Tag Archives: customer service

Guest Relations, Guest Services, Leadership

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Power of Going the Extra Mile

Leave a comment

In the world of hospitality, we talk a lot about service standards, guest satisfaction scores, and the art of delivering an exceptional experience. But sometimes, the most memorable moments for our guests come from something deeper—an extra layer of thoughtfulness that transforms a good experience into an unforgettable one.

I recently watched a TED Talk by Will Guidara, a renowned restaurateur, where he shares his approach to what he calls “unreasonable hospitality.” It’s not about offering luxury amenities or creating over-the-top experiences; it’s about being present, trying a little harder, and finding meaningful ways to connect with guests.

One of his stories really hit home for me. In his high-end New York restaurant, a guest lamented not having had the chance to try a classic New York street hot dog. So what did Guidara do? He sent a team member to get that hot dog and served it to the guest, right there in his Michelin-starred restaurant. The gesture wasn’t lavish, but it was thoughtful and personal—and it became the highlight of the guest’s experience.

This story serves as a reminder that often, it’s the small, tailored moments that make the biggest impact. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need to offer grand gestures to impress our guests. But the truth is, thoughtful service is less about cost and more about care. A simple, well-placed effort that feels personal to the guest can mean more than the most luxurious amenities.

The key to unreasonable hospitality is being present. It’s about really listening to what our guests are saying—not just with their words, but in their actions and body language. It’s about staying alert to those subtle cues that allow us to offer a service that’s not just good, but uniquely fitting for that particular guest at that particular moment.

In our own hotels, we can apply this mindset every day. It’s about taking a step back and asking, “What can I do that’s just a little bit extra for this guest? How can I make their stay more meaningful?” It could be a handwritten note, a favorite snack, or an experience tailored to their interests. These touches don’t need to be extravagant, but they do need to be sincere.

At the end of the day, hospitality isn’t just a job—it’s a responsibility to make people feel valued and cared for. And sometimes, the most lasting impressions are made not by how much we spend, but by how much we care.

So here’s my challenge: let’s all strive to bring a little more “unreasonable hospitality” into our daily interactions. It’s not about working harder, it’s about being more present, trying a little more, and always thinking about how to create those personalized, meaningful moments that our guests will remember long after they check out.

Guest Relations, Guest Services, Leadership, Sales

The Power of Persistence in Hospitality Sales: Insights from Industry Leaders

Leave a comment

In the competitive hospitality industry, effective sales follow-up strategies are crucial for converting inquiries into bookings and building long-term customer relationships. Research underscores the importance of persistence, with 80% of sales requiring at least five follow-up attempts, while nearly half of salespeople give up after just one. This gap presents a significant opportunity for those willing to go the extra mile.

Key Insights and Case Studies

  1. Optimal Follow-Up Timing and Techniques
    • Cornell Center for Hospitality Research highlights that the most effective times for follow-ups are mid-week, particularly on Wednesdays and Thursdays, between 4-5 PM. This timing capitalizes on potential customers’ availability and willingness to engage, significantly increasing the likelihood of successful contact and conversion.
  2. Case Study: Hilton and Marriott’s Strategies
    • Both Hilton and Marriott have demonstrated the effectiveness of structured follow-up processes. These companies utilize personalized communication and detailed customer data to tailor their follow-ups, enhancing engagement and boosting conversion rates. For instance, Marriott’s approach includes a blend of emails, calls, and even personalized messages on digital platforms, ensuring they stay top-of-mind for potential clients​ (eCornell – Online Education Programs)​​ (eCornell – Online Education Programs)​.
  3. Utilizing Technology and Personalization
    • According to eCornell’s Hospitality Management programs, integrating advanced CRM systems and leveraging data analytics are critical for tracking and managing customer interactions. This technology allows for highly personalized communication, adapting follow-ups based on customer preferences and previous interactions. For example, using CRM data, a hotel can tailor its messaging to highlight services or amenities that align with the customer’s past preferences​ (eCornell – Online Education Programs)​.
  4. Motivational Factors and Sales Success
    • Studies indicate that providing clear incentives and a supportive environment for sales teams enhances persistence in follow-ups. Incentives such as bonuses for meeting follow-up milestones or converting leads into bookings can motivate salespeople to maintain consistent communication efforts, even with challenging prospects​ (eCornell – Online Education Programs)​.

