I read an article this past weekend in Advertising Age, by Bob Garfield (see below) and I want to comment on the Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas because I’m highlighting two companies who somehow think that they are above their customers.

First, the Stoneleigh… Now, I want to be clear.  I want, want, WANT to LOVE the Stoneleigh Hotel.  I met my boyfriend there for the first time over five years ago at a professional networking event.  I was so excited when they announced their remodel and upgrades two years ago and completed them all above anyone’s expectations.  I have been (and taken boyfriend) to the Spa in the Stoneleigh numerous times, and their services are sublime.  I love sipping cocktails in the lobby lounge and the retro chandeliers are chic.  I wish more than anything that they would get back to work on the Stoneleigh Residences Tower because I want to live here… do you get that I like this place?

So, I set a meeting in their lobby during a mid-afternoon this past week and after doing business, I noticed a flyer on the concierge desk in the lobby with all kinds of Spa promotional items.  With my iPhone in hand, I fired up TwitterFon Pro and commenced to tweeting one of their specials from my CityCrush (@CCDallas) account.  NOTE:  We have over 680 followers vs. the Stoneleigh’s 55.  In mid-Tweet, I realized that I wasn’t positive that the Stoneleigh’s Twitter ID was @StoneleighHotel (it is!).  I asked both the bartenders for confirmation, and they said they didn’t know it.

HUH?  Isn’t this basic marketing?  NOTE to all companies:  Every employee should know the company Twitter ID, Facebook group, LinkedIn URL.  It should be on their business cards for easy reference.

So, back at the Stoneleigh, I walk over to the Concierge Desk thinking (stupidly, it turns out, on my part) surely this guy will know.  Instead, I am handed a snippily delivered, “I don’t tweet.” complete with a side order of disdain.

Hello, Marketing Director at the Stoneleigh Hotel?  Maybe this is one reason why your job is so hard?  Your own freakin’ employees are in essence working against you.  I would call an all staff meeting asap and teach everyone two things:  1. basic manners  2.  know all the Stoneleigh’s brand messaging platforms

I would have thought that companies would know by now that you can’t ignore your customers… especially when you’ve angered them by bad, or rude, service.  I mean, we’ve stood here… given you our hard earned money… we WANT to like you… we WANT to feel great about the brands we do business with.  We want to be advocates and brand champions for you and make life easier on your entire Marketing Department.  Why do you continue to allow bad employees be bad brand representation?  You DO pay dearly for it, and the next paragraph is proof.

“Music Video Forces United to Clean Up Customer-Service Act” by Bob Garfield in Advertising Age, June 13, 2009 issue.  So far, the YouTube video is approaching 3.5 MILLION views.  Way to go, Sons of Maxwell.