This is more than just a tagline for the Wequassett Resort in Harwich, MA, it’s a belief system. Everyone who works there doesn’t just embrace it, they live it – and that’s how the hotel achieved the coveted 5th star from Forbes earlier this year. You can’t teach it, it comes from within.
I was fortunate to get to meet and listen to the managing partner of Wequassett, Mark Novota, speak on the final day of a corporate event I was shooting last week. He only spoke for 20 minutes, but it was an invigorating 20 minutes, his passion for the hotel and what they were doing there (or rather, HOW they were doing what they do there) was contagious.
It’s such a gift to be able to get into the mind of a person who’s achieved something remarkable, and Mark shared his thoughts about how he took the hotel from essentially nothing to 5 stars. It wasn’t an overnight process – he’s been there for 28 years – but every step in the process was a step closer to the goal. In summary, you can master your product, and you can master your process, but if you don’t have a relationship with your customer, all you have is a great product and process.
And how do they build relationships? With
Awe, dazzle, surprise and delight!
He told the story of one of their guests, who was feeling terrible and was looking for some Pepto Bismol in the gift shop. The hotel employee apologized to the guest for not having that and wished him well, he went to his room to rest. She then proceeded to close the hotel shop, drive to the pharmacy, get him some Pepto Bismol, had the chef make him some chicken noodle soup, then had it all delivered it with flowers to the guest’s room and a get well soon card.
Personally, I have been on the receiving end of some “awe, dazzle, surprise and delight”, when I received an unexpected room service call last year while I was in my room editing the event photos. When I opened the door I was treated to a chocolate festival on a plate! Beautifully presented fruit and chocolates, with “A treat for your tweet” written in chocolate on the plate, and a thank you card – they had seen my morning’s tweet, which was simply a picture of my beautiful eggs benedict against the background of the cove, with the quote “carpe diem”.
I am constantly trying to think of ways to awe, dazzle, surprise and delight. As a sole proprietor who has been around for a bit, I can say I have a good product, and an ever-improving process….but the “surprise and delight” part is not easy. There’s not enough of me to go around, which sounds terrible, but I am sure if you’re reading this as a sole proprietor, you probably understand exactly what I mean, you’re wearing multiple hats at any one time, and when a job’s done, it’s time to move on to the next one…. but I think Mark’s point is absolutely spot on. It’s a lesson for us all!
Awe, dazzle, surprise and delight in any way possible, however possible, make it happen!!
