In every horror movie or scary tale, there is a moment when the hero makes a decision that will either lead to safety or right into the clutches of a maniacal villain.
in hospitality, every moment can delight guests and build loyalty or drive them right to your competition.
Which will you choose?
Never forget, hospitality is all about creating memorable, positive experiences that make guests feel welcomed and cared for. It is about ensuring that customers receive service that always meets their base expectations - and then delivers just a touch more.
Yet, lurking beneath the surface are some common and frighteningly easy-to-make mistakes that can turn a delightful guest experience into a horror story.
Much like a classic thriller, where small easter eggs in the beginning foreshadow the misfortune yet to come, organizations that deliver lackluster customer service will see their sales decline.
The scariest thing about bad customer service is how quicky it can drive away your customers and impact your sales
Training and developing your team to deliver treats rather than tricks is a powerful way to build a customer-centric culture
As a leader it is up to you to ensure that your team is empowered and enabled to deliver excellent hospitality - and to set the example for great service
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Let’s cast some light on the shadows and look at five of the scariest mistakes in hospitality — and how you can ensure your guests leave feeling valued, not haunted!
Mistake 1: Failing to Personalize the Guest Experience
Imagine you booked dinner at a local restaurant you have been excited to try, but from the moment you arrive, it’s clear they are struggling. You’re greeted with a scripted line, they struggle to find your reservation, and despite booking a quiet corner, you’re seated next to the bustling kitchen (or worse, the washroom). They refuse to leave the mushrooms off your dish and your server asks you every time what you are drinking when it's time for a refill. Failing to personalize a guest’s experience can leave them feeling like just another number — and in hospitality, there’s nothing more chilling than feeling invisible.
How to Avoid It: Use guest preferences and previous interactions to offer a more personalized experience. From remembering favorite drink orders to noting special requests to knowing their name, these small touches build loyalty and create memorable experiences. Empower your team to notice and act on these details to deepen guest loyalty.
Mistake 2: Overcomplicating Service and Processes
Customers hate things that are hard. When customers have to endure long waits, complicated processes, or over-complicated forms, it is an absolute hospitality killer. Make sure that your online booking tools are easy to use, that your policies make sense, and that your team never hits your customers over the head with the rule book. Imagine the "Saw" series of movies where the only way out is through a series complex tasks. For guests, overly complicated systems are painful.
How to Avoid It: Simplify all processes, from ordering to check-out, and make sure your staff is trained to communicate these processes clearly - and know how to help customers navigate them to get what they need. Look for ways to streamline forms and eliminate unnecessary steps, ensuring that every interaction feels intuitive and effortless.
Mistake 3: Failing to Enable, Empower, and Engage Your Team
Imagine a haunted mansion where the staff drifts silently through the halls, unable to help or offer comfort to the frightened visitors - much like what what you see in The Haunted Mansion. In hospitality, an unengaged or unenabled team is just as powerless to assist guests. Without the tools, training, or empowerment to do their jobs effectively, it will be customers who pay the price and disappear from your business.
How to Avoid It: Engage your team by involving them in decision-making, and teach them how to solve problems confidently. Empower them to make on-the-spot decisions to enhance the guest experience, from offering a complimentary dessert to finding quick solutions to complaints. Team members who are enabled, engaged, and recognized will deliver better service and stay with you longer.
Mistake 4: Inconsistent Execution
In horror films, it’s often the sense of unpredictability that keeps the tension high - which door is the villain behind this time? In hospitality, however, unpredictability does nothing but push customers to your competition. Inconsistent service leaves your customers wondering which version of your business they will get this time - a trick or a treat?
How to Avoid It: Develop clear service standards and ensure every team member is trained and developed to uphold them. Remember, though, that just training your team isn't enough - you have to reinforce your expectations and model those behaviors yourself. Create routines, checklists, and regular quality assessments to ensure your service stays consistent, reliable, and meets guests’ expectations every time.
Mistake 5: Not Listening to Your Guests
If there’s one thing horror films teach us, it’s to pay attention to warnings. Ignoring guest feedback is like ignoring strange noises in the night — you’re setting yourself up for trouble down the road. When guests share their feedback, either directly or through reviews, they are giving you a valuable opportunity to improve. Not listening is a dangerous gamble.
How to Avoid It: Establish a system for gathering and acting on feedback, whether through online surveys, comment cards, or directly engaging with customers while they are in your space. Encourage your team to actively listen and respond in real-time whenever possible and to always pass along what they hear to their leaders. Customers love working with businesses that listen to their feedback and put it to use.
As you can see, I love Halloween and an occasionally cheesy article - but these holiday tie ins are a golden opportunity to bring hospitality to the forefront in fun and creative ways. Try having a little holiday hospitality fun with your team.
These service miscues are scary because they can cost you customers and erode your sales. By avoiding these, you can ensure that each guest’s experience is consistent, easy, and memorable.
So, if you want to ensure your customers smile rather than scream, remember these five tips and keep your customers at the center of everything you do.
Tony Johnson
* Written by a real human, not A.I.
Tony is an award winning speaker and author on the topics of sales growth, customer experience, and leadership. Tony speaks to thousands annually and has been featured on ABC News and Fox News. He is available for business planning, motivational keynotes, leadership workshops, and employee service skills training.
Tony is the founder of Ignite Your Service and the Chief Experience Officer for 4xi Global Consulting.
Tony is available to help with your Customer Experience and Employee Engagement Strategies, inspirational keynote talks, team training and development, and executive leadership coaching.
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