Business In A Small Town: Marketing Part 2

The lights are on, the product is ready, the door is unlocked, and the Open sign is blaring. A brand-new business is open in a small town. Marketing principles are universal, but the social setting in a small town is different when compared to the bigger cities. In a little community a business must make itself known in a specific way, make deals and build relationships with other businesses in town, know where to drum up business, and refine the experience of the customer to appeal to their natural tendencies.

Small town business owners watch each other. When they enter other businesses they have an eye out, always for the owner or proprietor of the business. Often, on a universal impulse, they will pull the owner aside and talk to him or her about business. One route to fast friends is being able to relate, one to the other. By taking the time to talk to fellow business owners a strong preference develops between them. Business gets referred one to the other, and is reciprocated.

It is essential that a business owner develop a familiarity with other businesses owners in the area. That kind of marketing is free, and results in a perpetuity of business. 

Another way to get known in the community is to work outside. Make it a daily habit. Business owners do drive by, whether on purpose, or coincidentally. If you are outside, taking care of your place, they will see you. That garners respect, and lets the business owners and the community know how much work and care you put into the business. If your landscaping, however insignificant, is well kept, it will get noticed. If you are seen outside putting work into it, an assumption can be made that the business is in good hands.

An example of this occurred when the owner of an auto repair shop with whom I had recently done business walked two of his customers over to my motel. As we talked, and after I had checked in the customers the auto shop owner said, "I've seen you out here, working every day. I know you take good care of the place." That thought expressed by him held in it every accomplishment a business owner wants to achieve by taking care of the grounds. 

It is almost guaranteed that the auto shop owner networks with the other business owners in Thames, and I and my motel will be mentioned among them. 

Keep your word to other businesses, and honor your obligations to them. The auto shop owner waited patiently while I collected the funds to pay my deductible. He was pleased about the timely payment, and by honoring my obligation to him and his business, my motel stood out. If I managed life the way I manage the motel, then he knows that the TJ is a safe place to send his customers.

If the business is facing competition, like a restaurant or motel, it is essential to reach out to the new businesses. A deal can be struck between businesses. "If you send me business, I will reciprocate." In that respect it becomes necessary to have the customer inform the other business who they were referred by. "Tell them (insert business name) sent you." Some will, some will not. The point is to be consistent about it. When you frequent the business to whom you have referred customers, check with the owner to make sure they know that you are sending them business.

There are businesses that a new establishment should immediately build relationships with. In the case of a restaurant it would behoove them to make friends with the local hotels and motels. A consistent referral to your business will increase your sales, and thereby your revenue all year round. The restaurant just a block down from the TJ gets the bulk of the motel's business because they have an excellent menu, they are good to the motel - referring business to the TJ - they keep ideal hours, and they pride themselves on being a local staple.

Motels and hotels, particularly during the busy season, can increase your business significantly. Because they are open 24/7 they also get customers checking in that arrive after normal business hours. The same restaurant a block down stays open until 11 PM, getting the bulk of my business after 8:30 PM. Does it benefit them? Has the restaurant prevailed in good times and bad? Yes. Give that careful consideration, particularly if your location has tourist traps. 

Another benefit to serving motel and hotel guests on a regular basis is that a small, but significant percentage of them will write reviews. These days it is a popular trend to go experience a place, and then tell the online community what they thought of it, from the attraction to the food they ate.

Finally, empathize with your customer. Last night I ended a long day when I had the opportunity to go and purchase something I normally have to pass on. But when I thought about handing over management, getting in the car, driving to the destination, going inside the store, finding the item, waiting in line to pay for it, then driving back to the business, my exhaustion got the better of me. I decided not to. 

We are all subject to our cravings. We are creatures of impulse. There are billion dollar companies built off of these impulses. In a small town, so is yours. The goal is to make the experience of your business quick and easy, particularly if you are dealing with a product, or products. Make it easy to enter, easy to get what you need, and easy to get out. The more that idea is mastered, the more business you will attract. The laziness principle, as I call it, can only be overcome by simplicity. Refer to your respective design, and/or streamlining tips for your industry for more help.

In conclusion, the community is already talking about you. By building relationships with the local businesses, and by sending them customers your venture can only succeed. You can also make sure that the people are saying the right things, and giving the right impression, by acting the part. You are being watched. Make sure that you exercise some controls over what is being seen by working outside your doors. You can work on your grounds, building, or home. You can work the community, by being a business owner whenever you are among the citizens. 

Understand where you can drum up more business. By establishing a relationship with the hospitality industry you can receive referral business, and get some invaluable online reviews in the process. If you are in the hospitality business, get out and get known as the representative of your business. Finally, make sure it is easy, and convenient for a customer to visit, get what they need, and get out with minimum hassle. The majority of marketing in a small town is done person to person. Tap into it, and you will have a fighting chance of staying in business in a micro-, and isolated economy.

The Hardest Thing

The Hardest Thing

Congratulations! You have run your motel for a year. Summer is in full swing. Spring and winter have been haggard, and boring. You are ready for this new business.

May is busy, June is busier, and now it's mid-July. You realize you have been working 24/7 for six months straight, and suddenly every glitch and problem, and most of all - customer - is getting on your frayed nerves. Where is the break?

Did we not have one over the winter?

It was not much of a break. Salting sidewalks, shoveling snow, negotiating paths for the maid's cart to follow, freezing, and dealing with a significant drop in revenue compared to the summer (round about 83%), frozen pipes, etc.

While you are grateful for the traffic,and revenue is going strong, your nerves are fried. The hardest thing to do in this environment, and one skill you must develop is the ability to engage a customer . . . with sincerity. If you have made it this far you have learned to do one thing better than most other professionals - you have learned to smile, strongly, sincerely, and consistently no matter what mood you are in.

Manager's Note:

What I have begun to observe about myself in the last few weeks is that I really do engage the customer. I used to fidget, smile insincerely, put on some arrogance, and talk too much when a customer was utilizing my time.

