A Journey Through Riyadh, What Hospitality Taught Me About Focus and Overdelivery (Despite Being Busy)
Sep 19, 2025
Written By Bart Berkey | Most People Don't
It took me about 25 hours to reach Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Long flights, connections, late nights.
But what struck me most wasn’t the exhaustion, it was the small moments of humanity that reminded me why hospitality, in every industry, still matters.
On my flight, two children sat behind me, restless before a long six-hour stretch.
The parents were already bracing for it.
Then, without being asked, the flight attendants appeared with a small basket, snacks, coloring books, gummy bears, even a toy airplane. This was deliberate, in addition to getting ready for a fully booked flight.
Busy yet still hospitable.
The squeals of delight from the kids were matched only by the look of relief from their parents.
A tiny act, yet it turned their dreaded long flight into fun.
That’s what I call Over-Delivery.
Arriving in Riyadh, the lines were long but moved quickly.
Hundreds of people behind me. I expected the usual stiff, transactional customs process.
Instead, the officer looked me in the eye, smiled, and said,
“It is an honor to welcome you.”
This was a very pleasant surprise, especially from someone in security.
He had only been in the role for three weeks, but he radiated pride in making a stranger feel like a guest. Despite being busy, he was only focused on welcoming me.
I had a very different experience recently, as a VIP guest of a venue that had a security clearance required for entrance.
As I was being scanned & frisked, there was no exchange of pleasantries. It was a very transactional process that left me feeling uncomfortable.
Making someone feel seen, welcome and comfortable, is what true hospitality is all about, isn't it? Even when we are busy.
It's about how you make someone feel.
This is what creates lasting memories, the type that helps ensure you have an easier time attaining repeat business.
- Repeat guests in hospitality spend about 67% more than new visitors, and customer retention is far more cost-effective
- Acquiring a new customer can cost 15–20 times more than keeping an existing guest. In fact, repeat customers generate about 65% of total revenue for the average hospitality business.
(Source: Business.com, DemandSage, HospitalityNet)
I was invited to be a guest at the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh, I sat quietly in the lounge. The lobby was packed.
Although I didn't share that I was meeting with the hotel General Manager, and the staff didn't know who I was, I had water, ice, a coaster, olives, and nuts placed in front of me within minutes.
Service with attention, detail, care and comfort measures. Despite having 6 other tables to handle, the server was brilliant.
Five touches.
None of them necessary. All of them memorable.
Over-Delivery | What does this mean?
Anticipating someone's needs, paying attention, providing products or services that will enhance a guest's experience, without them asking for anything. It's the focus on and for one person at a time.
One supervisor even shared his own story: a guest once regretted missing the chance to play ping pong. The team rolled a table into his suite, left snacks and a note, and waited for him to return.
He was delighted.
Later, they learned that this gentleman had over 600,000 followers.
But that wasn’t why they did it.
They did it because he walked through their doors, and therefore, he was their responsibility.
Over-Delivery | Why It Matters
Research shows:
- 71% of people expect personalized interactions
- 76% feel frustrated when it’s missing
- 80% are more likely to buy when experiences are tailored
But here’s the truth: everyone is busy.
We each receive hundreds of messages a day via various channels. Leads pile up.
Deadlines loom.
The temptation is to do the minimum, to just check the box. Yet those small, deliberate moments, remembering a drink, sending a handwritten note, calling a client while their rep is on vacation, are what separate us from “most people.”
Over-Deliver | A Simple Challenge
This week, despite being busy, try to focus on only doing 3 things:
- Notice one person who might otherwise feel invisible.
- Anticipate a need before it’s spoken.
- Overdeliver in a way that makes someone stop and feel cared for.
Because people won’t always remember the transaction. They will remember how you made them feel.
For More Inspiration:
🎧 Listen to This Week’s Episode #201: Bart Berkey, When Busy Isn't and Excuse - How to Focus and Over-Deliver.
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