The following blog appeared in HOTELSMag.com and features our own Joseph Hayes, a former Corporate Management Trainee in the Rooms Division at the Grand Hyatt New York and current Assitant Front Office Manager.From the outside looking in I don't think many people view the hotel industry as a very dynamic industry. This could be because our guests only see the end product (their stay). We do a great job at hiding how we actually create the guest experience. Think about it: The reservation process is so simple on the guests' end. Little do they know how intricate reservations systems can be and how many channels they go through before the check-in process. The guests get to the front desk, and a check-in can take less than two minutes. Think about what occurs in that two-minute process: inventory, revenue, forecasts, relationships and opportunities are all altered with a few clicks of a mouse.
Most guests I run into do not become fixated on the multimillion-dollar PMS system that is running 24/7 to ensure the property runs smoothly. Not to mention all the interfaces that have to align with the operating systems. They don't ask because, let's face it, they don't care ... until something goes wrong, of course. Truth is, they shouldn't have to care. It's our job to prevent a breakdown in service. When a breakdown in service does occur, it is our burden to recover. Trying to explain to a guest why somebody was checked into his or her occupied room due to a systematic error is like trying to explain atomic physics to, well, me. Mostly because I just don't want to hear it, and neither do they.
For those of us who see what goes on in the back of the house of an operation, we know that it's not nearly as smooth and serene as the ambiance we so discreetly create.
Digging deeper into the whole process of creating the guest experience, we can ask so many other questions to gage how dynamic this industry truly is:
Why does the guest choose a particular hotel?
Why are they paying that rate?
Why is that hotel located where it is?
Why does the property have as many rooms as it does?
These are questions we as hoteliers think of, but a typical guest does not.
These are questions I asked myself before I started my career in the hospitality industry, which led me to where I am now. Our guests only see what we want them to see (for the most part). They see operations, but not much else. This can lead to one-dimensional views of our industry. What goes on behind the scenes is what makes this industry multi-dimensional. My hotel employs about 1,000 associates, but my guests only see a fraction of them. Yet each and every one of them is critical to our success.
What I would like to see is a more open BOH operation within the business. For example, having BOH tours for guests or shadowing programs for local students. This would be a great way for people to see how a hotel operates in a new light. Also, it would be a great way for someone who might be interested in the industry to see what's it's all about. On an employee engagement front, I truly believe associates would like to have their duties witnessed and acknowledged by their guests.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
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3 comments:
Many hotels is already doing the BOH, think it's about time you take the same step now. However, to encourage Guests to see in a new light is always a challenge, though BOH is done actively, really.
I guess this could be a unique way to offer something to the guest. Advantage? maybe Yes since this could be your trademark.A guest know what happening at the back so he has Idea about what Hotel Operations are.Nowadays people get more adventurous and demanding without thinking about their action.You can show it everyday,(as a hospitality worker) I felt that. But I believe ones they understand beyond what you did,then eventually they understand what you feel because people sometimes bring his side to your side.
what is important now in Hybrid business like Hotel Industry, is not the ambiance that you have,the food that you serve and the smart staff(though it was beneficial in some aspect) but the rapport that you build to the guest,the experience that mark on their mind,and loyalty. I believe that modern days run fast and we need to go along with it in order to compete yet organize and we response to the needs and necessities of the Guest. Innovation is important but we better to think first if it is fitted to your market and the consumer adopt it.
From: Philippines
I've found all your posts to be interesting. However, this one seems to be quite controversial. At least from my perception.
I heartily agree with your view on exposing students, and/or people interested in entering the hospitality industry, to the BOH, and allowing them view the other side of the industry before they join it. However, when it comes to the guests, you always need to tread very lightly.
Some guests might be adventurous, and might even be willing to take a tour of the BOH. But, I personally think that most of the quests pay the hotels big sums of money to get pampered, treated well, and kept away from the humdrum of normal life, i.e. situations like the BOH.
I don't think many people would want to take a tour of the BOH, or would even care whether it existed or not. Chances are they are there for a vacation, and usually vacations normally entail people enjoying themselves, and not learning about the flip side of an industry.
Just my thoughts. Cheers.
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