Now, I exude an interested patience. I let them talk. I let them chew the proverbial fat. I listen with interest. I get something out of my guests. I watch their expressions, listen to their tone. When the guest has my attention, there is no other person in the world. Nor am I leading them in the conversation. They are in charge, and I am the ear, the shoulder, the . . . manager.

Professionalism:

The mark of a professional is clear communication. The ability to articulate, and get a clear message across. Furthermore, the best communication results when you close your mouth, and open your ears. Listening is such a key component to successful customer service it should be principle number one.

1.) Listen - that means shut your mouth, open your ears, pay attention, and most challenging of all (particularly in this environment of pandemic apathy): sincerely care about what is being said.

When followed this formula cannot fail. Read that again. When followed this formula cannot fail. You will get nothing but sincere smiles, compliments, satisfied customers, and that most golden of tokens within the business world: repeat business.

The Value of a Smile:

Repeat business creates another component in the lifeblood of a company - word of mouth marketing. The TJ Motel, if you will recall, is located in the middle of the Idaho desert. The nearest city whose population is over 10,000 is 65 miles away. How then, can the TJ Motel stay open? Reputation. Word of mouth. I have customers that come in from all over the world saying that they were recommended this motel for their Yellowstone/Craters of the Moon trip by a friend, or colleague.

The fact that those dollars travel so far across the world to end up in my cash drawer attests to the power of the smile. Ultimately, no matter how clean your rooms, or how comprehensive your amenities, the motel is ultimately you. How do you come across? Are you 'hospitable' or are you hostile? Friendly and courteous, or impatient and disrespectful? More importantly, if you have flaws in your customer service, are you willing to work on improving?

Attitude Extends to Effort:

When I came on at the TJ I had a vision to improve as a professional. I wanted to learn leadership, I wanted to learn patience, I wanted to learn professionalism, I wanted to learn entrepreneurship (remember I am wholly in charge), and I wanted to become better than I had ever been before. For most of my life I had learned "the hard way."

I finally understand what "the hard way" is. It is an attitude of not paying attention. It's touching the hot pot. It's stepping on the nail. It's punching the rock wall. Learning the hard way is making yourself experience the pain by not thinking first, planning out the action, or being proactive. At the motel I had to put on the smile, I had to stop and listen, I had to genuinely put it out there that I do care. "Genuinely care" being the key principle there. That requires effort. That can be learned, but it has to be exercised. You must take every opportunity to build that skill. When you don't want to do it is the best time to do it.

The final straw came when I offended that person by mocking his coughing. I finally understood that you really cannot mess with anyone. The customer does not expect a regular, everyday guy to come into the office and josh them around while they rent a room. What they expect is a business manager, with a certain professionalism, and formality that they feel comfortable with. That can be said in any profession. You are your motel, so decide what you want that to mean.

Contrast and Conclusion:

Yesterday I trained a girl to run the front desk so I have the opportunity step out for a few hours. What I learned from that training session has stuck with me all day. I learned just how far I had come as a professional. I found that I was in charge of the situation with my customers, I was professional, courteous, helpful, kind, and highly communicative with my guests. I commanded the room, and sent them away with a smile. In contrast my trainee never smiled, acted stressed, was uninterested in the customer, or did not know how to interact with them. First days can be tough, but the contrast marked between she and I served to illuminate how much I have developed. Were I in a more challenging position than a motel manager I am confident I could perform exceptionally well.

The hardest thing to do is smile sincerely, listen wholeheartedly, and give of your time and self when you have had a rough day. The payoff, however, is enormous. Remember that from day to day, and from transaction to transaction you are marketing the business. They remember you. But will they recommend you? That is why it is paramount to master the skill of the smile. When you smile, everything else follows.

Go ahead. Smile. Now try to feel bad.

Just does not work, does it.

Lesson number one.

Stop. Think. Do.

Every job is what you make of it.

I love vagaries like that. They are sufficient pedantic axioms that provide inspiration to those who already believe in themselves, and what they can accomplish.

You can do whatever you put your mind to.

It is like you are standing on the cusp of learning a great truth, but it fails to deliver. Great truths are earned in your sweat, sore muscles, and with time spent in sincere pursuit. What does that mean to us, as motel managers? What does it mean to us as the masses? The worker. The laborer. The unhappy employee? Everything, and I will tell you why.

Every job is what you make of it. The power word here is "choose." You choose how you want to feel about it. You choose whether or not you are going to learn to do the job well, and truly make a difference in your company. You choose whether your job is an everyday position, or something substantial. Your choices dictate whether you are excellent, and satisfied with your job, or whether you dream of something better.

There is a simple idea out there that few people are able to grasp because they have always gone to the boss with every concern. It is called "taking ownership."

What does it mean to take ownership? It means that you treat the job, and you treat the place, you treat the customers, the partners, the contractors, and those invested, like they are yours. Owners, executives, managers, and supervisors love that in an employee. When they take ownership they are saying that they care about the welfare of the company, and more specifically, the position. Those who take ownership, apply themselves because it is the effective thing to do.

When I sold cars, I sat on my duff for three months wondering what it was I was supposed to do. I made enough sales to cover my salary, but I really wasn't making any money.

I made a realization then - maybe I should learn how to sell. So I did something I had never done in a job before (or at least not to my recollection), I applied myself. I began to learn the intricacies of salesmanship, relationship building, product knowledge, and making goals. Suddenly that suffocating car dealership became the base for building incredible opportunities. I had learned one of life's greatest lessons by applying myself to becoming a better salesman. It has proved invaluable in all of my ensuing positions.

The job is what you choose it to be. As motel managers there are times when you want to throw your hands up, lock the doors, turn off the Open sign, and just let the day finish with no new business. There are times when there are too many things to do. Working 24/7 there comes a time when you feel like you cannot get up and go shampoo that carpet, or paint that shower, or fix that hot water issue, or follow up on your maid's rooms before she leaves for the day.

But at the head of all those impulses is the burning question - "What do I want my motel to say to the public?"

Do I want it to say any myriad of negative things? If people do not voice a complaint, it does not mean that they had none. When they walk into your rooms, what do they look for? I heard an interesting tool for reference once. A woman says she walks into a motel room and asks herself, "Would I be okay if my two toddlers went everywhere in this room? Or is there something I need to keep them away from?" Fascinating.

