Above and Beyond: A Review of ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’

Editor’s Note: Phil Sharpe, CEO/president of United Hospitality Services LLC (UHS), Atlanta, recently shared his thoughts on Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, a book published in 2022 by New York food-and-beverage entrepreneur Will Guidara. Below are Sharpe’s reflections on the book and its implications for linen, uniform and facility services operators, particularly in the hospitality space.

In Unreasonable Hospitality, Guidara presents insights on the art of personalized service, ultimately enriching the customer experience. As the CEO/president of United Hospitality Services LLC, these principles align with our mission of providing unparalleled linen rental and laundry services to top hotels and restaurants in major cities like Atlanta and Nashville, TN. This review outlines key takeaways from Guidara’s book and demonstrates how they apply to our industry for those seeking exceptional competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways from Unreasonable Hospitality

1. Personalized Experiences
   

Guidara emphasizes personalizing experiences to cultivate deep connections with clients. In our context, this implies understanding the unique preferences of each hotel and restaurant client, such as transparency, reporting and most importantly – engineering solutions to difficult issues that arise in linen maintenance, or as simple as 24-hour accessibility and getting a client’s guest’s teddy bear back to them that was inadvertently left behind.

2. Team Empowerment

A central theme in Guidara’s work is empowering staff to deliver exceptional service. Our service teams are trained to be attentive and adaptable. This enables them to make on-the-spot decisions that enhance client satisfaction, such as altering delivery schedules or handling special requests. Examples could include: a lipstick left in a pocket of a robe – contaminating an entire load. UHS’s ability to identify the solution and pivot quickly to recover the robes and return a clean product to the hotel within 24 hours. This attention to detail and commitment to client satisfaction embodies Guidara’s philosophy.

3. Attention to Detail

Guidara highlights the importance of meticulous attention to detail. For UHS, this means maintaining rigorous quality control in linen condition, from stain removal to the integrity of fabric tinsel strength, lot integrity and ensuring that every piece delivered represents our premium standards.

4. Creating Memorable Moments

Unforgettable service comes from unexpected, delightful experiences. This principle is applied by surprising our clients with thoughtful gestures, such as handwritten thank-you notes or supporting housekeeping recognition, donating to “Career Closets” that help our client’s employees dress for success, and hosting “Lunch and Learn” events at our facility, which foster loyalty and appreciation.

5. Personalized Client Engagement

UHS distinguishes itself by assigning dedicated client managers to each account. These managers function as personal liaisons. They keep lines of communication open for real-time feedback and suggestions aimed at custom solutions. This focused emphasis on satisfying customers reflects Guidara’s emphasis on personal touch and client understanding. UHS believes in transparency. We offer a variety of reporting and educational tools to allow our clients to benchmark their inventory performance vs. the industry standard, as well as client-specific purchasing models utilizing linen-life ratios. UHS believes this approach drives a continuous quality-improvement mentality.

6. Empowered Teams for Excellence

UHS staff are trained to have both the autonomy and judgment required to act in the client’s best interest. This empowerment allows them to swiftly rectify any issues, whether a machine misfunction or a delay due to external factors, promptly resolving service disruptions and preserving our commitment to excellence.

7. Detail-Oriented Operations

We ensure that our quality-assurance processes align with the high standards Guidara describes. Each linen piece undergoes a thorough inspection before dispatch to ensure that even the most minute imperfections are caught and rectified, thereby maintaining the consistent service experience that our clients expect.

8. Creating Consistent Delight

Our approach to creating memorable moments involves “surprise-and-delight” elements on a regular basis, like supporting special client staff events, engaging and working side by side in community projects. These efforts and others align with the book’s ethos of making every client interaction special and engaging.

Conclusion

Unreasonable Hospitality offers a valuable framework with profound implications for any service-oriented industry. By implementing the principles that Guidara outlines, UHS continues to strengthen its reputation as an industry leader in the high-end laundry services space. By prioritizing personalized service, empowering our teams, focusing on details and creating memorable customer experiences, we not only meet but exceed the expectations of our client-partners.

Click here for a related article from Textile Services magazine.