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SeaDream - Dream Service

Sometime, my wife and I joined a few friend for a cruise to celebrate the birthday of a friend. It was with a cruise line called SeaDream Yacht Club. These are small, exclusive boats (about 50 cabins) that are famous for their award-winning 5-star service. 

From the moment we were welcomed aboard by the Captain, it felt as if we were being welcomed onto our own private luxury yacht. With only a maximum of 112 guests and a crew of 95, the crew to guest ratio provided everyone with an incomparable style and expert attention to detail. 

The service aboard was exceptional and delivered by a crew that is passionate about delivering highly personalised and anticipatory service; from the way the bartender knew your name and what you like to drink, to how the waiter knew how to surprise you with your favourite dessert. 

So what is the point of this blog? I decided to write it because on reflection, I have come to the conclusion that SeaDream Yacht Club is a world class example of something I have always believed. That is, that if you are able to deliver an exceptional, personalised service, your customers will forgive you other things that may not be as they expected. 

The SeaDream example stems from the fact that parts of the boat are looking a bit tired, and are probably overdue a re-fit. This is especially true of the cabins (which they call Staterooms). They are smaller than you would expect from a ‘luxury’ experience, and many of the fixtures and fittings are dated and below the standard currently available in 5-star hotels. 

I’ve spoken about this with my wife and some of the other people on the cruise, and they all say the same thing. That is that it didn’t matter, because the exceptional service provided by the crew more than made up for it. I also know that many of SeaDream’s customers have been on numerous cruises with them, so most people obviously feel the same.

The lesson here is that a great service experience can outweigh other things that may not be as good as they could be; and it if it is really great, it will do it consistently. 

My point is I that regularly hear people telling me that it’s not worth focussing on the customer service experience, because there are other things that need fixing first. But this experience, and many others I’ve experienced or know of, suggest that maybe (probably?) this is precisely what you should focus on. A great service experience definitely can create lasting customer loyalty; even when other things are not perfect.

© Copyright Chris Daffy