Importance of Personalization in Hospitality

The Power of Micro-Moments. In luxury hospitality, it’s not always the ocean-view suite, the thread count of the sheets, or the Michelin-starred dinner that your guests will remember. It’s the handwritten note. It’s the barista who remembers their name. It’s the bellman who notices they’ve had a long day and walks a little slower beside them. It’s the housekeeper who folds the child’s stuffed animal into the bed with care. These are micro-moments. They’re barely visible in the grand scheme of operations. They don’t show up on the P&L. They’re not posted on Instagram. But they live forever in the guest’s emotional memory bank. Luxury is no longer about excess. It’s about emotion. And emotion lives in the smallest details. The most impactful luxury brands in the world know this. They train for it. They bake it into their culture. Not because it looks good in the brand book, but because they understand this simple truth: ⚠️ Guests forget amenities. But they never forget how you made them feel. And most of the time, that feeling comes from a gesture so small, most leaders don’t even notice it’s happening. Want to raise ADR? Want more 5-star reviews? Want to boost repeat bookings? Start by noticing the unnoticed. Empower your teams to act on instinct, not just SOP. Give them permission to lean into humanity. Encourage them to play in the gray space between task and emotion. That’s where magic lives. Here’s the playbook: ✅ Build a culture where personalization isn't scripted, it's second nature ✅ Reward emotional intelligence just as much as technical skill ✅ Train your team to see what others ignore, body language, tone, mood ✅ Celebrate stories of guest impact that happen when no one’s watching ✅ Make space for staff to be human first, employee second And above all... Stop managing moments. Start creating memories. The best luxury brands don’t just meet expectations. They deliver emotional souvenirs. I’ve seen this firsthand in the Maldives, Thailand, the Greek islands, and dozens of other destinations. The properties that get it, they get it deep. And they never stop refining those invisible touches that build emotional loyalty. If you’re in this industry and you think luxury is about price point, you’ve already lost the game. Luxury today is hyper-emotional, micro-personal, and built one heartbeat at a time. If you want your brand to play in this space, your marketing better reflect it. Your team better believe it. And your leadership better live it. Because the real magic? It’s never in the marble. It’s in the moment. --- 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.

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.

Unreasonable Hospitality Isn’t Just Something I Teach—It’s Something I Experience. There’s a department store in Kansas City that has completely redefined shopping for me. I love their brands, but I love their experience even more. Eric, my personal shopper, doesn’t just sell me shoes—he makes sure I never have to hunt for them. ✔️ He texts me when new styles arrive that he knows I’ll love. ✔️ He remembers my favorite colors and brands. ✔️ He pulls my size and holds them before I even ask. ✔️ He collaborates with the women’s department shopper to build full outfits, so I don’t even have to think about what goes together. Shopping isn’t a time-consuming guessing game. It’s effortless, curated, and enjoyable. And yes, it makes me spend more money. 💵 But I happily hand over my card every time because they’ve removed the stress from the process. That’s the power of Unreasonable Hospitality. And while this might sound like a luxury service, here’s the truth: this kind of next-level client experience can be implemented in any industry, and it doesn’t have to be budget-breaking. 📢 No, you don’t need to be handing out Tiffany boxes like the book talks about. What you do need is a mindset shift—a commitment to anticipation, personalization, and making your clients feel seen. It’s exactly what I help businesses implement with their teams. When done right, it: ✅ Increases customer satisfaction ✅ Drives top-line revenue ✅ Builds true client loyalty that keeps people coming back (and raving about you to others!) If you want to stop competing on price and start competing on experience, let’s talk. Because once you implement Unreasonable Hospitality, your clients will never want to go anywhere else. #smallbusiness #exceptionalservice

