Does your business provide Unreasonable Hospitality?

[Pesso]

Hey Square Readers,

Welcome to another round of the Square Readers Book Club! Today we’re starting our next book for January & February 2025, Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara! 

This book is all about giving a truly incredible hospitality experience to your customers. It dives into key strategies and tactics that the author has used in the restaurant industry, with transferable lessons you can use in your business. Its focus is on creating a culture of excellence and care, empowering employees to enable it, and using small gestures to blow your customers’ minds.

As we start reading the book, we’ll kick off our conversations with a baseline of your experiences giving and receiving exceptional customer service. I’d love to hear about you and how you have received great hospitality, and given it in your business, so share your story in the comments!

So let’s talk:

• What’s a great customer service & hospitality experience you’ve ever received? 
• How do you currently deliver an outstanding customer experience, in big and small ways? 
• What questions are you hoping to have answered by reading this book?

For some extra fun, share a selfie of you with the book here in the comments! 

Don’t forget to:

• View and Subscribe to all threads about this book

Happy reading!

Pesso

[#2]

Hey Readers!

We just posted our second discussion thread, diving into what Unreasonable Hospitality is, and an exercise to start brainstorming new ideas on ways to provide an incredible experience to your customers.

Head on over to share your thoughts!

[Pesso]

Here's some of mine:

1. Getting a good hospitality experience doesn't have to be fancy. There's a great pizza place by me that if you're getting some slices an hour or so before closing, they'll throw in some extra ones for free. It's a great way for the business to prevent food waste, to encourage folks to try new varieties which they'll probably buy more of next time, and for the customer to get an extra treat! It surprised the heck out of me the first time I went, and thought it was just an enthusiastic employee, but it happened again the next time I went so it must just be process and policy. I loved it!

2. I was managing all of the social media for my ice cream shop, and one day when I was posting about a new flavor, one of our regular customers commented saying she wish she could get some but she just went through her first round of chemo and couldn't come in. I sent her a DM asking for her address and we ran a pint over to her house -- she was only a couple blocks away. She was absolutely thrilled, we both started crying, and gained an absolute customer and advocate for life. 

3. I can't wait to hear more strategies and processes and ways to institutionalize creative ways of absolutely thrilling customers on a day to day basis. I'm always surprised at how easily I get enamored by businesses, and how simple it can be -- but it's tough to think of ways to do it myself! Can't wait to learn more-

And here’s me with my (digital) copy of the book:

 

[DinaLRosenberg]

Ah! Welcome to book club 2025! How is it even possible?

Excellent customer service at Amityville Apothecary means creating a personalized, judgment-free, and welcoming experience for every individual who walks through our doors or shops with us online. We go above and beyond to understand our customers' needs—whether they’re seeking a crystal for healing, guidance through tarot, or just a safe space to explore their spirituality. Like Nordstrom, we believe in empowering our team to make decisions that prioritize the customer’s happiness and satisfaction.

If a customer has a unique request—such as sourcing a rare crystal or designing a custom spell kit—we’ll do everything in our power to make it happen. Our team is empowered to think outside the box to ensure our customers leave feeling cared for and supported. Even if it’s not something we usually offer, we’ll work hard to find a solution or guide them to the right resource.

We trust our team and give them the tools, knowledge, and freedom to make decisions in the moment that prioritize the customer. Whether it’s staying late to help a shopper find the perfect gift or offering a complimentary service to brighten someone’s day, we encourage them to treat every customer like they’re family.

[Pesso]

For real! Time absolutely flies!

Thanks for sharing, @DinaLRosenberg ! 

I love that you're focused on creating a culture of inclusion and zero judgement, and educating & empowering your employees to enable that too! I was definitely thinking about your Nordstrom example while reading this book -- I think you'll find a lot of similarities there in this book. 

Those are such great ways to really give a lasting memorable experience to your customers, and show that you care and they're not just dollar signs and numbers to you. I love it.

I'd love to hear about an over the top customer experience or two that you've personally experienced somewhere else, too!

Thanks again for jumping in here-

[DinaLRosenberg]

Well- I have to shout out @maxpete and @Isabelle and the other Square team members who helped navigate through my latest website crisis. That definitely was amazing service.

Another anecdote that comes to mind is Le Creuset. I've had a beautiful, enamel pot for them for some time (a decade? more?). The enamel began to wear off of it and they replaced the pot. Even though I had used that pot hundreds of times- they stand behind their work and their product and replaced it. 

[Pesso]

Heck yea, love the @maxpete & @isabelle praise & shoutout -- way to live that Unreasonable Hospitality life, team! 

That is absolutely fantastic customer service and really shows how far you can take standing behind your products. Thanks for sharing it!

[CareyJo]

I have friends who would be in LOVE with your store.  Then there's me.  LOL... I would feel so out of place because it's not me but I would go in there with them and would love that you are so welcoming ❤️

[DinaLRosenberg]

I have been into so many metaphysical and "witchy type" stores where the staff were rude.. sorta looking down on people and thinking they are cooler than or better than. That always annoyed me SO MUCH so we are welcoming to people of all walks on their path no matter when they got on the path.

