The Colleague/ Guest connection

Have you ever walked into your workplace and had that instant connection? Having felt that you have known these peoples forever? You speak with them with ease, they are not particularly wanting anything from you but you can't seem to walk away from them?
You find yourself doing extra special things for them, you're arranging trips, even offering to take them and personally show them around?

I had this exact type of guest a few weeks back. I was walking through one of the lounges and I see this couple, chatting quietly and I stop by their table, introduce myself and inquire how their stay is going and although they did mention an opportunity that needed attention, we began chatting about other things, INSTANT CONNECTION. I managed to stay and chat with them for like 40 minutes and inquired what they were planning on doing that day- a helicopter snowshoeing adventure. I ensure they have EVERYTHING to fully enjoy their excursion: warm clothing, tickets, etc.
When they left to head out, I sprang into action: order them build your own hot chocolates and a plate of yummy house made cookies for their return. I thought, if I was going outside to play in the snow, what would I want to walk into my room and find as treat?

These typeof interactions is what makes me so passionate about my career. It is so enjoyable for me to do these things for others and I can tell you, they truly appreciate the small gestures of kindness. It takes so little and makes such an impressive impact. Now, normally I would send a nice a lovely bottle of wine and a nice card but this time, I held off on the that and I am so glad I did, Amanda doesn't drink. (Adam does once in a while but not wine so I am happy I made that quick decision).

What you want from a guest service agent is exactly this, reacting in the correct manner and offering special little touches that truly make a vacation extra special. Take the time, I assure you, they will thank you for it.

What are you working for? The almighty dollar.....or are you working for the passion you have for what you do?

I had an incredible day the other day at work, it was very busy....don't get me wrong.....we were full with appointments. I was running around like a crazy person, my fellow colleagues didn't even know where I was for a spell.....I had a guest approach the desk and I couldn't for the life of me find her appointment. OH MY GOD......what do I do??

I am trying desperately to not show that I am struggling to find her appointment but the guest knows something is up. So, I excuse myself, explain I need to speak with the coordinator of their group and I would return momentarily. I tear out of that reception area so fast your head would spin. When I reach her, she is struggling herself to determine what happened. AT this point, the coordinator is merely wondering out loud: " I don't know what happened to her appointment".........she is looking in the computer system here and there and everywhere but NOT assisting me at all. She keeps muttering to herself I am not sure how this happened.
I can see she is not going to be of any assistance at this point so I am going to go and find someone else. My Director, she will spring into action.
By the time I ran down to see her, she was up out of her chair, literally running to find a therapist to pinch hit for the team. We don't find exactly what the guest wanted, but offered another solution for her.

WHEW........after 20 minutes of this poor guest waiting and wondering, we offered her another appointment the very next day. NOT exactly what we wanted to happen, but we found a solution. OK.....carry on folks. Crisis averted.

Or so I thought.......next thing I know, I have a therapist racing out of their treatment room only to run into me saying: "I have a guest, 8 months pregnant from the US with me and we were 20 minutes into her massage and now she is feeling faint and sick. Her husband is having a treatment right now as well and we don't have a room key for her". ARE YOU KIDDING ME HERE???

I sprint down to the Front Desk of the Hotel, retrieve a new set of keys for the guest, I run down to the treatment room where the guest is waiting patiently but she looks HORRIBLE. Forget the pregnancy glow, this women looks SICK. (sorry to say). I tell the therapist I am going to personally walk her to her room. I lead the guest to the elevator we have in the Spa and explain what I am going to do for her. I am asking her questions about her trip, what they have done since they arrived, in Canada, how many children she has, etc. She is getting more and more weak, looking horrible and not really even knowing where she is. I am almost forced to call our security team at this time because I think she needs to see someone, however my main concern is getting her to her room to lay down. We can worry about everything else after she is laying down.

