First Hospitality’s Post

What industry peeps are joining me in Bellevue today?

The Tale of Our 2024 Staff Party: A Night of Mystery and Elegance – Phantom of the Opera. #ghotel #hr #hrcareers #hrgeneralist #hrconsulting #hrinsights #hrcommunity #hrhiring #hrjobs #hrjob #hotelmanagement #hoteliers #hoteljobs #hotelmarketing #hotels #hotelnews #hoteliers #hotelindustry #hospitality #hospitalitynews #hospitalityindustry #hotelsandresorts #hospitalityprofessionals #lodging #leaders #leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipTraining #TeamSuccess

🎉 Customer Experience: It's the Little Things That Count 🌟 Just had the pleasure of visiting Brownsville, TX, and staying at the Courtyard by Marriott. I've lived in Texas for many years, but Brownsville was new to me. Greeted by the warm Rio Grande Valley sun, I walked into the hotel expecting the usual check-in. What I didn't expect was to be the "guest of the day." There it was, a hand-drawn sign in the lobby with my name on it. Simple? Yes. Special? Absolutely. I'm part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, sure, but I'm just at the lowly Silver Elite level. This isn't about perks or points, it's about feeling recognized. This gesture didn't come with a room upgrade or a discount. It didn't need to. It was a personal touch, a nod of recognition that transformed a routine stay into a memorable experience. It's a reminder that in a world chasing bells and whistles, sometimes the most impactful moments are the simplest ones. Kudos to the team at Courtyard by Marriott in Brownsville for nailing it with genuine hospitality. This is a lesson for all of us in the business world: the value of the customer experience isn't in what you give, it's in how you make them feel. #CustomerExperience #Hospitality #MarriottBonvoy #TravelTales #BrownsvilleTX

Helping the next generation getting in the industry with the right tools and mindset is the most urgent thing our industry needs right now.

For many of us in the Hospitality industry- you must have heard about or watched "Faulty Towers” starring John Cleese, British Sitcom from the late 70’s. For anyone who has not seen a clip and you are in hospitality, please find a clip and check it out. It’s old but you will be surprised with the similarities you see in your organizations. The video below was shared on line- a Front Office employee in some hotel losing his $#!%. It’s crazy because you see more and more of these clips popping up on Social Media. I recently received one where the valet proudly using his 5 star ⭐️ pin going absolutely crazy. I truly hope these are isolated cases. What’s going wrong? ⭐️Limited options when recruiting. ⭐️Poor training ⭐️Rude Clients ⭐️Poor work environment ⭐️All of the above Have you experienced this as a leader or a guest? What can we do to change it? #customerservice101 #faultytowers #creategreatexperiences

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, crafting memorable experiences is key. AI-Solution is here to support these experience creators every step of the way. 🌐🍸 #FastPacedHospitality #ExperienceCreators - AI-Solution Louis-Gabriel Lafontaine-Hebert

Integrity is the bedrock of any thriving organization, especially in the hospitality industry where every interaction shapes the guest experience. While technical skills can be developed over time, integrity ensures that team members consistently act with honesty, respect, and accountability. In hospitality, our people are the face of the brand — their values and behavior are what guests remember long after their stay. When we prioritize integrity, we create a culture of trust where team members make the right decisions, even when no one is watching. This not only strengthens the internal work environment but also builds long-lasting relationships with our guests. After all, in an industry driven by experiences, integrity is the key to ensuring that every guest leaves with a positive memory. #IntegrityFirst #HospitalityExcellence #TrustAndValues #TeamCulture #GuestExperience #LeadershipInAction

I spent a lifetime working in hospitality. My first paying job besides shoveling snow was as a waitress at a country club in Chicago. Serving luxury clients in floral, working for the world's largest restaurant company and serving clients in consulting is a calling. But why is is to hard to give and get good service today? It is a calling. Not everyone wants to help others. Not every company outlines the principles of good service. You know when you get great service, you just know. I was watching a story about a Canadian from the Fogo Islands, a fishing town, the second generation daughter, #ZitaCobb, spoke about her family's philosophy about service. Their bed and breakfast was a modest Newfoundland home with guests who loved their Inn. She said, "Hospitality is the love of a stranger." REPEAT THIS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND IT, BELEIVE IT AND CAN EXECUTE IT! Potter Palmer founded the luxurious Marshall Fields in Chicago in 1852. It was the epicenter for the wives of the men that built Chicago railways and industry. Fur Salons, Bridal Salons and the famous Walnut Room for dining are still in operation today. ( sadly under Macy's now). When he founded the retail giant, he wrote this missive for his employees about customer service below. You can feel the passion. Read a few times. Are you able to hire and inspire your service staff? As a customer are you thanking people for great service when you receive it? As an employee, are you willing to take on a service role as a calling not a job? We all play a role in raising service standards. Now we need a reset in America. We all when it works; Brand love, revenue, profit, people and customer satisfaction, fame and endurance prevail for the brand that lives by its high service standards. Forbes Travel Guide #Hotels #finedining #luxuryretail #details #passion

Looking back at our journey at Siddall & Hilton, the past few years have been challenging but transformative in a positive way. We are a strong and purposeful company now. We’ve thought long and hard about WHY we do what we do. To pay the bills? Make money? That's important of course. But as we continue to navigate the post-pandemic world, aren't we all looking for more meaning than that? Ultimately we’re not going to find joy in that alone. We thought about it this way. Whatever we do, whatever activities we perform, we’re making an impact somewhere, on someone’s life, hopefully in a positive way. So we focused on that. It helped us define our purpose: “We Make It Safe”. What do we mean by that? Whether it’s craftmanship of safe, quality products, that keep our customers and your customers safe. Often our products are used to keep the bad guys out. Whether it’s leading with courage, to create an environment where our people feel psychologically safe. Or whether it’s zero compromise on health and safety standards within our workplace. “We Make It Safe” is the whole point behind what we do, guiding our decisions and shining brightly in everything we do, as one team.

MARRIOTT MAGIC! A couple of weeks ago, my longtime friend, Joe Calloway, posted a terrific LinkedIn message about the power of Marriott Hotels’ brand and their commitment to creating a hospitality experience that’s consistent and predictable. I commented back to Joe: Right you are! Clarity, consistency, reliability—drive loyalty, revenue, profits. Marriott has been my go-to hotel for decades. This relationship was solidified 20 years ago—when the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile became a client. Then, the hotel was under the dynamic leadership of Doug Ridge, who is a Marriott veteran. Doug has held numerous leadership positions throughout his stellar 39-year Marriott career. Now, he’s the GM at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. When he was in Chicago, I worked with Doug and his executive team, affectionately dubbed, “The Magnificent Seven.” There were lots of things about Marriott Magic—I learned from Doug and his team, that produced BIG results, like: WISDOM WALK: Daily, Doug strategically "wandered" the hotel. He rode guest elevators. Peeked into meeting rooms. Hung in the lobby, where he called himself, a "lobby lizard!" He asked questions. His goal, see things from the guest's perspective. Share their experience. And to catch his team doing little things right.   LESSONS LEARNED FROM Doug Ridge and his talented team: To gain insights about your products, services, customers or team: Get up. Get out. Get involved! If you’re stuck behind your desk or glued to your computer, you may really be “stuck!” See your customers and people in action. Look for smiles or frowns. Confusion or fascination. Understanding who your customer is, (external and internal), and how they “decide”—helps you make intelligent decisions, to better serve them. What magnificent moments of magic—will you and your team—create for others today? #marriott #branding #hospitality #reliability #consistency #results