Book Report - Unreasonable Hospitality
The remarkable power of giving people more than they expect
By: Will Guidara
My “book reports” consist of sharing quotes/ideas from each book that relate to business, leadership, etc. — and usually some key themes that I want to highlight. Here, I focused on the principles that Guidara shares, and how unique thinking can deliver extraordinary experiences.
The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the principles and practices behind creating an exceptional customer experience. First off, here’s an in-depth look at some of the key themes:
The Power of Unreasonable Hospitality
Guidara argues that going beyond merely good service is essential for creating truly memorable experiences. By consistently exceeding customer expectations, businesses can build loyalty, attract new customers, and differentiate themselves from competitors. He emphasizes that unreasonable hospitality is not about extravagance, but rather about genuine care, attention to detail, and a commitment to making customers feel valued and appreciated.
Cultivating a Culture of Excellence
All about the importance of creating a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel empowered to deliver exceptional service. Guidara discusses the role of leadership in fostering a culture of excellence, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, trust, and recognition. He also highlights the value of hiring the right people and providing ongoing training and development opportunities.
The Art of Attention to Detail
This is about paying attention to every detail, from the ambiance of the dining room to the presentation of the food. He argues that even the smallest details can have a significant impact on the overall customer experience. He discusses the importance of creating a cohesive and immersive experience that engages all of the customer's senses.
The Role of Empathy
Guidara stresses the importance of understanding and empathizing with customers' needs and desires. He argues that by truly listening to customers and putting themselves in their shoes, employees can provide more personalized and meaningful service. He discusses the importance of building relationships with customers and creating a sense of connection.
Leadership and Teamwork
Guidara shares his insights on effective leadership, team building, and the importance of creating a strong sense of camaraderie among employees. He emphasizes the importance of creating a shared vision and inspiring employees to work together towards a common goal. He also discusses the importance of recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"The way you do one thing is the way you do everything." // highlights the importance of consistency in delivering exceptional service.
"People will forget what you do; they'll forget what you said. But they'll never forget how you made them feel." // emphasizes the emotional impact of customer service.
"Unreasonable hospitality is not about extravagance; it's about making people feel special." // defines unreasonable hospitality as going above and beyond to create a memorable experience.
"The best way to respect and reward the A players on your team is to surround them with other A players." // underscores the importance of hiring and retaining top talent.
"It's not just about the food; it's about the entire experience." // emphasizes the importance of creating a holistic customer experience.
"If you're not passionate about what you do, it will show." // highlights the importance of genuine enthusiasm and commitment in providing exceptional service.
"The customer is always right, even when they're wrong." // emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in dealing with customer complaints.
"The best leaders are the ones who serve their teams." // highlights the importance of servant leadership in creating a positive work environment.
"Every interaction is an opportunity to create a lasting impression." // emphasizes the importance of making the most of every customer interaction.
"Unreasonable hospitality is a choice." // emphasizes that providing exceptional service is a conscious decision.
Unreasonable Hospitality offers a valuable framework for businesses looking to improve their customer experience.
By focusing on creating a culture of excellence, paying attention to detail, empathizing with customers, and fostering strong leadership and teamwork, businesses can build lasting relationships and achieve long-term success.
[Appendix] // All of my key highlights I took from the book (literally everything I highlighted):
Leadership
There were always standards in place, but no real system to communicate them. This led to a ton of inconsistency… it was time for them to nail down a communication system.
Advice for starting in a new organization – don’t cannonball, ease into the pond. Give yourself time to understand before you to try to impact it
A leader’s responsibility is to identify the strengths of the people on their team, no matter how buried those strengths might be
Criticize the behavior, not the person. Praise in public, criticize in private. Praise with emotion, criticize without emotion
Establish a regular rhythm of praise
A daily 30-minute meeting is where a collection of individuals becomes a team (in this example, it was the “pre meal meeting” before the dining room opened.
Done right, a pre meal meeting fills the gas take of the people who work for you
A huge part of leadership is taking the time to tell your team why they are doing what they’re doing
Make sure people who are trying and working hard have what they need to succeed
Create your own traditions
Innovate
Knowing less is often an opportunity to do more
Hire the person, not the resume (if they’re excited with what you’re doing, we could teach them)
The best way to reward A-Players on your team is to surround them with other A-Players
Working with a Purpose
Don’t try to be all things to all people. If your business involves making people feel happy, then you can’t be good at it if you don’t care what people think
Language is how you create a culture
Strategy is for everyone
Choose conflicting goals → Southwest set out to be the lowest cost airline and number one in customer and employee satisfaction.
