Professionals in hospitality, package yourself to stand out for the right reasons
In our industry, our guests want to feel good. They want to be recognised and genuinely welcomed. Unlike in the past, the hospitality industry is no longer about simply selling rooms, food and beverages and itineries…it’s about selling experiences, attentiveness and receptiveness. Sure, as hotel guests we all expect to be given an efficient check-in, a clean hotel room, provided with attractive amenities and responsive hotel services, among other things, but these are all baseline expectations and do not necessarily differentiate a good hotel from others.
Entering the main restaurant of a 5-star hotel, I was greeted by well –groomed staff wearing immaculately pressed uniforms and polished shoes that appeared to signal to me that I was in a place that reflected attention to detail, and where service is taken seriously. As the evening wore on, I realised how wrong I was.
Professionalism was only evident insofar as attire. The hotel’s executives, in particular, were guilty of elevating image over operational substance; strutting around like peacocks, pausing occasionally to briefly speak to a subordinate or huddling together in a corner, in animated conversation with fellow executives. They completely failed in establishing the functional, approachable authority expected in hospitality management. In simple language, they avoided or were uninterested in talking to any of the seated guests! Sadly, they were executives who packaged themselves to stand out for the wrong reasons…
Contrast this with the behaviour of staff at a not so posh star class hotel that I had the pleasure of visiting recently. That hotel had similarly dressed employees but they were making eye contact, engaging in conversation, using my name after introducing themselves. That was real connection; that was something special and I am convinced that it is a hotel that will maintain its star quality aura amongst the crowd.
Leadership isn't about being the smartest (dressed) person in the room. It's about being genuinely present in the room. When leaders engage with their guests it signals permission to talk; when they don’t, that gap fills up with indifference. Connectivity, humanity and emotional "touch" - that is what today’s guest longs for.
The uniform serves as an important visual cue. It represents the image of the brand one works for. However, just as much as one takes pride in the way one looks, it’s not just about how you appear, but how others, especially guests feel about the way you appear (or disappear). It’s not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.
In settings where service, trust, and reputation are paramount, external image however extraordinary, without internal values is only a ‘dressed up’ tailor’s dummy. Attire should integrate seamlessly into the hotel's atmosphere and brand identity, rather than screaming for attention.
Shafeek Wahab - Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Mystery Guest Auditor, Ex-Hotelier
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