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Series on Customer Centricity – Gaylord Opryland ‘WOWs’ a Repeat Customer

It doesn’t take a slew of consumer data to support the argument that your regular customers are your rock. As such, taking care of them is not just the right thing to do. It’s also good for business.

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Consider the case of regular Gaylord Opryland hotel customer Christina McMenemy, who stayed at the resort three years in a row for the annual BlissDom conference. During each stay McMenemy found herself entranced by one of the features in her hotel room—an alarm clock that played light music; as in, the kind that you’d experience in a highend spa.

McMenemy says, “You probably think I’m insane to obsess over a clock radio.” But, her rationale for her fondness for this item was that she had never slept better than she did while using it. For three years McMenemy tried to find the exact model clock from her hotel room, but to no avail. McMenemy had nearly given up hope when she messaged the company’s Twitter page during her most recent trip to Opryland.

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@GaylordOpryland Where can I buy this Sharper Image clock radio in my room? None in stores have the “spa” sounds & I’ve never slept better!

Gaylord Opryland @GaylordOpryland

@mommystory Unfortunately, our version isn’t available to the public, but here is a Shaper Image alarm clock like it: http://amzn.to/ADMXzL .

Christina McMenemy @mommystory

@GaylordOpryland Yeah, that one doesn’t have the spa sound. Been looking for one after loving the 1 in my room for 3yr now at Blissdom. 🙁

Resigned to her fate, she attended the conference and let the alarm clock hunt go. But upon returning to her room she was surprised to find not one but two spa clocks and a letter with her name on it.

Opryland recognized an opportunity to make sure a long-time customer had one of the best experiences ever. And they didn’t just win a customer for life; they also bought plenty of goodwill with folks at the conference (and beyond) who subsequently heard about the story.

“You reaffirmed that there are still companies out there focused on great service, and you’ve made a lifelong fan out of me.” Christina McMenemy.