Some businesses promise excellent customer service. Others quietly demonstrate it through the small things they do every day.
Last Monday, after taking my daughter to school, I decided to do something different. Instead of heading straight home, I visited Lowlands Hotel & Spa in Chuka. I wasn’t checking into a room or attending a conference. I simply wanted a quiet place to enjoy a cup of coffee, do some writing, and observe hotel customer service from the perspective of an everyday customer.
Over two consecutive Monday mornings, I discovered that excellent customer care is rarely about grand gestures. More often, it is found in the ordinary moments that many businesses overlook—a genuine smile, a warm greeting, employees who acknowledge you before you speak, and a team that makes you feel welcome whether the business is quiet or busy.
One moment stayed with me long after I left.
During my second visit, the waitress who had served me the previous week walked past my table, smiled, and simply said,
“You’re back.”
Those two words reminded me that great customer care isn’t just about serving people well. It’s about making them feel remembered.
That experience inspired Monday Field Notes, a weekly series on Lobby Reflections where I visit businesses as an everyday customer and share practical lessons on customer experience, leadership, and service excellence.
This week’s reflection draws from two visits to Lowlands Hotel & Spa and the valuable lessons they offered about consistency, culture, and the lasting impact of making every customer feel welcome.
Hotel Customer Service Begins at the Gate
Before entering the hotel, I changed into my cream doll shoes at the gate, took a deep breath, and walked towards the entrance.
The first person I met was a security guard.
He looked at me, smiled warmly, and simply said,
“Karibu.”
That single word accomplished something many businesses underestimate.
It immediately put me at ease.
I felt welcome before saying a single word, and I knew I had come to the right place.
As someone who works as a security guard, I couldn’t help appreciating that moment. Security officers are often viewed only as protectors of people and property, yet they also serve as the first ambassadors of an organisation. Long before customers reach the reception desk, they have already begun forming an opinion about the business.
I smiled back, greeted another security officer as I walked towards reception, and immediately felt at ease.
The experience reminded me that customer service doesn’t begin at reception.
It begins at the gate.
Customer Care Lesson
Every customer journey starts with a first impression. A genuine smile and a warm welcome from a security officer can replace uncertainty with confidence and create a positive tone for everything that follows.
Recognition Before Conversation Matters
As I approached reception, another simple yet powerful customer care moment caught my attention.
The receptionists looked up as soon as they saw me.
Instead of waiting for me to speak, they stood, smiled warmly, and greeted me before asking how they could help.
Although the gesture lasted only a few seconds, it communicated something every customer wants to feel:
“We see you, and we’re glad you’re here.”
I never felt like I had interrupted anyone.
There was no awkward moment of wondering whether someone would notice me.
When I explained that I wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee and asked for directions to the restaurant, one of the receptionists kindly showed me the way with the same warmth she had displayed from the beginning.
The interaction reminded me of a lesson I shared in my article, Customer Etiquette at the Front Desk. The first few moments inside any business often determine how comfortable customers feel for the rest of their visit. A smile, eye contact, and a genuine greeting cost nothing, yet they leave a lasting impression.
Customer Care Lesson
Customers don’t always expect immediate service, but they do expect immediate acknowledgement. Looking up, making eye contact, smiling, and greeting someone before they even ask for help communicates respect and professionalism.
Attentive Service Without Being Intrusive
When I reached the restaurant, the housekeeping team was finishing the morning cleaning and arranging the chairs.
After asking whether I could sit outside near the pool, they warmly invited me to choose whichever seat I preferred.
A young waitress soon approached with the menu, patiently took my order for a single espresso, helped me connect to the Wi-Fi, and made sure I had everything I needed before allowing me to enjoy the peaceful morning.
What impressed me most was what happened next.
She didn’t disappear completely, nor did she hover around my table.
Instead, she remained quietly available.
Occasionally she walked past or stayed within sight, making it easy for me to ask for anything if I needed assistance.
That balance is the hallmark of excellent hospitality.
As I enjoyed my coffee, several members of staff passed by with warm smiles or friendly glances to ensure I was comfortable, even though I was the only guest in that section of the restaurant.
Before leaving, I stopped at reception to ask a few additional questions.
