How can you empower your team to provide Unreasonable Hospitality?

[Pesso]

Hey Square Readers,

We’re continuing our discussion of Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, and so far we’ve started with an opening discussion of your own experiences with exceptional hospitality, and brainstorming how to provide it to your customers. Today we’re talking about creating that culture internally first, and empowering those who work with you.

A big piece of this book is actually leadership development. The author explains that giving your customers a great experience really starts with first creating a positive culture within your business of kindness, caring, and trust. If you have a partner or employees, enabling and empowering them is key because you can’t provide great service if you’re having organizational or staff issues. He says that if you want to treat your customers well, then you first need to treat your team well, by having logistics down and a great employee culture.

The author says that this starts by hiring the right people for your business; not settling for anything less than someone who could become a top contributor on your team. Next, it’s training them to internalize your business’ mission; taking time to communicate with them in order to inform, inspire, connect, and provide positive reinforcing feedback & praise. Then getting to know their strengths, and assigning them roles accordingly. With that, you can demonstrate trust in them by giving them responsibility and ownership over elements of the business, which they can transform to provide an exceptional customer experience. You worked to hire the best people, now trust their judgment and expertise to help you run your business. 

So let’s take these concepts and look inward at your own businesses. Share your reflection to these questions in the comments, and don’t forget to respond to other members’ messages with your thoughts too! 

We’d love to hear your answer in the comments:

• How can you train your employees to: 1) internalize the impact your business can have on customers’ lives, and 2) give your customers a deeper level of hospitality?
• What work and responsibilities, areas of your business can you give ownership over to your team, in service of providing an exceptional customer experience?
• What is holding you back from giving your employees more control? 
• How can you systematize giving more positive feedback to your team on a regular basis?  

Feel free to share any other thoughts you have about this book. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Don’t forget to:

• View and Subscribe to all threads about this book

Happy reading,

Pesso

[bonny]

As a solopreneur, I too have to remind myself to take time off.  I noticed that when I do, I am definitely more creative and overall in a better headspace to give more to my clients so it's a win-win all the way around. 

[CareyJo]

1.  If we had employees, it would depend on if they were office or labor.  But in either case, how they speak to the client is key.  You have to watch your tone, how you carry yourself when you speak, how you embrace the conversation and not just give information.  You have to act like you've known this person your whole life and you're just having a conversation with a friend.  People don't want to be treated like a customer.  They want to be treated special, like a friend.

2.  See number one, lol.... I don't have anyone to delegate to.

3.  Having one 🤣

4.  I may not have a team to give feedback to but I do have a husband who does all the work and I make sure and pass on any great feedback we get from clients about his work.  I had an older gentlemen tell me the other day that he trusts Rich with his life and the door will be open...

[Pesso]

I was thinking of you when writing these questions, @CareyJo , and tried to word it to make sure it works for you too! 

I thought you also said you've had some temp folks-

Such a great point about keeping things conversational and personal, rather than transactional. 

Your husband is absolutely part of the team and I'm so glad that you pass along good feedback, and hopefully he does the same!

[CareyJo]

I forgot to mention that I will likely be awol after today... I've got one week left to be ready for our time off and I've got lots to do!  We leave on the 6th and come back on the 20th, so I will likely not check in until the last week of the month, but I will be finishing the book!  If I don't get back on before we leave, I hope everyone has a great month and Happy Valentine's Day!!! ♥️

[Twpchair]

Have a great time!! I will also be gone for 10 days the 10-16th to Tennessee to see the family and help my dad after a minor surgery. Enjoy your time off and Happy Valentine's to you and everyone else!

[Pesso]

I hope your dad's recovery has been going smoothly, @Twpchair !

[Twpchair]

The surgery went great and home now. The trip was not as smooth after a 10 hr delay finally left at 1 am arrived and 45 minutes later drove back to Nashville 😂 bad weather from the north through the south. All is well though. Thank you!

[Pesso]

So glad to hear it all went well -- aside from the delays!

[Pesso]

That's so exciting, @CareyJo -- enjoy the time off and looking forward to hearing from ya when you're back. Have fun!

