The Michelle Pascoe Hospitality Podcast · 2026-06-09 · 18 min
Guest loyalty in hospitality breaks down when operators rely on third-party booking platforms and treat checkout as the end of the guest journey. Michelle Pascoe, Certified Speaking Professional and hospitality training expert with over 30 years' experience, explores how hospitality operators can own the guest relationship, reduce platform dependency, and build the direct connections that turn one-time guests into loyal repeat customers. Are your guests leaving happy and never coming back - and you don't even know why? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Carlos Castillo, founder of DirectBookMe, to examine the service gap that opens after checkout and what smart operators are doing to close it. Guest loyalty in hospitality is built or lost after checkout. When operators hand the guest relationship to an OTA or third-party platform, the guest remembers where they booked - not where they stayed. The data to fix this already exists inside most hospitality businesses. It simply isn't being used. Michelle and Carlos discuss why the post-checkout gap is where loyalty disappears and how to close it with direct, intentional systems.
Why the Best Leaders in Hospitality Are Unforgettable72 / 100
Why Poor Service Keeps Winning in Clubs (And What It Actually Takes to Change It)
Is Customer Experience Dead or Just Changing in Hospitality?
Can AI Replace the Human Touch in Hospitality?
Could You Replace Your Best Manager From Within Right Now?