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Unreasonable Hospitality summary

Name: Unreasonable Hospitality
Rating: 4.4 (321 reviews)
Author: Will Guidara

Will Guidara

The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect

4.4 (321 ratings)

16 mins

Brief summary

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara is a memoir that explores the importance of hospitality in the restaurant industry. Guidara shares his journey from a small town to co-founding one of the world's top restaurants, sharing insights about leadership, teamwork, and quality service.

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Sales Entrepreneurship Leadership Strategy Product Management

Table of Contents

Unreasonable Hospitality
Summary of 7 key ideas

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What’s in it for me? Discover how to leverage unreasonable hospitality to elevate your business.

For many business owners, an outstanding product is the holy grail of their enterprise. Countless hours are spent scrutinizing every detail, perfecting the latest gadget, refining the most delectable cuisine, and crafting the hippest fashion accessory. The relentless pursuit of product perfection is often the driving force behind their endeavors.

But contrary to popular belief, the greatness of a business doesn’t rely solely on the excellence of its product. There’s one other ingredient most leaders forget to throw into the mix: the people. Everyone is so laser-focused on making the what that they forget the who. Yes, you can have the most perfect product ever but it would still fall short if you didn’t consider the people receiving that product. For your business to stand out, you need to value your customer experience as much as your product.

How? By practicing what Will Guidara calls unreasonable hospitality. And no, it’s not limited to people in the hospitality industry. Anyone whose job is to serve a customer can practice unreasonable hospitality, from a car salesman to a receptionist at the doctor’s clinic.

In this Blink, you’ll learn exactly what unreasonable hospitality is all about and how you too can start practicing it in your business.

Unreasonable hospitality and its effects on your business

Unreasonable. This word has long screamed negativity, whether it’s your kid insisting on buying an expensive toy, a coworker who doesn’t compromise for the good of the project, or your mom refusing to listen to your sentiments. But what if you learn that being unreasonable could actually be a good thing?

In the service industry, hospitality is all about making people feel cared for, but when you add "unreasonable" to the mix, it takes things to a whole new level. Unreasonable hospitality is all about providing your customers with a unique, tailor-made service that makes them feel not just cared for but like real VIPs.

It’s not just about meeting expectations, it’s about exceeding them. And this act of going above and beyond creates an unforgettable encounter that’ll linger in people’s memories long after the experience is over.

Think about it. When you dine in a Michelin three-star restaurant, what stands out to you the most? Is it the dishes you can’t even pronounce or the fancy table-side food preparation? No, more likely it’s actually the smallest details that made you feel special. It’s the server who got you an off-menu dessert because he saw you were a little down in the dumps or the maître d'hôtel who went out of their way to retrieve the shopping bag you forgot at a nearby store. Those are the moments that stick with you, and they define exactly the nature of unreasonable hospitality.

You can create this kind of moment in any service-based business, from retail to health care. All you need to do is look for opportunities where you can give your customers more than they initially came for.

Once you’ve integrated unreasonable hospitality into your business, you can expect to reap a whole range of rewards. It can help you build a loyal customer base that will sing your praises to anyone who’ll listen. These happy customers will keep coming back to you and even bring their network along, ultimately making your bottom line skyrocket.

So dare to be unreasonable when it comes to hospitality because it’s an investment that can pay off in a big way. Now the question is, how do you become unreasonably hospitable?

First, apply unreasonable hospitality to your staff

Since time immemorial, the adage "the customer always comes first" has served as the North Star for the service industry. Workers are trained to put the customer's needs and desires at the forefront of every decision. And while there's no denying that making the customer happy is a critical part of the job, it's time to shift your focus to the people who make it all happen: your staff.

By first showing your staff unreasonable hospitality, you're not only making them feel appreciated, but you're also equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to provide the same level of exceptional service to your customers. When employees feel that they're being taken care of, they're more likely to go the extra mile in their work.

Personalize each customer’s experience

Picture this. You’ve broken your phone and gone with it are the hundreds of photos you’ve treasured for years. While buying your new phone, you casually mention this little tidbit to the salesperson and, by the end of the transaction, they surprise you with a complimentary premium subscription to a cloud storage service, so you never have to lose another photo again. That’s unreasonable hospitality at its finest.

When you personalize your customer’s experience, you bring unreasonable hospitality to life. You don’t just provide them with the product or service they paid for but also show that you care about their needs and go out of your way to address them. By making a gesture that’s specific to a customer, you give them the feeling that they’re heard and seen and not just another number in your profit report.

Integrate unreasonable hospitality even in recurring situations

While there’s nothing more heartwarming and rewarding than giving out unique services to each of your customers, you’ll inevitably come across repeating patterns in your business. In real estate, for instance, you’ll have more than one newlywed couple looking for a new home. In health care, there’s always going to be a little girl meeting the dentist for the first time. And in hotels, families with kids will likely be on your reservation list every month.

But just because you encounter these kinds of customers several times doesn’t mean they don’t get to be special. You can apply the magic of unreasonable hospitality even in such cases and that’s with the help of a tool kit.

Change existing rules that hinder genuine interaction

If there’s one thing most people are scared of it’s change, particularly change that involves upending established traditions and long-standing rules. The fear of disrupting the status quo can be paralyzing, and there’s a natural tendency to cling to what’s familiar and comfortable.

But by refusing to embrace change, you risk jeopardizing your goal of giving your customers unreasonable hospitality and connecting with them better. Take the podium at the entrance of a restaurant, for example. This has been an age-old tradition at almost every restaurant, but while it does its job of welcoming customers, it literally stands between the maître d' and the guests and prevents your staff from giving your customers the warm and personal greeting they deserve.

Use hospitality even in problem-solving

At this point, you now know how to use unreasonable hospitality to keep your employees and customers happy. But unreasonable hospitality has one other superpower that most people often overlook: problem-solving. Believe it or not, the solutions to your problems can sometimes lie in being unreasonably hospitable. By going above and beyond, you can turn a problem into a positive experience.

Let's say a customer comes to you with a defective laptop they purchased from your store. You could get it over and done with by offering a simple refund. But to be unreasonably hospitable is to give your customers more. So instead of just refunding them, take things a step further. Maybe upgrade the product for free or add a one-year subscription to their favorite photo editing software.

Final Summary

Unreasonable hospitality is all about putting in the extra effort to make your employees and customers feel pampered. It’s not superficial gestures or basic courtesy but a genuine commitment to sprinkle some magic dust into someone’s day.

To be unreasonably hospitable to your employees means listening to them intently, trusting them without hesitation, and giving them recognition as often as possible. Unreasonable hospitality to your customers means delivering an experience that’s specific and personal to them, one they’ll forever cherish and share with others.

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What is Unreasonable Hospitality about?

Unreasonable Hospitality (2022) illustrates how surpassing expectations can take your service-based business to the next level. Through a collection of anecdotes and firsthand experiences, it imparts valuable insights into customer service, as well as employee management.

Who should read Unreasonable Hospitality?

Hospitality professionals
Anyone in the service industry
Business owners and leaders

About the Author

Will Guidara is a restaurateur who formerly co-owned New York City–based restaurants Eleven Madison Park and NoMad. He’s also an author and speaker, and together with Swiss chef Daniel Humm, received the 2016 Food Innovator Award from Wall Street Journal Magazine.

Categories with Unreasonable Hospitality

Psychology Management & Leadership Entrepreneurship Corporate Culture Marketing & Sales

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