leadership excellence
Service Excellence: Through the Eyes of a Server
Bryan K. Williams | November 4, 2019
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams Back to my roots. There’s something deeply moving and rejuvenating to go back to where it all started. My professional career began almost 30 years ago in a fine-dining French restaurant called “The Palm Terrace”. I started as a busboy, then worked my way up to various roles. However, the job that transformed me; the one that made me feel like I was flying...the one that fully consumed me, was as a restaurant server. Oh, I loved that job. In fact, I still view myself as a server today! Many of the articles, books, keynotes and workshops that I’ve created were inspired by my time as a server. I studied...
Leadership Lessons: Pull the Weeds
Bryan K. Williams | October 29, 2019
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams Do you know what annoys a gardener more than anything else? A weed. They hate weeds. As soon as a weed rears its head the gardener pulls it out! In my analogy, the "gardener" is the leader and the "weed" is not the problem employee... it is the undesirable behavior (blaming other depts, bad attitude, etc). If your goal is to have a thriving garden (team), here are some keys to note regarding weeds: *You never have to try to make weeds grow. *Weeds don't start big. They always start small. *It's always easier to pull weeds when they are small. *Weeds are a sign of neglect. Whenever you see weeds, it mean...
Excuses are For Losers: Leadership Involves Pressure and Personal Sacrifice
James Houran, Ph.D. | October 27, 2017
By James Houran, Ph.D., Keith Kefgen Behind every failed leader is an excuse. In our experience studying and working with global leadership in the hospitality industry, successful leaders consistently tell us in one way or another that excuses were for "losers" whereas "winners" find solutions to tough challenges, or at least look at failed initiatives with a winning attitude and use the situation to adopt key learnings to apply to future scenarios. It's easy to lay claim to the title of leader when things are going well, but taking responsibility for your actions is difficult when things get tough. In today's Twitter and social media a...
Universal Service Rules: Leadership & Service Excellence with Bryan K. Williams
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | October 6, 2015
** Week 4 of 6: Universal Service Rules** There are three main service rules that I like to discuss. They are the Golden Rule, Platinum Rule, and Double Platinum Rule. The Golden Rule basically states that you should treat others the way YOU want to be treated. If I want to be treated nicely, then I should treat others nicely…if I want to have doors opened for me, then I should open doors for others…and if I want to be greeted with a big hug and high-five wherever I go, then I should give a big hug and high fives to others right?....Not so fast. Watch the video to learn more! Topics: Week 1: Be Consistent Week 2: WOW So...
Learn Preferences: A Leadership & Service Excellence Series
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | September 28, 2015
** Week 3 of 6: Learn Preferences ** by Bryan K. Williams One of the simplest, yet most overlooked ways to create a memorable experience is by using guest preferences. As you know, a preference is anything a guest likes or doesn't like. Preferences can range from a favorite drink to a name the guest would like to be called. In many ways, identifying and acting on a preference has the potential to provide an unforgettable experience. At the end of the day, all guests want to feel valued, appreciated, and cared for. Make it a habit to learn, at least, one preference each day, then act on it. Topics: Week 1: Be Consistent Week 2: WOW Someb...
WOW Somebody: A Leadership & Service Excellence Series
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | September 21, 2015
** Week 2 of 6: WOW Somebody ** by Bryan K. Williams Wowing your customers is just another way of saying, 'exceed your customers expectations', or 'create exceptional memories', or 'provide an unforgettable experience'. At the end of the day, all customers want to feel valued, appreciated, and cared for. Companies who are renowned for consistently providing exceptional service have only one standard, and that standard is to WOW by any means necessary. In iconic service brands, like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Leading Hotels of the World, there is virtually no discussion about meeting expectations. Only exceeding expectations will do....
Leadership & Service Excellence Series with Bryan K. Williams
Bryan & B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | September 14, 2015
** Week 1 of 6: Be Consistent ** For many people, excellent customer service can be summed up in one word: Consistency. Consistency means repeatable. You know something's going to happen or someone's going to do something. Whether it's in the morning or afternoon or evening. Or if it's a weekend or a weekday. Or even whether it's hot or cold outside. If someone visits your business 10 times, they should get 10 similar experiences. Of course, the experiences can be consistently bad, consistently good, or consistently exceptional. The focus of this module is about being exceptional. The main idea behind consistency is to develop strong ha...
