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hedleyandbennett.com
A spicy take on hospitality 🌶️
The little things might matter more than you think.
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Hi -,
Let’s talk about something I think about constantly:
The difference between customer experience, service, and hospitality.
How do you make someone feel so good that they want to come back?
Great freaking question.
And here’s my spicy take: sometimes we’re trying to solve the wrong problem.
We’re staring at loyalty programs, reviews, conversion rates, and retention KPIs. All great things. But the real question is much simpler:
Did we make someone feel considered? Did we do something they didn’t expect?
That, to me, is hospitality.
Let me tell you about my neighbor Doug.
When we first moved into our neighborhood, he texted me: “Hey, are you home right now? I’m swinging by with homemade sourdough bread I baked this morning.”
A few minutes later, Doug showed up with warm, freshly baked bread.
I was floored.
I felt thought of. Cared for. Noticed. Welcomed.
I instantaneously categorized Doug as my favorite person on the street and decided Pasadena was the friendliest place on earth. All because of this bread. It still holds true!
That, to me, is hospitality.
It’s not always the giant gesture. It’s often the tiny thing that says, I thought about you before you even had to ask.
So what’s the equivalent of warm bread in our businesses?
What’s the little touch that makes someone feel like more than an order number, a reservation, or a credit card swipe?
Because we are in the business of making people feel something.
So I dare you to sit down with your team and map it out.
Grab a big roll of paper and some Sharpies. Write down every touch point your customer goes through, from the first moment they hear about you to when they walk in, order, ask for help, come back, tell a friend, or don’t.
Then look at it honestly.
Where is the friction?
Where is the weird, clunky step everyone knows could be better?
And most importantly: where could the magic happen?
Where could you make someone feel considered, noticed, remembered, or taken care of before they even have to ask?
I bet if you get your whole team in a room and do this together, you’ll come up with some amazing ideas. Real ideas that make the customer experience better, the team experience smoother, and the whole operation feel a little more human.
So please report back.
What’s your version of hospitality?
What’s one small thing you’ve seen, received, or built into your business that made someone feel cared for?
And as always, we’re over here in Hedley & Bennett land sending high fives and good vibes out into the world. If there’s anything we can do to help you celebrate your team, welcome your customers, or make the people in your world feel a little more cared for, justhit reply.
—
Ellen Marie Bennett
Founder & Chief Brand Officer
Hedley & Bennett
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