Hospitality That Builds Belonging: KPIs + Simple Training Practices
Missed the community call? Watch it here.
In this RCC Community Call, Michael (RCC Network Manager) welcomed Eve Wachhaus, COO of Adamah (Pearlstone in Maryland and Isabella Freedman in Connecticut), for the second session of a two-part series on hospitality. Eve brought a blend of hotel-industry experience (Disney/Hilton) and retreat-center leadership to explore a practical question: how do we measure hospitality success—and train teams to create genuine belonging?
1) Measuring what matters: Hospitality KPIs
Eve encouraged centers to complement financial tracking with a clear set of operational and guest-experience indicators. Helpful retreat-center KPIs include:
Bed nights (beyond number of groups)
Average dollars per bed night
Occupancy as a key driver of growth
Average stay length and average contract size
Conversion rates (inquiry → contract)
She also introduced common industry metrics like RevPAR (revenue per available room) and a retreat-relevant alternative, RevPAB (revenue per available bed), with a reminder to set realistic capacity assumptions.
2) Listening to guests: NPS (Net Promoter Score)
A standout tool was NPS, the simple question: “How likely are you to recommend us to friends and family?” (0–10). Eve shared how hospitality interprets these scores (with 9–10 as “promoters”) and encouraged centers to use the data consistently—reviewing feedback regularly and making nimble adjustments.
One counterintuitive insight: service recovery moments—when something goes wrong—can be the biggest opportunity to create a memorable experience, if staff are trained to respond well.
3) Training for belonging (not just “welcome”)
Eve emphasized that everyone on a retreat-center team is in guest services, not just front desk staff. She shared two simple, highly transferable training tools:
The 10–5 Rule: at 10 feet, acknowledge guests nonverbally; at 5 feet, offer a verbal greeting.
The HEART Method for difficult moments: Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Respond (go one notch bigger), Thank.
Participants added practical wisdom from their own centers, including the power of follow-up after an issue is resolved, and the importance of empowering staff with a clear “toolbox” (what they’re allowed to comp, change, or fix on the spot).
4) Small rituals, big impact
Several attendees reflected on how meaningful arrival practices can be—like a quick orientation tour or a “welcome walk” on the land. These simple rituals help guests feel grounded, oriented, and connected right away.
