Beyond The Lobby – Edition 4

^{BIG IDEA FOR THE WEEK}
The Hidden Cost of “Just One More Thing”

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Hoteliers love to improve. A new service here, an upgraded feature there — always chasing that little extra something to make the guest experience better. It’s instinctive. More is better, right?

Not always.

The problem is the “just one more thing” trap. A hotel adds a fancy new pillow menu, but now guests take longer to decide. A restaurant expands its menu, and suddenly, kitchen operations slow down. A new digital concierge is introduced, but guests still call the front desk out of habit — doubling the workload instead of reducing it.

More doesn’t always mean better. Sometimes, it just means more.

Here’s the better approach: Improve by subtraction.

• Instead of adding new room service items, remove the least-ordered ones.

• Instead of more check-in options, streamline the best one.

• Instead of more loyalty perks, simplify to the few that actually matter.

Hotels don’t win by doing the most. They win by doing the right things really well.

So before adding “just one more thing,” ask: Will this actually improve the guest experience, or just add noise?

Because often, the best upgrade isn’t more — it’s less.

^{OPERATIONAL INSIGHT}
The 30-Second Rule for Service Recovery

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Every hotel messes up. A late room, a missed request, a long wait at check-in – it happens. But the real problem isn’t the mistake; it’s the lag between the mistake and the fix.

That’s where the 30-second Rule comes in. The faster a staff member acknowledges an issue—within 30 seconds, ideally – the less likely it turns into a full-blown complaint.

Here’s how it works:

1. Acknowledge Immediately – Even if you can’t solve it on the spot, saying, “I hear you, and I’m on it,” stops frustration from escalating.

2. Take Visible Action – If a guest’s room isn’t ready, don’t just say you’ll check—make a call while they watch. The effort reassures them.

3. Offer a Small Win – A free coffee, a drink at the bar, or just a proactive update buys goodwill. Even if the issue takes time, guests feel taken care of.

A fast response beats a perfect response every time. Most guests don’t expect perfection – they expect effort. And in hospitality, the speed of your response is often more important than the response itself.

^{CRISIS PLAYBOOK}
When a Guest Threatens a Bad Review

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It happens – a guest is upset, and before giving you a chance to fix it, they say:

"I’m going to leave a bad review."

It’s a pressure move. If handled poorly, it escalates. If handled well, it turns into an opportunity. Here’s how to navigate it:

1. Stay cool – don’t get defensive. The worst response is arguing. Instead, acknowledge their frustration:
   → “I understand why that would be upsetting. Let’s see how we can make it right.”
   

2. Shift the conversation to a fix. Guests threatening a bad review often just want to feel heard. Give them control by asking:
   → “What would make this right for you?”
   Most requests are reasonable – it’s usually about effort, not compensation.
   

3. Resolve the issue before checkout. Don’t let complaints sit. If possible, fix it immediately. If not, follow up with a clear plan:
   → “We’re handling this now, and I’ll check back in 30 minutes to confirm.”
   

4. Follow up post-stay. Once the issue is fixed, send a simple message after checkout:
   → “I hope we were able to turn things around for you.”
   A good final impression can stop a bad review from ever being posted.
   

5. If they still leave a bad review, respond smartly. Not every guest will be satisfied, and that’s okay. If the review goes live, reply professionally. Future guests aren’t judging the complaint – they’re judging how you handled it.

Most bad reviews aren’t about what went wrong – they’re about how the issue was handled. Fix that, and you fix more than one stay.

^{WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING}
The Biggest Hotel Chain You’re Not Thinking About

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Ask someone to name the biggest hotel chains in the world, and they’ll likely say Marriott or Hilton. But here’s the surprise – neither of them has the most hotels. That title belongs to Wyndham.

Yep, Wyndham. As of 2024, they have over 9,000 hotels worldwide, more than any other chain. Marriott? Around 8,300. Hilton? About 7,500.

What’s interesting isn’t just the size – it’s the strategy. While Marriott and Hilton chase luxury and high-end travellers, Wyndham dominates the economy and midscale market. They’re in places most travellers actually go – roadside hotels, small towns, and business hubs that don’t make Instagram feeds.

It’s a reminder that scale doesn’t always look like what you expect. Bigger isn’t always flashier. The most successful businesses aren’t always the loudest.

Sometimes, the best strategy isn’t to be the most exclusive – it’s to be the most available.

Source

^THOUGHT
💡 The word "queue" is just the letter "Q" followed by four silent letters.

^{SPONSORED BY HAVEN}
Running a hotel is hard. Haven makes it easier.

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Catch service delays before complaints surface.
Upsell without being pushy.
Fix issues before checkout.

Curious? Learn more here.