These beliefs can act like comfortable lies, keeping us from stepping outside our immediate thought patterns and seeing the bigger picture. Inspired by
Animesh Kumar's thought-provoking LinkedIn post on five such beliefs, this article aims to debunk these 'lies' and offer concrete, proactive steps GMs can take
instead. If you recognize these patterns, it's time to challenge your comfort zone and embrace a more proactive approach.
Lie #1: If guests aren’t complaining, they’re happy.
The comfortable thought is that no news is good news. But the reality? Most dissatisfied guests don’t complain to you. Instead, they tell their friends, might leave a damaging online review, and simply don’t return. A smooth check-out doesn't signify delight; it often just means the guest didn't see the value in complaining. Relying on silence is purely reactive.
Step Out & Be Proactive
- Seek Mid-Stay Feedback: Don't wait for checkout. Implement simple ways to check in during the stay (e.g., a quick text, a brief call, or a simple QR code link to a one-question poll in the room). Ask: "Is everything meeting your expectations so far?"
- Train Observational Skills: Empower your entire team (housekeeping, front desk, F&B) to notice and discreetly report subtle signs of friction – long waits, confused expressions, and sighs of frustration. Create a simple internal channel for this.
- Analyze Beyond Scores: Look deeper than just the overall satisfaction score in post-stay surveys. Analyze comments for recurring themes, even minor ones, related to specific touchpoints (check-in speed, room temperature, noise levels).
- Monitor Digital Chatter: Actively track online reviews and social media mentions daily. Respond constructively and use the feedback to identify patterns missed internally.
Lie #2: More options make guests happier.
The immediate thought is that offering everything caters to every possible need. But does that 12-page room service menu really enhance the experience? This inevitably leads to decision fatigue, overwhelming guests or even causing them to abandon the choice altogether. It's a classic case of choice overload, famously studied by Sheena Iyengar.
Step Out & Be Proactive
- Curate, Don't Accumulate: Analyze data – what actually gets ordered or used? Cut the unpopular clutter. Focus on offering fewer, higher-quality, well-chosen options that align with your brand and guest profiles.
- Simplify Ruthlessly: Make choosing easy. Streamline menus, information guides, and booking processes. Is there a simpler way to present this information or complete this task?
- Highlight the Best: Instead of just listing options, guide guests towards recommended or popular choices ("Chef's Recommendation," "Guest Favorites").
- Test & Learn: Pilot simplified offerings (e.g., a condensed menu, a streamlined check-in flow) with a segment of guests and gather direct feedback before a full rollout.
Lie #3: A personal touch is "always" better than tech.
The comfortable defense is that hospitality must be high-touch, and tech feels cold. But technology, implemented correctly, isn't the enemy of warmth – it's the enemy of friction. Self-check-in shouldn't replace a welcome; it should replace waiting.
Step Out & Be Proactive
- Identify Friction Points: Where do guests actually experience delays or hassles that tech could solve? (Check-in/out queues, room service ordering, simple requests like extra towels).
- Use Tech to Enable Personal Touch: Implement self-service for routine tasks (check-in, basic requests via app). This frees up your team's time for more meaningful, personalized interactions where they can truly make a difference.
- Focus on Speed & Efficiency: Guests value having problems solved quickly. Use tech (like internal communication platforms or guest messaging apps) to expedite responses and resolutions. Remember, they recall the speed of the fix.
- Integrate Seamlessly: Ensure technology is user-friendly and staff are well-trained to assist guests. Tech should feel like a helpful tool, not an obstacle.
Lie #4: Service recovery means fixing issues when guests report them.
The immediate reaction is to solve the problem presented by the complaining guest. But if you only act after a complaint, you're already playing defense. The negative experience has already happened.
Step Out & Be Proactive
- Anticipate Failure Points: Map the guest journey and proactively identify potential bottlenecks or issues before they impact guests (e.g., breakfast rush, elevator wait times during peak checkout, Wi-Fi strain during conferences).
- Empower Proactive Solutions: Give your team the training and autonomy to anticipate and address potential issues before they escalate. Can a front desk agent offer a complimentary coffee if they see a queue forming? Can housekeeping leave an extra bottle of water on a hot day?
- Fix the System, Not Just the Symptom: Analyze complaint data for individual solutions and underlying systemic problems. If multiple guests complain about room temperature, investigate the HVAC system, not just adjust individual thermostats.
- Conduct "Pre-Mortems": Before busy periods or large events, gather your team and ask: "What could realistically go wrong for our guests, and what steps can we take now to prevent it?"
Lie #5: Loyalty comes from points and perks.
The easy path is to rely on loyalty programs and discounts to attract guests. While perks have their place, genuine loyalty doesn’t come from a transaction but from trust. Guests return when they are confident that their experience will be reliably smooth and positive.
Step Out & Be Proactive
- Obsess Over Consistency: Make operational excellence your foundation. Ensure core promises (cleanliness, comfort, safety, efficiency) are delivered flawlessly every single time. This builds trust more than points do.
- Personalize the Experience: Use guest history and preferences (discreetly noted in your PMS) to offer thoughtful, relevant touches that show you remember and value them as individuals (e.g., their preferred newspaper, a room away from the elevator if requested previously).
- Cultivate Recognition: Train your team, especially long-serving members, to recognize and acknowledge repeat guests. A simple "Welcome back, Mr./Ms. Smith!" can be incredibly powerful.
- Build Confidence Through Reliability: Focus your messaging and operations on dependability. Guests should feel assured that choosing your hotel means choosing a hassle-free, positive experience they can count on.
Shifting from Reactive to Proactive: The Way Forward
Moving beyond these lies requires consciously choosing proactive strategies over-reactive fixes. It means focusing your energy on:
- Removing Friction: Actively seeking out and eliminating hassles.
- Eliminating Guesswork: Making everything clear, simple, and intuitive.
- Delivering Reliability: Building trust through unwavering consistency.
Embed these principles in your management style and, crucially, within your team culture. When your entire operation anticipates needs and prioritizes a smooth, dependable experience, remarkable guest satisfaction and genuine, lasting loyalty will inevitably follow. Stop just firefighting and start architecting an environment where fires rarely need putting out.