We try and lead from "teaching" and compassion/understanding...

[Pesso]

Looking forward to hearing all of your pre-reading thoughts on Unreasonable Hospitality:

 @CareyJo , @bonny , @thecedar , @HC_Charlie , @RuckusDonuts , @Smellthis1919 , @BrianaJo , @Doran , @TheArtChildLLC , @TheArtChild , @schaefferjosh , @EMstudioWA , @JUYBoutique20 

[BrianaJo]

I'm still trying to figure out a more sustainable way to join the book club discussions since my small rural library is failing me in timeliness and availability. How does everyone else read these books? Audible? Kindle? Libro.fm? another app? just buying the hardcopy and reading it old school? 

[Pesso]

I'm sorry it's been so tough to get the books, @BrianaJo ! I definitely took your situation and suggestion to heart, and set up the full year's schedule in advance so you and others have time to get the books. You can see the next book, and the rest for the year, on this post!

I've been doing the Kindle books since it's easiest for me to grab quotes to set up discussion threads -- but it's also great to have the books with me on my phone everywhere I go, and the instant delivery. I know others use the audiobooks through Audible, and also the physical books too.

[BrianaJo]

I saw that post and super appreciate the planned out year since it helped me find this out sooner rather than later. I'm in long queues for two of them, 30+ people ahead of me for one and 40+ people ahead of me for another with only 1 book available so it's going to be awhile, and the others don't exist in my library's network at all. 

I'm leaning towards audible, I'm just not sure though. My husband is dyslexic, so audio books are a huge for our house. Years ago we had terrible experiences with Audible to the point we had to cancel it, but there's really no replacement we've found yet. I was hoping someone had found a decent alternative. Audible pretty much has the audiobook market cornered. I may just have to bite the bullet and reactivate it.

[Pesso]

I'm so glad that it helped, @BrianaJo ! 

Ah I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Audible -- I think Spotify also has audiobooks so that could be an option too?

[bonny]

I'm in the same boat... small town, small library, limited options.  This particular book was only available digitally, and there were 44 folks waiting on the one copy that was available, so I ordered a hard copy.  My plan is when I'm done with it, I'm going to donate it to the library so they have a physical copy, too.  I believe in paying it forward for karma points, and this is one way I can do that.  😁

[ChickenRacer]

That's awesome and nice of you!

[ryanwanner]

Hey @Pesso ! Finally able to get back into the Book Club!

After watching the Forks episode of The Bear, I immediately downloaded this book to my Kindle. I've been slowly going through it, and I'm keen to talk about it!

For your questions:

1. Honestly any time I feel like the employee/manager/owner is actually happy with their job the hospitality levels seem to go up. From little things like bringing a refill of a beverage without asking to recommendations for a new book based on what I'm buying all the way to free product because something was incorrect. If I can tell they're invested the whole experience is just better.

2. When I had my cafe and when I'm able to reopen my coffee bar, I had pretty stringent training procedures in place, but what I felt made the leap to UH was that my baristas couldn't get out of training until they knew the names or drinks of 25% of my regulars. I wanted to hear them welcome people by name, ask if they wanted their usual, ask how the family is, whatever. My goal is to make our guests feel like they're visiting an old friend instead of plunking down money for coffee. The employee wanted to move up to a trainer level? 50% of the regulars. Supervisor? 75%. Manager? 90+%. There was no flex on this rule. And it worked: I can't tell you how many regulars would bring friends in and tell them how much they will enjoy "my coffee shop." 🙂

3. Biggest hopeful takeaway is more ways to hone that UH experience. In the coffee world, you can't throw a rock without hitting competition, so being able to set ourselves apart is vital to the sustainability of the business.

[Pesso]

Amazing! It's so great to have you back with us, @ryanwanner !

Yesssss -- I absolutely loved that episode, and totally didn't catch the book was in there until someone on my team brought it up. Way to go for being proactive on it!

Oooh those are such great examples -- thanks for sharing! I absolutely love the little things too, and you're right, it shows that they're invested and care about customers more than just going through the motions -- even if those little things technically are going through really good motions, they don't feel like it. 

I freaking love that name rule! "Forcing" folks to get more human and make deeper connections, even if it's just their name, makes a big difference and is a slippery slope to getting to know more about them, and making it a real community. Love that sliding scale for higher percentages of customers too -- such a great idea and execution! And I love that payoff of them feeling like it's their spot. Huge. Way to go in making that happen! Rooting for ya in doing it again in the new place.

What other rules and processes like that did you have?

I love that goal and that you're aware of how important it is, and how much of a different it makes in all of the ways. It really is vital these days, especially when there's less and less community all around, its up to us lil businesses to fill that gap -- and it pays off!

Can't wait to hear more of your thoughts as we go. Thanks so much for sharing!

[CareyJo]

I couldn't have said it better myself!!

[CareyJo]

I couldn't agree more!!!

[CareyJo]

[Pesso]

Thanks for sharing the selfie, @CareyJo !