Customer Service & Hospitality – How it Extends to Nursing Homes
Customer Service & Hospitality – How it Extends to Nursing Homes
We all know that we can gain powerful lessons from leaders in our own industry. But we sometimes forget to mine the knowledge of those in other fields. I had the pleasure of interviewing Nina Weierman, a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry, on her experience and some of the customer service practices that can set a standard for comfort, welcoming, and building loyalty and how it relates to the nursing home industry.
An interview with Nina Weierman
Question 1: Tell our readers about your background in the customer service and hospitality industry.
I began working in the hotel industry as a Front Desk Agent and quickly learned that it was not only something that I loved but something that I could be really good at. I have always been passionate about helping people and I absolutely loved the exciting and fast-paced work environment in hotels.
In my career, I have worked for one star, three star and luxury boutique properties. I have provided guest satisfaction consulting services, opened new properties and helped several of the companies with whom I was employed earn accolades and guest service awards. Some of these include being named to the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List – World’s Best Hotels, Conde Nast Traveler – #1 hotel in the United States, Employee Survey Best in Class and #1 in the brand in North America. While I am proud of my accomplishments, I realize that I could not have achieved any of this without all of the amazing people that worked with me.
Question 2: What are some hospitality fundamentals, and how might they transcend into healthcare?
The principles of customer service can be applied to just about any industry that deals with people but healthcare especially so. Think about the idea of “bedside manner.” This is hospitality applied in a healthcare environment. You may have heard the quote: “they won’t remember what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” This is the essence of hospitality.
Question 3: What elements create a welcoming atmosphere and seem to be standard in high quality hotels and those that draw repeat business (i.e., complimentary cookies, concierge services, tourism brochures, fruit basket, infused aromas, etc.) and how can they be used in a nursing home community?
Never underestimate the power of your sense of smell. A whiff of coconut might make you feel the immediate relaxation of a beach vacation, or maybe every time you smell hydrangeas you think about your grandmother’s garden. Scents are powerfully tied to our emotions and long-term memories. Smells help to create our experiences and help us to remember them. Branded hotels have specific scents that they pump throughout the property. You might not notice that every Westin you visit smells the same but it’s likely true that they do. This helps make guests feel comfortable. That smell is familiar. The hotel smells like what you think a Westin should smell like. Even Disney has started selling candles that smell like your favorite Disney hotel lobby – like the Contemporary or the Grand Floridian. Now you can burn these candles in your living room and relive the memories you made there.
Complimentary hot coffee and other refreshments in the lobby or upon arrival certainly make guests feel at home, and who doesn’t enjoy a free warm chocolate chip cookie (Doubletree) or local treat at check-in. These are all ways to help the guest enjoy and remember their stay through their senses. These perks are also little ways to help your guests feel important.
Consider this idea in your community. As out-of-town family members come to visit, they are greeted at the reception desk by a familiar smell and perhaps a local bakery item, giving them a warm supportive welcome from the start.
Question 4: Share some of the most innovative ideas you’ve seen, created, or implemented in your tenure in the hospitality industry. How could you see any of those customer service aspects applying to a nursing home community?
The hospitality industry is always looking for new ways to make the guest experience more personalized and seamless, and oftentimes that is done with technology in the room. Smart TVs are becoming a standard room amenity in hotels. Guests can log in to their favorite streaming service and continue watching their favorite shows just as they did in the comfort of their own home. You may not think that technology and senior living go together but adding voice assistants like Google Home or Amazon Alexa to nursing homes could help make residents feel empowered, offer security features, and even alleviate some feelings of loneliness.
Question 5: In nursing homes, often both the residents and their family members are stressed and scared of the experience. In contrast, hotels offer a more uplifting feel as the reason for visiting relates more commonly to leisure rather than illness. How do you think nursing homes might borrow some elements from the more joyful experience of staying in a hotel to the nervous encounter with the nursing home?
It’s important to remember that people come to hotels for a variety of reasons. Each guest is unique. What a businessperson may need is not the same as what a family traveling for a kid’s basketball tournament may need. Training your team to meet each individual guest or customer’s needs is really key. Applying consistently excellent customer service through training and the utilization of Standard Operating Procedures will build trust and comfort. Personalizing the experience furthermore makes people feel at home.
What’s Next – New Customer Service Course Coming Soon
We appreciate Nina’s wisdom and thoughtful answers to help share some insights and ideas from an unexpected source. Watch for a customer service course created by Nina that will be launching on Ohio CEUs in early spring.
We would love to know what other industries you would like to hear about. Please leave a comment below and tell us.
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