Using that exact perspective I began an overhaul of my maid's routines. I applied myself to the position, and I took ownership. Suddenly this motel was not a business I was managing - it was mine. I cannot say the problems were not my responsibility. Utilizing the cutting costs, and raising prices mistake that business owners tend to make, I spent most of the first year slashing the maid's routine, controlling their hours, and drowning in ownership complaints of a payroll that seemed to be too high. The consequences took a few months to manifest. I began a deep clean of each room in January.

What I discovered that had gone unchecked by the girls made me cringe. To save time they had refined their routine to a minimum clean of only the necessities. As a result there were cobwebs, there were stains on the walls, the doors were filthy on the inside, the windows were dingy, the window sills . . . fly graveyard, anyone?

I took a proactive approach with them because I understood in that moment that I was in charge. Seems silly, but remember you are dealing with a rookie manager here. I still have many lessons to learn. Without sparing feelings, or playing politics, I told them they had been doing a substandard job, then told them why, then offered them to give their feedback. They complied, and I learned a lot that day.

It all went back to cutting costs. The poorly cleaned rooms were a result of my poor management decisions regarding payroll.

I expanded their routine from that day on. First, they were to check the ceilings. Then they were to check the walls. Third, they had to check the bathroom (particularly the shower and bath), then they were to check the floors. After they had obtained a list of jobs on every one of those surfaces, they would attack those jobs. Then they could go in and do their routine. Finally, I wanted spotless floors before they locked the room. It has been two months since the changes were implemented.

The difference is so incredible I cannot tell you how valuable that extra five to ten minutes is to this business.

In return for their cooperation I made a promise. I told them that I was proactively changing my attitude at the front desk, and in dealing with the customer.

This is where a valuable lesson presented itself. It used to be that I held a belief that work got in the way of life. I would become agitated, and worked up as I rushed to complete whatever task came up. Let us say I had a running toilet, or a heater was not working. That was in the way of life. I would rush to it in a flurry of irritation, get it done, and shake my head at what a pain this property is. Then I would get back to life.

I did not like that about myself. I sought to change it. But how? First, I observed what I was doing. I would get flabbergasted, then irritated. Then, I would try to complete the task at just under the speed of light. Finally, I would wear my agitation, irritation, and anger on my sleeve. The result? Customers were not sure whether I was angry with the task, or with them.

I decided step one was slow it down. Do not rush through it. Stop. Think. Do. The difference that has made is incredible. I began to apply it to other parts of the job. I discovered a huge reservoir of patience I had been neglecting. It stretched itself out upon my life, and suddenly I realized: work is life. Life is work. Work was not getting in the way of life, it was life!

I began implementing Stop. Think. Do. into my transactions. The result has been the dream transactions where the customer is so pleased with the experience that they are not fazed by the price. They feel they are getting value because they know a good man is at their service.

I began implementing Stop. Think. Do. with my family. The result has been incredible. My eldest son (3) appreciates Dad's new patience. My wife is more pleased with my attitude, and with the satisfaction I am taking from my work.

Stop. Think. Do. has helped me be prepared. I have been able to actively maintain several blogs, write for a pop culture website I enjoy, draw, read frequently throughout the day, and study. It has allowed my schoolwork to increase in quality. Suddenly work of all kinds seem to be getting done at an exponential rate. As a result I am excited to see the summer come, rather than dreading it.

I have learned to take my time. I have made the job something of a school in the ways of life, and management. I have put my mind to doing it well, and continue to achieve from day to day.

What Have I Learned?

What have I learned? I feel, coming within 1 month to finishing a year at the TJ, that it is time to share some hard knocks with you.

Certain things do stand out. If you read my marketing post you understand that customer service is paramount. If you've read any of my posts you understand that fact. I had to re-learn that. Let me tell you a little bit about who this man used to be.

I used to be the person that did not enjoy his work. I was always too good for it. I was always just getting to the next step. It was something that got in the way of living life. Work interrupted my reading, drawing, or tv watching time. People, I did not understand. When the pressure got to be too much I dropped out. When too much was left to do, my energy drained completely away from me. When people did not like me, I wondered why, and obsessed until I got sick about it. When I failed at something on the job, it reinforced my poor self-image. Did I quit? Yes. Did I have a poor attitude? Yes. Did I get terminated? Yes.

Why?! I'll answer that question with the lessons I have learned.

I mentioned customer service. I had received some poor reviews online. Two of them mentioned my "East Coast sarcasm," and my "bad attitude (but thank goodness it wasn't directed at us)." The truth is that I have a dry wit, and that comes across as a poor attitude. So what am I to do when 90% of people do not know when I am being serious, or sarcastic?

Change it. First lesson: Put on a happy face, welcome them with gusto, be at their absolute service, talk them up, market a little, and get them to leave with a smile and a thank you. How can you stand doing that 7 days a week? Fake it 'til you make it. On my office door, facing the apartment, I have a sign that reminds me to feel at peace, and put on the character. That's what we do, isn't it? That's what professionalism is, isn't it? How else can you leave home at home, your issues at the door, and your crappy morning at the curb? You put on the character. And it works.

Why does it work? Because I am sincere! I am absolutely sincere about the General Manager role. It's the role that will determine the course of my future. I am making the absolute most of it. My biggest lesson was embracing the role, status, and stature of being the General Manager of the TJ Motel.

Embracing that role has given me a strong sense of pride in the business I have been given the responsibility to run. It has imbued me with guts, confidence in making decisions, patience (oh goodness the patience I have earned), and a strong sense of leadership. This motel is my baby, and I have fully embraced that. The good, and most especially, the bad.

Patience. Let me share a little of that lesson with you. It used to be that I wanted to see you in my office just to check in. After that, please leave me alone. It is not that way any longer. It used to be that if a guest came in with a complaint I would run over my dog to get that issue addressed and overwith as soon as possible. It is not that way any more. I would get all kinds of upset if, for instance, I had to spend 5 minutes locating a lighter so I could light the heater in room 19 for the 88th time. It is no longer that way.

