Smart choices of hotel furniture could help you to use your establishment's decor to avoid a phenomenon commonly referred to as 'the Shakira Effect'.
The unusual name is taken from the title of the Colombian singer's hit Blind Deaf and Dumb, and experiential hospitality consultant Osvaldo Torres Cruz uses it to explain why some hotels are unable to improve their guests' experience as much as they might do.
In an article published on Hospitality Trends, he argues that hotels must establish the unique differences their brand has to offer - but because of the similarities in their core services, it can be difficult to be truly innovative and original in terms of branding.
Rather than come up with something completely new, he suggests instead offering something that is simply perceived as unique by the customer, as an easier way to create this sense of being different from other hotel chains and brands.
In order to do this, he says hoteliers must observe, listen and talk with their guests whenever possible, with more interactions leading to a better understanding of what guests of different ages, genders, and even different emotional states want from their surroundings.
"Unfortunately, not all hotels have visualised the importance of increasing the number of contacts of workers with attending guests," he writes, "either because there are not sufficient areas of contact, enough workers, or the will required to contact the guests."
This is the so-called Shakira Effect - leaving hoteliers 'blind, deaf and dumb' to the way their premises are perceived by guests, and how this perception might be used to create a unique service offering.
In order to overcome the problem, hoteliers simply need to create more relaxed settings in which to interact - without intruding - with guests to discover what they appreciate about the environment, and what could be improved.
A lounge area within reception itself offers a sensible waiting spot for guests or visitors waiting for friends and family to come down from their rooms, and this waiting time also lends itself to a polite conversation about how they are enjoying their stay.
Consider adding a smart sofa or a comfortable armchair or two to your next hotel furniture order, and you can create a space like this in order to increase your interactions with your guests, and perhaps gain some extra insights into how you can improve your premises in the future.