Unreasonable Hospitality: An Approach to Client Experience

This post is part of "The Entrepreneur's Safari" – a series of candid reflections exploring the entrepreneurial journey building a safari business with a Kenyan business partner alongside lessons learned from leadership and business development.  

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Complete Safaris Approach to Client Experience

In his transformative book "Unreasonable Hospitality," restaurateur Will Guidara argues that truly exceptional service comes not from meeting expectations but from surpassing them in ways clients don't anticipate. When I read this book last year, I experienced something remarkable—not the discovery of new concepts, but the profound recognition of principles I'd been practicing intuitively throughout my years in hospitality.

As someone with "Learner" as one of my top StrengthsFinder strengths, I'm constantly seeking frameworks to understand and improve upon existing practices. Guidara's book didn't teach me to be hospitable; it gave me language for approaches I'd already developed and inspired me to be more intentional about expanding them.

The safari industry operates with well-established conventions: standard tipping practices, vehicle maintenance schedules, fixed meal plans, and prescribed cultural experiences. While these conventions ensure satisfactory experiences, they rarely create the memorable moments that define extraordinary journeys.

At Complete Safaris, we've deliberately chosen a different path—one that might seem unreasonable to industry insiders but creates the magical experiences our clients remember long after they've returned home.

The Art of Being Truly Heard

What Guidara calls "giving people what they didn't know they wanted" begins with something deceptively simple: genuinely listening to understand, not just to respond. This practice transforms our entire approach to safari planning.

We don't start with an established itinerary and add one customization to make it "personalized." Instead, we carefully listen for the dreams behind the words. When someone mentions wanting to see elephants, we listen for whether they're seeking intimate family moments, dramatic herd movements, or peaceful individual encounters. When they express interest in culture, we discern whether they want deep historical context, hands-on participation, or respectful observation.

This listening extends beyond initial planning into every day of the safari experience. Our guides practice what I call "grounded intuitiveness"—picking up on conversation threads and continuing them meaningfully. If a client asks detailed questions about one animal's behavior, we ensure those interests shape future wildlife encounters. If they seem energized by photography in certain light, we adjust timing accordingly.

Recognizing Kindred Spirits

When I met Anthony during my own safari in Kenya, something clicked immediately. Within days, I recognized a kindred spirit who approached experiences with the same care and intentionality I'd always valued. He hadn't read "Unreasonable Hospitality," and at that point, neither had I. Yet we both understood intuitively that creating exceptional experiences requires going beyond prescribed protocols.

This recognition taught me something valuable about business partnerships: sometimes the most important qualification isn't shared knowledge of frameworks but shared values about what matters. Anthony's three decades of guiding had already taught him what Guidara articulates—that the difference between good and extraordinary lies in anticipating needs clients haven't yet expressed.

The Business Philosophy Behind the Actions

What outsiders might view as excessive attention to detail actually represents a coherent philosophy about the nature of client relationships. Every seemingly small action—washing vehicles daily despite dusty conditions, adjusting routes based on subtle interest cues, tipping strategically to ensure future excellence—stems from a central belief: we're not executing an itinerary; we're crafting an experience.

This philosophy manifests in countless ways:

• Strategic relationship building: When we tip a hostess or porter generously during one client's visit, it's an investment in ensuring exceptional service for future guests at that establishment.

• Continuous adaptation: Rather than following a rigid schedule, we remain alert to moments when flexibility serves the experience—changing lunch plans when clients seem uncomfortable with boxed meals, extending time at locations where genuine connection is happening.

• Anticipatory service: We notice which topics spark excitement and weave those interests into subsequent experiences. The goal isn't to impress clients with our attentiveness but to create a journey that feels personally meaningful.

The Subtle Awareness of Being Cared For

Here's what reading "Unreasonable Hospitality" helped me articulate: safari experiences have an inherent magic that almost guarantees clients will have a wonderful time. Our role isn't to create that magic—Kenya's wildlife and landscapes do that beautifully on their own.

Our role is to create something subtler but equally powerful: the awareness that every aspect of the journey has been thoughtfully considered around the client's individual dreams and preferences. It's the feeling of being truly seen and heard, from first inquiry through final farewell.

This awareness doesn't come from grand gestures but from consistent small acts of attention. It's the accumulation of feeling understood, anticipated, and genuinely cared for throughout the experience.

Your Turn

Have you discovered that your instinctive business practices already aligned with frameworks you later encountered? What books or concepts have helped you put words to approaches you were already taking? As entrepreneurs, how do you balance learning new methodologies with trusting the intuitive practices that have served you well?

I'd love to hear about your experiences with recognizing your existing strengths and finding the language to articulate what makes your approach distinctive.

Continue Your Complete Safaris Journey

If this exploration of our hospitality philosophy intrigued you, you might enjoy learning more about our unique perspectives on Kenya travel. Discover why we believe focusing exclusively on Kenya creates an unparalleled depth of expertise and authentic local connections. Or explore what really makes a family safari special and how these experiences create young conservationists through adventure. Whether you're researching safari approaches or planning your own extraordinary Kenya journey, we're here to help your story unfold with every detail thoughtfully considered.  Reach out via email.