3 Tips for Creating a Guest Service Culture in your Organization

From ‘Meh’ to Memorable

Guest Service is slowly but surely eroding from our society. We have all experienced those guest service interactions that leave us baffled and bewildered. Doing the bare minimum and what is expected, otherwise known as mediocrity, is the new normal. These interactions are common place and the majority of the time forgettable.

Is that what we have come to?  Is that what we have settled for?

In today’s review based decision making world, shouldn’t we aspire for more?  If you like me say, “yes!” then these three tips will help you and your organization go from meh to memorable.

3 Tips on Creating a Guest Service Culture in your Organization

1. Awesome Arrival

The welcome experience is foundational in setting the tone for every other interaction. A positive or negative encounter will determine whether the guest says, “here is another example of how they are” (if a negative unforeseen and often uncontrollable instance occurs), or “No big deal, everything else to this point has been great.” We call this the “Grace Effect” and it has enormous power.

Think of the example of the DoubleTree hotel chain. They greet guests warmly upon arrival, but go even further by serving freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. DoubleTree is not a bakery; they only need to provide clean, comfortable hotel rooms. But they go the extra mile and wow their guests with a chocolate treat. They consider that guests may arrive hungry and tired and maybe even a little bit cranky. So DoubleTree uses the opportunity to provide an extra service they don’t have to provide, just to bring a smile to the guests’ face. Does DoubleTree provide good accommodations? Yes, but they are remembered for their awesome arrival.

2. Navigating Needs

Do not forget about or neglect the guest while they are with you. You have put in so much time, energy and resources to get the guest with you. Don’t blow it now. The unforgettable organizations meet and anticipate needs at every point during the guest experience. Customers remember these interactions and furthermore, tell others!

3. Fond Farewell

Does the guest view their departure experience through the lens of being rushed out or thank you so much for choosing to be with us? We all have choices and it should be considered a privilege that someone chose to spend time with us. When we start our wrap up process before the guest has departed we are sending the message: hurry up and leave, because I have better things to do. Don’t be that guy.

Go the Extra Mile

Think through how you can implement these 3 Tips for Creating a Guest Service Culture in Your Organization and how they will make your organization memorable so that you stand out from the competition. Guest service is not difficult, but it does require that we sometimes go further than what others are willing to do.