Up to her room finally and I lay her down and explain what I want to do next. I find housekeeping in her hallway and retrieve bottles of water for the guest. I grab her ice bucket, retrieve ice and face clothes. I soak the clothes with cold water to place on her neck and face because she is nauseous. I asked 3 times if in fact she wanted me to contact my security team to assess the situation( this is something I adopted from my time working with Disney, as they have to ask 3 times if you require medical attention...thank you Disney Training) and she refuses of course and merely requests to get her husband there asap. I didn't want to leave her alone, but at this point, the husband will be like 13 minutes from joining her and we have already alerted the husbands therapist to send him up to the room asap.

I planned on calling the guest that night around 8pm to check in on her. I got a call at the desk @7:30 from the guest, Mrs.Smith (name has been changed to protect the innocent) explained her deep gratitude and explained that she was still not feeling the best but she wanted to personally call and thank me.

Next day I get this in my email from work:

The moral of my story today folks, I didn't do it for the recognition, I honestly feel like I didn't do anything special, merely looking out for a fellow human being. I would hope that if I was in fact in the very same situation that someone would do the same for me. It's karma. However, my Director explained that what I did was sincere and completely above and beyond.
My question I guess is this..........was that going above and beyond? If so, why don't more people do this? Why if we are in guest services do we do the minimum for our guests? Don't you want them to be taken care of?



What did you do today to go above and beyond for your guests?

Are you truly invested?

Are you waltzing through the door late? Are you going in early, eagerly rushing in waiting for the day to start?
Often times we get moments are absolute clarity in what we are doing, if it's truly something we LOVE, we are passionate about and we float through our days. We love getting up and getting to work. WE have fantastic relationships with our colleagues, its a match made in heaven.

Well, reality hits, life isn't always like this, although there are many of us out there that are living our dreams. My question is, are you truly invested in your work location? Are you eating the corn bread and drinking the koolaid?
Often times when we are looking for a job, desperate and ready to take ANYTHING that is thrown at you, you enter into a world of "I will take whatever I get". These are the times when we don;t really care what the company stands for, merely that they provide a pay check.

I have been there. I have walked those lines. It is frightening to be out of work, and if it was like me, it took over 8 months to find something. 8 long months, no money, bills piling up and things you need. You remember the things you couldn't live without and then realize, you ARE living without those things. It's scary. You question yourself, your career path, your confidence is taken for a ride.

However, those times fade and you walk a different path, you become stronger. The opportunities now present themselves and you have choices. Yes, I said choices. You can request a higher salary, you have different options when agreeing to their terms. It's all well and good, but are you INVESTED??



Did you look into this place? Do you know anyone who works here? Have you spoken to them? Do you know that they have benefits that fit your needs? Do you imagine yourself there? Can you still see yourself there after 5 yrs? 10? Are you setting roots down there?

Make sure that your career is a fit for you. If it feels good, you are genuinely happy, they are supportive, encouraging, they make you happy.
This is investment at it's finest.

ARE YOU FITTING WHERE YOU ARE??

Encourager or bubble burster?

Yes, the title is amusing but the more I thought about using it as a title, the more it made sense. From my personal experiences (and that is the only thing I can write on obviously) I have found that your tend to be one or the other. You can certainly be a combination as well but let's dive in and really understand what these mean.

I have the same routine everyday when I arrive at work. I leave early.......I mean I arrive at least a half hour prior to my shift beginning. This way, I can get a feel for the day. Most times I am working afternoons so the days often set the tone for the afternoon. I take a tour of my areas.......waltz through the Reservation section of our Department......high five's the the gang on the phones and I can see who is who in the back.
I then quickly swing out to the lobby and the Front Desk area, saying my greetings to all who are currently on the desk and ensuring those guests in line are getting serviced.
BAM- there is literally a few moments of my time. MY TIME!!  I'm not even on the clock yet. I have gone through, said hello to everyone, caught a glimpse of the day and I have time to go and get a tea to start my shift. This is also very much appreciated as I am told by my colleagues. They find that really meaningful to them.

When I am Supervising, often times you will find me hanging behind my front lines colleagues. I tour up and down the line throughout a shift, listening, watching and available. This gives the team visual recognition that I am in fact available and at there ready.