Best Practices for Compelling Follow-Ups

  1. Personalize Every Interaction: Tailoring your messages to the specific needs and past interactions of each prospect can significantly increase engagement. This level of personalization demonstrates attentiveness and builds rapport.
  2. Utilize Multiple Channels: Combining emails, phone calls, social media, and even SMS can ensure that your message reaches prospects through their preferred communication channels. This multi-channel approach also reinforces your presence and commitment.
  3. Provide Value in Every Contact: Ensure that each follow-up offers something new—be it additional information, a solution to a previous query, or an update on special offers. This keeps the prospect engaged and helps them see the value in continuing the conversation.
  4. Track and Optimize: Using CRM tools to monitor and analyze the effectiveness of different follow-up strategies allows for continuous improvement. This data-driven approach helps identify what works best and refine strategies for better results.

Conclusion

Persistence, personalization, and strategic timing are key to successful follow-ups in the hospitality industry. By leveraging these strategies, sales professionals can significantly enhance their success rates, turning more inquiries into confirmed bookings and building lasting customer relationships. For those looking to refine their follow-up techniques, learning from industry leaders like Marriott, and utilizing resources from institutions like the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, can provide valuable insights and practical strategies.

For more comprehensive insights and training, consider exploring courses offered by eCornell and other renowned hospitality management programs.

Guest Services, Leadership

The Importance of Mis-en-Place in the Hotel Industry

Leave a comment

In the hotel industry, one of the most important aspects of ensuring smooth operations and high guest satisfaction is being prepared. This is where the concept of “mis-en-place” comes in.

Mis-en-place, which is a French term meaning ‘putting in place’, refers to the preparation of ingredients and equipment before the start of service. This includes tasks such as chopping vegetables, setting up cooking stations, and arranging plates and utensils. In the hotel industry, mis-en-place applies not only to the kitchen, but also to other areas such as front desk operations, housekeeping, and even engineering.

I remember one time when I was working as a front desk agent and we were understaffed that day. We had a full house, and guests were starting to arrive for check-in. I was rushing to check-in guests and answer phones at the same time. Suddenly, the computer system went down, and I had to manually check in guests. I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and it was obvious to the guests. It was only then I realize how important it is to be prepared and how it can make all the difference in providing excellent service to guests.

Another time when I was working as a housekeeper, I was making up a guest room and I realized that I had forgotten to restock my cart with essentials like shampoo and soap. I had to make multiple trips to the supply room, and it slowed down my work and I was running behind schedule. It was a valuable lesson on how being prepared can greatly benefit operations and own performance.

Having a well-executed mis-en-place not only improves the efficiency of operations, but it also greatly benefits the performance of the staff. When everything is in its proper place and ready to go, staff members can focus on providing excellent service to guests without being bogged down by the stress of last-minute preparation. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and a more positive work environment.

Furthermore, a well-prepared staff is better equipped to handle unexpected situations. For example, if a guest requests a special meal or requests a room move, a staff member who is well-prepared and has a good understanding of the hotel’s operations will be able to handle the situation in a timely and efficient manner, thus minimizing any potential negative impact on the guest’s experience.

In addition to the operational benefits, having a mis-en-place also helps to improve the overall image of the hotel. A clean, well-organized hotel, with staff that is well-prepared and can provide prompt service, leaves a lasting impression on guests and can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth.

In conclusion, mis-en-place is a critical aspect of the hotel industry that can greatly benefit both the operations and the performance of the staff. By putting in place proper preparation and organization, hotels can ensure smooth operations, improve guest satisfaction, and enhance the overall image of the hotel.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mis-en-place is a critical aspect of the hotel industry that refers to the preparation of ingredients and equipment before the start of service.
  • Being well-prepared improves the efficiency of operations and benefits the performance of staff.
  • A well-prepared staff is better equipped to handle unexpected situations and provide excellent service to guests.
  • Having a mis-en-place also helps to improve the overall image of the hotel, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth.
  • By putting in place proper preparation and organization, hotels can ensure smooth operations, improve guest satisfaction, and enhance the overall image of the hotel.

