Do you ever sit down in front of your TV on a Sunday night and feel a certain sympathy for the Starks, the Lannisters and all their violent escapades? You're not alone. The hotel industry and the Five Kingdoms seem to have a lot in common For example...
6. You have to put up with a lot of craziness.
5. Weddings are always chaotic.
And then there are the weddings. They’re always a headache, with friendships ending, people screaming and a lot of wine being spilled. Hey, count yourself lucky: You get to charge for any damage caused, and no one actually loses a head. (Remember, a Dothraki wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair.) And if you have to put up with some bridezillas, just remember that every happy guest might consider your hotel for the next lucrative event. Every person in the room is a potential customer. Show them how well you step up to a challenge and you may book a new big sale.
4. It can be hard to know who to trust…
3. ...But alliances are vital.
Nobody can do it all alone. Just as the Great Houses on the show support one another—and each has lots of smaller Houses to offer support—a hotelier needs plenty of support from suppliers, from the parent company, from other nearby hotels in the portfolio and from local businesses. (For example, if your hotel is somewhat suburban, see if a local taxi company or Uber drivers will offer special rates for your guests.) Take an active role in reaching out to others, and hold on to the relationships that help you out the most. You never know which friend will wind up saving the day—whether you’re in a bear pit or an awkward dinner.
2. You need lots of “little birds.”
1. The dragons.
So many dragons. There's the “I want an upgrade!” dragon, the “I paid for a suite so everything else should be free” dragon, the “What do you mean the continental breakfast doesn’t include gluten-free bread?!” dragon, the “I’m going to burn this place down with my breath” dragon (you don’t see too many of them, but they’re around)…Look, they’re as much a part of the business as backstabbing is in the Five Kingdoms, but you can make them work to your benefit. Show them that you care about their concerns, and that even if you can’t meet their (often ridiculous) demands, you’re at least making an effort. If they’re reasonable, they’ll understand, and they’ll acknowledge your concern in a review. If not—hey, sometimes it’s better to lose a bad guest than to lose your mind catering to their whims. You can always offer a level-headed response to any negative buzz they try to post on TripAdvisor—and staying cool in a flame war will make you look all the more capable as a leader.