’s tourism community. She chaired the CVB, the moniker for the Convention and Visitors Bureau, for the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, for 10 years. She is also the general manager of the Nassau Inn in the heart of Palmer Square. Well done, Lori — and continued success with the hotel. A reception in her honor is on Thursday.
Kunz is the former customer service manager at the Hilton Hotels, and her topic is — yes, customer service. She speaks at the Princeton Regional Chamber breakfast on Wednesday, June 19, at 7:30 a.m. at the Nassau Club.
Some Princeton retailers do very well on customer service; I will leave the rest unsaid. But we can all pick up tips. About 10 years ago I remember interviewing a speaker who implored Princeton retailers to join together in marketing — not just their own enterprise — but the Princeton region as a whole. Do you have a tourist in your store? Offer sightseeing tips. A good “insider” tip is the photo opp by the Einstein statue, or the Einstein exhibit at Landau’s.
And did you ever offer to get behind the tourist’s camera? Someone at Landau’s did that, took my camera to get a photo of my granddaughter and me and earned a soft spot in my heart for at least 4 years. That’s customer service.
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So glad Lori Rabon is being honored. She deserves it! Retailer really should embrace the “Customer is King” philosophy. It may not always result in immediate sales, but customers are more likely to return or recommend them!