Akhill Hassan Perera’s Post

Hospitality 101 Today I was reminded that not everyone understands the basics of hospitality. By sharing this I hope people will think about how to welcome people into a space. If they are already there or they are coming in to a space with guests already present how to better connect. When meeting new people: 1. Start with a hello 👋 2. Make eye contact and introduce yourself with your name 3. Confirm you are part of the group attending the event 4. If appropriate ask soft intro questions like what brought you here? or a simple nice to meet you is a classic response 5. At times the above is not necessary as people intuitively shake your hand or hug 🤗 you which is a acknowledgment of we are here together. What not to do: 1. Ask why are you here?!! 2. Who are you with? 3. What do you do? Events are about connection and making everyone feel welcomed. Once you start the conversation with incredibly direct questions the welcome 🤗 vibe changes. My go to is to always ask what are your hobbies. This question 🙋♀️ always brings up interesting conversations. Be kind, be mindful, be welcoming 🥰❤️💜💗

So...what IS a digital hospitality team anyway? 🤔 . So glad you asked 😉 . 🤝 Welcome - the hospitality team is the first people visitors interact with, and are responsible for giving everyone a warm welcome! . 🔨 Moderation - hopefully this is a rare part of their job, but the hospitality team is the one responsible for moderating events and meetings, keeping the space friendly and safe. . 🤗 Engagement - someone's got to start the conversation! The hospitality team is responsible for creating an environment that encourages engagement - both with content and others. . ✉️ Follow-up - after the event is over, the hospitality team's job isn't done! The hospitality team is responsible for following-up and connecting with visitors and members alike once an event is over. . Looking for tools to equip your hospitality team for success? Our blog is full of tips, tricks, and tools for hospitality teams... like this Sample Church Welcome Letter: https://hubs.li/Q02mMnYD0

What are some tips for building effective relationships with hotel guests? ✏️ From personal experience, these are the tips that yielded the best results in terms of building lasting relationships with guests and inspired them to return. 1. Remember their names. 2. Anticipate their needs/ offer assistance. 3. Cater to their likes/ interests after finding out same. 4. Follow through with their requests. 5. Follow up on completed request to ensure satisfaction. Bonus tip: Inject some humor into your conversations and have a good laugh together.

📚 REMINDER: We are reading chapters 11-15 of Unreasonable Hospitality this week! Chapter 12 - Relationships are simple. Simple is hard. - is really good 15 pages in this set of chapters. I think these relationship ideas in a business setting are often traded for gossip, silence, and "sweeping the issue under the rug." I can't point to a single instance where any of those last three tactics ever made the situation better. The standard for better is simple ... but simple is hard. I can't wait to unpack some of that in this week's 3-2-1. #virtualbookclub #hospitalityiscolor #simpleishard

When you work in hospitality you realize how big of an impact you can make on people's lives. Going the extra mile for the people around you might mean something different every day. Maybe it is staying a bit longer and helping out a coworker, maybe it is getting a guest's favorite drink and surprising them, or maybe it is bringing an extra coffee for a friend. Going the extra mile for someone might make their day and yours as well! #hospitality #nycevents #nycstaffing #eventstaffing

HAW Social side! I'm just going to leave this here. If you work in hospitality you will understand the social side. If you are having breakfast, dinner or on a night out, you always manage to start a conversation! #morethanajob #lifetimetraining #Mitchellsandbutlersplc

Reflections from my holiday to Yunnan's Shangri-La City - and three lessons learnt from the trip. 1) The people are always selling. At Impression Lijiang, a national theatre cultural show, the show's parting message to the audience was "We welcome you to come again. We'll wait for your return.". Customer success and retention are baked into the show's messaging. In various Didi cab rides, each driver expertly weaved "discovery questions" into our conversations (sales consideration in brackets), such as "How long are we here for? (How many more days can I sell my driving service to you?)", "Where have we been to already? (Where else can I recommend you, so that you can book me again?)", "Which hotel are you guys staying in? (How much is your travel budget, so that I can price my fees accordingly?)". As we left our homestay, we were given a "free" farewell gift and a ride to the capital. We were reminded to "give a good review". Quid Pro Quo. I asked myself, why am I not like that? Maybe I was too comfortable? But there is no shame in selling, if one is creating value for others, and doing so to bring home the bacon to the family. Always be selling. 2) The power of social media in amplifying private gossip and tragedy into a public conversation. Our driver showed us a short video - an unfortunate incident where a young girl ventured into Qinghai's Hoh Xil (Ke Ke Xi Li) region - a no-man land - to explore nature's beauty while surviving harsh weather conditions. She lost her way, her car ran out of fuel, and she was eaten alive by a pack of wolves. Various versions of her predicament circulated uncensored nationwide, sparking outrage that compounded the sufferings of her grieving family. Social media made all of us journalists, even if we are not professionals in corroborating facts, content curation and driving critical opinion for learning. Opportunists learnt to take rumor potshots to profit from the misery of others. It's so unsafe online, it's almost like everyone is being handed a hand grenade and the bomb might drop on you someday. It is why parents try to limit screen time of their children, until they can't. It is why the readership of real journalism is going down. A safer internet means raising happy and healthy children and restoring journalism's influence in adjudicating truths for public interests. 3) Nature made me a better human being. Nature is often overlooked and forgotten. But this trip made me realize how beautiful they are. Animals are not to be feared. They will not attack me. When it snowed, everyone worked together to ensure essential services continued to work for all. What is our nature's equivalent in Singapore? It's the overlooked and forgotten PWDs, low-resource families and vulnerable people. Work with them. Create opportunities to support their transformation. They made me become a better human, and they will make your workplace culture better too. #disability #journalism #holiday

