A long time ago, I learned that the details are what matter. My first job was at the Peninsula Hotel in New York City – yes, the same Peninsula where the forks and knives are placed on the table with measured perfection (literally with a ruler at their Hong Kong property). This level of attention to detail may seem absurd to some, but there were very important messages being communicated through every single breakfast served at those tables with measured perfection.

To the guests, the message was: “We will go out of our way and strive towards a self-defined perfection, ultimately to ensure you feel a certain way”. To the service staff, the message was: “There is no margin for error in striving for perfection”. This perspective lent importance to what we did, and made the smallest of tasks feel very important. Even a simple daily routine, serving breakfast, carried special meaning because of the discipline and excellence involved in it.

From setting tables to preparing the food to making sure each guest’s needs were attended to, every task held vision and meaning – to maintain the property’s prestigious reputation and five-star rating. A soft boiled egg had to be precisely soft boiled to exactly the right texture and temperature, with zero margin for error.

These lessons were certainly formative in the launching of our start-up amenity consultancy, URBN Playground.

In this post, I’ve taken a few examples from the restaurant scene here in New York City to illustrate how the seemingly little details can go a long way in creating that top-notch experience for customers and guests. While not all of them may reach the level of measured perfection I mentioned earlier, all these little details do generate feelings and contribute to the experience.

These establishments are winning the hearts and dollars of their customers because of their thoughtful approach to not only their food but also their customer experience. Each of these places I’ve highlighted has a similar approach to how we at URBN Playground operate every day. In each place, I’ve zoomed into a few details which I felt made it memorable, aside from the food (which by default should be good, of course).

Here are my favorite highlights – I hope you enjoy them:

Reunion, Brooklyn: The fact that the owners get their hands busy in serving customers makes all the difference, something which is firmly rooted in URBN Playground’s hands-on approach to amenities management. Alongside our amazing team, you’ll often find Amy and I immersed in the service.  Another one of my favorite details that stuck out to me was the unique wallpaper they have in their bathroom’s walls, designed by Flavor Paper. The wallpaper features a quirky mix of prints featuring an eclectic mix of classic characters one would spot on the streets of Brooklyn, from Hasidic men to Notorious B.I.G. It’s not the kind of thing you’d expect to see in secondary areas of a bright and airy café, but it works and definitely leaves an impression.

Sweet Leaf, Jackson Avenue: The building that houses this café was built in the 19th century and is furnished with antiques imported from Paris, along with a host of other memorable details. These include a good hundred or two vinyl records, and a turntable to play them on. The bathrooms at Sweet Leaf are wallpapered with old pages from Star and Enquirer magazines, and decorated with pictures of Glam Rockers from the 80s. This was just not expected and it was memorable.

Babu Ji, Lower East Side Manhattan: There isn’t a better Indian restaurant right now in NYC. Reserve the Chef’s table and enjoy the ride! There are three details I’d like to point out that make this place home: the first, the classic Indian movies playing on the walls of the restaurant. Secondly, the self-service beverage fridge. Lastly (you guessed it), the décor and details that adorn the bathrooms – the walls are painted with a very special message to patrons, but they are in Hindi. It basically says “You son of a donkey, please don’t make a mess”. It’s a literal translation, but you get the drift. They send the clear message that not only money but also a lot of thought went into designing and building them.

Why details matter

Places like these are constantly busy and people keep coming back because of the attention paid to the smallest of details – like the wallpaper in the bathrooms. In the context of residential properties, it’s the details that determine whether tenants renew their lease or whether the value of a property goes up. Especially so when greater and greater incentives are needed to keep tenants or find new ones year over year.

Being able to pay attention to the right details is essentially knowing what motivates your customers. At URBN Playground we believe in and have a passion for connecting people to other people. Our philosophy when it comes to amenities is built around creating connection and community – within cities, neighborhoods, and buildings. We design experiences, lifestyles, and memories that create a deeper sense of community and well-being for every person we touch.

When the details are neglected

Details missed are really opportunities lost. Residential and hotel properties that aren’t thoughtful about the details experienced by their guests should be prepared to be compared with competitors solely on factors such as price and location. Neglecting details dilutes a brand’s value and causes customers to question its vision, mission and core values. This hurts utilization rates, ancillary sales, and future growth for the business, ultimately affecting not only the brand value but the company’s bottom line as well.

Changing the way we look at details at URBN Playground

Dissecting nuanced details to the umpteenth degree in the pre-development process is paramount. As an example, let’s look at a sliver of URBN Playgrounds operations – our uniform procurement and the decision making process.

As a general rule of thumb, staff at every spa, fitness center of amenity facility use polo shirts with an embroidered name of the brand or service provider on the left side of the shirt. At URBN Playground, we’ve changed our thinking and the conversation around uniforms. Our Group Fitness Uniforms are made by luxury fitness wear brand BADIER, who describe themselves as the “First Curated Luxury Fitness, Fashion & Music Boutique.” With BADIER outfits as uniforms, our URBN Playground staff are not only proud and excited to put on their uniforms, but they are also great conversation starters with our customers as well, and ultimately contribute to the overall customer experience.

There is nothing standard or generic about URBN Playground’s approach to amenities, and that’s what makes us special.

Have you experienced any amazing details as a customer lately? Leave a comment, and share what you are passionate about!