How do we share and imbue our Brand story with the folks who will deliver on that promise?
Many Hospitality businesses get it. They have defined their story and tried to market their differentiation. We know we are all not like Harley, or Krispy Kreme or Lexus or even the Kimptons. But, if we have done our work, we should be ready to "enculturate" our staff – those folks who have the guest/customer/client contact and represent our esteemed values.
Now, how do we share and imbue our Brand story with the folks who will deliver on that promise? The operative word is alignment, providing a Brand dynamic, focused upon skills, attitude, culture and support to enhance that experience. Service becomes the differentiator.
What drives this process is our ability to effect change – change in our behavior, our performance and our relationship with that ever circumspect customer. Change starts at the top with senior management – the champion of the process. They either create the compelling dynamic or the vacuum. There must be a service culture transformation and a resultant exceptional service delivery model. Your Brand vision is defined, and values which support the vision are identified. Further, you now have behaviors and applications/practices to validate the results you seek. Naturally, a feedback system ties the whole process together. Now, you move to action, focused upon customer care and the creation of high performance service teams, who will drive the change throughout the organization.
These teams, what do they need? Service has been identified as the differentiator, so it makes sense that key philosophies and skill sets for success through remarkable service would be a major component, along with an appreciation for our individual WOW factors and ability to influence. Communication skills, specifically interpersonal, dramatically reinforce effective interaction. We need to understand relationship management, why we act like we do and how to optimize any exchange. Our individual styles, our strengths and weaknesses, impact our effectiveness as Brand ambassadors. Ownership and accountability with responsibility round out the picture.
There are no excuses anymore to transform everyone into "being the Brand". Training is now blended with all sorts of inexpensive alternatives, from workshops, DVD's, the Internet, etc. Skilled facilitators are at the ready to help move organizations to the forefront of the Experience Era. It is all about elevating our care and attention for the customer and guest, creating that memorable experience and prospering from our investment in excellence. Care to inspire?
