Magic. When you think of magic what do you think of? Personally, I think of a Cinderella’s pumpkin being turned into a carriage or a witch casting a spell. I rarely think about interactions in a hotel. However, this is an area where this industry can take this word, run with their imagination, and thrive with the experience. Magic is not only something children can feel or experience; adults can feel it too. Magic was advertised as something one could only get from Walt Disney World. However, over the years, other hospitality venues have also been providing amazing magical moments.
So, what is magic? When doing research, it’s honestly hard to find what magic is without Walt Disney World coming up. So let's just take a page from their notes and look at how magic is portrayed.
When you are at Walt Disney World, it’s like you’re in a new world. Everything transforms into a place where they are no problems: it’s care free, easy to relax, and hard not to smile. That is exactly the goal in creating magic through Hospitality. Magic happens when guests get surprised in such exceptional ways that moments last a lifetime. There is no simple definition of magic, because it does not have to be put into a box. In fact, a wide variety of events can bring magic to life.
From experience, the best hotels and their best staff members think about these moments daily! Magic and mystique help turn service into experiences and interactions into memories. Figuring out how to provide magic can be difficult considering there is truly not one type of magic. There is a process which forces the staff member to think about WOWs: going above and beyond, understanding the needs of a guest, and turning simple moments into complex instances. Magic can originate from simple creativity, but it can also be much more complex with several moving parts. Magic has no limitations or characteristics. It’s about having a serving heart and making a guest the top priority.
Moments of magic can be created from the tiniest of things. It’s when a staff member makes a guest say or think, “how did they do this?” or “I would have never expected such service." Creating magical experiences is combining the best unforgettable moments you can think of to surpass the guest’s idea of unexpected.
Hotels have to build magic into their culture and understand its importance. They need to teach their staff to always think through the eyes of their guest. Magic is more than showing genuine interest, learning preferences, or making people feel special. Hotels have to work at taking simple service and taking it to a new level to make it as memorable as possible.
You may think you made magic but how would you actually know? The guest will always help you know! They will tell everyone: putting their stories all over social media, leaving you reviews, or writing letters to the GM or hotel. When any service provider creates magic for a guest, these WOW moments are so amazing and unbelievable, that they echo throughout the property. Remember, magic is supposed to be fun!
Sure, it can be challenging to create magic at your property, but it should be a challenge that staff LOVE and live for!
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