Christina McMenemy fell in love with an alarm clock.
As odd as that may sound, if we’re honest, it isn’t all that unusual for people to get emotional about alarm clocks. On the other hand, love isn’t the first emotion that comes to mind. But the clock that Christina McMenemy loved was no ordinary clock. Thanks to this clock’s unique and soothing spa sounds, Christina slept more soundly and felt more rested than she ever had before. Unfortunately, she had experienced this blissful rest only three times—during each of her stays at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, at the annual BlissDom conference. The increased quality of sleep was so noticeable, Christina decided to find and purchase one of the clock radios for her own home.
Christina tried many different clocks and sound machines at retail stores, but was simply unable to locate a clock or sound machine that generated the same spa sound as the one in her hotel room. As a last resort Christina tagged the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in a tweet during her third stay, hoping they could help her:
@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!
— Christina McMenemy (@mommystory) February 26, 2012
@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. 🙁
— Christina McMenemy (@mommystory) February 26, 2012
Thinking she had hit a dead end, Christina gave up her search. But when she returned to her hotel room, Christina was greeted with a handwritten note next to not one but two spa clocks. The note thanked her for her patronage, and confirmed that the second clock was hers to enjoy in her own home. Wow!
How To Wow
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel had already tried to assist their loyal customer. They answered her inquiry, and provided a link where Christina could purchase a similar product. They could have stopped there. That is probably what the average hotel would have done, if that. But average hotels don’t produce the Wow Factor.
What is the Wow Factor? The Wow Factor is a memorable experience that leaves others talking about us in an extremely positive way. Do you think Christina McMenemy might talk about Gaylord Opryland Hotel in an extremely positive way? Of course! In fact, there are many people now talking about them in an extremely positive way! They went well beyond what was expected. They showed a heightened awareness of human behavior. They spoke Christina’s language.
Such a high level of service is remarkable and uncommon.
Have you ever experienced The Wow Factor? When?
Share your story in the comments below.
*note: I first read about this ‘Wow’ story at helpscout.net. Read the article here.