This forces you to innovate
Know why your work is important – you may not be saving lives, but you do have the ability to make their lives better by creating magical world they can escape to
You must be able to name for yourself why your work matters – and if you’re a leader, you need to encourage everyone on your team to do the same
Collaboration
At a dinner at Per Se, everything was meticulous and perfect – and then at the end of the night, he got a cup of filter coffee. It was so perfect that the “just okay” cup of coffee stood out.
Tap into your people’s passions – and then give them the keys (coffee expert, beer expert, wine expert, cocktail expert )
In most fine-dining restaurants, the beverage program is run by the wine director.
When they got more responsibility, they became even more responsible – elevated by his trust (Chipotle)
Probably the perfect moment to promote someone is before they’re ready
At EMP, teaching is part of the culture
The art of public speaking – tell them what you’re gonna say, tell them, and then tell them what you just told them
The first time someone comes to you with an idea, listen closely, because how you handle it will dictate how they choose to continue in the future
Excellence
It’s the culmination of thousands of details execute perfectly
The littlest things matter
The goal was ballet, not football
The way you do one thing is the way you do everything – that precision in the smallest of details translated to precision in bigger ones
The One Inch Rule - this is a reminder to stay present and to follow through all the way to that last inch, no matter what you might be doing
If you’ve corrected a guest because you don’t want them to think you’ve made a mistake, you’ve made a much bigger mistake. Let go of the concept of being right, because it meant going against the very essence of what we were trying to do, which was to make people feel great
Their perception is our reality
Relationships
You cannot establish any standard of excellence without criticism, so a thoughtful approach to how you correct people must be part of your culture, now
Praise is affirmation, but criticism is investment
Hire slow, fire fast – but not too fast
Don’t take credit for other people’s work
Misc.
Our intense desire to feel a sense of belonging remains – it’s an innate human need. Fads fade and cycle - but the human desire to be taken care of never goes away
Service is black and white, hospitality is color
People will forget what you do, they’ll forget what you said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel
Whatever you do, you can choose to be in the hospitality business - you have the privilege to be in important parts of people's lives
Intention - every decision, from the most obviously significant to the seemingly mundane, matters
All it takes for something extraordinary to happen is one person with enthusiasm
Seek new ways to make experience more seamless, relaxing and delightful
Let your energy impact the people you’re talking to, as opposed to the other way around
95/5 Rule - Mange 95% of your business down to the penny, the last 5% foolishly– splurging on special rare glass … or like an exorbitant amount of money for a team party
Setting expectations – the mission for EMP was “to be the four star restaurant for the next generation” // they wanted to make fine dining cool
Balance - Like Wile E Coyote, we’d been so focused on catching the Road Runner, we’d run right off the cliff without realizing it. We’d been so focused on managing the guest experience, we’d forgotten to manage our culture
If adding another element to the experience means you’re going to do everything a little less well walk it back. Do less, and do it well.
A leader’s role isn’t only to motivate and uplift; sometime it’s to earn the trust of your team by being human with them
To prepare for critics, they had Critic of the Night - where they would do the process for that table like if an actual critic was there (it doesn't’ have to be real to work)
After getting 4 stars, the biggest challenge was shifting expectations. Guests came in ready to go
We got there by focusing on creating a meaningful connection with our guests
On highest performers - he studied the servers who ere most efficient, but learned the less efficient servers had less tables but made more money… they connected with their guests, they were so focused on the interaction that the bonds they created were much stronger. Even in f the service was slightly less perfect, the guests like the experience more
The first group was attentive, the second paid attention
Hospitality isn’t a transaction
Hospitality is a dialogue, not a monologue
Improvisational hospital - hot dog story
He wanted to improvise, one guest at a time . Everyone was sharing a unique experience
So they invented a Dreamweaver role. These people called and planned in the weeks ahead to craft a unique
As a leader, you can’t rely solely on your spreadsheets. You have to trust your guts
You can be proactive about improvisational hospitality… identify moments that recur in your business and build a tool kit your team can deploy without too much effort
Luxury means giving more, hospitality means being more thoughtful
You can’t use up creativity… the more you use, the more you have
