Tips for Exceeding Guest Expectations

I’ve been having a lot of conversations with clients that need help with creating VIP experiences on tighter budgets. Sound familiar? I’m going to share some strategies for “smart luxury” so you can create more of those win-win premium experiences while keeping you on-budget and driving the results you want! But first…I love this quote: “Luxury means just giving more; hospitality means being more thoughtful”. Powerful, huh? But what does that mean? Example #1: Rather than spending $100 more on caviar for every attendee, investing in an “event concierge” who will sending a personalized email to every attendee before a special dinner to ask them if they have any special requests, share with them who they can expect to meet, the format, how much you’re looking forward to making personalized intros to them...  Why does this work? If you take the time to invest in getting to know your attendees and showing you’re invested in their personal experience, they are more likely to show up, be engaged, remember to take the action you want them to take after the event. Example 2: Rather than providing fancy but generic gifts, do a little time “researching” guests and personalize a welcome amenity to set the tone for the event. I once bought-out a hotel for an event, and they sent up a “blind tasting” wine experience to my room when I arrived since I had recently passed the Court Master Sommelier exam. They had researched that about me. It was so fun to have a playful moment where I got to taste wine and guess what they had selected for me (it was a Robert Sinsky pinot gris and yes, I still remember 10 years later because it was so personalized and unique!) Why does this work? That bottle of wine cost them roughly $30, but the thoughtfulness that they put into covering the bottle, printing out a blind tasting test from the Court master sommelier site, and delivering it with some nuts/olives and a fun note made such an impact on me, I’ve shared this story so many times! They could have instead sent up a $150 bottle of champagne, but I probably wouldn’t have opened it and also probably wouldn’t have remembered it from all the other bottles of champagne I’ve received. Fancier isn’t always better and thoughtfulness counts! Example 3: Listen and respond. I was once managing a Google Executive event and I noticed in our event app’s chat one attendee was complaining that he was really craving his afternoon Diet Coke fix. So I went to the nearest vending machine, and bought one to hand deliver to him. That Google client was so surprised/delighted that we had delivered what he was craving in the moment, that he booked a meeting with our SVP afterwards, and we closed a major deal! Hospitality is about making your guests comfortable, anticipating their needs, and then delivering a personalized and delightful experience. It can involve luxurious treats, but doesn’t need to. All it takes is time, intentionality and good old fashioned hospitality.

How do you provide value beyond the room? Beyond the cabin? Beyond the meal? Beyond what's written in your playbook? This is where the real game is won in hospitality. Anyone can sell a bed, a plate of food, or a seat on a ship. That's not hospitality, that's a transaction. Hospitality is what happens after the transaction. It is how you make people feel. It is what they tell their friends about. It is why they come back. And here is the truth most people do not want to admit. You don't need to be a luxury brand to deliver an elevated experience. You can be a budget hotel, a three star cruise cabin, or a casual diner and still deliver a memorable stay. This is not about marble floors or expensive wine. This is about people. So how do you do it? Here are some tactics that work anywhere: ✔ Make it personal. Teach your team to remember names, even if they write them down on a cheat sheet. Personal acknowledgment costs nothing, yet most brands ignore it. ✔ Anticipate needs. If you know guests are waiting in a lobby, offer cold water or coffee. If it is raining, keep umbrellas by the door. If you see a family with kids, offer to suggest activities before they ask. ✔ Give guests insider tips. Train staff to give genuine local recommendations, not just the ones on the brochure. A great restaurant tip or the best sunset spot creates a story they will share forever. ✔ Create micro moments. A handwritten note, a small welcome treat, even a joke or light conversation that feels human, not scripted. These moments cost cents but create memories. ✔ Empower your team. Give them permission to go slightly off script to make someone’s day. A free coffee here, a late checkout when possible, even walking a guest to a location instead of pointing. Those things stick. ✔ Listen after the sale. If a guest makes a request, solve it fast. If they leave a review, reply personally. The conversation should never stop at checkout. The secret is this. Guests do not compare you to other budget hotels or casual restaurants. In their minds, they compare you to the best experience they have ever had anywhere. That is your real competition. You will be surprised how often you can win just by caring more. Stop asking, what can we sell today. Start asking, what memory can we create today. That is the difference between a room and an experience, a meal and a story, a cruise and a lifetime fan. If you are serious about this industry, build for the moments guests will talk about long after they leave. That is the only marketing that really matters. --- I'm Scott Eddy, keynote speaker, social media strategist, and the #15 hospitality influencer in the world. I help hotels, cruise lines, and destinations tell stories that drive revenue and lasting results through strategy, social media workshops, content, and unforgettable photoshoots. If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let's have a conversation about working together: scott@mrscotteddy.com

How you differentiate yourself shapes your business. 1 way to differentiate = leave a lasting impression. But leaving the impression you want... Is not luck. There is a formula 👇 The 4 steps for leaving a lasting impression: ↳ Differentiate yourself quickly ↳ Discover a desired next step ↳ Exceed expectations early ↳ Sprinkle wow moments I first became aware of this formula on a vacation in the Caribbean… When we stepped out of the airport in St. Kitts we were in a brand-new place, ready for an amazing vacation, looking at a long line of cabs. We walked to the 1st cab in line. The driver welcome us to the island, introduced himself to us, and we hopped in for the ride. As we drove through the island, Dennis asked us casually about us, pointed out things of interest, shared the history of the island. He did it so well. And it was so interesting, I asked: Are all the taxi drivers here such amazing guides and historians? (50% joking, 100% amazed) His reply: I am a taxi driver. But I see myself as an ambassador. He shared with us his love for the island, his desire to help the island transition to a tourism economy, and his passion for meeting people from all around the world. And, that he saw his role as an Ambassador for the island of St. Kitts. 💡 Notice: how quickly he differentiated himself As we approached our hotel, Dennis asked us Did we have/want plans for dinner? Did we want casual or formal? What time would be perfect? He gave us his recommendations. Then he asked Which sounded best to us? Would we like him to make reservations? Would it be ok if he came back to pick us up? Wow! Yes please. We agreed. 💡 Notice: how he discovered our desired next step and made it easy for us Dennis was already waiting outside the hotel at our meetup time. On the ride, we learned more about the restaurant, the food, the island sites we were passing. As we turned a corner, he pulled into a look-out spot where the Caribbean & Atlantic meet, with only a ridge of hills separating, At sunset. He showed us a beach nearby on the Atlantic side with “great waves and a great view” that we should check out one day. We continued to the restaurant where Dennis Escorted us inside, Introduced us to the owner, Let us know he’d be waiting nearby. When we called Dennis, he was there in 5 minutes. 💡 Notice: the small but meaningful moments of exceeding expectation We saw Dennis every day that trip. Much of the interactions were normal but every once in a while… 💡 He sprinkled in a new wow moment. Is this story really about our vacation? No. Have a new client? Have a new team member? At a business networking event? Meeting a new romantic interest? ↳ leave a lasting impression And now you know the formula. It works every time. P.S. Had to hunt this pic down… ↳ Maureen and I in St. Kitts. Over a decade ago now. ↳ Walking on the beach he showed us that 1st night. ↳ Remember needing a real camera for vacation pics?