Today we’re looking at:
Insights from Kris Leszczynski at Edwardian Hotels
Hotel design for sensation seekers
Exceptional hospitality at work: a 5 am ride to the airport
LinkedIn vs Twitter
Kris Leszczynski leads service operations at Edwardian Hotels, where his responsibilities include aligning tools, processes, and people to deliver operational excellence. We spoke recently about his definition of exceptional hospitality, how he achieves this through listening, and the leadership lessons he’s learned. I’ll be sharing excerpts of our conversation in the days ahead.
“If I am a billionaire, buying an expensive car is insignificant for me, but two hours with my son might be unobtainable.”
That’s why Kris believes exceptional hospitality is bespoke. “Luxury always means different things to different people.”
London-based Edwardian Hotels hosts guests across generations, age groups, and lifestyles so it is imperative each guest is treated uniquely.
[read more on how Kris does this]
Hotel Design for Sensation Seekers
Hospitality providers have an opportunity to tap into travelers' desires for something new and exciting now, after spending so much time amidst the confines of our homes.
Visiting bucket list destinations, taking road trips, and diving into adventure travel will dominate the travel scene this year. However the wanderlust may manifest, travelers will be looking for experiences that defy expectations, heighten the senses, and push them beyond the sequestered comfort of their homes.
Why is there a Need for Sensory-Rich Hospitality Experiences?
One of the fastest ways to improve your mood is through your senses. Our experience in this world is shaped by our five basic senses of taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell. says Dr. David Rosenthal. "These receptors feed into all of the networks of how we feel, think, move, see, and communicate. Any type of receptor input has the ability to change our perceptions of our physical, intellectual, emotional, and social world."
The more senses we engage, the more resonant the moment, and the longer it lingers. The confluence of the five senses is subtle, but they're there, working together to create a captivating experience.
Doing the Work: Creating Sensory-Rich Spaces
Hospitality providers can utilize several tactics to create spaces that embody this crucial full-sensory immersion. These include placing a great awareness on the arrival experience and dissolving the barriers between people, the built environment, and the natural world. Additionally, we can incorporate a close connection to the land, unexpected angles, and aroma-rich experiences in hotel design.
Tweets of the Day
How would you recommend guests recognize exceptional service from your staff?
LinkedIn beats Twitter?
I love Twitter (hence the tweets above), but the numbers suggest more of you may be elsewhere. More than 5,000 people saw last week’s story of Terry Haney on LinkedIn, and more than 175 of you responded:
Which do you prefer using: Twitter or LinkedIn?
Twitter! There's got to be a sensible reason, but as an owner and partner in my own biz, I just never, ever, ever end up on or go to linkedin other than to stalk peers. =) But I think it becoming a professional social network with a wall and posts / feed is something that was lost on me and I never got swooped up into it.
Also, I like Economist twitter better than my own career, and they're not on LI!