I learned that the issues come. They come at really bad times. They come most inconveniently. And they are issues that no one wants to deal with. I changed my perceptions. Now, instead of getting flustered I take a measured approach to the issue. I understand that, should I have to light the heater in room 19, it is probably going to take 5 minutes to locate my lighter. Why? Because my youngest toddler is in love with it, finds it no matter where I hide it, and puts it in one of ten locations my wife and I refer to as "black holes."

I also understand that guests are impatient. That is why, at the outset I inform my customer that this may take some time. I have yet to receive a negative response from that. After briefly telling the customer why 19's heater goes out, I light it. I get it going. I then inform them that it is an ambient heater without a blower, and it will take 20 minutes to warm the room. Would you like a space heater in the meantime? Most say no. Some say yes. I know that all want to answer in the affirmative, so I bring it into the room with me.

I learned that there is no reason to get upset over property issues. They come. And they can go fast or slow depending on how your attitude is when you approach them.

More patience! I have tried to learn in the past to, when presented with a problem, exhaust my resources before going to management. Now that I am in charge of the business, and I own almost all of the issues that arise, I have to fight the urge to call ownership. I have to bite it back, and own the problem. The main reason for that is because when I call them, they ask me what I have done to solve the problem. If I have done nothing, I have wasted their time.

It's fighting the panic response. That takes measured patience to accomplish. It takes a calm, cool head to take a step back and really look at the situation, analyze your options, exhaust your resources, and fix the issue. Getting upset at something never solved any problems, particularly if that something is a water heater that needs to be relit four times per day. Getting upset instantly kills your patience. It's gone. Kiss it goodbye and hang on, because the next hour of your life is going to exhaust you. By the time you crawl back out from under that building, you will be ready for a shower and bed even though it's only 3 PM.

Watch it. Remake that attitude. Because I also learned that attitude is a choice. There was a formula I was given by a great man. I have really learned a lot about it. The formula is Event + Response = Outcome. It is one of those things that you discover in life that take years and experience to understand. I know that seems simple, but life is never simple.

Let us use an example from the past. Event: I am in the middle of a mountain of laundry, busy directing maids, and have 10 more things to do during the next few hours - when someone rings the doorbell. Response: A.) Get upset that someone is interrupting the workflow of your day to waste your time checking in too dang early and show that irritation when opening the door for them so they know they have come at a bad time, or B.) Put your workflow aside because thank goodness, an opportunity has come to earn some revenue, make someone smile, and earn a good review should the opportunity arise.

Equals the Outcome: A.) Make the person upset. Make them feel stupid and inconvenient. Earn their contempt, lose their repeat business, and the business of anyone they talk to. Earn a poor review online in some cases. Get your owners on your case as a result. Feel lousy about yourself. Go back to your workload even more hopeless than ever. Or B.) Make a friend. Make them feel welcome and grateful. Earn their admiration and trust, earn their repeat business, and the business of anyone they talk to. Earn a great review online in some cases. Get the adulation and praise of your owners as a result. Feel impressed with yourself. And go back to your workload grateful for the break.

Tough choice, right? It is a tough choice because it must be made in the moment, with the attitude you already have! I have learned to finally turn off the tap, and get into a great attitude whether I like the work or not. This motel has driven me to the breaking point, and well beyond. The miracle, and the most important lesson I have learned, is that I did not break. I owned the job. I owned the responsibility. I owned the overwhelming tasks I have to do. I learned simply that I can. If there is truly a lesson I value above all others it is that I can.

I can do electrical work, plumbing, fix toilets, handle propane devices, do landscaping, increase curb appeal, market the business, do statistical analysis, lead, manage, train, learn, educate, negotiate, sell, and make the most of the little I have. I have accomplished great things thus far, and have seldom been comfortable. I value getting outside the bubble because I know I am going to learn something worthwhile. Diplomacy is one of my favorites.

I have learned that if you just listen, and think, you can really solve some complex issues. Dealing with a large group of construction workers I let each of them know that, should they have a complaint, I am there to resolve it. Then I set the standard by fixing a problem issue in two of their rooms to seal the promise. These boys will now stay here, rather than anywhere else, and recommend the TJ to anyone that asks for the duration of their work project.

Last lesson: be smart. Owning the management of the motel, owning the front desk, owning the attitude, owning the phone calls, and owning the property has taught me to use my mind as a remarkable tool to immediately solve problems. Ownership has taught me to strategize in an instant, in a variety of situations. Ownership has taught me to control the conversation, situation, or confrontation, and get a good result out of it. Whether that is committing a maid to a change in her routine, or talking a customer down from a complaint. I have learned valuable skills applicable to countless situations.

There is so much more to share. Stay tuned.

Marketing Your Motel - Part 1

Quick Catch-up

It has been a couple months of hard learning. I have had some hard days at work in the past, but I cannot recall them with the clarity I have taken from January. I had some pipes that froze. Then, upon thawing, two shower fixtures blew out of the wall. Soon after sealing off those rooms, the pipes came undone from their fittings and flooded the crawlspace below up to 12 inches.

There was water damage in two motel rooms that required some special cleanup. After two weeks of intensive babysitting, the rooms are once again up for use, and in better shape than they were before the freeze. I will remember one overarching thing from that experience - never quit. Never give up. Throwing up your hands results in absolutely nothing. Rather than walking out, and accepting defeat at the hands of Building 2, I stuck it out, addressed the issues as they arose, and won out.

Questions

So what if business is excruciatingly slow? What if the bills are piling up? What if cash just is not flowing . . .

Well . . . what are you doing wrong? What are your reviews saying? How are you handling your customers? How are you handling your phone calls?

Do you know what you are doing?

Can we assume it is your fault? Absolutely. I understand. The zeal is gone. That rush of having your new position has been ground into a fine powder, and shot into the wind. That rush of owning your own business has passed as the weight of the responsibility comes crashing down on you. On top of all the issues you have experienced over a difficult, slow, and long winter, you have to put up with the customer.

