Managing Expectations
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
Belltown, from flickr user faeryboots
Tonight I spoke with a restaurant manager at a hip, hot restaurant in Belltown. Our conversation revolved around the weather, sleep (or lack thereof) and he said to me:
I just need seven days in the desert. I don’t want a fancy hotel or anything like that - one of those motels, with an orange bedspread, tv with knobs, rabbit ears and woodgrain paneling. I don’t know why, but that’s what I want.
That discussion turned into possible reasons why someone with a very public, customer experience and service oriented role would want something that’s a very different experience from that which he strives to provide to his patrons.
I think it goes back to expectations. For a high-end restaurant, customer expectations are high. The margin for error slim or non-existent. For a dive, the expectatons are at an entirely different level, ones that approach no real expectation.
You’re free to relax, enjoy, or introspect. You take what’s offered, knowing up front that you signed up for the orange bedspread, tv with knobs, rabbit ears and woodgrain paneling. Disappointing you would be hard.
What are your thoughts? Am I way off base?