To The Industry I love, WTH!
To the industry I love, WTH!
I arrived at the hotel tired from all the laughter and fun while celebrating Christmas with my family. The lobby was decorated beautifully in pine, trimmed in cream, blue, and silver décor. It was luring me to relax on a cozy couch, but I wanted to go to my room.
I noticed a pantry and picked up a bottle of wine to be charged to my room, but the desk was empty. I checked in using the hotel’s application on my phone, but I wanted to get a key for my husband. After saying, “Hello?” three times, a woman emerged saying, “Checking in?”. “Merry Christmas and yes!”, I said.
The woman may have looked me in the eye once as she focused on entering information in her computer. Our interaction was void of any pleasantries or Christmas joy. Checking her name tag to address her by name with a question, I noticed her title was general manager. What the hell? Not what I expected from any hotel brand on this level.
This scenario is one of many I’ve experienced in 2022. As a hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience this saddened me.
I pay rates between $100-$200 per night for a room without standard housekeeping service most times. Now it seems hospitality and welcome pleasantries are also optional as demonstrated by my most recent experience.
I get it. The hospitality industry was hit hard by the pandemic and is still trying to recover. Inflation is not helping. But travel and tourism are essential to any city’s economic growth. I am a huge advocate for the industry and want it to come back so I don’t complain about rates until I deal with poor service.
I started my career as a front desk agent at an historic hotel in downtown Cincinnati and closed my final chapter as a sales manager for a convention center. I worked a lot of weekends and holidays – Christmas and Thanksgiving included. It’s a tough industry but a rewarding one.
The hospitality industry gave me opportunities I may not have received anyplace else. My training, hands-on experience, and mentoring taught me what it means to be hospitable and helped me grow as a professional. For example, in any position the goal is to ensure each guest has a positive experience and will return. I loved my career.
At least once a year, my husband and I take a road trip using multiple hotels. In November, we drove to Niagara Falls. We stayed overnight in Pittsburg, Niagara Falls, and Cleveland. One of these locations’ service went beyond expectations, one was cringeworthy, and the other was as expected. I recognize these incidents are isolated and do not represent the entire industry.
After checking out of our hotel two days after Christmas, we noticed the coffee was cold on the breakfast buffet. We advised the server but finished our breakfast before it was replaced. As we waited in the lobby for our car to warm up, that same attendant brought us each a cup of hot coffee with cream, sugar, and a smile. We thanked him for remembering us and for his kindness.
That one small act made up for the first impression received upon arrival. I believe in the hospitality industry. There is hope.
Click below for links about the hospitality industry post COVID.
Forbes Article Why The Hospitality Industry Must Reinvent Itself As Labor Shortage Still Looms