Development, Leadership

The Power of Teamwork in the Hotel Industry

Leave a comment

When it comes to providing exceptional service to guests, the hotel industry relies on the power of teamwork. From the moment a guest books their stay to the moment they check out, the staff at a hotel plays a crucial role in ensuring that their experience is memorable. And while individual employees may have their own areas of expertise, it’s the collaborative efforts of a team that truly make a hotel run like a well-oiled machine.

But why is teamwork so important in the hotel industry? Here are a few reasons:

  • Improved guest experience: When employees work together as a team, they are able to provide a better guest experience. I’ve seen firsthand how a team of front desk employees who communicate effectively and work together to resolve guest issues results in happy guests who are more likely to return to the hotel.
  • Increased productivity: When employees work together as a team, they are able to accomplish more than they would individually.
  • Better problem-solving: Teams are able to come up with more creative solutions to problems than individuals. When employees from different departments worked together to solve a difficult guest complaint, they came up with an innovative solution that not only satisfied the guest but also improved our hotel’s overall service.
  • Enhanced employee morale: When employees feel like they are part of a team and their contributions are valued, they are more motivated and satisfied with their job. When employees feel that they are part of a team and are recognized for their hard work, they are more motivated to continue to provide excellent service to our guests.
  • Cost savings: Teams can work together to identify areas where cost savings can be made.

So, how can hotel management foster a culture of teamwork within their organization? Here are a few tips:

  • Clearly define roles and responsibilities: Make sure each team member knows their role and what is expected of them. This helps to avoid confusion and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals.
  • Encourage open communication: Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and feedback. This helps to build trust and fosters a sense of collaboration.
  • Lead by example: Hotel management should model the behavior they expect from their team members and foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork and collaboration.
  • Recognize and reward teamwork: Recognize and reward team members for their contributions to the team’s success. This helps to build a sense of pride and ownership among team members, which can lead to increased motivation and productivity.
  • Provide opportunities for training and development: Invest in your team members by providing them with opportunities for training and development. This helps to build a skilled and motivated team that is better equipped to work together effectively.
  • Celebrate successes: Take the time to celebrate the team’s successes, big or small. This helps to build a sense of camaraderie and promotes a positive work environment.
  • Encourage feedback and suggestions: Encourage team members to give feedback and suggestions on how to improve teamwork. And act on that feedback, this can help identify and solve issues that might be hindering teamwork.

In conclusion, teamwork is essential for the smooth operation and success of any hotel. By fostering open communication, a positive work environment, and opportunities for team-building, hotel management can create a culture of collaboration that benefits both the hotel and its guests.

Guest Services

Is The Customer Still King?

Leave a comment
I am all about personalized service and believe that it becomes more and more important if you want your business to remain relevant. I never believed in online shopping until I started shopping at huge department stores like Bloomingdales or Macys. It’s a challenging experience and you feel like that you need to be thankful to receive good and caring service, forget about the customer is king, here it’s the employee who is king and you can trust they make sure that you know by their attitude. I try to avoid asking for help as much as possible and now switched to online shopping just to avoid their customer service.

052912_cSeinfeld

Is this the future? Are we moving to impersonal online shopping as the quality of service decreases? Continue reading Is The Customer Still King? →
Guest Relations, Guest Services

Is The Hotel Industry Losing Its Hospitality?

1 Comment

I recently happened to watch the WestJet Christmas Miracle video on YouTube and I was impressed by how simple yet powerful this idea was in building an emotional connection between an airline and its customers. The video went viral, has over 26 million views on YouTube, and the cost for the Christmas presents is nothing compared to the return on investment this campaign will have for WestJet.

What concerns me is that the hotel industry who claims to be all about its guests and their well-being didn’t come up with this first. It feels like that we keep holding on to our glamorous past by thinking that we can still impress our guests by sending up a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to their rooms, while other industries figured out a way to move on and to connect deeply to their customers.