[DinaLRosenberg]

We're so lucky at Amityville Apothecary that we have many employees that have been with us for multiple years. We have very little turn over which is amazing. For us it's all about the team "jelling" together.  We need to make sure that everyone gets along and respects each other. If someone is disrupting the team they gotta go.

We make sure they're empowered and taken care of by being able to take ownership of projects- we've taken their suggestions, we've sold their products in our shop, we've even seeded their products.

We've grown our business to offer health insurance and 401k. While that means us as owners haven't gotten raises, it's important that our employees have a livable wage and access to insurance.

In this way our employees are taken care of so they can offer exceptional service to our customers.

[Twpchair]

That's amazing! We have 6 full-time employees and 4 have been with me pretty much since day one. In the Summer sometimes to Christmas, we have temp or seasonal help 2 of the ladies have been helping us for about 5 years, and the others are usually young juniors or seniors in high school big strong farmboys as I am in retail furniture and need the muscle. They are also the ones I work with in both schools which are only 5-6 miles apart who are in woodworking classes and wow the talent some of these young guys and girls have is amazing! 2x a year they have a raffle of their projects and we let one school at a time display after 30 days they can sell it and I make sure that they get all the money from their hard work. They have to wait for 30 days as customers and everyone in the community can come in and vote for 1st-3rd place winner. I remember making butcher blocks or a footstep 😆 they are making tables, benches, and carved chairs amazing talent. I also agree with having a great work environment and keeping it relaxed (me not being high-strung) everyone else is more relaxed and gets along great. I'm especially proud of our younger employees they have a very good work ethic, and they are there when scheduled but our older employees seem to step into the role of training them right and teaching them along the way. I am my own worst enemy. Whether it's a feeling that I need to be there 7 days a week 10 hr days or the store just wouldn't operate without me is my biggest challenge. I have been much much better since making a post about a month ago and I have been taking off Sunday and leaving at 1 pm. It also helps I was supposed to open store number 2 on February 1st but in Michigan this winter it hasn't been nice at all and has slowed it down. Hard to move when it is zero outside and -20 with the wind. I'm not stressing we are aiming for March 1st. I will only be 3 buildings down from our retail store so I will be back and forth between the 2. After all the pep talks, suggestions, and advice I know that they can run that store without an issue (except I am taking my very 1st employee) who is my bookkeeper, payroll, tech support you name it and he is it. Another lady who has also been with me for 10 years. I prompted within to fill those 2 spots and they will do just fine. Thank you for your insight, support, and knowledge. I appreciate it. 

[Pesso]

Thanks for sharing @Twpchair -- it really sounds like you've been building something wonderful there! So much inclusion and community and support is rare and great to hear.

It really is so tough to step away and trust that they can run things on their own. A piece that stuck with me from the book was the idea that even if they're not ready, giving them the trust and responsibility will make them ready -- they'll grow into it given the opportunity. 

That's wonderful that you've been taking Sunday off and leaving early! 

Rooting for ya in the new store opening! You got this, and keep us updated on how it all goes-

[Pesso]

That preservation of culture is huge, @DinaLRosenberg ! Making sure there's respect and good vibes is huge.

That's incredible that you've empowered and supported your employees in that way -- I'd love to hear more about that process of taking their suggestions, selling their products, and more. What was that like? 

It really sounds like you work so hard to take care of your employees and that it pays off. Way to go!

[bonny]

As a solopreneur, I don't have any employees.  Reading the book has given me some ideas for how I can express my appreciation to my customers for their patronage.  My business is seasonal so right now is my downtime to explore ideas for the upcoming year.  I have to say, it's been fun making a list of possibilities. 

[Pesso]

I'm so glad you're getting so much out of it, @bonny , even as a solo-. Heck yea on list making and making good use out of downtime! I'd love to hear some of the ideas here, if you'd like to share them! 

