Podcast Summary
Investing in relationships: Focusing on relationships and hospitality creates sustainable competitive advantage for businesses, leading to better customer and team experiences, and ultimately, long-term success.
The most sustainable competitive advantage for businesses comes from investing in relationships and hospitality, rather than just focusing on product or brand. This idea, outlined in Will Gadela's book "Unreasonable Hospitality," challenges the traditional business mindset of prioritizing only the product or service. Instead, Gadela argues that making people feel valued and creating strong connections is essential for long-term success. This approach not only benefits customers but also extends to team members, as empowering and valuing them leads to better service and stronger connections. The book's central message is that emotions and feelings matter in business, and understanding this can lead to extraordinary results. Gadela's experience in the restaurant industry, particularly at 11 Madison Park, provides real-life examples of how this philosophy can be applied to various businesses. Overall, "Unreasonable Hospitality" offers a fresh perspective on business success, emphasizing the importance of human connections and relationships.
Creating memorable experiences: Thoughtfulness, active listening, and empowering employees to act on ideas create memorable experiences for customers, turning them into advocates. Small, personalized gestures and use of technology like AI enhance these moments.
Creating unforgettable experiences for customers goes beyond financial investment; it requires thoughtfulness, active listening, and empowering employees to act on their ideas. Examples like the two-dollar hot dog or parking meters demonstrate the power of small, personalized gestures. These moments, whether one-off or recurring, have the potential to turn customers into advocates for a brand. By encouraging employees to listen to customers and act on their needs, businesses can create emotional connections that leave a lasting impact. The use of technology, like AI, can also enhance these experiences by offering faster processing and lower costs. Ultimately, the act of service is not demeaning, but rather a powerful tool for creating memorable experiences and building strong connections with customers.
Hospitality in Business: Adding personal touches and systemizing hospitality into business processes can create memorable customer experiences and inspire team members to be more hospitable.
Creating excellent customer experiences goes beyond just delivering high-quality products or services. It's about adding thoughtful, personal touches that make customers feel loved and appreciated. The speaker shares an example of discovering exceptional French toast in different cultures and how the hospitality they received made the experience even more memorable. He also discusses the importance of systemizing hospitality into business processes, such as providing free parking or a warm welcome, to inspire team members to be more hospitable in return. The speaker emphasizes that even small gestures can have a significant impact and create lasting impressions. In business, startups can build their dream team with the help of Dev Squad, ensuring they have top-tier talent while saving costs. Additionally, thoughtful products or services, like phone charging cables or books, can provide unreasonable hospitality by creating joy and making customers feel cared for.
Hospitality gestures in business: Small gestures of hospitality can significantly enhance customer experience and create loyalty. Leadership plays a crucial role in budgeting and creating a culture for such improvements. LinkedIn's ad platform can help reach senior executives for B2B marketing.
Companies, specifically airlines, have an opportunity to enhance customer experience and create loyalty by providing small gestures of hospitality. These gestures, such as offering earplugs for crying babies or providing extra amenities, can make a significant impact and be seen as normal rather than going above and beyond. Leadership at the top plays a crucial role in creating budgets and cultures that allow for such improvements. Additionally, LinkedIn's ad platform can be an effective solution for reaching senior executives and decision-makers in businesses, making B2B marketing more impactful.
Customer service as investment: Companies like JetBlue and Chewy have turned customer service from a cost to an investment by prioritizing satisfaction and going above and beyond, creating loyal customers and differentiating themselves from competitors.
Companies like JetBlue and Chewy have transformed their customer service operations from cost centers to investments and branding efforts. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and going above and beyond, they've created loyal customer bases and differentiated themselves from competitors. An example of this is JetBlue's founder recognizing the potential of work-from-home call center agents, allowing them to take their time with customers and creating a more efficient and effective system. Similarly, Chewy's response to customers who have lost their pets and need to cancel their subscriptions is a thoughtful and gracious approach that leaves a lasting impression. These companies' commitment to unreasonable hospitality and fairness sets a high standard for ethical business practices.
Impact of small gestures: Small gestures can change perspectives and have long-term impact, leading to unexpected opportunities and addictive satisfaction in delivering value to others
Thoughtful gestures, no matter how small, can have a profound impact on people and even change their perspective. This was exemplified in the story of a famous director who, at the request of his wife, went above and beyond to fix her driveway, ultimately leading him to become the director of a movie based on a book. This experience showcased the power of adding value to someone's life, even in unexpected ways, and the long-term impact it can have. Additionally, the discussion touched upon the idea that people become addicted to delivering these kinds of gestures and the profound satisfaction it brings, whether it's in the pursuit of excellence or hospitality. Overall, the conversation highlighted the importance of making people feel seen and appreciated, as these moments can leave a lasting impression and shape our lives.
Exceptional customer service details: Thoughtful attention to detail and prioritizing customer needs leads to exceptional customer experience. This can include sending a 'SWAT team' of staff to quickly turn over rooms, leaving snacks for guests, and folding their laundry in a hotel. In restaurants, implementing technology like QR code ordering or ensuring great service enhances the overall dining experience.
Exceptional customer experience is achieved through thoughtful attention to detail and prioritizing the needs of the customer. This can be seen in the example of a hotel sending a "SWAT team" of cleaning staff to quickly turn over rooms, leaving snacks for guests, and even folding their laundry. Such actions require a mindset of caring deeply for the person one is serving, even if it means sacrificing other tasks or priorities. This concept can be applied to various industries, including restaurants, where the ability to maintain a present and engaged interaction with customers is becoming increasingly important in a world of constant distractions. Whether it's through implementing technology like QR code ordering or ensuring great service, the focus should be on enhancing the overall dining experience for the customer.
Customer relationships in hospitality: Investing in personalized experiences and building genuine connections with customers can lead to greater success in the hospitality industry, while ethical considerations such as scalping reservations must be addressed.
Building strong relationships with customers and investing in their experiences can lead to greater success for businesses, particularly in the hospitality industry. This was evident in the speaker's experience of transitioning from a service charge to a prefix price model and the importance of creating a welcoming and personalized environment for guests. However, there are also ethical considerations to be aware of, such as the issue of scalping reservations or selling them on the secondary market, which can undermine the value of the experience for both the business and the customer. Instead, the speaker advocated for building genuine connections with customers through authentic interactions and investing time in getting to know them. This approach not only benefits the business but also creates a loyal customer base that values the relationship. The speaker's experience aligns with the idea that in a service-oriented business, the customer is the true king, and treating them as such can lead to significant rewards.
Moments of grace, clarity: Discovering moments of grace in everyday life can lead to clarity of thought and productivity. Writing and traveling can be effective practices for finding inspiration and new perspectives.
Finding and creating moments of grace can lead to clarity of thought and productivity. The speaker mentioned his discovery of the New York Metro trains leaving a minute later than scheduled to give passengers a chance to board, and how this simple act inspired him to look for similar opportunities in his own life. He also emphasized the importance of writing as a means of clarifying thoughts and finding inspiration, and suggested subscribing to his newsletter, Premial, for bite-sized insights. The speaker also recommended traveling, specifically flying business class, as an opportunity to meet new people and gain fresh perspectives. Overall, the conversation highlighted the value of being intentional and mindful in everyday life, and the potential benefits of small actions and practices.