Good morning. What the hell do you want?

Ever call Jet Blue?

I have. Even though it’s a mostly-Internet kinda thing, there are times when you need to talk to a human. And every time I have, it’s been a great experience. They are helpful, engaging and friendly. You can hear them smiling.

I think one reason for this is that they work from home. At least most of them do. And why the hell not? All they really need is a laptop, high-speed connection and a dedicated phone line. I think it’s a terrific idea, and not just because of the money it saves Jet Blue on brick-and-mortar call centers. Because it ensures that the people working the line ― actually going one-on-one with customers ― are in a good mental place when they do it.

It’s a brand touchpoint that Jet Blue hasn’t overlooked. After all, there are very few times you will deal with an actual human before you get to the airport. That means those humans are delivering the Jet Blue brand. And they feel good about it.

Which brings me to the hospitality business.

We've done a fair amount of work in the hospitality category, and I’ve been in the “back of the house” at a lot of hotels. I’m usually surprised at where the reservations people work. These are the folks who as often as not are first in line when it comes to delivering the brand message to prospective customers. And they usually work in cubicles in windowless rooms. Drab, boring, windowless rooms. Almost no matter how nice the hotel is.

The hospitality business is very experiential. It’s not really about the beds and the tennis courts and the various F&B outlets. It’s about the experience. That includes when you call for a reservation and some information. What if the reservations agents had a view? And some personal space? Maybe a comfortable, colorful relaxed atmosphere in the call center?

I’ll bet you’d hear those smiles over the phone.

That’s delivering the brand.