The Customer As Animal

So who are these people? I worked 12 years in retail, 3 years in sales, 16 years in customer service, and I sympathize with those workers. I sympathize. But does that stop me from being a typical customer? No! I have often felt the hypocrite but I began to understand something as I observed myself being a typical customer. I understood how hard I worked for my money, and how much I sacrificed for such small compensation. I understood that I had expectations that needed to be met with anything I chose to invest in.

So it was going to be my way, or my way. I want to get out of the product the green I put into it, and that includes the shopping experience. Anymore I am incredibly picky.

And that is the customer as animal. He or she is driven by value. So how do we define value? How do we define quality? A set of very intuitive marketers chose to define value and quality not as what you put into the product (i.e. your rooms, rates, curb appeal, customer service, cleanliness, etc.). What the customer defines as value or quality is what they get out of the experience.

Aye. There's the rub.

Parameters Of Value

Did you know that curb appeal can both increase the sale price of a piece of property (by 6 - 10%), and the time it takes to sell it? According to super realtor Linda Rodenhi (2012) a well staged property takes 50% less time to sell than an average listing. So what does this have to do with marketing a motel room? Earlier in the text we argued that curb appeal is not so important. It is, because it ties in with the earlier observation.

If people see cars parked in front of room they get a subconscious affirmation that staying at your motel is safe. They feel safe. With so many people around the probability of trouble lessens. Curb appeal reinforces that sense of safety by suggesting to the customer that the place is well cared for. If the lawns are mowed, the parking lot clean, all the lights working, and the front office clean and inviting - the caretaker, the manager, is doing his or her job well.

A feeling of safety is an experience. A sense of security is an experience. If, when your customer goes into their room they begin to breathe easy, that is an experience. Lately one of my reviews read that the curtains did little to hold back the daylight, and that the sunshade had holes which to him, rendered that instrument pointless. That's an experience.

So how do you sell an experience to someone who is looking for a motel, but is driving by? Think on it. You have to catch their eye. Does that mean you need a dancing fool out there flipping a sign? Not necessarily. Even I have begun to ignore those $5 pizza guys (and give little to no recognition to other businesses doing it). First is curb appeal. How nice does the place look? Do some drive bys and get their impression. Second, which parking spaces are most visible? Fill those first. Park your own car there if you have to!

Third, designate entryways and exits clearly with welcoming signs. Make sure your OPEN sign is clearly seen. Try some shrubbery! If it's winter, keep that snow piled neatly and clean. (That's a tough one). That person has less than three seconds to decide whether or not you care about your place. What is going to give them the impression that you do? What feature will show them that this motel is well cared for?

Finally, when they step foot in the office you are so happy to see them! You could not be more thrilled that he or she is here, and that they have chosen to spend the night in your motel. Welcome them, talk them up, find out where they are from, what brings them here, and where they are going. Tell them a little about the place.

"We are 20 minutes from ____ national monument. It's a great place to go for a really breathtaking experience." "Our motel has some character, depending on which room you are in. We are less a motel and more of an experience." - Oh really? Well what does that mean? As soon as they step into your room that will be affirmed. Your place really does have character. How quaint! Not bad for the middle of the desert, eh? Hand them expectation that you know will be fulfilled, and you will direct their experience. Little experiences like holes in the sunshade will seem a part of the character of the place, rather than an inconvenience.

In The Office

In the office is where you will get that experience going for the customer. Find out before telling them the price if they qualify for a discount. If they do, great, if not - make one up! Make them a deal. "I tell you what, if you would be kind enough to write me a review online (like tripadvisor, or google) I will knock $5 off the room." Why?

Testimonials. A testimonial tells the person that others have been here, done that, and had a good experience.

Or you can reverse it. You can share the TJ Motel with the guests, tell them what you have available, let them know it has character, and that it's more of an experience than a motel. You can tell them that it has wood ceilings, little kitchens, and cool old wood doors on the bathrooms, and when you have them in an excited anticipation - name the price. In a small town the motel prices are often spectacular anyway, so you will hear no complaining, just an eagerness to get the room key and see what you have talked about.

This requires a shift away from average customer service, and delves into the realms of "What can I really accomplish in this place?" Every situation is an opportunity to experiment with what you can do to alter the customer's experience. Today I introduced myself before getting underway with a big reservation that had been postponed for three weeks. I put aside my anxiety at having 8 big guys crammed into 50 square feet of office, and talked and smiled with all of them. I did not act in a rush, but rather in a mood that told them I will get this done right.

They had asked for extra keys, and were bombarding me with questions while I was trying to write up the receipt. It happened that one of the extra keys had to be fitted to a fob, and that would take a little extra time and a specific tool that was not available. When they walked out they did so with thank you's and smiles. I made sure they knew I was at their service. I checked with them a few minutes later outside as they unpacked their cars, and each was thrilled with the room.

Now imagine the opposite side of the coin. I had given a rough nod to the customer when he walked in, began immediately writing him up, was outwardly irritated at both the request for duplicate keys and the fact that 8 big, smelly, sweaty guys filled every breathable space in the office, and then ignored them outside as they frowned in my general direction. How then, do you perceive their experience?

Here is what would likely happen. They would begin looking for something negative in the room, find it, and it would be all my fault. That would go back to the superiors, who would take note of the negative experience, and likely begin shopping somewhere else for motel rooms for their men, who are to be in the area five days a week through June. Imagine the lost revenue. Let us say that, before tax, you made $900 off of that one transaction. It's mid-March and they will be here through June, checking in every Monday, and leaving Friday morning.

$900/4 rooms/4 nights = $56.25 per room per night

$900 * 14 weeks = $12,600

Your ignorance and irritation, should you choose to feed it, will cost your business $12,600 in business with that company. That does not take into account the lost revenue for word-of-mouth from those same dissatisfied customers. A strange, and wholly believable trait of the human race is their focus on the negative. If, for example, someone has a positive experience, they will share that experience 1 time in 10. In other words they will keep fairly quiet about it.

However, if they have a negative experience they will share it, frequently with people they do not know, 9 times out of 10. Think about the implications.

