In the hospitality industry, the service bar is too low. One thing we can do about it is to serve guests proactively. Manage the little things the guest has no time for. Take care of the bathroom. Have them say “My Pleasure” not “No Problem.” We can raise the bar with intentionality and by thinking ahead.
Alex Cabañas is CEO of BENCHMARK, A Global Hospitality Company.
Alex is passionate about leading and growing a company that makes a profound difference in the lives of employees, guests, owners, industry partners and the community. His life mission since college has been to create opportunities for others to be successful. As CEO, Alex is focused on strategic planning, people development, pursuing growth and new opportunities, promoting the delivery of memorable customer service and ultimately being the most experiential thirdparty hospitality management company in the industry.
Alex was previously President, business development & finance for Benchmark. During his tenure in business development roles over the last five years, the company added 22 properties to its management portfolio, expanded into the Caribbean and added to its presence in Tokyo. The company also acquired MTM Luxury Lodging, which led to the launch of Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels.
Alex joined BENCHMARK in January 2006. Prior to joining BENCHMARK, he worked for The Boston Consulting Group from 2000 through 2005. While with BGC he worked with clients in a number of different industries including: travel and tourism, government, consumer/retail, telecommunications, ecommerce, financial services, and energy. His assignments included a variety of different tasks including: lodging investment proposal, market sizing and segmentation, competitive benchmarking, product development, process management, asset valuation, new business development and growth strategy.
Alex earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and holds a BBA and MS in Finance from Texas A&M University. Alex is married to his perfectlymadeforhim wife, Heather and they have two energetic and outgoing boys, Matthew and Eli. Alex enjoys his time with family, traveling and exploring together, any outdoor activity and is very involved in his church.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx