“Expectations are resentments under construction,” said writer Anne Lamott. That’s especially true in the hotel industry right now, as staffing shortages force cuts in services.
- Guests expect a full free breakfast… and they get yogurt and a granola bar.
- Guests expect sparkling clean rooms… and they see hasty housekeeping.
- Guests expect to enjoy hotel amenities… and they discover the gym is closed and cocktail hour is canceled.
Guests were willing to lower their expectations for a while, Carolyne Doyon, Club Med’s president and CEO for North America and the Caribbean, said at the recent Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit. "You know, little things that would have bothered them pre-pandemic, they were accepting. But as we are moving forward, we're back to pre-pandemic expectations” — which can be hard to meet.
In the face of widespread labor shortages, how can you improve satisfaction and prevent disappointment (and, yes, resentment) in hotel guests?
