I recently took a trip with my girlfriend to a local museum, and after walking the hallways filled with fantastic works of art, I realized each of us took away something different from the experience. I looked at the more pragmatic side of the artwork — the brush strokes, the colors, even the framing. My better half was taken more by the emotional feel. She commented on what the artist might have been thinking while sitting on that beach putting the paint to canvas. We both had an experience in the same place at the same time, but we described it much differently.

Our guests’ experiences also take on a lot of different forms. When we think internally about creating guest experience, we tend to look at the different departments within a property and how they are working within their siloed areas of responsibilities. For example, front desk personnel are checking guests in; housekeepers are preparing the rooms; and the bell people are assisting guests with their luggage. However, this is not how a guest “experiences” a hotel or resort. They each have their own expectations and definitions of what their experience should or could be.

Almost every client I’ve interacted with has had an inside-out view of their business — seeing the world from their business’ point of view, not from their customers. If we follow guests around (as I have), we find that their interactions with a property are much more holistic in nature. As opposed to a front desk experience or bell person experience, they have an “arrival” experience. And if we begin to really look at experience from the guest’s perspective, it becomes clear that his or her experiences involve interactions with nearly every member of our team.

For example, if the shuttle bus driver is in a bad mood or just has an attitude of indifference, the guest’s experience is tarnished. If the grounds are not neatly manicured, or the lobby is in disarray, the experience suffers. These negative experiences carry through the duration of the guest’s stay.

A recent study showed that, in a 300-room hotel, there are more than 5,000 possible customer-staff interactions every day! This could be either a huge liability or incredible opportunity, depending on how your staff understands the importance of (and connection between) these interactions.

Customer experience ultimately boils down to your brand promise and how each member of your team is delivering on that promise. Are you a full-service property that caters to the affluent crowd? Are you a limited-service property positioned near family-oriented vacation spots? Whatever the “promise,” your staff — your whole staff — needs to work in unison to deliver it. In the hospitality industry, it really does take a village to deliver the brand promise. As with any initiative, there are a few things to consider when preparing your village.

First, understand your customers’ expectations and align your brand promise accordingly. Understand that targeted, department-by-department development will not work for a brand initiative. It will take an organization-wide approach to developing a culture that focuses on creating legendary customer experiences.

The experiences must be defined, and all members of your team, from front desk personnel to housekeeping to maintenance, need to refine their customer service and sales skills. Some experiences, other than the arrival, which you should consider include:

• Banquet/Event
• Departure
• Dining
• Room
• Recreational Activities (golf, ski, beach or spa)
• Special Requests

There could potentially be many more customer experiences depending on your clientele and property. Study how each member of your staff could play a role. Make sure the housekeeping staff can answer the same questions a front desk agent can. Help them understand their important role in customer experience and brand promise.

Finally, our guests’ experiences must be measured and tracked to ensure we are delivering on our promise. Measurements might be as simple as a guest comment card, or more complex in the form of online or phone surveys and mystery shops. Either way, the customer has the final say on whether or not we delivered.

Developing a brand promise and subsequently creating memorable experiences for your guests may seem like a daunting task, but with a plan and help from an experienced training partner, it can be done. The alternative is that your “village” doesn’t prosper and gets lost in the mix of hotels and resorts vying for guests’ business.

John Ely is senior vice president of marketing for Signature Worldwide, a training and business solutions company dedicated to helping clients create legendary experiences for their customers. Ely is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic marketing and corporate growth plans, and has more than 14 years of industrial and consumer marketing experience. For more information, call (800) 398-0518 or visit www.signatureworldwide.com/pr.