It was Aunt Elena’s idea.
Without even realizing it, she came up with something that sounds wonderfully old-fashioned — pen and paper, almost handmade — but which will probably end up being appreciated most by artificial intelligence.
Quite ironic, considering she’s the one in the family who struggles the most with technology. Property management software, online portals… every morning there’s another password to remember!
“Why don’t we create a spreadsheet and write down every single no we have to give at reception, together with the reason?”
What if we discovered that many of our negative reviews don’t actually come from a structural shortcoming of the hotel, as we often assume, but from the disappointment of having a request turned down?
Philosophically speaking, people in hospitality should avoid saying “no” whenever possible. Long lists of rules are best kept behind the scenes, where they can help improve internal organisation.
Welcoming guests only to disappoint them… that’s a bit like hitting yourself with your own hammer.
Far better — even if much more demanding — is learning how to set boundaries with clear explanations and by always being ready to offer an alternative.
“Can I smoke here?”
“Of course. The veranda or your room’s balcony are the perfect places.”
Aunt Elena, together with Erika and Cristina, are the people most exposed to all this. They’re the face of Brione.
And, in many ways, its personality. As much as we work as a team and try to speak with one voice, we’re still different people.
Some have more patience.
Some are naturally better with words.
Experience also plays its part.
Reading a few negative reviews recently, we noticed something didn’t quite add up.
This was after Elena had already had her “spreadsheet moment.”
Why would a guest who seemed genuinely happy during their stay leave disappointed?
In a few months, we’re convinced that little spreadsheet will give us the answer.
And, coming full circle, it may also become excellent training material for today’s AI chatbots — those virtual assistants you increasingly find on hotel websites.
They don’t become helpful by magic. They become helpful because someone patiently teaches them.
Every new piece of information makes them a little smarter.
“Hi, I’m Alexa. How can I help you?”
Behind every “no” we’ve had to say, there are actually two precious opportunities.
– What could we say instead of “no”?
– And could fulfilling that request become something that makes Brione even better?
