“…hospitality is, at its core, a business of people interacting with people. If you are able to deliver service with a smile, then your job is already half done.” So well said, thank you Larry Mogelonsky, Hotel Mogel Consulting Ltd.

Barbara Streisand sang it in Funny Girl; “people who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” Don’t believe she was singing about innkeepers, but innkeepers certainly need people and the more the better! Now the question is, do you feel lucky?

The service with a smile you give is your core, especially in our current times of ever-changing technologies that get in the way of people to people interaction. The time you spend in front of your computer seems to get longer and longer. Technology today is a necessary part of the hospitality business; you either embrace it but can’t avoid it.

Do you value and enjoy the interaction with their guests much more than the blur of the computer screen? I would venture the answer is yes.  We say often in The B&B Team Seminars for Aspiring Innkeepers, if you enjoy giving someone a gift more than you enjoy receiving one, you have the hospitality gene.

“…they (guests) do not necessarily need a cutting-edge tech experience, but they absolutely require a cutting-edge personal experience. They need touch on their terms. Some folks want concierge support, others want to chart their own course, but everyone wants a smiling, welcoming face to greet them.” Larry Mogelonsky

I may be singing to the choir here, but I believe we all need reminders of why we chose Innkeeping in the first place. What gives you that renewed burst of energy after a long day? Is it when guests thank you for helping them experience a great day, or rave about your breakfasts? Those are the times you feel lucky! Give yourself a smile!

Now your service with a smile must pair with your physical environment. Clean, polished and free of distractions. No peeling paint, rotted sills or worn and tired furnishings. Those kind of distractions can make a guest’s smile wane. A warm, comfortable, updated environment also puts a smile on your guests’ faces.

“Guests want a safe and vibrant accommodations experience.” Larry Mogelonsky

What’s interesting is all these quotes are coming from a consultant that works with large hotels. But the principals and the core of hospitality are the same. One difference is independently owned and operated small lodging properties have more control over the service with a smile. If a hotel has just one “I’m in a lousy mood” front desk employee, that can negatively affect those guests for a long time. You have more opportunity in converting guests into long-term friends. You may not get the hordes of people hotels get, but you get the good ones! Right?

“Lucky you are and may a smile be with you.” Yoda Jan 

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf