Tag Archives: Emotions

Every Contact a Pot of Gold? Go the Extra (s)mile for Service

Emotions, Perceptions, Feelings

Another boat show. Do you know who your next client will be? Do you know who may refer your next client? Do you know who may give you a positive recommendation, or a negative one? Do you know who may open a door, or close one relative to business opportunities? The point is we often think we know and yet there are many points of contact – whether three seconds, three minutes or three hours – that can mislead us. Managing those contacts as if each one could lead to the pot of gold is critical in ...

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Be Positive to Customers, Even If Your Mood Isn’t

Emotions, Perceptions, Feelings,

High notes, low notes, coughs, gulps, groans and deep sighs. Boredom, rudeness, reticence, enthusiasm, frustration…. Wait a minute, back up. Enthusiasm? I was prepared for all of the rest when booking a hotel stay recently, but not enthusiasm. However, one enthusiastic individual actually had a lilt in her voice, a sound and a feeling that she was happy to be there. Three of the four encounters I had featured everything but enthusiasm. I was greeted without a greeting, with exasperation and anno...

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Technology Trauma May Cause Guests to Need the ER-Emotional Recovery

Best and Worst Practices, , ,

“Please press 1 if you are frustrated, press 2 if you are annoyed, and press 3 if you just want to scream.” Sound familiar? Technology is everywhere in hospitality — and when it works, it’s powerful. When it doesn’t, it can create what feels like service trauma. When technology replaces the human connection Innovations in reservations systems, kiosks, and automation are designed to improve efficiency. But what happens when those systems disconnect guests from people? In one case, a loyal guest c...

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When the Lights Go Out – How Service Holds Up in a Crisis

Leadership,

“Windy weather, windy weather, when the wind blows, we all come together.” Florida’s hospitality industry lived that reality during a string of hurricanes that tested preparation, response, and resilience. In moments like these, service doesn’t disappear — it evolves. When expectations suddenly change Natural disasters shift everything. Guests are no longer just travelers. They may be evacuees, families under stress, or individuals seeking basic comfort and safety. Expectations change quickly, a...

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Holiday Service Under Pressure – When It Works and When It Fails

Insights,

The rush is on. Parking lots are full. Lines are long. Phones are busy. Anxiety is high. It’s the holiday season, and with it comes the annual test of service under pressure. The reality of waiting Consumers spend a surprising amount of time in line. Over a lifetime, it adds up to nearly a full year spent waiting. During the holidays, that time feels even longer as stress and expectations increase. How employees respond in those moments can define the entire experience. The missed opportunity at...

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Hospitality, portrait and man at hotel reception for customer service, welcome or luxury accommodation. Smile, friendly concierge and happy in lobby for check in assistance, help or travel booking

Attitude Drives Service – And Gratitude Follows

Emotions, Perceptions, Feelings, ,

“It’s not the aptitude, but the attitude that determines the altitude!” Soaring to new heights in service can be as simple as making an attitude adjustment. While knowledge and skill sets are essential, they can quickly lose value when paired with a negative — or even indifferent — attitude. In fact, many customers take their business elsewhere not because of poor execution, but because of indifference. How guests experience attitude When guests enter a hospitality environment, they are constant...

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Concept of Deliver Your Promises Text written in torn paper.

Delivery Defines the Experience – Where Service Promises Are Kept or Broken

Best and Worst Practices,

Service is only expensive when not received. Think about everything that happens before a service is delivered. Research, phone calls, conversations, marketing materials, and sales interactions all build anticipation and confidence. Then the purchase is made — and the waiting begins. When delivery becomes the moment of truth This is where expectations are either fulfilled or broken. The delivery phase is when the promise made during the sales process is realized. It is also where the entire expe...

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Serve with Grace – The Missing Ingredient in Customer Service

Best and Worst Practices,

Grace. Some people have it. Some people talk about it. Some people show up with it. To be gracious is to be marked by kindness and courtesy, to be pleasant, thoughtful, and genuinely enjoyable to be around. Many of the great hoteliers were known not just for service, but for gracious hospitality — the ability to make any guest feel valued, no matter how brief the interaction. Why graciousness still matters In today’s world of service excellence, graciousness is rarely emphasized. And yet, when i...

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When Small Problems Disrupt Big Experiences – Managing Guest Interruptions

Insights,

Late afternoon, relaxing in cabana chairs outside our room, overlooking the beach, waiting for a cocktail as the sun began to set. The experience was perfect — until it wasn’t. A high-pitched buzz. A sting. Then another. A mosquito had interrupted the guest experience. And it brought friends. When a small issue takes over the experience What began as a minor annoyance quickly took over the moment. Instead of enjoying the setting, we were swatting, itching, and calling for help. The hotel explain...

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Tourist woman receiving identification documents from concierge after confirmation of reservation. Elderly couple wait at the hotel reception counter where the kind staff assists them with check-in.

Go Hard on Soft Skills – The Real Driver of Guest Experience

Competitive Intelligence, ,

In today’s world, we often think “hard” is better. Work hard. Play hard. Drive a hard bargain. But when it comes to service, it’s the soft skills that create the most memorable results. Hard skills are essential. They get the job done. But soft skills make the emotional connection — and that is what guests remember. Hard skills vs. soft skills in service Hard skills are the technical side of service. They include efficiency, accuracy, and the systems that support operations—checking in guests, p...

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