The Truth About “Great Service”

Why taking an unplanned break made me realise we’ve got it wrong!

Ever noticed how life has a way of forcing you to slow down right when you’re at full throttle?
This winter, I hit pause on my business, part planned, part unexpected and it completely re-framed how I see customer experience across hospitality and tourism.

Everybody thinks they give good service. But we’ve been measuring the wrong thing.

Good service isn’t the finish line. It’s the starting point!

The Pause That Wasn’t Meant to Be

On paper, the pause was for good reason. I had a pre-booked European escape lined up, four glorious weeks of mountain drives, lakeside villages  and our dear friends’ wedding at the end. The plan? Rest, recharge and come back full of big-picture ideas.

But life had other plans.

Just before I left, a three-day-a-week contract with the Clare Valley Wine & Grape Association popped up. It was too good to pass up, but between starting in July, taking August off and managing a major event two weeks after I got home, my “pause” became less strategy and more survival.

What I didn’t expect was how valuable that break would be.

Good Service Isn’t the Destination

When you’re in constant motion, it’s easy to miss what’s right in front of you. Everywhere I went,  from cellar doors in France to theatres in London and pubs back home, I saw the same pattern: businesses believe good service equals a great experience.

That’s the trap our industry keeps falling into!

Good service, friendly staff, quick responses, solid product, is the baseline. It’s expected. Customers don’t remember you for getting the basics right; they remember how you made them feel.

In other words, good service isn’t the destination, it’s the starting line.

The Experience Gap

Australian hospitality has a reputation for warmth and friendliness. Which was completely reinforced by the in my time not yours attitude we regularly met across Europe. But friendliness alone doesn’t build loyalty. What’s missing isn’t care, it’s consistency.

✨ Ask yourself:How often do you follow up with customers after their visit?

✨ Do you have a plan for turning first-timers into regulars?

✨ Are you intentionally designing the journey between “thanks for coming” & “can’t wait to come  back”?

Most operators know this, but time is the problem. They’d love to automate parts of the customer journey or use AI to help, but it feels too hard or too impersonal.

Here’s the truth: AI doesn’t replace genuine service, it supports it. It can handle the routine so you can focus on creativity, connection, and the human moments that make guests feel remembered. 

You can’t afford not to get on the AI train!

The Experience Economy Is Already Here

People are still spending, they’re just more selective. They don’t just want “value for money.” They want valuable experiences.

The businesses winning right now are designing experiences worth talking about. They follow up, personalise and stay memorable long after the transaction.

That’s the shift. That’s the opportunity.

The Lesson the Pause Taught Me

Stepping back reminded me why I started doing this work,, to help operators build customer journeys that keep people coming back, cementing repeat revenue and consistent profit.

Because loyalty isn’t luck. It’s design.

My next chapter is all about blending experience design and smart tools to make loyalty repeatable, profitable and uniquely yours.

The Experience Economy isn’t coming, it’s already here. And it’s bloody profitable when you get it right.