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Introducing our latest Big Think Class.
The secrets of unreasonable hospitality with Will Guidara
If your job involves selling something for a living, you already know the importance of making customers feel listened to and cared for. So why up the ante and engage in what restaurateur Will Guidara calls “unreasonable hospitality”?
Because being relentless in making others feel valued might be your best competitive advantage – especially in a business landscape stuffed with competitors constantly offering the latest and greatest version of your product or service. Luckily, being “unreasonable” doesn’t have to be draining; it can be creative, generative, and even systematizable.
Not only will these actions keep customers returning to your business, they’ll also work as a way of natural marketing; they’ll share stories of your service and draw even more people in, keeping your company alive.
Learning objectives:
Prioritize presence and connection in service interactions.
Scale personal touches by recognizing common customer patterns.
Empower your team to spark joy.
Be inspired by your rivals.
Balance exceptional customer service with profitability.
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Lessons:
Lesson 1: Make People Feel Seen
Although many companies optimistically advertise products as “one size fits all,” hardly anything that feels perfect for one person will feel the same for another. Human beings are just too amazingly varied.
Lesson 2: Four Steps for Personalizing Experiences at Scale
Ever wondered how theme parks manage to make millions of people feel they’ve had a unique experience? It’s all about recognizing patterns and responding creatively.
Lesson 3: Find the Perfect Blend Between Control and Collaboration
When parenting, it can be useful to consider which boundaries should have a hard line and which can be more flexible. Crossing the street without holding an adult’s hand? Pretty non-negotiable. Choosing which pajamas to wear? Probably more of a “take your pick” situation.
Lesson 4: Study a Worthy Rival
Leadership expert Simon Sinek once said, “Traditional competition forces us to take on an attitude of winning. A worthy rival inspires us to take an attitude of improvement. The former focuses our attention on the outcome; the latter focuses our attention on process.”
Lesson 5: Don't Just Stay in the Game – Win It
Fans of sports are fond of saying that “defense wins championships.” But most games are ultimately decided by the team that scores the most points — i.e., the team that had the best offense (at least on game day).
