For episode #15 of the Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast series, we speak with Brian Coleman, GM of The Biltmore Greensboro Hotel in Greensboro, NC, about the hotel’s storied history, his service mentality and the property’s use of the Frictionless Guest App.
The southern United States has some of the most interesting and colorful aspects of our nation’s history. The Biltmore Greensboro is a prime example of a property that took on many lives – from being an office, apartment building and even a location for making illegal moonshine.
In the 1960s, the property underwent a facelift and became the Greenwich Inn with female and male quarters. For every two male guests, they had a butler and there was a maid for every two female guests. The property became a popular destination for notables like Clark Gable, Richard Nixon, Gloria Vanderbilt, Elvis Presley and others. Now the 26-room historic landmark is the only independently-owned and operated boutique hotel in downtown Greensboro.
This storied past and a history of top-notch service to guests lives on today through Brian’s efforts as the GM. And while he always pushes a high human-touch service approach – removing automation and technology that gets in the way of interacting with guests – Brian has recently become a passionate user of the Frictionless Guest App.
In this podcast, Brian shares more about his service mentality and why continually pleasing guests is vital to the success of a boutique hotel like The Biltmore Greensboro:
- The amazing history of the property. (:55)
- About Brian’s background and how he came to be the GM of The Biltmore Greensboro. (11:48)
- Insights into the tradition of English service standards that live on today at the hotel. (13:03)
- How Brian moved away from automation when it comes to guest services. (16:39)
- How this service-oriented philosophy has helped with business growth at The Biltmore Greensboro. (20:55)
- Why the use of the Frictionless Guest App fits into Brian’s vision of service. (25:35)
- The positive response of guests who use the app. (28:54)
- How the Frictionless Guest App helps to get guests to book return stays. (33:03)
We would like to thank Brian for sharing his insights. You can learn more about The Biltmore Greensboro Hotel by visiting its website.
