Recently I watched a TEDx video “A Hotel is just a building” by Bashar Wali, a presentation about the value of the personal attention. Bashar points out how the difference in how a person is treated and recognized, is at a personal level… and that you are not just another guest, greeted with the same old generic message or simply wooed by the latest toys and technology installed.
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It raises the point that the personal touch offered by a human is valued much more than the automation that any technology gives us. So, in turn it puts a question if all these gadgets that we load the vessel with, are really necessary? As finally the focus is that yachts are really more than just a boat! (just like hotels are more than just a building!) It’s the service that makes it a superyacht, and it’s the little extras that make the experience memorable, the memories that the guest won’t stop talking about till long after having returned to the dockside.
So, why am I talking hospitality and personal attention in a technology post??
Because how do we create this personalized service? How do we ensure that the guest feels that they get the extra touch? How do we make sure that we have the right person in the right place to deliver what is expected?
At the end of the day we simply must remember that the technology that we employ nowadays are our tools, nothing but tools. Technology cannot replace what we humans expect most, attention, dedication and a true heart behind the effort. Technology is an enabler, its complimentary. It gives us communications, mobility, entertainment, social interactions, a storage platform for memories. Everything we need to be with another human being, to enjoy and share our company.
So, what’s the point here you ask? Without the technology there is a sudden black hole, suddenly we cannot share our experiences as easily, we cannot call upon the service at a push of a button or be entertained with live like surround sound watching the latest silver screen creation. Basically, technical systems that integrate solutions and offer cutting edge technologies to the guest, all combined to achieve one target, Personalized Service!
Who is the target guest here? Is the yacht private or charter? With that in mind lets go for the best technology that is out there, the greatest that your target guest will be looking for and stop there! Don’t go over the top!
Keep it as an enabler but make it the best enabler that it can be! Nothing will replace the cheery Stewardess, who prepared the beach towel for the guest knowing that after going for a cruise in the launch to that nearby island, which they read about on the cruise plan on their personalized iPad, the guest will end up lounging on a private beach, listening to their personal Spotify playlist, on the portable sound system prepared by the deck crew.
Knowing a few things about your guest having done online research or using the communication systems in advance to give you the edge about what entertainment should be available. Have you downloaded the TV series that the guest likes to watch, and made it available on the favorites list on the remote control? Are you aware of the football schedule of the guests favorite club, and ensured you have the right satellite provider or streaming service available for uninterrupted viewing at the match times?
Know your guest, and give them the technology that they want, but don’t force them into using it.
This article was written by Tim Gorter, Virtual AVIT ETO, www.teletechnics.com. I provide support and training to crew assigned to look after their AV & IT system onboard. Making sure you understand how it works, and that you get the best out of it. Call for an AV & IT health check, more on teletechnics.com
