[Matt Landau]

My friend Molly is on vacation in India and shared with me how hospitable everyone is: how strangers were so generous and welcoming with food; how everyone refers to her as Miss and Madame; how she felt like royalty and soon discovered the Sanskrit phrase:

Atithi Devo Bhava which translates as "The Guest is God."

Note: You can read more about this 'code of conduct' here.

In our world, many argue a mantra that property owners are "God" -- for if we don't place property owners at the top of our priority list, there would be no product to offer, there would be no business!

But we are also starting to see that the most successful businesses are hospitality brands at heart -- how the single most pivotal point of "direct bookings" comes in how you treat the guest -- I'm starting to wonder if this mantra "the guest is God" (or you own version of it) might be a helpful northstar?

 

[kallihs]

Love this mantra as it's a mindset thats brings a very spiritual side to hospitality...."a code of conduct that has made Indian hospitality renowned around the world for its genuine desire to place the guest above all. This tourism holds the guest as the centre of focus."

 

[davidliedl]

Chicken or the egg dilemma! My previous background our mission statement was "every guest who chooses us leaves happy" so call me tinted by rose colored "guest is god" lenses. We often had the debate over a guest-first culture or a team member-first culture until we realized it's a both and. Our team members are our internal guests. We could apply that similar framework to our property owners. Without them, sure, there'd be no properties for us to manage, but without the guest paying to stay in the property we'd be fired in a heart beat. The property owners care the most about guests because that's their revenue source. I believe, if we take care of the guest we'll be in turn taking care of the property owners

As a person of faith, I don't necessarily like "guest is god" but I understand the meaning it conveys. Our guests are our WHY. If not for the guests then for who/what?

 

[HeatherB]

I have mixed feelings about this. My company has built a reputation with our guests, owners, and our community of providing exceptional hospitality, which by definition means, "friendly and welcoming to strangers or guests." As an INFJ personality, I intrinsically strive to make sure that all people in my sphere of influence, which would include the valued guests who choose to stay with us, feel included and taken care of at all times. However, I have seen a dangerous trend emerging in the US (specifically) and in our industry as a whole. As hosts (managers or owners), we have begun dropping healthy boundaries in an effort to be seen or perceived by others as "hospitable". I have been guilty of this myself more times than I care to mention. I think the word has become ubiquitous and the definition synonymous with sacrificing self and boundaries in order to ensure someone else's happiness/desires/demands. I believe that this is silently creeping into our industry and that if we are not careful, we will see many leave the industry who have fallen victim to this false reality. Being gracious, kind, and hospitable requires healthy boundaries that allow for all parties to feel respected and cared for. So, for me, the Northstar is doing what is right, according to my knowledge and experience, which includes being friendly, welcoming, kind, helpful, and respectful to others within healthy and well-communicated boundaries.

 

[davidliedl]

I have mixed feelings about this. My company has built a reputation with our guests, owners, and our community of providing exceptional hospitality, which by definition means, "friendly and welcoming to strangers or guests." As an INFJ personality, I intrinsically strive to make sure that all people in my sphere of influence, which would include the valued guests who choose to stay with us, feel included and taken care of at all times. However, I have seen a dangerous trend emerging in the US (specifically) and in our industry as a whole. As hosts (managers or owners), we have begun dropping healthy boundaries in an effort to be seen or perceived by others as "hospitable". I have been guilty of this myself more times than I care to mention. I think the word has become ubiquitous and the definition synonymous with sacrificing self and boundaries in order to ensure someone else's happiness/desires/demands. I believe that this is silently creeping into our industry and that if we are not careful, we will see many leave the industry who have fallen victim to this false reality. Being gracious, kind, and hospitable requires healthy boundaries that allow for all parties to feel respected and cared for. So, for me, the Northstar is doing what is right, according to my knowledge and experience, which includes being friendly, welcoming, kind, helpful, and respectful to others within healthy and well-communicated boundaries.

Well said Heather, I like how you said

Being gracious, kind, and hospitable requires healthy boundaries

so true! If you empty the tank by not having any boundaries you have nothing else to give others and can't be very gracious, kind or hospitable.

 

[Matt Landau]

Well said Heather, I like how you said


so true! If you empty the tank by not having any boundaries you have nothing else to give others and can't be very gracious, kind or hospitable.

This is actually a paradox I am exploring much more of these days. Expect to see discussions in the forum around this question: taking care of ourselves (a precursor to taking care of others)

 

[RuthM]

"The guest is god" is a good shorthand for the idea of hospitality being guest-centric in the Vacation Rental industry that, over the past few years, has been filled with "it's all about passive income/arbitrage/become a millionaire".

I also agree that the spiritual concept of "God" as a creator of the universe/spirit with power over nature has nothing to do with hospitality, as the guest is NOT supreme, but rather an honored partner in the equation of hospitality.

Where does that leave us? I suggest each owner or property manager needs a MISSION to drive their business that makes sense for their goals with 2 fundamental cornerstones: Guest Satisfaction and Profit. Every single successful business needs a relentless focus on these two areas and your mission is your WHY that runs your HOW.

Here is my mission:

Our mission is to provide personalized hospitality to our guests in our beautiful, well-maintained homes in Vernazza.

Our hospitality means making you feel welcome and helping when needed so that you can enjoy a relaxing, fun and special vacation with your loved ones.

Our “Ruth’s Guide to Cinque Terre” gives you our insider tips from restaurants to beaches to off-the-beaten-path hikes.

We love people and welcome families of all kinds.​

When I was creating our mission, I started with "personalized hospitality" because it drives guest happiness. We are at the very high end of our market so customer service is key. My relentless focus on our guests has allowed us to increase our prices AND gives me immense personal satisfaction. Of course, finding balance is a big part of running any business: I spend a lot of time in my business but have learned to spend most of it on high-return (in money and guest satisfaction) activities.

Bottom line: my vacation rental business is guest-centric and this approach has helped create greater profits and mutual satisfaction. And, I just love it!

A bonus? This year I am currently at 49% direct bookings (up from 34% and 20% in the past 2 seasons).

 

[DMartinez]

I suggest each owner or property manager needs a MISSION to drive their business that makes sense for their goals with 2 fundamental cornerstones: Guest Satisfaction and Profit. Every single successful business needs a relentless focus on these two areas and your mission is your WHY that runs your HOW.

Absolutely agree RuthM!
If you have no vision of where you wish to go, how will you know you arrived? It also helps you set your path to assure arrival. Setting up our vision statement was one of the first things I did. It has developed over the years as our vision became clearer to us. Which also implies my path had a few twists and turns added to it.

These are the steps I took:
1. I situated our business within the our unique location that comes with its own prepackaged vision and mission. However, I hazard a guess that just about every location anywhere has something similar that they use to define their community. Then ask how does your home fit within that concept? (It will also help you later when that community wishes to ban your existence).

2. I thought of what I valued about our location, and what I valued about having random strangers messing up my valued home. It helped having a husband with the attitude (sometimes taken to the extreme) of "Mi casa es tu casa."

3. Our vision statement has always been value-driven for both guest and us...but now due to anti-STR sentiment and new regulations, it also embraces my stance as an advocate for our business- a vision of continued existence. In this situation the guest is NOT a god...they are member of a community that has it rules and regulations which we all must conform to if they wish to return, and we wish to remain in business.

Vision Statement for Ranch Abalone Bay

Vision statement of Sea Ranch Abalone Bay and its mission is guided by continuous value-driven improvement and commitment to community.

searanchabalonebay.com