”People will forget what you do; they’ll forget what you said. But they’ll never forget how you made them feel.“
– Maya Angelou, American writer
Maya Angelou famously noted that while people may forget what we say or do, they never forget how we feel in their presence. In the world of guest experience, this isn’t just a poetic sentiment; it’s a competitive mandate.
In his essential book Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara draws a sharp line between two often confused concepts: Service and Hospitality.
Service is black and white. It is the baseline of competence, the mechanics of efficiency, and the fulfilment of a transaction. It’s getting the right plate to the right table.
Hospitality is colour. It is the “technicolour” layer of human connection that makes a person feel seen, valued, and understood. When we move from the mechanical to the emotional, we move into the realm of the unreasonable hospitality so bespoke and so thoughtful that it feels like magic.
The Human Core of Digital Transformation
We are currently navigating a massive digital shift. While technology has streamlined our lives, it has often left the human element behind. Many organisations have become so focused on the product that they’ve forgotten the person.
In a world that can feel increasingly transactional, the answer is simple, though rarely easy: Create a culture of belonging. This means asking the deeper questions:
How do we make the people we serve feel a part of something bigger? How do we offer a moment of consolation or a spark of joy in their day?
The Requirement of Intentionality
Often, we treat hospitality as a soft skill or a luxury. But as Guidara reflects on his father’s career, he realises that true hospitality requires precision. Intentionality isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a requirement. It means every decision, from the most significant strategic shift to the seemingly mundane detail, matters. To act intentionally is to work with a clear purpose and an eye on the desired emotional result. It’s the sommelier who realises a couple left champagne in their freezer and takes the initiative to rescue it, ensuring their celebration remains uninterrupted and their stress is transformed into a story they’ll tell for years.
Making Magic in a Transactional World
Whether we are designing a new service model or managing a complex project, we have a choice: we can stay in the black and white, or we can choose to be in the hospitality business.
Hospitality is a selfish pleasure because it feels good to make others feel good. But more than that, it is a responsibility. We have the privilege of joining people in their most joyful moments and the opportunity to provide relief in their difficult ones. By mapping our days with precision and our hearts with empathy, we can bring colour back to the guest experience.
