I feel compelled to write this article based on something I saw on the show
Hotel: Impossible and it's combination with something I have experienced myself.
In my hospitality travels I arrived in New Orleans. After narrowing down the market to the few top hotels, I began my job search. One of the properties had a Director of Front Office position and my resume was perfectly suited for that position. I had already gone through several interviews with different members of the management team and was in a final interview with an assistant general manager.
We had an hour long discussion on the challenges the property was having as far as service issues and ethics, and how it was costing them their next diamond rating. We also discussed how those challenges could be solved and a sort of game plan was laid out in pursuance of their goals.
At the end of the meeting after a long pause, the manager states to me the following: I don't think your New York City resume and work ethic will work out here in New Orleans. I asked why not? His response to me and I'll never forget this: "Because here we do things on New Orleans time"
What this meant was that the job will get done, but not when required by the guest or management. The job will be completed when the employee gets around to doing it. I was flabbergasted. I reminded him that "New Orleans Time" hadn't brought him his long sought after diamond rating.
While watching Hotel:Impossible, the same thing occurred and I almost fell out of my seat. This exact statement was repeated in a different city.
This is unacceptable. Hospitality is all about providing a combined product and service beyond the guest's satisfaction. The perceived relaxed status of a community or the fact that it is near the beach, it's cloudy and cold, or it's an isolated property provides no excuse. This attitude permeates the property from the top down affecting the entire operation.
This is a cop out of ownership and management plain and simple, or just sheer laziness. With the highly competitive nature of properties these days, there is no time to waste in perfecting the guest experience.
