March 25, 2026

Customer Journey 5: Turning Strategy Into Guest-Facing Moments

Chapter 5 of this 6-part Customer Journey series gets into the guest-facing side: how the strategy shows up in communication and touchpoints across the stay.

A strong customer journey does not come from slogans. It comes from leadership decisions, team training, and operational discipline – and now you can see it in the guest-facing moments.

I talk with Angela Shaughnessy Berkey, VP of Customer Engagement at CoralTree Hospitality, about using #hotel guest preferences, local context, and property-level ideas to shape pre-arrival messages, arrivals, in-stay surprises, and post-stay rebooking moments.

Here is what we cover:
·       How they use guest preferences to shape communication before arrival
·       Arrival moments like a personalized welcome beverage
·       In-stay surprises and delights that feel intentional
·       Departure touchpoints that support loyalty and return visits
·       Post-stay messages tied to what the guest actually did (like spa visits)
·       Why the experience still changes by property and destination

If you are jumping in here, watch Chapters 1-4 first – this guest-facing work comes from the strategy and workshop process.

Next week (final chapter): property-level execution with a GM making it real on the ground.

Want to follow the full series and catch any chapters you miss? Subscribe to the #NoVacancyNews newsletter by texting HOTEL to 66866.

Thanks to Unifocus for supporting this series. Unifocus, technology that drives value. Visit Unifocus.com.

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