In his latest blog (see below) Seth Godin talks about a "cyborg tool", recently unveiled at the annual TED conference of scientists, futurists, artists and thinkers.
The cyborg tool will remember names, find connections and bring all sorts of external data to us the moment we need it. This will allow us to make links instantaneously - "Oh, yes, David, he's the guy I met through James at the marketing conference - he'd just taken a new job with P&G".
Seth is underwhelmed. He reckons that "The first time it happens to you you'll be blown away and flabbergasted. The tenth time, it'll be ordinary, and the 20th, boring". He believes it's like hotels remembering your name and preferences - just a database trick.
Well, here in the UK, I wish hotels would use the "database trick" more often when we check in!
I stayed last week in one of my favourite "boutique" hotels, in the north of England. I was delighted when I found that in my room (not the same room as before) they had left the window open just a little - exactly as I like it, and exactly as I had left the window on my previous visit. The Gleneagles Hotel (one of the best in the world) used to use the 'window as you like it' as an example of their fantastic service, and it featured in a series of ads by the late, lamented Hall Advertising in Edinburgh.
All evening, I thought "how cool is that - they noticed, they remembered (or their database did - I'm happy with that) and they made sure to make the room exactly as I like it on my next visit".
Just before retiring for the night, I went to close the window a little. They hadn't remembered. The window catch was broken.
Ah well, business as usual.
But why can't hotels get this simple little aspect of customer service right, even when you've stayed there three times in the last month? Why can't they ask me how my journey was (my home address is right there on their computer, I assume). Why can't they say "On your last visit you dined out, Mr Harris - this time would you like to try the hotel restaurant, or can I recommend a great restaurant nearby?"
The data is easy to capture - all they need is to add the human element by actually using it.
And if you've got a hotel and you do this stuff (or a client hotel who does) let me know and I'll stay there next time.
PS: Seth Godin's blog is here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com
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