I JUST LOVE A GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE STORY , and a good travel related customer service story is even better !
ISPA favorite Will Guidara shares a frustrating travel experience that ended on a surprisingly positive note . After an exhausting seven-hour delay , Will arrived at his hotel at 4 a . m ., sure he would have to endure the usual check-in process . Instead , he received a warm greeting from Oscar , the night manager , who handed him his room key and sent him straight to bed .
Definitely “ unreasonable hospitality ”! But this simple act wasn ’ t just one employee with a kind heart . It was a brilliant policy the hotel had implemented to postpone check-ins for late-arriving guests , ensuring weary travelers could quickly get some rest . Will recognized this experience as a perfect example of how a service provider can use systemized hospitality to create extraordinary moments for guests .
You probably know Will as author of Unreasonable Hospitality and ISPA ’ s treasured hospitality guru . He writes a bi-weekly newsletter guaranteed to inspire you to implement “ unreasonable hospitality ” into your own spa culture . As the newsletter ’ s name — Pre-Meal — suggests , Will often draws from his stellar career in restaurants . But spa professionals can take a page from his playbook . Let ’ s think creatively about how to anticipate our guests ’ needs and bake courtesy into our daily operations . It ’ s these little touches that can turn a good experience into a memorable one .
Will and his fellow culinarian wife , Christina Tosi , will share the stage at our 2025 Conference next March . In the meantime , subscribe to Will ’ s
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LYNNE WALKER McNEES
newsletter for inspiring stories and practical tips and “ Have a good service !” n
LYNNE MCNEES , ISPA PRESIDENT
Subscribe to Pre-Meal newsletter for more inspiration from 2025 ISPA Conference keynote speaker Will Guidara .
64 PULSE n SEPTEMBER 2024