The reception team answered each one patiently and warmly, never making me feel hurried simply because my bill had already been paid.
From arrival to departure, every interaction reflected the same level of professionalism.
The experience reminded me of the service philosophy embraced by world-class hospitality brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, where memorable guest experiences grow from consistently caring for customers during both major and ordinary moments.
Customer Care Lesson
Great customer service isn’t about constantly checking on customers. It’s about being available when they need you, respecting their space, and ensuring they feel supported throughout their visit. Customer care should never end when the bill has been paid.
“You’re Back”: When Recognition Builds Customer Loyalty
One week later, I returned to Lowlands Hotel & Spa.
This time, I walked in with confidence because I already knew where I was going.
After greeting the security officers, I made my way to the restaurant, where a different waitress welcomed me and took my order for another single espresso.
Unlike the previous Monday, the restaurant gradually became busier.
A middle-aged couple arrived for breakfast, followed later by two other gentlemen. Soft worship music played quietly in the background as I continued writing and observing the morning.
Then came the highlight of my visit.
The waitress who had served me the previous Monday walked past my table, smiled, looked at me, and simply said,
“You’re back.”
Those two words stayed with me.
They reminded me that customer loyalty isn’t built only through loyalty cards, discounts, or marketing campaigns.
Sometimes it begins with something as simple as being remembered.
For a brief moment, I didn’t feel like just another customer.
I felt familiar.
I felt welcome.
I felt that my previous visit had mattered.
Customer Care Lesson
Customers return to places where they feel recognised. Remembering a returning customer—even with a simple greeting—creates a sense of belonging that no promotion can replace.
Business Consistency Is the Real Test of Customer Service
Watching two different Monday mornings taught me one important lesson.
Business has seasons.
Some mornings are quiet.
Others are wonderfully busy.
What impressed me most wasn’t the number of customers.
It was the consistency of the people.
Genuine smiles remained unchanged.
Warm greetings continued regardless of how busy the restaurant became.
The team’s attentiveness never faded.
No one appeared too busy to acknowledge a customer, and no one treated me differently when the restaurant became busier.
That consistency builds trust.
Customer experience experts, including the Qualtrics XM Institute and Harvard Business Review, consistently emphasise that loyalty grows when organisations deliver positive experiences time after time rather than occasionally.
As I reflected on both visits, I realised that consistency is one of the strongest indicators of an organisation’s culture.
Anyone can provide excellent service on a good day.
The real test is maintaining that same standard every day.
Customer Care Lesson
Excellent customer service isn’t measured by how well a team serves customers on its best day.
It is measured by how consistently that team serves customers every day.
Final Reflections
As I finished my espresso, I found myself hoping to meet the manager—not because I had a complaint, but because I wanted to say thank you.
Businesses often receive feedback when something goes wrong.
I believe they should also hear when something goes right.
To the team at Lowlands Hotel & Spa, thank you.
My appreciation goes to the security officers for their warm welcome, the reception team for acknowledging every guest before they spoke, the housekeeping staff for their kindness, and the restaurant team for delivering consistently professional service across two very different Monday mornings.
You reminded me that excellent customer care is built through ordinary moments repeated consistently.
I look forward to visiting more businesses through Monday Field Notes, celebrating organisations that quietly get customer service right, and encouraging leaders to keep investing in the people who create memorable customer experiences every day.
“Business will have quiet mornings and busy mornings. What customers remember is whether your kindness remained the same.”
— Jackline Wambui
Business Spotlight
Featured Business: Lowlands Hotel & Spa, Chuka, Kenya
During two Monday morning visits, I experienced warm and consistent customer care from the security team, reception staff, housekeeping team, and restaurant staff. Whether the coffee area was quiet or busy, the quality of service remained consistently high.
To learn more about the hotel’s accommodation, restaurant, conference facilities, spa, and other services, visit the official Lowlands Hotel & Spa website.
Related Articles
Further Reading
- Lowlands Hotel & Spa (Official Website)
- The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center
- Harvard Business Review – Customer Experience
- Qualtrics XM Institute
This Week’s Field Note
“A customer’s experience doesn’t begin at the reception desk. It begins with the first smile they receive.”
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