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In today’s competitive market, every little thing matters but this particular issue is far from little. When all things are considered equal, why does one company excel when another struggles? The answer is simple, but an often overlooked one… perception. It could be perception of value or perception of quality or, in this case, perception of appreciation.

All Things Being Equal

For the sake of argument, let’s accept the premise that hotels in each class group are more or less the same. Meaning, whether you go to a Hilton or a Marriott or a Crowne Plaza, we assume you are going to get a clean, properly furnished room with decent amenities and high-quality bedding. Also, for the sake of argument, let’s toss out the rewards clubs, because before rewards come into play, there is something else that draws the customer to your property, and it is not just the price or great deal they are getting online.

The same can be said for virtually every industry. In fast food, for instance, why is there a line around the corner for Chick-fil-A when the McDonald’s parking lot is virtually empty at the same time? Is the food at one that much better than the other or is there a reason behind the loyalty to certain brands or more to the point, very particular stores within a brand?

In 2016, a survey on fast food drive-thru windows at all the major chains was conducted by QSR Magazine. The one glaring difference in the study was how far apart Chick-fil-A was from the competitors in terms of being nice and appreciative of its guests.  During the interaction, Chick-fil-A employees said “please” and “thank you” more than virtually any other chain in the study and Chick-fil-A destroyed companies like KFC, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s.

The survey looked at five different categories: eye contact, saying “please,” pleasant demeanor, smiling, and saying “thank you.” Here is the breakdown of the study:

When you put all the stats together in terms of the experience, look how much more often you are likely to have someone pleasant wait on you and say “thank you” for your business at Chick-fil-A than McDonald’s. Over time, things like this make a significant difference to the consumer. If they did not, people would be pulling out of line at Chick-fil-A and heading over to the next closest fast food drive-thru, but they are not.

No Problem IS a Problem

In the hotel industry, we try to ingrain things like making eye contact and saying “please” and “thank you” into our staff training, but there is one area managers themselves often give the wrong response. This is when they are thanked by the guest.

Just as a fun experiment, have your staff and/or managers run an errand for you that will force you to say thank you. It could be grabbing a cup of coffee or picking up a report from another department. Once they complete the task and you thank them for it, see how many of them say “No problem” rather than “My pleasure.” Unless this is something you have already addressed, my guess is the overwhelming majority of them will say “no problem.”

This is an issue recently tackled by Roger Wolkfoff at Hotel-Online.com and something I have mentioned here before as well. Saying “No problem” IS a problem in our industry and it is something you should work diligently to change in your operation. By saying “no problem,” it implies there was a problem in the first place.

When I first entered the industry, I was guilty of this very habit and I had worked in the restaurant industry my entire life. Not once in more than 20 years had a boss corrected me for saying “no problem” in response to a thank you. During one of my first shifts in the hotel industry, however, it was brought to my attention by one of my fellow managers.

I had just dropped off my payroll reports to HR and was asked to run the report to another department because the department head had yet to come by to pick up the paperwork. When I dropped the report off, the manager said, “thanks,” and I replied, “no problem.” He immediately replied, with a smile on his face, “Well, if it was a problem, why did you do it?” I knew something was up because of the smile, but I was still taken aback by the answer. I just did this guy a favor and he was giving me a hard time for it?!

My facial expression made it quite clear I was not happy with his response, so he quickly clarified. He went on to give me a much-needed lecture about courtesy to guests. If I had replied to him so quickly “no problem,” that was more than likely going to be my response to a guest when I was thanked for something. To say “no problem” implies there was initially a problem or the task you were performing for them was a problem or an inconvenience for you. The correct response, I was told, is “my pleasure.”

It is just two words, but they make a world of difference in how the guest perceives your actions. If you are in the hospitality business, you are in the business of doing things for people. This is just as true in fast food as it is for a Ritz Carlton. The setting is not important, but the response and how it is perceived is. People like to be doted on, especially when they are paying for that pleasure. Waiting on them should never be a “problem” because that is the job we all signed up for when we went into the hospitality industry.  

Wolkoff gives several scenarios where saying “no problem” is acceptable in his article, but on that, I disagree. I was always a firm believer in repetition breeding habit, so no matter the situation, making it right for the guest should be your pleasure, even it was a problem created by the guest. If you manage to train your staff to take pleasure in fixing problems and serving the guest, no matter the level of property, you will build more guest loyalty and that, my friends, is what this business is all about.

Are you upset with the “culture” of your hotel or even a single department? Do you believe a manager change to someone that truly believes the hospitality industry is about creating that perfect guest experience would make a big difference in your operation? If you have been unable to find the right manager for the job, it’s time to call JDI. Joseph David International is ranked the #1 hospitality recruiter because we find the ideal match for your specific property or hospitality organization. To learn more about hotel recruiting services, please click here.