Today every Jungle lodge and Safari camp claim to be luxury, but are they truly what they offer? Spending crores on upscale sanitary ware, opulent furniture, premium fabric, grand decor and fine craftmanship items are not the only points to impress present travelers. They have seen more, for sure will compare and expect beyond the aesthetics.
Let me ask something honestly. When the guests arrive, how do they feel in the first five minutes? Not what they see but how they feel. And most of the owners and senior management are not asking it nearly enough to themselves.
The biggest threat today in Luxury segment or in any category isn’t the competitor alone – It’s the gap between what’s been promised and what’s actually been delivered. Imagine the guest arrive expecting something extraordinary and leave feeling like they overpaid for something ordinary. That gap is something which will hamper the reputation quietly.
So, here’s some logical suggestions and my observations which I would like to share where lodges get it wrong.
Your Team is the Luxury Experience
Yes, it is. If the team isn’t trained well, empowered to make decisions, are genuinely not hospitable and engaged – the guests will notice the gap and disconnection immediately. Just put yourself in guest’s shoes, you’ll understand this far better.
And to correct this, the 7 pillars of Hospitality should flow in their blood – Self-awareness, Guest awareness, Connection, Authenticity, Anticipation, Alignment and Presence. This comes through training, capacity building and frequent mentorship from the managers, and trainers.
Premium Rates raise Expectations & It has to be Met
When a guest pays premium price, they are not just paying for a lavish accommodation, food and service, they are also paying for a feeling and experience. The feeling of being understood, taken care of, and experience a genuine connection with the people around. If they feel disconnect for quite some time, then they don’t think this was worth it and would remember it long after checkout.
Your Service is the Mirror
There are lot of things which can be controlled in hospitality for example – choosing location, design of the interiors, setting up the bar and which cuisines will be there in the menu, your rates, your inhouse activities etc. but the moment a guest walks in, this one thing takes over above everything. Service.
And unlike the extravagant product, service cannot be staged. It either shows up authentically or it won’t. Service is a mirror as it’s reflects the true character of the team, the lodge itself and also the people who lead.
Also, notice some team members bluff and perform quality service only in front of VIPs and owners but fail to repeat the same treatment for other guests.
A great service across all departments is what turns a first-time guest into repeated one, who will recommend you without being asked for. Isn’t it great?
Consistency is the real Differentiator
Pleasing guest is easy with smile, presence (without being intrusive), genuine care and guest awareness even if you can’t speak their foreign language. The guest can feel it from your vibe and that’s why its preferred to hire the locals as well along with professionals in the team.
Luxury segment requires certain skill set, product knowledge, accountability and deliverables in order to cater last moment requests from the guests. Hence, if one guest has such an incredible experience, delivering that same level of service, maintaining those quality and standards requires Consistency. And it comes only when the team is in sync, manages the uncontrollable and have eye for minute detail anticipating guest’s needs.
Marketing Physical Product Instead of selling Experience
Every upcoming lodge, boutique hotel, calls itself luxury. The marketing team only shares still photographs of accommodation, pool, spa, aerial view and cuisines. What I feel is that now the guest don’t book with these old strategies, they book when they feel true connection, when they find real people within these photographs, sitting outdoors, enjoying meals, having great time in your venues, and that’s the right positioning.
Bring the emotional element into your pictures and showcase your team, their stories, guests feedbacks, videos and many more. That human presence in the frame will build genuine trust, and bring so much referrals to your lodge.
I hope you all enjoyed it and I also hope you will share this to people who love to know more about hospitality in simple terms. This platform has been created to share my learnings and stories. Stay tuned !!