Conclusion

Marketing does not have to involve a huge investment. Often the best marketing you can do costs nothing. The secret is to be proactive, imaginative, and take the place of your customer. Remember that they are individuals as complex, and emotionally charged as you are. Be sincere in providing those good experiences. Be sincere when it comes to listening to them, serving them, and charging them up for a positive experience. Excitement is contagious.

I know that is difficult. I know that. They tell you to fake it 'til you make it. Fake it, but with sincerity, because the source of your revenue is not the wallet, it is the person. And that person is the source of more revenue. Your efforts to welcome them and help them will be acknowledged. Your lack of effort will be more acknowledged. Keep that in mind. Now dream up your ideal desk clerk, take on the persona, and be that person. There are no bad consequences, and you will learn a lot about people, and about yourself.

Training. Is It Everything?

I learned a lesson not too long ago. We had hired my sister-in-law to come make some extra cash, and be a housekeeper. She is an inquisitive and strongly opinionated girl with exceptional intelligence. Under the guise of being the "new girl" she got the full fledged training under TJ Motel's veteran housekeeper. She was trained hard and trained fast, and found some problems. She brought those issues to my wife, and co-manager, who then brought it to my attention. The event caused the end of certain housekeeping practices, and inspired the policy handbook in the previous chapter.

I took a different approach with it. Instead of folding the staff beneath a written set of rules with a punishment affixed I decided to fix certain policies, and let the housekeepers edit and review all the others. Just like the revelatory training of my sister-in-law, I am not aware of what it is like to clean and reset those rooms. The maid staff are. I call the idea the committee, and it has resulted in great feedback. Furthermore, instead of punishments up to and including termination, I have opted for incentive programs.

Being the slow season I have decided that it is time to deep clean the rooms. I have added cleaning duties to the housekeeping routine to get a more thorough clean until the start of next summer. This includes cleaning the edge of the carpets at the foot of the walls where dust tends to escape the vacuum,  moving furniture and cleaning beneath, making sure all surfaces are cleaned thoroughly, removing cobwebs, and washing the windows, inside and out. Once per week I perform a white-glove sweep of the rooms that were cleaned that day. Should the housekeeper pass the test she will be awarded with a cash incentive.

To accomplish this requires getting off the routine and re-learning how to clean the rooms in accordance with the new policies. That requires training. The staff is already trained, but evolving training is proving to be a strength. It is not always welcome, or warmly received, but it is heeded. Training at the TJ is brief, lasting two to three shifts, after which the new maid is free to do her rooms. What I find is that she misses details, she neglects the stay-overs, and when I send her back through the rooms to make sure the job is complete, often she misses the details again. This necessitates the need for better mentorship. The problem I am faced with is that the housekeepers bring their personalities, attitudes, and gossip to work because I have made the mistake of hiring intimately connected people.

They do not know mentorship, they just know they either like the person or hate her. They either accept her into the fold and then just work silently together, or shun her. That is not helpful nor productive. The goal is to make a training hierarchy within the system. To apply the title "Trainer" to a specific person, who will accept the responsibility to thoroughly train the new girl. I must do this, however, without changing the wages of any employee. Authority therefore, is the incentive. Accountability to me is the consequence. The "Trainer" will be accountable for the rookie's mistakes for the first month she is hired.

Hereafter I have made it a goal to revamp my training approach. This will include the initial training and will follow with the various modules requisite to the maturity of the maid's employment, and the time of year.

The courses I come up with will be refined by committee, and implemented. The results will be felt more in the long term, but the overall effects on the motel will be positive and helpful. This has shed new light on employee development, and on training.

"Surveys of corporate training and development practices consistently have found that four characteristics distinguish companies with the most effective training practices:

• Top management is committed to training and development; training is part of the corporate culture. This is especially true of leading companies, such as Google, Disney, Marriott, and Hewlett-Packard.
•  Training is tied to business strategy and objectives and is linked to bottom line results.
•   Organizational environments are feedback rich; they stress continuous improvement, promote risk taking, offer one-on-one coaching, and afford opportunities to learn from the successes and failures of decisions.

There is commitment to invest the necessary resources, to provide sufficient time and money for training" (Cascio, 2010).

According to the text Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (8th ed.) training is part of the corporate culture. It is part of the business strategy, objectives, and is linked to the bottom line. Stress continual improvement! 

With our small staff the culture is closely knit people working only to work, and going nowhere. Just get the job done, and get out. I am interested in developing these people by giving them a unique and self-empowering experience. This blog is called The Motel Experiment, and so it is. The proactivity of the author is to realize these ideas in an actual business environment, and report the effects.

Since I am "Top Management" in this organization, second only to ownership, I am in a position to develop the culture and implement consistent training routines for the maids. Before I came, I was informed by the veteran maid that there were no meetings. I have them monthly. Now bimonthly. The purpose is simple; to collaborate and resolve, and to train. I understand that change comes slowly, so my implementations will come slowly. One to two additional tasks at a time. I will start by inspecting the rooms and noting priorities. What first need be done? What is the most cosmetic? What is the least? But it will not be the girls doing all the dirty work. As manager I have my own responsibilities.

I will be doing the heavy lifting. I will be moving the furniture, prepping the room after it has been stripped. With furniture on the beds or in the wrong place it will serve as a strong reminder that there are extra jobs that need doing. The routine thereby will be shattered and pieced back together with the awareness that adaptation will be necessary. This requires me to change my routine, and become more heavily involved in my work with the maids. 

Currently I have a daily sheet I keep for the maids which lists which rooms are occupied, whether they are staying or going that day, a comments section, a section to list whether the room has been stripped or not, the time expected to get each room done, and the color scheme of each room. For every check out it is necessary to list problems, needs, or observations in the comment section that the maids will have to take care of. Moving the furniture in the room I will have to write the specific assignments for that day. For example:

Room  Comments

12  go  __vacuum where the desk was and replace desk/same for the nightstands__

The whole season will proceed like this. It will be necessary to get involved with each room, myself, and see to improvements. In some rooms I have noted the curtains are falling off, in need of new hooks. Some carpets need to be shampooed. Walls need to be washed. The list goes on. 

