The Virtuous Cycle of Enlightened Hospitality
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Chapter 11
The Virtuous Cycle of Enlightened Hospitality
FIVE Primary Stakeholders
EMPLOYEES
Mutual respect and trust are the tools for building an energetic and motivated team = job satisfaction
Employees
Employees are asked for feedback through discussions + dining-voucher program
Feedback
Monthly dining-voucher program for all staff members in exchange for a detailed questionnaire about their overall experience :
- Employees are in the best position to measure the restaurant's actual performance against their ideal outcome
- Shows the staff that they actively seek and value their input
GUESTS
Meyer believes the gateway to delivering hospitality is through reservationists.
Guests
"An agent makes things happen for others. A gatekeeper sets up barriers to keep people out."
Agents vs Gatekeepers
Agents vs gatekeepers
A "win-win dialogue"
- Somebody who doesn't get the exact time or date they wanted to reserve nevertheless leaves the call convinced that the receptionist tried
Expressing genuine regret or suggesting other options
Atmosphere
Atmosphere
A comfortable and welcoming atmosphere:
- Noise balance - enough to allow animated conversation but not so much that it invades the space
- Avoid "bad" tables
- A table for two is situated in a more intimate area, whereas a table for a larger party is positioned closer to the center
- Sincere and empathetic hosts
COMMUNITY
Meyer encourages his employees to become involved in the community because doing so makes them even better at taking care of one another as well as their guests.
Community
Investing in the community also creates wealth for the community; which in turn leads to good luck on the company.
Reaching Out
Reaching Out
They have hosted and participated in hundreds of hunger-relief events:
- Prepared food for Beth Israel Hospital
- Hosted dinners to raise funds for emergency relief during the midwest floods, an earthquake in Western India, and Hurricane Katrina; sponsored by Share Our Strength
- Hosted a brunch on behalf of the USPCC to improve the quality of life in and around the Union Square Park
- They used produce from the greenmarket
Taste of the Nation
Taste of the Nation
- Was originally just a big party where people walk around to taste small plates of food made by famous chefs.
- Meyer was disappointed in the lack of connection between the event and the cause they were supposed to be addressing
- "Who and what are we trying to raise money for anyway?"
- Meyer claims this was the start of his "life's most extraordinary learning and leading opportunity"
- He ended up taking over the organization
What changed and what remained the same
Continuing...
- Meyer hosted a grand 1,400 person yacht party that raised $240,000 for hunger relief agencies
- Partnered up with American Express to launch a commercial about how Share Our Strength raises money to provide food to shelters throughout NYC with the help from American Express's funds.
- Spent a substantial amount of money on the campaign
- A blend of entrepreneurial and not-for-profit cultures
SUPPLIERS
Suppliers
Meyer believes in building loyal and mutually respectful relationships with his suppliers through "win-win transactions"
- Basically, follow through with what you say
The switch from Evian to Fiji:
- "they preferred the taste of Fiji, which they said 'seemed wetter'..."
The New Partnership
- Evian began cutting back on its financial contributions to Share Our Strength
- The quality of Fiji water as well as their enthusiasm to want to support the organization were ultimately the deciding factors that lead to the swtich.
INVESTORS
The right kind of investors give businesses the fuel necessary to grow, as well as expand their sources of information, advice, wisdom, contacts, and influence.
Investors
Meyer claims that, without investors, business cannot grow, and therefore cannot provide opportunities for sucess to others.
Thoughts
Thoughts...
The idea is good.
He went on a tangent in some parts of the chapter (FIJI) So I felt that the message wasn't as clear as it should have been.
I liked the concept that employees should be the top priority in this cycle of enlightened hospitality, and community wasn't that far off.
However, the whole segment on community service and hunger relief events properly ticked me off.