First impressions count a great deal and are seldom more relevant than in the hospitality or retail environment. Hotels, restaurants, stores, spas, or golf courses, are all places where first impressions significantly affect the perceptions of customers. Customers’ first and last experiences with the professionals who work in these environments greatly influence their decision whether to book, enter, purchase, or return.
To achieve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and referrals, it is vital to create a lasting positive first impression. In many cases, a customer’s impression of a brand during a first encounter impacts how they perceive the brand later.
If professionals in these environments want to ensure a positive first impression and lasting customer experience, they need to focus on all aspects of the customer journey. Hospitality and retail brands must consider factors such as physical space, exteriors, menus, signage, as well as quality, positioning, and pricing.
But what about the professionals themselves? Are your employees aware of how they can affect your guests’ or customers’ decision-making process? Hospitality and retail professionals may not realize how much their appearance, behavior, communication, and digital footprint influence customers’ decisions.
Service is at the core of the hospitality and retail industries. These businesses rely on strong relationships with their customers to provide excellent customer service. The bonding process begins with the first interaction with customers—in person, on the phone, via e-mail, or on social media.
While traveling, dining, or shopping, customers experience life differently. They tend to be emotion-driven during these activities, because rational thinking is often lacking while they explore new places, cultures, cuisines, traditions, products, brands, and ways of living. Those in hospitality and retail help customers forget about problems, frustrations, and fears at home from the very first moment.
Whether they are in a customer-facing or employee-facing position, the professionals' appearance, behavior, and communication will significantly impact how customers view the hospitality or retail brand and, ultimately, whether they return for future experiences. Any business relies on repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals to keep its doors open. Unless your customers are getting an exceptional experience, they will go elsewhere and tell their friends about it.
Because traveling, dining, and vacationing are such emotional experiences, travelers are more likely to share their bad experiences than their good ones. That's why it's crucial to focus on creating positive customer experiences beyond the actual occasion.
Human interaction is an increasingly important factor in an industry becoming more and more digitized. Customers can easily compare travel options, hotels, or restaurants, and find the best deals online. But what they can't find online is the human touch. Professionals have an incredible opportunity to add human value to the customer experience and create a memorable first and lasting impression that will encourage customers to return.
The increasingly diverse needs of customers require hospitality and retail businesses to empower their employees to create memorable experiences for every type of customer, regardless of culture, gender, age, ethnicity, disability, or abilities. It is crucial for hospitality and retail professionals to understand that cultural differences can affect perception in ways that aren't always obvious. Professionals can better tailor their first and lasting impressions to meet the needs of different types of customers by becoming more aware of the assumptions they face when working with those customers.
Traveling, dining, vacationing, shopping, or visiting any hospitality or retail venue has become more sophisticated, and customers expect more than ever before. Having so many options available to them, they can be very particular about where they spend their time and money. In this highly competitive market, customers typically choose the provider, product, or service that makes them feel special, taken care of, and valued.
To stand out from the competition, hospitality and retail professionals need to focus on meeting the needs of their customers, getting into their heads, and anticipating customers' expectations. Thus, they can focus on creating a first and lasting impression that conveys one of excitement, adventure, relaxation, or anything else the customer may be looking for at every single touchpoint.
Hospitality and retail professionals sometimes wear uniforms by default to demonstrate authority, competence, credibility, and trustworthiness and help with a consistent image. Yet, uniforms also make some professionals feel limited in their ability to express themselves and show their personality. They need to understand that a professional appearance is more than a uniform. To convey a positive message, they must take pride in how they look and show unity, integrity, identification, authority, and professionalism while still expressing their own style and personalities in other ways.
I have a proven track record of delivering engaging and thought-provoking keynote presentations for audiences that include professionals of all levels. I am consistently ranked as the top speaker at annual or mid-year conferences because of my extensive experience, unique delivery style, and relevant content.
That’s why event hosts and organizations in these industries continue to book me for their events, including the following
My keynote presentations and training sessions for events or organizations such as yours are packed with valuable insights, practical tools, and tips your attendees can put into practice right away. I provide content tailored to the needs of hospitality and retail professional.
With a shared, fun, interactive experience, I will equip attendees with the awareness and skills to represent themselves, their products and services, themselves, and their corporations with confidence, clarity, and conformity.
By leveraging my extensive experience and unique perspective in hospitality area, I promise to bring your event to life. As a presenter, I’ll show up extremely prepared and go the extra mile to ensure my presentations meet the highest standards. Accordingly, I will adapt the material for your conference or event, take into account the specific needs of your audience, and concentrate on the key messages you want to convey. I will deliver a keynote presentation or training that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
Having worked for nearly 10 years for one of the biggest retail and tourism companies in Europe, I would be honored to speak at your annual conference or training event and help your professionals make a favorable first and lasting impression at every step along the customer experience.
This was the BEST presentation we had during this meeting and that I have ever experienced. There was so much value in what you left with us. I think you have taught me something that will stick with me forever and that I will be able to share with others in and out of work.
Sylvie was a pleasure to work with from the very start. She was responsive, well priced and accommodating to come into the office and meet with our team a few times. She exemplifies the characteristics that she teaches.
Sylvie was absolutely delightful as she embraced, engaged and empowered the AutoZone team during her International Women’s Week keynote presentation. She developed an instant connection and kept her audience captivated. She was responsive, well-organized and took the time to prepare well in advance, which included visiting an AutoZone store! We would highly recommend Sylvie; she has set the bar high.
It was interactive and informative, our people loved her. Additionally, Sylvie spent her own time listening to our other speakers in order to integrate her message to the whole event.
I have been “one of you” for nearly twenty years. I understand the corporate world and the world of speaking like few other speakers in this industry.
I have already reached tens of thousands of participants worldwide and have planted the seed of first impressions for themselves and their organizations.
I connect with a wide range of audiences of varying cultures, genders, and ages and I have the ability to address everyone from the doorman to the CEO.
I create a memorable experience in a fun, creative and informative way. I “do” the unexpected, and your audience will remember the lessons I share.
I do not use canned presentations because I know each industry, company, and audience has its own challenges and needs a different approach and way to inspire them.
I amaze my clients. I deliver a level of excellence that they could not imagine was possible. Good is never good enough for me.
I am easy to work with. I’m not the kind of speaker who has special requests. Instead, I focus on making your stressful job as easy as possible.
I’m all yours for the entire day, and I’m happy to be involved in additional engagements such as photo ops, book signings, VIP lunches or dinners, etc.
I truly love what I do, and I feel very privileged that you are considering me as the speaker for your upcoming event.
I’m happy to take you up the stairs. Yes, literally. Join me in climbing the highest buildings in the world. If I can do it, you can too! 😉
