Will Guidara, former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, discusses the power of unreasonable hospitality in creating unforgettable customer experiences. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing touchpoints, game-changing practices in hospitality, and building the right team for success.
Wil introduces the concept of unreasonable hospitality, emphasizing the importance of going beyond efficiency to create unforgettable customer experiences. He shares his journey at 11 Madison Park, detailing the shift in perspective from focusing on rankings to impacting people through unique and creative interactions.
Transforming Workplace Culture Through Games and Creativity
Wil discusses transforming work into a game to enhance team performance and enjoyment. By gamifying tasks and making work engaging, Wil's team at 11 Madison Park improved skills and collaboration, illustrating the power of creativity and fun in productivity.
Empowering Innovation and Detailed Customer Experiences
Wil highlights the significance of optimizing touchpoints in customer experiences. Through the example of Five Guys utilizing the wait time for food, he emphasizes the impact of enhancing even small touchpoints to differentiate and elevate the overall customer experience.
Building Strong Teams and Fostering a Culture of Hospitality
Wil reflects on his mentor, Danny Meyer, emphasizing the importance of building excellent teams and nurturing a culture that values articulating core values. He stresses the power of words and intentional communication in aligning teams towards common goals.
The 95-5 Rule and Balancing Expense Management with Exceptional Service
Wil shares his approach of managing expenses meticulously to allocate resources wisely, empowering teams to deliver exceptional service. By prioritizing 95% of expense management to invest in people and customer experiences, Wil illustrates how strategic spending can create lasting impressions.
Will Guidara is a restaurateur who has been immersed in the industry since the age of thirteen. He’s the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, which under his leadership received four stars from The New York Times, three Michelin stars, and in 2017 was named number one on the list of the world’s top 50 restaurants. Will is also the national bestselling author of the book, “Unreasonable Hospitality”, and he’s married to celebrity baker and founder of Milk Bar, Christina Tosi.
In this episode, Will guides us through his commitment to unreasonable hospitality and the importance of moving beyond efficiency to create magical experiences customers will never forget.
Key Points:
Recognizing each touchpoint of the customer’s journey
The 3 keys to game-changing practices in hospitality
The Entrepreneur’s Studio is powered by Heartland Payment Systems. Providing nearly 1 million entrepreneurs with the technology to make money, move money, manage employees and engage customers.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode