The Future of Luxury - From Transactional to Experiential, Chapter One: Celebrating Four Seasons Hotel Macau
In less than four months, I have visited Macau's Four Seasons Hotel twice — once to celebrate GC Consulting's company retreat and another time for our wedding anniversary. I am already planning a third visit.
For those new to Macau, it is a thriving hub of luxury hospitality and retail, offering unparalleled experiences to discerning travelers. As Fours Seasons is one of the earliest-built luxury hotels on the Cotai side, there are undoubtedly many other five-star hotel options with more appealing "hardware"—ones with cutting-edge interior designs, globally renowned celebrity endorsement, and state-of-the-art amenities, among other things.
What captures my heart about the Macau Four Seasons Hotel is their 'software'—exceptional service delivered by caring people, as Mr Sharp, the Founder of Four Seasons, has always envisioned.
The future of luxury is a race for unparalleled client experiences, and the Four Seasons hotel sets a benchmark worth emulating. Here are key insights:
Personalised Attention from the Beginning
On both visits, the day before our arrival, someone from the Guest Relations department reached out to welcome us, enquire about our travel plans and whether there was any occasion we were celebrating.
This proactive communication not only set the tone for our experience but also made us feel important, demonstrating that they valued us as guests. Such thoughtful gestures are critical in establishing immediate customer connections and building a positive first impression.
In a luxury retail context, creating an appointment culture and proactively reaching out to clients to understand their preferences—both from a merchandise focus and experience curation perspective—is crucial to preparing clients' appointments.
Creative Surprise and Delights
Upon our arrival, the Guest Relations team warmly welcomed and pleasantly surprised us. There were delightful treats in our room on both occasions, tailored to the celebration: champagne and macarons for the company anniversary, and a beautiful rose-shaped cake, chocolate and balloons for the wedding anniversary.
What truly stands out here is the staff's proactive effort and creativity in designing thoughtful greeting cards, crafted with handwritten messages and pictures, customised for each visit.
In luxury retail, many businesses are still "playing safe"—offering champagne for the French houses and emphasising coffee culture for the Italian brands.
True client centricity goes beyond what's on the "brand guideline." Very often, what connects to customers' hearts is not the expensive champagne or branded presents, but memorable touches stemming from small yet intentional details.
Heartfelt 𝗦𝗲𝗿vices and Gestures Delivered across all Seniorities
Throughout both visits, we experienced countless heartfelt service moments. Here are some examples:
Nana, Guest Experience Assistant Manager, discovered our desired restaurant was closed for renovation. She proactively booked another for us and personally visited us at the pool to confirm.
Maria, a pool staff member, noticed us heating up in the sun and thoughtfully offered us ice cream. She observed that the olives were consumed quickly from the snack plates and graciously provided a double portion.
A front desk manager helpfully suggested we use the complimentary hotel limo service instead of a taxi, and she thoughtfully prepared bottled water for our ferry journey.
The above clearly demonstrates that each staff member has a deep commitment to exceptional service and a passion for delighting customers.
More importantly, staff of all seniorities are empowered to deliver that "magical service touch" on the spot without getting approval from their line managers.
Here are three recommendations for luxury retail to create memorable customer experiences:
Simplify budget approval processes: Empower frontline staff to deliver exceptional service by eliminating or at least simplifying the customer budget approval process, allowing for immediate customer delight actions.
Encourage creative thinking: Celebrate frontline staff's creativity. Shift retail focus from solely measuring immediate commercial results to valuing innovative approaches that enhance customer experiences.
Lead by example: Ensure senior leaders consistently speak about customers. Proactively meet and greet customers to hear their feedback and appreciate their loyalty. By embodying a customer-first mindset, leaders set the tone for staff priorities and cultivate a true customer-centric culture.
In Mr Sharp's book "Four Seaons, The Story of a Business Philosophy", he mentioned that customers would gladly pay extra for a "home away from home" experience, a concept that goes beyond providing comfortable accommodations to creating a warm and welcoming environment that makes guests feel like they belong.
The same concept applies to luxury retail. Customer loyalty is built not only through high-quality products but also through memorable in-store experiences and genuine human interactions.
When the least powerful person in your business can have the biggest impact on your client, your business is on the right path to winning the long game!
