The devil is in the details...
The Devil is in the Details is a saying that you will doubtless have heard at some point in your life. It’s an idiom that means that while something may appear simple and straightforward at first glance, it is actually more complex and layered, requiring more time and effort to complete than was initially anticipated. Basically, it may seem like an angel, but as you delve into it, little devils issue forth and you must vanquish them. How does this fit into hospitality? Let’s have a look.
What is hospitality? Hospitality is “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or foreigners”, as defined by the Oxford dictionary and referenced in an article titled “The Real Meaning of Hospitality” by Les Roches, one of the world’s leading hospitality schools. You need to make your guests feel absolutely fantastic. Whilst amazing architecture, plush furniture, the latest technological gadgets and gizmos, sumptuous food and personalised service can all help an establishment radiating the spirit of hospitality, getting the details right is the cherry on the cake, the difference between exuding hospitality and actually living it.
That amazing architecture will be somewhat diluted if there are cobwebs and signs of dust and debris, simply because housekeeping didn’t notice those details. Those plush designer sofas with soft leather will be of no use if a guest gets dust on their fingers when gripping the underside of the armrest to steady themselves - because the regular cleaning only focused on the tops and sides. That large smart TV in the room will not be appreciated if the remote control is greasy, simply because the previous guest was watching TV whilst eating his dinner, and housekeeping didn’t wipe it clean when preparing the room.
Remember the saying how one tiny fleck of manure can ruin an entire pail of fresh milk? With the pandemic going on, guests are going to place cleanliness under the microscope, and one tiny mis-step can ruin their entire experience. Remember how we laughed at Adrian Monk in the TV show Monk? Your guests are likely to become Adrian Monks now. They will be expecting exceptionally disinfected rooms, washrooms and public spaces where they are unable to spot dust or dirt with a magnifying glass.
The same goes for the restaurant. The amazing food your chef has painstakingly curated will be of no use, if there are visible fingerprints on the highly polished cutlery that guests are meant to use. Deep scratches from long use are just as bad, as these can harbour germs, and guests know it by now. Ditto your buffet tables, cloths and even the AC vents in the restaurant. They’ve all got to be spotlessly clean.
Service plays a major role too. Don’t forget to pay close attention to individual guest preferences. As an example, I’ve been to restaurants in five-star hotels where the wait staff have been excellent at keeping my water glass topped up, but completely missed the fact that I asked for iced water at the start, choosing to replenish it with what Johnny English would call “significantly warm water”.
In summary, as the world attempts to return to some form of normalcy, your attention-to-detail game has got to be absolutely top-notch. Guests are going to be demanding exceptional standards of cleanliness and great service, especially if they are paying top dollars for it. The best course of action is to foster a culture that embraces and promotes attention to detail, and the best time to do it is now. Bill Marriott summed it best when he said “Creating wonderful experiences for our guests is all in the details”.
Good luck!
Ashraaq Wahab - Technical Director Hospitality Sri Lanka, Automotive Journalist, Marketer and Writer, who enjoys penning his thoughts, insights and ideas on a variety of topics.
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