☕ Lessons in Customer Experience from a Coffee Shop in Singapore Wait, why are we talking about a coffee shop in Singapore instead of Seattle or San Francisco? Because this experience isn’t *yet* available in the US—and it’s one the world should take note of. At Bacha Coffee, luxury, culture, and customer care come together to create an unforgettable experience. It’s not just about coffee—it’s about a masterclass in customer experience (CX). Here are my reflections on their extraordinary approach and the lessons any business can learn from them: 1. Storytelling and building connection From the first greeting to a personalized introduction to their 200+ single-origin coffees, the team at Bacha Coffee makes every guest feel special. They don’t just serve coffee—they tell its story.  Lesson: Build an emotional connection with your customers through storytelling and authenticity. 2. Personalization at Scale Staff members anticipate needs, provide tailored recommendations, and treat every guest like a VIP. It’s personalization done right.  Lesson: Know your customers deeply to deliver meaningful, tailored experiences. 📸 3. Shareable Moments From golden coffee pots to stunning packaging, everything at Bacha Coffee is Instagram-worthy. They’ve turned their experience into something customers love to showcase.  Lesson: Build shareable moments into your customer journey—it’s free marketing with high impact. Great CX isn’t about big gestures—it’s about creating intentional, thoughtful moments at every touchpoint. Whether you’re in tech, retail, or consulting, the principles of immersion, personalization, and storytelling apply universally. ✨ Your Turn: What’s one unforgettable customer experience that’s inspired you? #CustomerExperience #CX #Luxury #Storytelling #BusinessLessons #BachaCoffee #CustomerJourney

I’ve noticed that most hotels struggle with upselling… not because guests won’t spend more, but because they’re being offered things they don’t actually want. Guests don’t want random upgrades thrown at them. They want experiences that feel personal, relevant, and add real value to their stay. The problem? Most upselling strategies feel like a sales pitch, not a service. Here’s what the best hotels do differently: ✅ They listen first. Instead of pushing generic offers, they ask the right questions to uncover what matters most to each guest. ✅ They use data wisely. AI and guest history help predict what a guest is likely to value—whether it’s a private cabana, late checkout, or a chef’s tasting menu. ✅ They make it seamless. The best upsells don’t feel like an extra charge they feel like an enhancement to an already great stay. Hotels that stop guessing and start personalizing see higher guest satisfaction AND increased revenue. It’s not about selling more, it’s about offering better. What’s one upsell you’ve said yes to at a hotel that felt like a no-brainer? #hospitality #hotels #guestexperience #revenuegrowth

Why would one of the most refined, high-end restaurants in New York pause a $300 tasting menu to serve a $2 street hot dog? At Eleven Madison Park, a guest from out of town offhandedly mentioned they were heading home the same day - slightly regretful they hadn’t had the chance to try a quintessential New York hot dog. Will Guidara, then the restaurant’s general manager, left the dining room, found the nearest cart, bought one, and brought it back. The kitchen, led by chef Daniel Humm, plated it beautifully - mid-service - as part of their otherwise meticulously curated menu. It wasn’t part of a loyalty program. It wasn’t scalable. But it was unforgettable. That $2 gesture became the genesis of Unreasonable Hospitality - a philosophy that transformed Eleven Madison Park into the top-ranked restaurant in the world. And while its origins are in hospitality, the implications for startup founders are profound. In a space dominated by metrics, product velocity, and growth efficiency, Unreasonable Hospitality is a timely reminder: Not every competitive advantage can - or should - be optimized for efficiency. Here’s what founders should take away: 1. Some of your most valuable moments won’t be visible on a dashboard. Startups thrive on frameworks: build-measure-learn, test-and-optimize, scale-or-kill. But not everything meaningful can be engineered. The moments that generate enduring loyalty often live outside of your product roadmap. And they only happen if you're paying attention. 2. Human connection remains your strongest - and most underutilized - differentiator. In a world obsessed with personalization at scale, we often forget the power of personalization without scale. A moment of real care. A gesture that doesn’t optimize for ROI. These are the interactions people remember. And talk about. 3. Culture isn’t about values on a wall - it’s about what your team is empowered to do. At EMP, team members had the autonomy to surprise, delight, and care - without permission. If your internal culture doesn’t allow for spontaneous, unscripted generosity, you’re leaving trust and loyalty on the table. 4. Emotional intelligence is a strategic asset. Call it hospitality, intuition, or founder EQ - the ability to anticipate unspoken needs and respond with care isn’t soft. It’s a real advantage in markets where retention is fragile and switching is easy. And it’s nearly impossible to replicate. Unreasonable Hospitality isn’t about restaurants. It’s about turning trust into leverage. Emotion into retention. Culture into defensibility. And if you’re a founder in a crowded market, where speed and capital are commodities - this might just be the one edge your competitors won’t copy.