[Twpchair]

 I have been extremely lucky or blessed with great employees who some have been with me since day one. They aren’t just employees that clock in and clock out. They are extremely special to me and I tell them and post often without them there is no White Pallet Chair. They all have their own way of doing things and they each add something different or unique how they go about it and I am ok with that because at the end of the day the job is done and it’s done right. The next day if someone else picks up where they left off no issues just like personalities are all different but they just seem to jell together great. I am my own worst enemy and in the last month have taken huge steps and guess what the business was still there the next day. I might not be able all the bells and whistle of a big box store but I do make sure that they know they are appreciated and I couldn’t do it without any of them. I do every Friday order lunch and it rotates who gets to pick where. Friday and Saturday is usually all hands on deck unless someone needs time off or sick. I have found through the years a place that you can actually enjoy or not dread going to every day over and over again and nothing changes makes for a workplace not so enjoyable and then rubs off on others. I’m actually very easy going and laid back when it comes to the employees and know and trust each and everyone of them. I do 30 days paid vacation per year and 7 days of we call I don’t know what day but I just need a break day/not feeling good day. I do understand customers service and waiting on customers 5-6 days a week tend to drain you and times especially after a busy week or weekend you need a break and that’s what it is for. I just ask if you can besides being sick give me 24hr notice and 9 times out of 10 they already called the one off and traded a day. They know I am run in circles and go nowhere person and take care of that and if not I will make a call or we will be just fine only 1 or two deliveries and the guys and gals pick up the slack of missing 1. Best advice coming from someone who thinks that the building will crash without you is go with gut, give them more credit than even you thought. Don’t hesitate or worry or feel guilty taking a day off. You know if you have a good group of employees and go with it. As small business owners it’s hard to have employees for 10-12 years in this day and age. That should tell you in itself you and they are doing something right and they need to know and feel appreciated and as business owners that’s the least we can do is offer that. I’ve been told by a couple of my employees that they were offered jobs at bigger outlets and big bonuses and 401k and they didn’t want to sit behind a desk and do the same thing 5 days a week and 8 hrs a day and really enjoyed every day is new day and new adventure. So I have let go and turned over more control for them from website to one has a food truck coming in every weekend from April-October and I am excited for them and I hope that each one has huge success! Good luck to everyone and here’s to a great 2025! 

[Pesso]

Such great points here, @Twpchair ! It sounds like you've really been embracing and reflecting that part of the book of getting to know your employees strengths and assigning them roles accordingly.

Those personal touches and signs of employee appreciation are huge, and it really is showing the thought that counts. 

It sounds like you're doing an incredible job enabling your folks and that it's paying off! Thanks for sharing-

[Lovewell]

From reading this book actually over a year ago for the first time we’ve had the chance to share some ideas with the team. We also had one of our leadership read this book as well! 

We took from the book to really give or leaders or even team members a little freedom to make someone’s day! However they see fit. Comping someone’s drink, making their cup birthday ready, helping a mom with their child, knowing when to take the moment to give a customer going through something extra special attention and time. 

it has been so awesome hearing the stories of the team! We recently had fires here in so cal and many people came to Ventura and Ojai to escape the smoke or even evacuate. The team felt so empowered whenever they met someone in need to provide their drinks for free. 

[Pesso]

I love that you're re-reading it and fully embracing the book with your team, @Lovewell !

That's such a great way to do it -- giving the framework and the freedom for your team to do what they see fit to make someone's day. Not just permission but encouragement and rewards to do so!

Those are really wonderful things that your team is doing, especially helping folks during the fires. You should be super proud of yourself for enabling that! 

Do you do anything to re-inspire folks? Like every week, having everyone on the team share their stories?

[Lovewell]

So we encourage it monthly by having the team kind of watch each other if they see someone else doing something awesome they shoot us a message and nominate them for "Star Player"

We also use the team app to send out weekly announcements to encourage the crew to step out as well! 

We are always chatting about cool stories in the shop so we have really embraced that culture to the point where we are all just looking for the opportunity! 

[Pesso]

I love that grassroots effort and encouraging folks to share what they see, @Lovewell ! Heck yea on using some technology and Square apps to do so too. That kind of embracing and encouraging it definitely should pay off with more great customer experiences-