“Magic 8” of practicing Hospitality

How many of you remember this? 

I asked a Magic 8 Ball what creates more loyal customers (storytellers).

The answer wasn't "better pricing." It wasn't "more marketing." And it wasn't "more technology."

The answer was hospitality.  But NOT hospitality as an industry. Hospitality as a MINDSET.

The ability to make people feel welcome, valued, appreciated, and understood throughout every interaction.

The organizations that master this consistently outperform those that focus only on products and services.

If you could improve one aspect of your customer experience tomorrow, what would it be?

Here are my “Magic 8” of practicing Hospitality-

These are 8 details your customers, prospects, and guests can either feel or experience, but may not say anything to you about them.

1. The power of first and lasting impressions

- The First Impression- Yes, they should be greeted, but what they will remember more is how welcome they felt, when they came in…and when they left

2. Utilizing all of the senses

-Pulling in the senses. I would often tell my staff, “Guests eat with their eyes first”.  So, what do your see, hear, smell, touch, and most importantly, FEEL, about the experience you are trying to give them?

3. How your people show up every day.

-People notice your people.  Are your people confident as they approach others? Confidence = knowledge, and your customers and prospects love to be around people who have the knowledge and want to share it with others.

4. Making it seamless

-One of the best compliments I heard from a client about our people was “Your staff is invisible”, and “they make it so easy” to work with your company.  This comes from training and involving them in the process, and what it gives the customer is a seamless experience- that is the key.

5. Paying attention to all the details.

-Attention paid to the little details.  This starts at the top, and it moves through the organization.  What does the inside and outside of your building look like?  Does the team notice the little things like trash on the floor, a dirty door or window, or an unkempt restroom?  Don’t worry, your customers do.

6. Hitting the Bullseye

Customers crave consistency, especially when they have found an organization that they want to do business with.  One of the biggest frustrations we all have is having a wonderful experience with a company, then coming back and not having that at all.  The experience should feel just as polished when guests leave as it did when they arrived.

7. Being Proactive versus being Reactive

Top-notch hospitality anticipates the needs before your customers even voice them.  Proactive is being one step ahead of your customers, knowing them better than anyone else.  Reactive can mean that you are always on your heels, and apologizing, over and over.  Exceptional hospitality solves needs before guests ever have to ask.

8. What Hospitality is really about

After the product is delivered, or the service utilized, did they feel cared for, valued, appreciated, and like they belong with your organization.  At its heart, that is what hospitality is all about.

People think that hospitality is about doing something big for a customer.  While that’s nice, I believe hospitality is about doing the little things, during the entire customer experience. 

These little things are vital, as they make the big things happen.

And what are the big things?  Loyalty, Engagement, Retention, and Revenue.  All of these also mean you now have more storytellers for your organization who can’t wait to tell others how you are making them feel.

Bob Pacanovsky is a Keynote Speaker and trainer. He works with companies and organizations that aim to achieve the highest levels of Hospitality and Service Excellence to attract and retain more customers and employees.

© 2026 Bob Pacanovsky- Black Tie Experience. All rights reserved.