Keith Pickard is joining The QHotels Group (owner & operator of 21 venues across the UK) from Macdonald Hotels & Resorts. In his previous position, he was the group director of golf, leisure & spa (between 2015-2020) of the UK independent hotel chain (over 30 hotels across the UK).
He will hold a similar position at The QHotels Group too. Among his responsibilities will be to oversee a multi-million investment in the group’s seven golf resorts across England and Scotland over the next three years.
Pickard said
“I am passionate about delivering high standards and outstanding personal and memorable experiences to all our members and guests, and the new three-year golf investment plans just one of the ways that we can continue to ensure that we offer the best facilities and customer service possible.”
I am very happy to hear from a senior professional that he gives top priority to the creation of memorable experiences. Almost two years ago I wrote
“I encourage you to go for the moments that make a golf club guest’s or member’s jaw drop. We have to create „defining moments” that are both memorable and meaningful.”
Defining moments are….
The first question we must ask ourselves what can elevate our guests. You ask yourself what will make them feel extraordinary. To achieve this, we must:
- Boost sensory experience (e.g. pleasant scent in the clubhouse, cozy clubhouse interior design, etc.);
- Give them something that is highly relevant to the person;
- Give them something that is unexpected, but highly esteemed (e.g. based on the person’s game performance and pace of pay, you can offer customized golf lessons, golf equipment recommendation that fit much more to the level of the person, etc.);
- Make them feel special! This requires you to analyze CRM data, their past purchasing behavior, what they share with us on review sites and social media. Personalization is the new marketing!
Where have you found outstanding, defining moments & experiences so far?