It appears that the role of a doorman in a hotel is to hold the door for guests, easing their way into and out of the hotel.
Ostensibly the role is simple, a smiley face, welcoming word, courtesy extended. However, when you think about it, there are many more roles played by the doorman, taxi getter, luggage helper, direction giver, polite conversationalist, security, all the while, adding to the value by creating a human face for the hotel.
When you get rid of a doorman, as many do, and put in automatic doors, it may be cheaper, but you lose the impact of all that humanity that adds value to guests and visitors. The result over time will be added pressure on margins, as regulars go to the hotel down the road with a smiling doorman who takes the trouble to learn their names, welcome them back, and offer friendly assistance.
A cheap hotel will not have a doorman, guests in that hotel would see it as an extravagance, but the sudden absence of a doorman in a 5 star hotel would somehow signal its slide to 4 stars.
These days, your doorman can be a website, social media persona, the tone of your advertising, as well as the people at the ‘front line’ of customer contact.
A former employer had a receptionist named Janice. She made everyone with whom she came into contact, in person or over the phone, feel better about themselves, every day. We did not pay her anything like the value she delivered, just by being her smiling, generous self.
How does your ‘doorman’ shape up?
Header photo courtesy ‘Frank’ via Flikr.
