www.calodging.com November + December 2024 7 Unlocking Personalized Service Establishing a genuine human connection and delivering personalized service starts with empathy. Kennedy explained that when we humanize both the guest and worker experience, it naturally fosters greater empathy, leading to more genuine interactions. “A lot of people say you cannot train hospitality because some people either have it or don’t, but I don’t believe that,” he said. “The key is to nurture the seed of empathy.” Training empathy begins with understanding the stories that are playing out for your guests, said Kennedy. A guest’s vacation might be their first trip with a new baby or the last trip before a child leaves for college. When staff members view each interaction as part of a larger story, they’re more likely to respond thoughtfully. Managers play a crucial role in fostering this culture of empathy by leading through example. “We call it the ‘3 Ms’ of hospitality leadership: model, mentor, and measure,” Kennedy explains. When managers greet their staff by name, the staff will mirror that behavior with guests. Kennedy believes in the power of “5G positivity,” where the energy a manager brings into the workplace is contagious, setting the tone for the entire team. At the Magic Castle Hotel in Los Angeles, their operational mantra of “Listen carefully…respond creatively™” drives employee engagement with guests. Staff are encouraged to find creative ways to delight guests, such as noting a guest’s favorite superhero and surprising them with a related gift. Chief Operating Officer Darren Ross said these organic moments are shared in team meetings, fostering a fun and competitive environment that boosts morale and encourages more personalized and thoughtful guest interactions. Measuring Guest Satisfaction Online reviews and guest surveys are important indicators of guest satisfaction. “Our job is to make guest service so great that they’re compelled to write about us and tell their friends,” said Ross. At Magic Castle, their commitment to not just exceptional service, but creating memories and moments for guests has given them a competitive advantage in marketing. “We don’t spend a lot of money on advertising because our customers are doing it for us,” Ross added. Kennedy, however, cautions that while reviews are valuable, they shouldn’t be the only measure of success. The best way to measure hospitality he said is the “shotgun approach.” Look at guest reviews, surveys, and, most importantly, be on the property in real time, observing guest reactions. In the 90s and early 2000s, managers would spend time in public areas observing guest interactions, he explained, while modern managers are often bogged down by emails and digital tasks. Kennedy encourages a return to this practice. “The person in real time is going to have a reaction that’s probably easier to observe than look at it after the fact.” To truly understand how well you’re serving guests, hoteliers must take a broad, holistic approach. Delivering Genuine Hospitality True hospitality isn’t always about grand gestures; it’s about creating “ordinary, extraordinary excellence,” according to Kennedy. “Service is something you deliver, but hospitality is something you make people feel,” according to Bashar Wali’s interview on the Hotel News Now podcast. Hotels have the chance, in a guest’s stay, to make people feel like they belong. “You arrived, and we Our job is to make guest service so great that they’re compelled to write about us and tell their friends. –Darren Ross, Chief Operating Officer, Magic Castle Hotel COVER STORY Continued Continues
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