During this time, you will hear me congratulating the colleagues for jobs well done. THE ENCOURAGEMENT!!  I high five everyone......when it is warranted of course. I smile at my colleagues. Even when I am coaching and counselling I encourage them. We all make mistakes. I repeat- WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES. How we learn from them is the key to success. We have also all been training to do something new. I repeat- WE HAVE ALL BEEN TRAINED TO DO SOMETHING NEW!!  From the person washing the walls to the CEO and PRESIDENT, we have all bee trained to do something. For some, it takes more time, this is where the ENCOURAGEMENT comes in.

However, there are those that are the BUBBLE BURSTERS of the crowd. The negative ones, the ones that no matter how hard you try to impress them, they are popping your bubbles and deflate you.
I have Managers that are like that. Even though you have even quietly mentioned that they are like that, they continue on their quest to pop every bubble they see. Often times I wonder what is so wrong in their lives that they have to spread that to others. What a shameful way to lead. It's also the quickest way to loose people. Those BUBBLE BURSTERS are NOT leaders. You cannot possibly lead a successful team by being on this team. You will constantly have negative, angry folks. Trust me, I see it everyday.I see the ones that you try to uplift, the ones that you support, encourage and pump up and they are always the ones that twist your words and actions and you manage to see the balloon crumpling to the ground before your very eyes.

Your guests see them too. They are the colleagues that do the minimum work and complain the most. They don't care about your guests, they don't care that you need to be close to that elevator because your in a walker. They don't care that it's your celebration that your joining us for. It's like coming home from school with a test that you got 55% on and your so excited and your parents says: why didn't you get 90% Timmy??  POP!!

I just assisted that guest with their reservations for next week, they have some challenges but I got them a really great rate and booked them in myself and your Supervisor says: but why didn't you upset them to a Suite???  POP!!!

Too often I see the effects of the bursters. I try my very best to ensure that I encourage all my team during our shifts. I try to have fun. Yes, I said FUN!! I didn't say that we aren't professional and know we represent a reputation, however we CAN have fun whilst we are doing our due diligence. Our guests can see that too. Many nights have found guests mentioning to my team that despite the long lines waiting, it seems as though we are smiling and enjoying ourself. ENCOURAGEMENT- it truly goes a very long way. A little us really all you need to start too.

Think back to when you were working with someone, how did they make you FEEL? Did you feel encouraged to be better, do better? Or, did they burst your bubble despite your very best efforts?
Start looking at exactly how you are interacting with others and determine if your a burster or an inflator. The choice is yours but the results can be outstanding.

What are you looking for in a Hotel?

What motivates you when choosing a property to stay at? Is it mainly the price, the loyalty program attached, the amenities?
It is exceptionally rare these days to book a Hotel and not look on Social Network to look into the property. Your looking for the best bang for your buck.

What does that mean for you? Is it the location?  Do you want to explore the city your traveling to? Does this Hotel bring you in to the centre of the city? Is parking included? Does the property have a Concierge that is going to assist you in planning your visit? 

Here is what seems to be the biggest things searched for when choosing a property:

1. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION- this is extremely important for folks. What is it that your traveling to? Concert? Are you close to the venue? 
2. Parking- seems to me that folks need to ensure they have parking included. Larger city properties charge outrageous prices for the luxury of parking on site.
3. Rating of the Hotel- does the property have a CAA/AAA rating?  Those diamonds are extremely important for the property and they take great pride in that.
4. Complimentary breakfast- this seems to be a growing trend. A breakfast in the morning for most is extremely alluring and an added bonus. I have often found myself looking at this when searching for a room.
5. Family friendly / Pet friendly- what else can I say? Families are doing more and more travelling together and ensuring that they are well taken care of is of great importance. Is there room for Rover? Some higher priced properties actually include animals in their Marketing to ensure more guest retention.

One missing from the list and which should be of great importance is SERVICE STANDARDS. I know that most of you won't even look at this until you have arrived. Are you even thinking about that when you are searching?  Does word of mouth make a difference?
For business travellers, I am sure that this is of high importance on the list. When your living out of a suitcase 100+ nights of the year it means that these folks are becoming part of your extended family. They are relations that you value, people who will go above and beyond for you.