I am in my own training program, learning to do things I never thought I would have to do, including wrestling with an industrial water heater that likes to turn off randomly in building three. But those are my responsibilities.

Is training everything? It is if you want to be industry standard. It is if you want to be benchmark.

Cascio, W. (2010).Managing human resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Implementing Some Regulation

When I inherited this position from the previous manager, I inherited her Housekeepers. My goal, previously mentioned in the blog, was to ease them into a professional relationship with me. I have now been employed in this managerial position for over 5 months. It is time to introduce a policy guide. I am taking a different approach with this, which is something I will elaborate on in the coming days.

The guide is as follows:

Policy Pamphlet For Housekeeping Staff Employed At The TJ Motel:

A Document Provided And Privately Published By T Justin Haxby On Behalf Of Our Mutual Employer

Introduction:

The purpose of this guide is to provide a clear picture of the duties of the housekeeper, how you fit into this small business, what is expected of you, and your professional relationship with management. This pamphlet can be used as a guide for you in times that you cannot consult management to make a decision.

There are a few things that need to be made clear in the introduction. The first of these is the TJ’s reputation. When travelers ask members of the community where they should stay the night, they will point them first in the direction of the TJ Motel. That reputation is yours. You influence that reputation more than management by providing clean, neutral smelling, and safe rooms in which to stay. Your efforts control the guests’ experience.

One thing you need to understand is that the reputation of any business is delicate. It can be undone quickly in a small community by a few loose tongues. That is why one of the policies you will adhere to while here, and after your employment has expired, is to keep work at work, and keep home life at home.

You and management are interdependent. That means that you rely on each other to do the job assigned to the other. Management relies on you to clean and reset the rooms; to do it speedily, completely, with quality and attention to detail. You depend on management to do laundry, make decisions, be the human resources rep., and provide paychecks to name a few.

Job Description:

The Housekeeper is responsible for the cleaning and resetting of rooms. They provide service to those who are staying more than one night. They are responsible for being observant of the supply situation. They are to assist the manager in the cleaning and putting away of laundry. They are to pay attention to the exterior, as well as the interior of the rooms - making sure that the grounds are free of garbage.

Policies:

•  ·    The Housekeeper is responsible for cleaning the rooms using a routine established, but adaptable, to keep the motel in good standing
• ·     The Housekeeper is responsible to keep an eye for detail. The best way to do this is, before leaving a room, to ask yourself, “Would I would stay here? Would I let a loved one stay here?”
• ·   The Housekeeper is responsible to use responsible cleaning techniques. Wash your hands frequently and take care not to spread disease throughout the rooms.
• ·      If a Do Not Disturb Sign is on the door, then pass on the room and move on to the next task.
• ·      If the supplies are running low it is the responsibility of the Housekeeper to bring it to the attention of management.
• ·    The color scheme of the motel is not as important as getting the beds done while in the room. Bring sheet sets with you when you go to clean. Exceptions can be made under duress such as weather.
• ·  There are decisions that need to be made that the Housekeeper does not need to consult management on. The policy is simple; if you know what needs to be done – do it. There is no “your way” or “my way.” There is only the work and getting it done.
• ·       If you need to leave work for any reason you must notify management.
• ·   If you cannot make it to work you are free to consult with your fellow Housekeepers and get someone to come to work for you. As long as someone shows up it is not necessary to notify management.
• ·   Come to work clean and presentable. Think about your image. This can be solved with one question, “If someone similarly dressed were cleaning your motel room would you still want to stay there?” Remember, how you present yourself reflects on the motel and its reputation.
• ·    You can smoke, but you must do so in designated areas. There will be no more smoking outside the laundry room. 
• ·      No shortcuts. Finish the job in every room. Vacuuming will be done in the rooms that are staying over if needed. Again, that need is to be determined by your own judgment and the question – Would I be comfortable staying here?
• ·   Do a thorough job – get rid of cobwebs, watch the dust on the furniture and wipe it off if necessary, clean the trays that the coffee is on. Clean the surface and underneath the trays.
• ·      Save energy – be sure to turn off all lights, fans, heaters, water, and air conditioning before locking up the room.
• ·   Mutual respect is required. Respect can be garnered in humorous exchange, and in professional relationships. Just show respect.
• ·    If anything needs to be brought to the attention of management be sure to both tell the manager, and write it down on the dry erase board or whatever other medium is provided.
• ·   Turning on the TVs within the rooms is allowed. But if there is no work going on and you are caught there will be consequences.
• ·    The issue of working separately or as a team on the rooms is entirely up to you. If you feel like you do a better job by yourself or with the help of others then make the best decision.
• ·   You are under time constraints. No matter how many beds are used in the room, the industry standard is as follows: 1 bed room: 20 minutes to reset. 2 bed room: 25 minutes to reset. 3 bed room: 30 minutes to reset. Each stay over room should take no longer than 12 minutes to reset. 
• ·  Please come to work to work. As much as you can leave your home life at home. You are depended on to do a job, and anything that interferes with that must be dealt with. As much as they can, management is available to help you. This includes providing time off, an ear to listen, and work-related or legal obligations.

These policies are subject to change, and will be added to without prior notification. The changes made will be passed on to employees within four business days. Violation of TJ Motel policies will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Policy violation discipline is at the sole discrepancy of management and ownership. Some policy violations will require disciplinary action. Disciplinary action will be as follows:
 

1^st Violation –  Verbal Warning

2^nd Violation – Written Warning

3^rd Violation – Written Warning

^4th Violation – Realignment

Realignment: You make a decision. You decide if you want to quit, or if you want to stick it out, apply yourself, and obey the policies. You will keep your job, and have your last chance. If that last chance is violated then the employee will be terminated.

Violations will expire after 90 days if a violation is not committed in the meanwhile, and your discipline will reset. In this way we can protect you and protect the business.

The employer does reserve the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, without prior notice, and without disclosing the reason or reasons according to Idaho State law, and Federal employment laws.