WestJetThe exact same thing that the airline did for its customers any hotel could be doing for its guests staying over during the holidays by asking them prior to arrival what they want for Christmas and delivering these gifts on the 25th. Continue reading Is The Hotel Industry Losing Its Hospitality? →

Development, Guest Services

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Takes Customer Service To The Next Level

Leave a comment

Jeff Bezos takes customer service to the next level, and is planning to have packages delivered within only 30 minutes of ordering! How is this possible? Click on video below and you’ll find out how. For more details read the related article in the Washington Post.

Screen shot 2013-12-08 at 8.59.49 PM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BIu9dpwHU

If you enjoyed reading this post you can share it with your network by clicking any of the followbuttons below and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for the newest posts!

Guest Relations, Guest Services, Leadership

Why It’s Better To Ask For Forgiveness Than For Permission

Leave a comment

The value of acting promptly and making a mistake requiring forgiveness is greater than the value of delaying to get permission! Let me explain you why…

Most companies fail to deliver excellent customer service because their employees are not empowered to make the right decisions the moment it counts most to make the customer happy. They need to check with their managers first delaying any helpful response, and making it frustrating for the customer to do business with you. Empower your employees to make the customer happy the fast and uncomplicated way. Your customers have a choice to do business with you, or the competition across the street.

Screen shot 2013-12-08 at 6.31.07 PMIf it’s the right thing to do and in the best interest of the customer, your company and colleagues, go ahead and do it. You’re not going to be 100% right all the time, but we’re working in the service industry and are not performing heart surgery, so trust me most mistakes can be sorted out later. We need to go back to the roots and focus all of our energy and efforts on making the customer happy. This is the only way to differentiate ourselves from the competition and ensure that we stay relevant. Continue reading Why It’s Better To Ask For Forgiveness Than For Permission →

Guest Services, Leadership

Complexity Is Your Enemy!

Leave a comment

Making things simply for the customer is the essence of great and prompt service! How often do you get frustrated by unnecessarily complicated and difficult service?

Our policy states… I need to ask my manager first… No, I am sorry… You need to… Please hold… let me connect you to…

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Trust me it is happening at your company as well! Our customers do have a choice, and if we don’t strive to make it easy for them to do business with us, one of our competitors will sooner or later!

Listen to your guests and put yourself in their shoes!

Screen shot 2013-12-01 at 6.02.07 PM

If you want to learn more from Richard Branson and his secrets to provide excellent customer service you must watch video below. My favorite customer service tip to empower your employees to do the right thing the fast and uncomplicated way is ‘it’s better to ask for forgiveness than asking for permission’.

If you enjoyed reading this post you can share it with your network by clicking any of the followbuttons below and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for the newest posts!

Guest Relations, Guest Services

Is This The End Of Customer Service?

Leave a comment

Do you still remember when online shopping was first introduced or when you were first referred to receive the desired information online rather than from a representative? I still remember being irritated and annoyed by it…

ID-100130253Image courtesy of hyena reality at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I recently went to get a new suit at Macy’s as they offer a great variety of products and always good discounts. While the customer service wasn’t bad, I got annoyed as I wasn’t in control of the experience and the representative didn’t lead the dance of the experience either. He seemed too busy taking care of other customers to provide me with the personalized service I was hoping for, and I had the feeling that he wasn’t interested in going beyond of what he felt were his job duties. In comparison I always buy my suit shoes over macys.com and always have the best experience. It’s convenient, fast, and uncomplicated and I never have to deal with any attitude or indifference of an employee. Continue reading Is This The End Of Customer Service? →

Leadership, Recommended Books

Great Companies Focus On Great Products and Service, Not On Profit

Leave a comment

Two of the greatest leaders in the technology industry, the late Steve Jobs of Apple and Jeff Bezos of Amazon build their companies around great products and customer service, and based their companies’ values on delivering to these expectations.

