Gallery.
Darren’s life’s work has been focused on creating unforgettable moments for customers. These moments earn memories as well as loyal fans who keep coming back. His ability to turn even the most brand-indifferent person into a loyal customer has earned him devoted fans across the globe.
Darren is the owner of Service Freak Hospitality, LLC, which leases and operates the Magic Castle Hotel in Hollywood, California. He's known best as the Chief Executive Freak. Since 2003, Darren has been at the helm of transforming what was a no-frills hotel into a moment-creating machine.
Today, Darren is sharing this essential knowledge through speaking engagements across the United States and internationally to industries ranging from automotive and real estate to zero-emission energy and Professional Photographers of America.
Darren uses storytelling and dynamic exercises to shift your team’s mindset from thinking about customer service to creating the perfect customer experience. His talks foster deep engagement for your team and help employees reflect on how their unique set of talents helps shape customer experience within your organization.
Darren wraps your tailored organizational and brand goals around one of these three messages:
Excellent customer service is not about smiling and acting pleasant. It’s about creating tailored and individualized moments for your customers. People remember how you made them feel, yet few companies successfully compete on creating memories. When you and your team tap into this, it becomes a competitive advantage difficult to replicate. Darren will share customer experience stories he’s gathered throughout his multi-award-winning, 30-year career in hospitality to teach your team how to create special moments that spin into positive customer stories. When you turn everyday interactions into opportunities, you build a loyal fan base that sets you apart.
Creating intentional moments in this fast-paced world doesn’t have to take more time. Darren will show you and your staff how to slow down, be deliberate with your words and keep tonality at the forefront of customer interaction. It’s not what you say, but how you say it that makes people feel valued. You have the power to make customers feel like they’re the only people who matter, which is rare and precious in customer satisfaction. When you focus on people, with a true desire to delight and connect, you gain loyal, excited customers who repeatedly return and advocate for your brand.
When you carefully listen to your customers, you can respond to their needs in a more relevant and meaningful way—and engage with what it is they truly desire from you. Employees who get creative in this process are better able to infuse meaning when coming up with customer experiences and solutions. This is where natural stories are born—the kind that excite your customers into sharing their experiences about your brand on social media, with friends and family and beyond. When you tap into your staff’s creativity, you’ll help them promote an element of playfulness. This is what we call Service Reflex.