Be My Guest featuring Patrick Ignacio

When most people think of the 1990 film Pretty Woman, they think of Richard Gere playing Prince Charming to Julia Roberts’s Rapunzel. But the real hero of that story (at least in my eyes) is Barney Thompson played by Héctor Elizondo. Perhaps you’ve forgotten that character. Let me refresh your memory.

You may remember that Vivian (Roberts) was tasked with buying a dress for dinner but couldn’t get the stores on Rodeo Drive to take her seriously. It was in this moment of desperation that she ran into Barney in the hotel lobby. Once he understood the situation, he arranged for her wardrobe. Later in the movie, it was Barney that said to Edward (Gere), “It must be difficult to let go of something so beautiful,” prompting Edward to realize he was in love.

In short, it was Barney who enabled the experiences that made Pretty Woman the fairy tale we all remember, even if we don’t remember him.

My guest this week is Patrick Ignacio, CORE Assistant Manager at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. He has been in the hospitality world for two decades, a world that is about making memorable experiences to drive customer loyalty.

This week on Next in Queue, we discuss:

· How the reservation process impacts Guest Experience

· How Franchise Branding provides both risks and rewards to owners

· How “Word of Mouth” is dramatically changed by social media

· How to drive loyalty by customer segment

· The pros and cons of technology for guest experience

· A lesson for other industries

Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-ignacio-446744/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://bigredhorseband.com/

Brought to you by Happitu – https://happitu.com/