My prayer for 2025: Hospitality businesses to remember they are in the business of hospitality
Too many hotels (and restaurants), high end ones included, have forgotten hospitality.
I remember this local semi-casual restaurant where I took my family very regularly from the time they opened. They collected our names, date of births and contact details from day one. On occasion, when we left after a meal, we’d reserve for the next visit. If we hadn’t patronised them for some time, they would send us an email to say that they ‘missed us’ or to inform of the latest additions to their menu. At the approach of the month which marked any of our birthdays, we would receive a 20% loyalty discount on the bill, if we dined there, on any day during that particular month. They had enthusiastic waiters who recognised ‘regulars’ and enjoyed engaging with the diners. The vibe was good overall.
After a couple of years, they became very popular. Success took over. The emails became infrequent, the loyalty discount applied only when one dined on one’s birthday. They changed the waiters with the new ones showing they were merely doing a job. Wait times became longer, table-sizes decreased, food and beverage prices increased. As their yield went up, their hospitality went down. The ‘sizzle’ or spark slowly disappeared and now, instead of eating 10 -12 times a year, we don’t go there any longer!
Sadly, more and more hotels are losing their edge in hospitality. Like when I asked for a newspaper at a 5-star hotel to be delivered each morning to my room; only to be told “Sorry we no longer deliver newspapers to each room”. Now, that’s a ‘killjoy’ answer that carries with it a package of negative meanings, such as telling me “We no longer buy newspapers” to “No, we won’t get them for guests”.
Here’s an interesting take I came across the other day. A loyal US$ 23,000 plus-per-year customer (Brand Ambassador one might add) of one of the largest International hotel brands, had his flight cancelled. To add to his woes, his luggage too went missing. When he shows up at the hotel without any deodorant or a toothbrush, the hotel staff point out to where he can buy them rather than taking care of their guest.
Then there’s this upscale hotel chain that created the “Wherever, Whenever” line, which is their button for service and meant to suggest that they’ll take care of any need or request. Infact, their website which screams “Next time, be there” has notable guests share some of their unexpected, unforgettable moments. Unremarkable people too encountered notably forgettable moments, such as the guest who asked for something simple: a pot of coffee, albeit at 5 o’clock in the morning. The ‘Wherever, Whenever’ line told him they couldn’t help him. I guess at this hotel, it was ‘time-out’ for ‘Whenever”.
The attitude of someone in a hotel or restaurant that goes out of their way to accommodate a guest request is what makes for hospitality. It’s the little things that people appreciate the most. Unfortunately, far too many operators are isolating service-related issues by discarding the hospitality aspect in their businesses, as they attempt to cut their way to prosperity.
Is the juice worth the squeeze?
I don’t think so!
Shafeek Wahab - Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Customer Service Trainer and Ex-Hotelier
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