How can you ensure your team is more creative?

Being in the Hospitality Industry has been an incredible experience for me and has provided me many a challenging experience.The opportunity to learn from some of the very best in the business has certainly been a blessing. I have had the great fortune of being empowered by the very best.
However, what happens when you go from being employed by the #1 guest service leader in the world like Walt Disney, to another company that doesn't have all the amenities?

CREATIVITY!! It's so very easy to have a company provide wonderful amenities to their guests, makes their stay that much more enjoyable. I can however tell you that I truly believe being creative in coming up with ways to excite and surprise your guests is a wonderful opportunity.
You have the chance to WOW your guests in different ways. I know some ladies in small town Canada that bake for their return guests. When they have fellas that return time and time again for work and have to eat out every night, it's not really like home now is it? So, when they bake for their family, they do a few extra's for their guests. Doesn't take much now does it?
A family has come into town for a sad occasion, a funeral of a family member. Providing driving directions, offering a plate of sandwiches for their return to the Hotel and a Sympathy card is all reminders of little things that can be provided that will be remembered for long after they have left.
Ensuring that your taking care of your guests requires some pretty creative thinking but provide so much more to your guest.
Most times, in a small town, you have to be extremely creative with your thinking to sure your guest. You will have folks returning time and time again, but how you keep them returning is really a challenge.
Providing your smiling face is not really going to cut it nowadays. You need to create magic, WOW your returning guest.
Baking, offering cards, bringing in a pitcher of cold lemonade for the desk on a hot day, these are simple yet effective tools.
Understanding that creativity is key, not alot of money is really needed and your guests will truly appreciate the extra special magic you have provided and will obviously return again and again.