I have decided to implement policies in what I have come to call "the committee." This policy booklet will not serve as law just yet, rather it will serve as a framework for what will come. Having reviewed the policies, and my experience with policy handbooks throughout the years I have almost become guilty of what I had, in the past, come to hold in modest regard. I have created a booklet that will alienate and subjugate the very people I am trying to build a professional relationship with. Some of the policies herein have the tone of being condescending. 

In a small town, in this unusually personal environment, a small business approach must be taken with any policies. My intentions therefore are to activate my employees as committee members, rather than subjects to the almighty rule of law. Together we will hash out policies we can all agree to, honor, and grow from. Putting myself in their place I would love to be given the opportunity to provide feedback and help shape the policies that would govern my actions, expectations, and behaviors at work. If a policy I had disagreed with still managed to make it through to the final draft, I would still feel satisfied that I was able to provide feedback and have my voice heard.

Furthermore the policies can continue to evolve and change within this environment. If one is not working, it will be either rewritten or eliminated. How, then do I establish stability, reliability? That is a process that I am still working on. It cannot be made in a heated exchange. A case has to be presented, I then want to put myself in the position so I can understand their perspective. I have made a few unwritten changes to our practices by doing such a thing.

Leave Your Issues At The Door . . .

Wanted: Housekeeping/Maid through Management for the TJ Motel

Ideal Candidates: Work hard for very little compensation, good cognitive abilities, previous experience not necessary.

Requirements: Ability to leave your issues at home.

You are at work to work, leave your issues at the door.

Much easier said, than understood. That is the conclusion I came to. In retrospect I do not understand why it was so hard to process that idea. In the past, leaving my issues at home had been the bane of my professional advancement. I would bring my issues to work. I would take my personal insults, my frustrations, aggravation, my marital issues, my temper, my impatience, and my perspectives gleaned from personal study and meditations to work with me, whatever the issue might be that day.

I would bring me to work. Then I would allow myself to get tired of my duties, and be a typical slacker. Was the issue my work ethic? No. The issue was separating my work life from my personal life. I knew this but the frustration of it was that I did not understand how to do it. Separating work from life made no sense. For years I asked the best people in whatever business I was in how they did it.

One man was a Walmart Assistant Manager who, while working 60 hours per week, took care of a small family; a pregnant wife with 2 kids. When she gave birth they were surprised, not with the twins they had thought but with three . . . lovely girls. He was still pounding out 60 hours a week, and his duties at home had more than tripled. I asked him how he did it. He said, "I got to the door, and I took 15 seconds to visualize my life as a piece of paper. I would crinkle it up, and throw it in the trash, and then step inside."

Interesting technique. I could not do that. It seemed too cold. If that is what he had to do, then that is what he had to do. He made it through and did well for himself. My life was far too important and influential to be thrown away before work.

I asked another person how they left their home life at the door. Her answer was more plain. She had the ability to do it. She thought of them as separate. Work mattered while you were at work, and home mattered while you were at home. I admire such simplicity. I attempted to have it. I failed every time. It just did not click.

Then I became a manager over a motel and was given the responsibility of accomplishing a set amount of tasks, with a certain amount of quality and standards. Each morning the rooms that have been checked out of must be reset, and the rooms that require maid service for the stay-overs must be completed. Each job must be consistent, each task absolutely completed. The job is easy if the employee is at work to work, and remains consistent. But apparently, the job is impossible if the employee brings her issues to work. They get tunnel-vision.

The housekeeper has a job to do. She has duties and responsibilities. The thing that had escaped my notice for so many years suddenly became obvious. There I am, the manager, the man, the person upon whom all the responsibilities for the motel's upkeep, cleanliness, appeal, and success rest, and I have a job that needs to be done. This job needs to be completed well, and in a timely manner.

I had hired a maid with a reputation for instability. She liked to stir up drama. She thrived on it. She was constantly bringing it to work with her. She would sit down at her breaks and talk to me all about it. Being an empathetic person for the girl I would sit and listen, give my honest opinion when it was sought for, and my advice on rare occasions. She was a high school dropout with two children, unmarried, with little in the way of morals and value, emotionally immature, and addicted to those emotions.

She had a penchant for making the same mistakes over and over. She would consistently forget to give service to the stay-overs, forget to put trash bags in the emptied cans, and her eye for detail was undeveloped. On an inspection walk one day I found a hand-towel in a "cleaned" room that someone had obviously wiped their mouth on after brushing their teeth. That particular detail irked me so bad I set up a training for my maids at the next meeting to test their observational skills.

On the last day the maid worked she was deeply distracted by the issues in her life. When she came to me to report that the day's work was completed I looked her in the eye and said, "Thank you. Before you go, please check every room you cleaned to make sure that everything is done, and that you did not miss anything."

I watched her go from door to door, open the room, peek in, and move on. Upon my inspection that afternoon she had missed putting the trash bags in three rooms. That was six trash cans that did not have bags in them. She did not work again.

I am relying on my maids to get their part done and done right, so that I may concentrate on doing my part. It becomes obvious then, does it not? You leave your issues at the door because they have no place at work. They do not matter because at work, other people are relying on you to do something well, do it right, and do it with quality. If you are successful then their stresses can be partially relieved so they can better focus on what they need to get done. Thus the machine remains well-oiled and functioning properly. Costs go down, productivity goes up, and because you are doing your job well you gain the favor and trust needed to advance in your career. It is like saving up for something new. With all you have accomplished at work you can now show those accomplishments during your interviews to gain the favor needed to move up.

The position of housekeeper is a menial job. It is thankless, pays little, and is more work than it is worth. But to me, the manager of the establishment, it is the most important work within the motel. It is the absolute heartbeat and blood of the business. The maid keeps us going, and keeps us reputable. It is the maid's work that affects the impressions the customer has of the room. As such I need him or her there, 100%, hard at work and getting the job done to a satisfactory level.

As a business owner, manager, or employee you can put yourself in a position to understand why it is necessary to concentrate on working, and leave your issues at the door. All you have to realize is that you have put yourself in a position where people rely on you, and those people need you to do your job and do it well.