18 November 2016 by Monica Or on behalf of Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy | (Edit this entry.)

How to continually Exceed your Guest

Expectations

Monica Or, columnist and Hospitality Consultant at Star Quality Hospitality

Consultancy discusses ways to make exceeding guest expectations more than just another

standard..

When working in our hotels we are always looking at ways to enhance our guests stay. We know

that we need to find ways to exceed our guest expectations, although the danger is when this

then becomes the norm, it is just another standard… and worse still when it goes horribly wrong.

To give you an example. I recently had a meal at a restaurant to celebrate a family member’s

birthday. When I made the reservation, I was told as an added touch they would present a

birthday plate to our guest of honour. As I work in the industry for me, I was expecting this at the

very least, although for my family member this would be a little surprise for them. When the time

came for dessert, our birthday guest decided he had eaten too much and had no room for

dessert. So I thought, this could be interesting what will the restaurant do now? My guest was

presented with an empty plate with ‘Happy Birthday’ written on it! Ouch!

When we look at ways to exceed our guest expectations, this does not work if it becomes a

standard that your staff have to deliver. Let alone if they do not fully understand the concept

behind it. It only works by listening to your guests and finding out what will make them go

‘Wow’.

Hospitality is usually in the lead when it comes to these added touches and making our guests

feel special, although there are other industries that are catching up fast. There is one company

that now offers a Customer Lounge to their customers to use, with WiFi, tea, coffee and

refreshments and use of their meeting space for private events – all complimentary. They have

created a fantastic social co-working space which their customers can use whenever they want

(as long as the facility is open).

Some hoteliers have seen this trend and are re-designing their lobbies and lounges to

accommodate the co-sharing work spaces that millennials are now craving. Although how are

you going to exceed their expectations? Simply by adding value to their stay. Whether they are

just passing through or are staying at your establishment, every person who walks through your

doors is unique and should treated as such. Once you have them in your building, then that’s

your chance to impress on them what a great hotel you are and the other amenities you have.

This will all be done subtly through the experience you create for them.

So next time you see someone entering your hotel wanting to use your facilities, or needing to

charge their mobile or laptop, welcome them in, as that ‘stranger’ could easily become a loyal

guest.

About Monica Or: As the founder of Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy, Monica specialises in working operationally with

the owner/managers of independent hotels and restaurants focusing on their business structure and service delivery. She is

the Amazon Best Selling author of ‘Star Quality Hospitality – The Key to a Successful Hospitality Business’ and ‘Star Quality Experience – The Hotelier’s Guide to Creating Memorable Guest Journeys’.