BE UNREASONABLY HOSPITABLE

What Is Unreasonable Hospitality?

Unreasonable hospitality means going beyond the expected to create genuine connections with clients. Will Guidara, who transformed restaurant 11 Madison Park into a world-renowned destination, coined this term. But don't worry - you don't need a fancy restaurant to use these tactics. They work even better on job sites.

Unreasonable doesn't mean irrational or expensive. It means doing things competitors would consider "too much effort" but that actually drive massive returns in repeat business and referrals.

Guidara tells a story about a car salesman who began putting a $25 gift card in the glove compartment of every new car he sold. Imagine the surprise when customers opened their glove compartment for the first time and discovered an unexpected gift. That $25 investment - trivial compared to the car's price - created such a powerful moment of surprise that customers became evangelists, telling everyone about their experience. That's unreasonable hospitality in action.

Obsess Over Overlooked Touch Points

The secret to unreasonable hospitality is identifying the moments your competition ignores. These overlooked touchpoints are gold mines for creating memorable experiences.

A Vancouver electrician noticed most tradesmen walk through homes with muddy boots or wearing those awkward shoe covers. He invested in branded slippers for his team to wear in clients' homes. This small touch signaled respect for the client's space in a way no yard sign or truck wrap ever could.

List every interaction you have with clients from first call to final invoice. Now mark the ones everyone in your trade handles the same way. These are your opportunities to stand out. The standard touchpoints include:
- Initial phone call
- Estimate visit
- Day-of-job arrival
- Work completion
- Payment collection
- Follow-up

But what about these overlooked moments:
- The text message the night before confirming arrival time
- How tools are arranged in client's space
- The way you protect surrounding areas
- How you explain what you're doing during the job
- The condition you leave service areas (not just cleaned, but improved)
- What happens 30 days after the job

These overlooked touchpoints are where loyalty is built. Obsess over them.

Getting Started: Listen First, Act Second

The foundation of unreasonable hospitality is genuine attention to what matters to your clients. This isn't rocket science - it's about paying attention.

Create a simple client information system. Use your phone notes or a dedicated app. Record key details you notice during the estimate or job:
- Names of family members and pets
- Upcoming events they mention ("We need this done before our daughter's wedding next month")
- Hobbies or interests visible in their home
- Pain points beyond your current job ("I've been meaning to fix that gutter too")
- Preferences about communication style

This takes seconds but pays dividends. When you follow up later with a personalized note or solution to something they mentioned in passing, you separate yourself from every other tradesman who treated them like just another invoice.

Break these observations down into three categories:
1. Personal connections (family, hobbies, interests)
2. Property needs (future projects, maintenance concerns)
3. Service preferences (how they like updates, payment methods they prefer)

Simple Acts with Big Impact

Unreasonable hospitality doesn't require enormous gestures. Small, unexpected touches create the biggest impact. Here are field-tested tactics that work:

1. Clean beyond your workspace. Leave the area cleaner than you found it. This isn't optional - it's mandatory. But go further - clean something small that wasn't part of your job. A Calgary plumbing crew made it standard practice to clean the bathroom mirror after any sink work, even when they didn't splash water on it. Clients consistently mentioned this in reviews.

2. Send handwritten notes. Not emails, not text messages. Actual cards through the mail after job completion. Mention something specific about working with them. "Bob, it was great chatting about those vintage Mustangs while working on your bathroom. Hope you enjoy the improved water pressure."

3. Create a one-month follow-up. Call clients 30 days after completion just to check that everything is still working perfectly. No sales pitch. If something needs adjustment, handle it immediately. This single call generates more referrals than any marketing campaign.

4. Leave behind unexpected gifts. A Toronto HVAC company places $15 coffee shop gift cards inside furnace panels after maintenance, with a note saying "Your next coffee's on us - enjoy the warmth!" The element of surprise when homeowners find these weeks or months later creates disproportionate goodwill compared to the cost.

5. Remember important dates. If a client mentioned they needed work done before a special event, send a simple text wishing them well for that event. "Hope the kitchen renovation is making your holiday dinner prep easier this year!"

Building Systems That Scale

Unreasonable hospitality must be systematic to work across multiple jobs and crew members. Here's how to build this into your operation:

1. Create a simple job wrap-up checklist that includes hospitality elements. Add items like "Note one personal detail about client" and "Identify potential future need" alongside technical closeout procedures.

2. Stock your truck with small leave-behinds relevant to your trade. Electricians might carry outlet covers or nightlights. Painters could stock touch-up kits. HVAC techs might have air fresheners or vent filters.

3. Schedule follow-ups in your calendar the moment you finish a job. Block 2-5 minutes per client for personal follow-ups at the 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month marks.

4. Train your crew to spot opportunities. Make it a game - who noticed the most useful personal details about clients this week? Reward the winners with small incentives.

5. Document everything in your client management system. Today's casual conversation about their dog becomes next year's opportunity to ask how old Rover is doing, amazing the client with your memory (even if it's just good record-keeping).

Overcoming Common Objections

"I don't have time for this extra stuff." You don't have time NOT to do it. In a competitive market, technical skills alone don't ensure survival. Build these practices into your workflow rather than treating them as extras.

"My clients only care about price." False. Research consistently shows people choose based on emotional connections, not just dollars. The client who feels personally valued will pay more and stay loyal longer.

"This feels fake or manipulative." If you're faking interest, it will fail. The key is genuine curiosity about your clients as people. You're building relationships, not running cons.

"My team won't do this consistently." Start small. Pick one unreasonable hospitality practice and master it before adding more. Make it part of your quality standards, not an optional extra.

Real Results from Real Job Sites

An Edmonton electrical company implemented three unreasonable hospitality practices: job site cleanup beyond expectations, personalized follow-up cards, and small leaving-behind gifts related to electrical safety. Within six months, their referral rate increased by 47%.

A plumbing crew in Montreal created a "Kids Corner" on their website featuring photos of the LEGO creations they noticed in clients' homes (with permission). This simple community-building effort led to a 28% increase in repeat business.

A roofing company in Halifax sends aerial drone photos of the completed roof to clients with a thank you note. This costs them nothing extra since they already use drones for inspections, but clients are consistently impressed by the unexpected memento. Clients don't just call them again - they preach the gospel of this company to friends and neighbors.

Making It Happen Tomorrow

Start small. Pick one unreasonable hospitality tactic and implement it on your very next job. Here's your day-one plan:

1. Create a notes section in your client profile on OPS specifically for client details
2. Purchase a pack of thank you cards and stamps
3. Identify one small leave-behind item relevant to your trade
4. Add 5 minutes to your job wrap-up process specifically for hospitality touches
5. Schedule your first 30-day follow-up call with your next client

The difference between good tradesmen and booked-solid tradesmen isn't just skill. It's creating experiences clients want to repeat and tell others about. Unreasonable hospitality isn't extra work - it's smart business that pays dividends in repeat jobs, referrals, and relationships that weather economic ups and downs.

Start tomorrow. Your competition won't.