Going the extra mile – emotional engagement with guests from the housekeeping team

The new norm in Hotel service is not only about the delivery of quality in a timely fashion, it’s also about emotional engagement with the guest.

Already some brand standard audits have a component where the auditor rates every interaction with a staff member, gauging them either positively, neutrally or negatively.

For something to be emotionally engaging, it needs to stimulate an emotional reaction. This can be either positive or negative. Guests emotional responses which are either highly positive or highly negative have the ability to generate memorable experiences that the guest will then relate back to those around them. Neutral experiences that don’t reverberate on an emotional level are quickly forgotten. Obviously we want to focus on creating positive emotional experiences.

The description of a positive emotional experience includes feelings of a “home away from home” and experiences that could be described as making the guest feel spoiled and indulged. Words such as exclusive, relished, bathed in luxury and delighted all describe the guest who has a positively emotional experience during their stay.

A guest could describe a neutral engagement as feeling “happy” or satisfied. In other words it was neither a very positive or negative emotional engagement – just as they expect to be treated as a paying guest.

On the negative emotional engagement side, the guest could feel they are being treated with apathy. They may feel any negative emotion such as feeling neglected and dissatisfied. They may feel the staff member was disengaged and at the extreme end they could be left feeling overlooked, strained, anxious and even frazzled or angry.

How does Housekeeping create a ‘home-away-from-home’ experience, making a difference to the guest experience and in doing so making every interaction a positive emotional engagement?

Training the team through role plays and encouraging them to go above and beyond is a good start.

Teaching them that every interaction is an opportunity to deliver personalized services and engaging with the guest is important with constant reminders so that it becomes a habit. Reminding them that although the basics of delivering a perfectly clean room quickly are still key, they should also allow a little time to engage with the guests to create a memory every time there is an interaction.

At each opportunity when meeting the guest, Housekeeping needs to take the time to make eye contact, smile and start with meaningful engagement.

Giving the Housekeeping team the tools to engage is key; this includes a list of useful phrases and thoughtful actions which can be used when an interaction with the guest begins.

Small gestures such as the Room Attendant offering to help the guest bring their luggage to the elevator, pressing the button and waving a fond farewell. “Thank you for staying with us and hope to see you again soon”.

When servicing an occupied room, take note of the guest likes and dislikes, did they drink all the water? If they did then offer extra without being asked - drop a note – “I noticed you needed extra water and I took the opportunity to provide you with more, anything else, please contact our service desk…”

Being compassionate as part of the natural order of things. When a Room Attendant notices there is medicine at the bedside, leave some extra water and a glass next to it…. “Hope you’re feeling better soon…” or if the guest is in the room and unwell, offering to make a cup of tea. Tiny gestures go very far in creating those memorable moments for the guest.

Anticipating problems that may cause guests discomfort such as a long wait for check-in or arriving early from an overnight flight. Offering turndown in the morning to guests who have arrived on an overnight flight is a simple but effective way to make the guest feel pampered.

It’s the importance of listening, looking for signs, hearing what guests say, seeing what they do and keeping a profile of each and every client. Communication between Departments is also essential. The guest may mention to the Room Attendant they want to try the all-day dining restaurant in the Hotel, a helpful gesture could be to ask the restaurant to send up the menu and make some recommendations.

This does require collaboration between the teams at the front and back of house. The collecting of small details that the reception, the concierge, guest services team, the barman, the Room Attendant or indeed anyone who hears or discovers more about the guest in the course of their work. Then, as part of a team to deliver service – creating an emotional connection – based on that information. This is what makes the difference.

In the end it’s about recognizing those who do go above and beyond so this in turn encourages others to follow suit.