What is an event? I recently re-visited an old favorite restaurant & was serendipitously reminded what it was like to experience exceptional & humbling hospitality. Being in events for close to 8 years now, I think the answer to the question above is a lot simpler than it sometimes seems. At its core, events is very similar to the restaurant industry. Events is people. It's the beautiful world of hospitality. Events is a place for people to seek meaningful connections, knowledge exchange & find inspiration. It's an experience. Can you be a good host? As an events rep, we define our success by the experience of others while in our care. Providing continuous support, engagement & excitement along the way, we rally for exceptional experiences onsite. When we are able to deliver that Michelin star experience to our clients (as well as our coworkers), then we all get on our planes home knowing we succeeded in our roles. Are the events you're attending outstanding hosts? This is the true money question. Because if they are, then you will find those meaningful connections, you will have those exchanges of knowledge & you will experience an abundance of inspiration. It will be a true experience. They will take care of you for as long as you are in their care.

Our world is increasingly less personal, yet at the same time, we crave authentic connection. We secretly fear that we’re not enough, not living up to whatever standards we think we need to meet. This hinders us from connecting with others. In hospitality, this can hold us back from providing authentic, caring service by keeping us hidden and assuming that we are the only ones who feel this way. Authentic, caring service is not difficult, but it does take some effort on our part: 1. Being knowledgeable about your offerings 2. Having confidence in your knowledge 3. Being intentional about desiring to connect thoughtfully 4. Paying attention to the verbal and physical cues that the guest is giving 5. Offering appropriate connection in a thoughtful and caring way Increasing confidence in your practical knowledge allows you to adapt to each guest knowledgeably and personally. Intentionality is huge. You have to want to provide an unexpected level of service. From there, pay attention and look for ways you can personalize an interaction. That doesn’t just mean use their name (although definitely do so if appropriate). Maybe you notice someone is acting like they’re cold, but haven’t said anything. Offer to turn on a heater for them, or just do it if it won’t adversely affect other guests. If it would, maybe take a blanket over and offer it. Say that you noticed they looked cold, and you thought they might want a cozy blanket. Bring them some hot water, or offer tea or coffee. Maybe a guest seems really stuck deciding what to eat. Proactively ask if you can describe dishes to them. Asking what questions they have might open the door to you being able to provide something that isn’t expressly on the menu, but that is easily accommodated. Maybe they’re not getting along with whoever they’re with or seem distracted. Offer a warm smile and a caring attitude. This goes a long way and may be just what is needed. One time I did that and found out my guest was grieving and they welcomed the pure human connection. ♟️DM me if your team needs help discovering ways to naturally connect with their guests. It’s what I’m known for.

🌟 Attention to Detail in Hospitality: The Key to Building Meaningful Relationships 🌟 In the world of hospitality, every detail matters. From the warm welcome at the door to the personalized touches during service, it's the small things that make a big difference in creating unforgettable experiences. But beyond just industry practices, I believe that paying attention to the small details in all relationships is truly transformative. Whether it's a co-worker, a patron, or a loved one, taking the time to notice and appreciate the little things can enrich our connections in profound ways. By fostering a culture of attentiveness and care, we not only enhance the guest experience but also cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships with everyone we encounter. It's these small gestures that can brighten someone's day, uplift spirits, and ultimately, create a better life for all. Let's challenge ourselves to be mindful of the details, to listen closely, and to show genuine care in all our interactions. Together, let's create a world where every relationship is enriched by the beauty of the small things. What's a small way you make a difference in other's life? #Hospitality #AttentionToDetail #RelationshipsMatter #MakeADifference #theeaphfactor