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to That of a Kumquat; Hotel Operators Focus on the Guest Becoming Secondary |
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by John R. Hendrie, CEO Hospitality Performance, Inc., August 2005
“The lights are on, but no one is home!” That old saw is an apt statement about the state of Hospitality in certain areas of the US today. Operators are tired, beaten up, spent. Their energies are internally directed – staffing, budgets, complaints, legislation, etc. – whereas, the external focus on the Visitor and Guest Experience has become quite secondary. “Just let me make it through the day” or “I can’t be bothered” are the laments. Our true calling is controlled now by the numbers not by the virtues of a Host. Beans are good and should be counted and then ground, because many have forgotten the aroma of good Hospitality. Technology has been a boon to facilitate our rudimentary systems but has also removed us further from Guest contact. Even at a high time of mergers, acquisitions, and renovations, a distinct aura of malaise shrouds Management. Our symbol of Hospitality, the pineapple, has morphed to that of a kumquat. The Organizations we look to for direction and traffic, the DMO, are in similar straits of disarray and ennui, beset by financial woes, dearth of leadership and ineffective marketing programs. In regions and even states where Tourism is known to be a if not the major economic driver, we, who should be at the helm to move our businesses and communities forward, are not taken seriously, because we cannot get it together, form the proper coalitions, construct the message, and lead the charge. Rather than substantive action like a “barn raising”, we settle for the more social “pot luck dinner”. And, Organized Labor is just salivating, looking at our soft underbelly. We are the Service Sector, and our employees are prime candidates for union organizing attempts. We are vulnerable, folks! You can raise the red flag, some will salute, but many others will head to the hors d’oeuvre table. Where is the outrage and the surge to action? We need to see collective Peter Finches (the movie “Network”) proclaim their alarm and distress; however, the Industry is muted. Some Hospitality businesses get it, as do some Destinations. However, many do not. They read, they observe, they fret, titter and make noise, and then sit down. Someone else will take the lead! We all have seen this “me” emphasis from our colleagues. What happened to the “them”, the Visitor and the Guest, our raison d’etre. Chain operators may casually nod, comforted in the resources and safety net of the Corporate Offices. Independents cover their eyes and ears, believing they have no voice or recourse. We look at other industries to see how they have recovered, reinvented and reoriented themselves, and moved forward, profitably. We shutter because their paths taken were fraught with peril, littered with casualties, and created intense pain. But, the Consumer became King, again, and the Experience reigned supreme. Even in other countries around the world, especially Europe, tourism efforts present high standards and minimal “surprises”. In the US, “surprises” are part of the package, as are lowered expectations. Goodness gracious, what to do? We used to be able to blame everything on the Communists – the weather, the economy, events in general. Now, sadly, the options are even more terrifying. However, as Al Capp’s Pogo exclaimed, the enemy might just be us. It is time to do business differently and regain the prominence acquiesced. That journey is just not that difficult, but it does require an engaged realignment of product, service and resources, and most importantly, mission. Meeting Planners and our Visitors instinctively evaluate that “balance of expectations”, and you must transcend the merely acceptable to the Remarkable. Your paradigm shift to this Remarkable Hospitality is a readjustment to Visitor/Guest focus, where it belongs. If you do not care, they surely will not either. As an operator or DMO, there are several Key ingredients, which drive this shift:
This article is meant to be provocative and challenging. Let me know what you think at: [email protected] |
Contact:
John R. Hendrie, CEO Hospitality Performance, Inc. www.hospitalityperformance.com 978-346-4387 |