When traveling — especially somewhere new — I always make a point to buy a book as a souvenir, my eyes open for a cute independent bookstore that I can duck into and support. A few months ago in Honolulu, I picked up “The Monocle Guide to Hotels, Inns and Hideaways,” published by the London-based magazine of the same name. Bound in a thick hardcover, it’s part reference guide, part coffee table book — and as a travel lover, I was intrigued.
Its front half offers recommendations of places around the world, making it all too easy to daydream about staying at a tranquil vineyard in Germany or a post office-turned-cozy, 38-key hotel in Belgium. But the back half is filled with profiles of the people who make hospitality what it is, like bartender Tommy Chang, who has worked at the Peninsula Hong Kong for 60 years, or Avra Jain, a financier-turned-hotelier with a property in Miami. The book also recognizes the value of technology that has transformed the travel industry, like key cards instead of physical keys or mobile check-in. But its central thesis extols the importance of human touch.
Ultimately, retail is another facet of hospitality; think of friendly retail sales associates instead of a concierge and a robust merchandising mix rather than a menu for a trendy, on-site restaurant. Your “guests” won’t be spending the night with you, but they will be spending a lot of nights with your product. The memory of their experience in your store and interactions with your staff will stay with them, as vacations do. And retail, like its cousin, hospitality, is evolving.
There’s the increasingly popular phygital store format, chatbots that help customers narrow down products on e-commerce platforms and artificial intelligence-powered smartbeds that offer sleep recommendations, which we’ve covered in Sleep Savvy throughout the year. While these things help make consumers’ lives (and shopping experiences) easier, it’s important to find the balance between convenience and connection, as Monocle posits. In this month’s Tip Sheet, Julie A. Palm writes that despite consumers’ addiction to all things digital, many still appreciate real connections.
Opportunities to create a connection start as soon as customers walk through your door. One way to make an immediate impression is with captivating design. If you’ve been considering a store refresh, Palm shares design trends and tips for getting started in The Glow Up feature.
On the digital side, BekaertDeslee is leveraging AI in tandem with its designers to create fresh textile designs. For the latest installment of our Beds by Design series presented by Kingsdown, our Editorial Director Beth English visited the company’s headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to get the scoop.
Although it’s important to stay abreast of new technology and adapt what works for you and your customers, remember that it’s a personal touch that can — and will — help you stand out. Besides, when it comes to staying in a hotel, inn or hideaway, bedding is one of the most critical aspects to get right. So, I’d say the bedding industry knows a thing or two about hospitality.
