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Hubris Can Compromise Your Brand - By John Hendrie

2013-03-19

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LRA Worldwide I am in awe of Donald Trump. I think he is wonderful. In the world of Hospitality and Real Estate he is the cat’s meow – no matter what we read about his properties, his portfolio, his wealth or his politics he is right in front of you, an impresario – bold, provocative, energized.

Zeal has helped to build his Brand, and his Brand has held up and continues to expand. Others are not as fortunate, for Mr. Trump has learned how to adapt all the time; the legend grows.

Think of that small inn or B and B operator who has served generations of guests or that Destination which thinks if you build they will come, or even the shifting sands of our beach resorts or casino destinations. The consumer can be fickle. They have a bottom line of expectation, which, if not met, they will move on. They no longer will be swayed with illusory descriptions — no hype, humor or hubris. The Consumer seeks reliability, and you must deliver.

There is a tendency to be overprotective about one's perception of their business. But, to be successful, the Hospitality operator must move from the wonder of "me" to the reality of "them" — the Guest, the Visitor, the Customer — the Ultimate Consumer, who is most interested in "what is in it for them". One means to elevate your Business is through a Quality Assurance approach which does capture this potential, particularly with so much business conducted over the Internet and third parties.

Quality Assurance measurement provides that sense of confidence, and, once such an approach is established, your marketing effort becomes far more meaningful. You have now validated and differentiated your Product/Services in terms which translate as value to that discerning Consumer.

Every Guest does care about cleanliness, safety, comfort, service and the physical condition of the facility, whether you operate a theme park, casual dining, a Bed and Breakfast, a resort, shoe store or golf course. The Ultimate Consumer does relate to reasonable Quality Standards of Performance, the ongoing effort for Continuous Improvement, the Assessment Process to validate having met those standards.

Hubris is that next step far beyond confidence. It is often quite windy and empty, absent substance. Mr. Trump may wield that soapbox, but he also has a reputation for high standards, certainly with his hospitality ventures. So, be careful as you measure your enthusiasm with reliability and adaptability. You can only fool some of the people some of the time.

LRA Worldwide is a leading research and consulting company in the emerging discipline of Customer Experience Management (CEM). We work with our clients to help them design and deliver consistently exceptional customer experiences in order to drive customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy, and company growth and profitability. We have built a range of quality assurance, mystery shopping, research, training and consulting solutions to help them do so.

Today, we are a growing company operating in more than 120 countries throughout the world, servicing our clients from offices and resources in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions and helping clients such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the National Football League, Avis Budget Group, Madison Square Garden, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group deliver exceptional customer experiences. Every touch. Every time. For more information, visit us at www.LRAworldwide.com.

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