Do your departments talk to each other where it matters?
Any business, including those under the umbrella of hospitality, consists of multiple departments or functions, each performing a specific set of tasks, with defined responsibilities, duties, KPIs, budgets, etc. However, the smooth functioning of the business as a whole depends on the timely transmission of accurate information (horizontal communication), between people, divisions, departments or units within the same level of organizational hierarchy.
When departments choose to work in silos for whatever reason, the result is always going to be bad, and in some cases, cause minor irritation, massive annoyance, or anything on the in-between the spectrum. Let me illustrate two examples I recently encountered where departments were clearly working in silos, with no proper horizontal communication lines and where I, as the customer, had to face a negative experience as a consequence.
The first occurred on a family holiday to a lovely boutique hotel in Wadduwa. This 36-roomed villa-concept property offered the relaxed and personalized experience that we sought. Upon placing a booking for two double rooms for one night, I was asked to make an advance payment of 50% which I immediately did online. Subsequently deciding to extend our stay by an additional night, I informed the hotel, and although, I had now paid 25% of the total amount payable, the hotel didn’t seem to mind. Nevertheless, a few days later I decided to settle the bill in entirety - to take advantage of a credit card offer. The remaining payment (Rs. 90,000 - representing the balance 75% of the total bill), was made at the hotel’s head office located at the ‘World Trade Centre in Colombo. That it took over 45 minutes to make the credit card payment owing to a weak signal on the credit card terminal was something I patiently overlooked.
My family and I went on a happy staycation with little worries or cares, as we’d paid in full for our two- day stay in two rooms on full board terms …or so we thought! We enjoyed a lovely holiday with excellent food, meticulous service, and comfortable accommodations. The kitchen and restaurant service staff went the ‘extra mile’ to please us. The manager and the head of R & B came by to talk to us during mealtimes and it all went very well until our checkout, when a bit of dung landed in this perfect cup of milk.
That occurred, when I was told by the hotel receptionist of a balance Rs. 90,000 that was outstanding on my hotel bill. Thankfully, my father (a hotelier of 35 years) had kept the payment receipt from Head Office in his wallet and presented this to the staff as proof of full payment. Clearly, the Head Office had not communicated to the hotel that Mr. Wahab’s party of 4 adults and an infant, had settled their payment in entirety - well before arriving at the hotel. A less tolerant customer would have created a scene.
The second instance of operating in silos came about when I recently renewed an investment at a leading bank in Colombo. My family has banked here for aeons, and I’ve been a customer for over a decade. I’ve also held a credit card issued by the bank for over five years. Imagine my bemusement when I receive a call from a sales agent of the bank informing me that due to my recent investment renewal, I can now avail myself of a free credit card from the bank. I inquired as to whether he knew my customer history, and he replied in the negative. I then informed him that already possessing a credit card from the bank, I had little use for another one from the same bank - which he agreed was pointless, and we ended the call on a laugh.
These two examples illustrate a lack of internal communication that could have easily been avoided, had the relevant information been shared appropriately. Sharing of such information can even be considered critical to the business, particularly in the case of the hotel payment saga. This is why companies need to first get their internal matters in order before embarking on slick external marketing campaigns, trying to win awards, collecting accolades, and patting each other on the back. No point wearing a brand-new Armani suit if the undergarments are old, frayed, and uncomfortable after all.
Ashraaq Wahab – Marketing & 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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