With the business and leisure travel markets coming back full force, it’s troubling that the legacy hotel brands cannot be counted on for consistency in service standards.
On a recent trip to Florida, two stays at the same luxury hotel brand in two different cities resulted in two very different experiences – why would that be? This hotel brand spends considerable time and effort in training and even has a state of the art speaking bureau dedicated to sharing its wisdom and methods.
I’ve determined that it all comes down to the leadership and mentoring from the hotel’s General Manager. I often find if the GM is nowhere to be found and not the least bit accessible (in general and even to elite travelers) then standards suffer. GM’s who walk the property and interact with guests earn top marks for high ranked properties. Instilling a sense of authentic service culture comes from being around guests and team members – not from sitting in an office and “assigning” that to a Director of Rooms or a Hotel Manager.
My vacation experience in Florida proved this point. One hotel was exceptional and created a true and long lasting positive memory. The other, a disappointment in most every regard, but most of all, a let down on service standards and authentic care. Luxury brands should constantly assess the quality of leadership from the top – it means more than any amount of marketing or social media.
I’d look forward to hearing from brands looking to ensure a higher standard of service – by taking a hard look at how and what is delegated on a day to day basis by managers – and how often guests interact with the GM.