Do you have something that you favour over all of these?  Drop me a line, I would love to hear them

Is it passion or pay check that gets you into the workplace??

Are you serving with passion? 

Are you merely waiting for that pay check at the end of the day?

You can be certain that passion cannot be taught, it grows inside you. It can be nurtured yes, often times at a young age but certainly not taught. 

Remember that kid in grade school who always said she wanted to be a teacher? She was always the one leading in plays, showing the rest of us how to use her toys, wanted us to pat attention. She knew.

In my case, my family owned a small restaurant, I was around people from a very young age, I was shown the correct way to assist folks by my grandparents. They were exceptionally hard working & had high standards of service, even for a small town restaurant like ours. When they moved North, sure the location changed, but the service certainly did not!

Either inside the kitchen creating the scrumptious meals or out in the dinning room entertaining the patiently waiting guests, my passion for taking care of people was nurtured very early on.

Transitioning into the Hotel industry was a natural step for me. It was the same process, make sure those guests entering the Hotel are well taken care of, ensure their needs are met. 

Did the door person welcome them warmly? Assist with their bags to check-in? Did the front lines staff offer a genuine greeting, meet their preferences, offered assistance with property details? Did the bellman bring them swiftly to their room, luggage in hand, friendly & helpful? 

Or are your colleagues merely waiting for the lady second of their shift to finish so they can bolt out those doors? Do they initiate conversation with the guests? Are they helpful? Do they even look like they WANT to be there? Uniform complete? Clean? Crisp? Do they show up early, eager to hit the floor? Are the present? Do they participate?

Often times we hire the wrong colleagues, but there is also another factor not considered....service time. I've been with the company for 20 yrs. profound statement, however is it fueled with joy? Is there happiness attached with it? Is it bills, benefits & bull that keeps them? 

Your bussiness is your home. Your going to be spending a very long time there, these people will be your day family. As a member of Management, we would hope you would pay close attention to your colleagues, distinguish if it's passion or a pay check they are working for here. 

Getting your Management Team on the same page

It's been a very long time since my last post, primarily because I really had writers block. It's been talked of for centuries, mainly moments of nothingness. When your struggling to post a Blog it becomes even harder.
 Been considering returning so I have a topic & my usual opinion so here goes nothing:

Is your Management Team on the same page?
Many times, teams have been bound together for many years, continuing in the daily ebb & flow of routine. Often times, feathers become ruffled & personalities need sorting out when someone new is thrown into the mix.
The leader remains steadfast in their convictions of hiring the "newbie" although the team they will be working with undoubtedly have their obvious concerns.
However, was the Team already all on the same page to begin with? It seems a great tats to enter a new location; so much to consider, to think about. Training, routines, standards, personalities to connect with. Sometimes Teams pre-established don't remember what it was like to be the new comer & are often times guilty of not showcasing the very things the company wants conveyed on a daily basis.
Trying to accomplish so much in short periods of time is often a gift for those in this world. Hospitality means adapting quickly to your surroundings. A Hotel is a Hotel is a Hotel.
They all equal exactly the same premise: lodging for guests. A guest enters looking for a comfortable place to lay their head for the evening. Expectations differ between guest to guest obviously, however to concept never changes from brand to brand.
Personalities do. Passions do as well. Talent is ever present- some obviously more than others. Properties offer so many differences: benefits, perks, locations, standards.
One thing that shouldn't change but often times is extremely noticeable are the leaders- do they mesh well? Are they compatible? Are they co-existing together comfortably or are conflicts arising? Are the leaders adaptable to changes or are the number of years behind your badge number clouding you from your own personal growth?
Many times properties are requesting someone who is encouraging, supportive to their staff, passionate about what they do everyday. There are those that often get stuck inside personal obligations that they often forget the reason they stayed in the field. Or, was it merely the larger scaled pay check that often accompanies someone in the field? The benefits?
Your question should be to yourself, is the Team I'm with offering me the same things I myself are expected to give those under me? I'm i rewarded for my dedication? My ideas? My hard effort or am I merely an expectation? A body? Am I encouraged? Is MY TEAM all on the same page?