Bring Back “The Hotelier”

A true hotelier never met a lobby they didn’t like.

Let me start by sounding an alarm:?Customer service is facing extinction. I worry it’s becoming too easy to hide behind rising costs, staff shortages, and technology. In doing so, we run the risk of excusing ourselves from our responsibility to put our hearts into the work of serving others.?

While not discounting the impact of the global pandemic on our industry, ignoring longer-term customer service erosion will come at our own peril. We simply can’t forego exceptional customer service and allow the hotel experience to become transactional.

Is great customer service really that important???Tim Cook may have summed it up best:

“In the long arc of time, you are only relevant if customers love you.”

Our competitors can build a room as nice as ours, a lobby as grandiose, or a pool as large. But can they match what’s in our hearts, our true intent, and the spirit we bring to our work???Long term success only happens if customers love?both?our product and our service.??

Only then can we charge a premium, earn their loyalty, and count on them coming back. The value proposition is clear and mutually beneficial: as we become more relevant to our customers,?both?our lifetime value to them,?and?their lifetime value to us, increase.?????

So, my plea to General Managers (GMs) around the world is:?Bring back the “Hotelier.”?Get out of your offices; avoid the trap of delegating customer service (and customer recovery);?and always remember that technology is a highly effective enabler, but it’s not a replacement for human instinct.

Bottom line: Own the lobby and own the clients.??

This pivotal lesson was taught to me by a true hotelier – Alex Stadlin. He was my GM in Mexico City early on in my career and taught me that great service and profit are not mutually exclusive.??

Alex was ever-present in the lobby and public areas, prioritizing customer-facing time over hours in his office or in meetings. He gave me a hard time about the flowers in the lobby, the shine of the marble, and the pressing of each associate’s uniform. At the same time, he took ownership of overall guest experience (the good and the not-so-good), never shifted blame, and set an example we all strove to follow.

Alex also knew great restaurants can define a hotel’s reputation. Ours were always full and led by talented chefs from around the world who artfully balanced pleasing palettes and yielding profits. Perfection was his “North Star.”?He wore his best suits to work each day, complete with cufflinks, a beautiful tie, and shined shoes. It was not lost on him that?everything communicates.

The secret to his success??The answer has become clearer to me over time. Alex operated with real intent. He loved what he did and took immense pride in having one of the top hotels in town. Service wasn’t just what he did, it’s who he was.?Personally, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t try a little harder, and stand a little taller, attempting to live out the example Alex set.??

When we told him this article was going to be published, in classic Alex fashion, he simply said, “We had a great group. I’m so proud of the team and what you’ve all gone on to do.”

It’s no coincidence Alex made such a distinct impression at a formidable time in so many young careers. We owe him a deep debt of gratitude for modeling the hotelier we should all aspire to be.?As a GM, never forget, you have this opportunity every day.

Building a customer-centric culture has never been more important than it is now.??It’s the battleground. Always has been, always will be. Agree???

This article is Part II of a continuing look at the “GM Trifecta of Success” and how the very best General Managers in the hotel industry (with parallels to other industries)?fulfill three distinct roles.