Steve Jobs built a company focused on end to end control with hardware and software fully integrated to create the most beautiful designs and perfect customer experience. His intense focus on perfection and his inspiring vision of creating products that would ‘make a dent in the universe’ changed the world, and I strongly recommend reading his biography by Walter Isaacson.

steve-jobs-biography

Steve Jobs never focused on money and profit as a motivator, but on doing something that’s great, and I believe he best said it with ,being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me’. Too many companies fail to have a compelling vision, and if they do, they fail to follow and deliver to it, and they just end up designing products or offering services with the goal in mind to make profit and gain market share. They don’t build products that they would enjoy using themselves, or offer services that they would love to experience themselves. How often do you feel your company is run by the numbers and politics, and that decisions are being made for the wrong reasons? Steve Jobs was known for his brutal honesty and that you were either ‘a hero or a shithead’ and sometimes both on the same day, but he was always clear about what he stood for, and never held back giving feedback and did not accept poor performance or product quality. While his leadership style was often criticized for being too harsh, people wanted to follow him because they believed in his compelling vision and understood that he was only trying to push his people to achieve what they didn’t know that they were capable of.

Jeff Bezos, while completely different compared to Steve Jobs in his character and leadership style built another great company with Amazon that’s second to none (Jeff’s leadership tips on Forbes.com). His intense focus on customer service made Amazon what it is today, a company with over 90 thousand employees that beats profit expectations again and again, but more importantly a company that’s known for its great service and obsession with customers.

If you enjoyed reading this post you can share it with your network by clicking any of the followbuttons below and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for the newest posts!

Guest Relations

5 Benefits of Effective Complaint Management

Leave a comment

Things go wrong all the time and when they do, it’s important to recognize and fix the problem, to follow-up with everyone involved and learn from it so it doesn’t happen again and again. That’s easier said than done since most managers prefer to keep themselves busy by putting out fires and look like heroes, rather than to face the real challenges, the root causes of the fires, and to make the tough decisions that would really change things to the better. But one way or the other customer complaints are unavoidable and depending on how effectively your team manages them it will make or break your organization.

ID-10088139

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Besides the obvious benefit of having a problem temporarily go away and the pain that comes with it, and turning an upset customer into a happy one, the 5 main benefits of effective complaint management are:

  1. It creates a customer focused culture. Having your team understand the true value of every guest who is walking through your doors is fundamental for the success and long-term profitability of your business. Understanding that a guest is not an interruption of your work, but the reason that you have a job is crucial.
  2. It reduces the operational cost. Effectively managing a complaint and ensuring that the guest is satisfied with your service recovery, will reduce your expenses and cost in the long-rung, as you may otherwise end up having to reimburse more than necessary to keep the guest from talking bad about your business.
  3. It reduces the cost of winning new customers and increases customer loyalty. The return rate of a guest that was satisfied with his or her stay at your hotel is less than the one who experienced a problem at your hotel that was solved to his satisfaction. Why? … simply because your customers know that things can go wrong, but it’s important that when they do, that they can trust your organization to take ownership and get it right.
  4. It reduces any brand and market damage. Solving a guest complaint to the customers satisfaction not yours, hopefully stops your client from talking bad about your business or commenting negatively about the service experience on social media.
  5. It enhances the customer experience and increases sales and profitability. A happy guest as a result of effective complaint management will spend more at your hotel, stay longer and more often. Even more importantly a happy guest will tell his or her friends about it and act as a brand advocate.

Question: Can you think of any other examples of effective complaint management?

Guest Relations

The 7 Deadly Sins Of Complaint Management

Leave a comment

Getting a guest complaint is always an opportunity to turn an unsatisfied customer into a loyal advocate of your business. Understanding the value of focusing on training your employees on how to handle guest complaints and effectively manage guest expectations to prevent complaints from occurring in the first place does not only boost a customer focused environment, it also fosters a winning culture.

ID-100105835

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While we hopefully always have the best intentions in mind when dealing with an upset customer, the outcome may not always be positive. Better understanding the 7 deadly sins of complaint management will help us to be more conscious of the do’s and do not’s when facing an angry customer the next time. Continue reading The 7 Deadly Sins Of Complaint Management →

Guest Relations, How To

How to handle guest complaints

7 Comments

Guest complaints are common, not just in hospitality, and the more comfortable you get dealing with them, the better for you and your customers! Unfortunately practice itself does not always make perfect, only perfect practice does. So while everyone working in a hotel in any guest related position is confronted with tons of complains during their career, not everyone masters the skill of dealing with them effectively.

fourrooms-05

Four Rooms

So how do you handle complaints and a guest who had a bad experience? Continue reading How to handle guest complaints →