And speaking about the Doubletree (see yesterday's post), while they didn't ask, I couldn't help but think of some ways to bring the all-important element of Surprise to their tried-and-true but reaching its "best-by" date cookie offering.
The company, which is rather unexceptional most other ways (except for the Toronto flight screens, again as per yesterday's post), has got a ton of branding mileage out of these check-in cookies, but what was once Pow! has now fallen into the doldrums of expectation.
And as all smart FOPs know, expectation is the enemy of Surprise, Surprise works best as a continuum, and like week-old cookies, Surprise goes stale when left unrefreshed. That's Pow! 101.
These cookies are Doubletree's best ambassadors (name me one thing of equal renown that the Hyatt or Hilton or Wyndam chains are noted for), but the opinion here at Surprise Central is that they need to be taken up a notch in their exploitation. So, here are a couple of things Doubletree may wanna try:
1) We all love chocolate chip, but it's a standard a flavor as cookies get. Why not mix up the tastes a bit with oatmeal, peanut butter crunch, white macadamian nut chunk, anything!...either as a "Flavor of the Week/Month" or as a completely random choice?
2) Make the cookies do "double duty" as literal fortune cookies. Have a promotion where random cookie bags are stuffed with a lil' sumptin' extra, like certificates for free rooms, free meals, free drinks or a full dozen of said cookies to send to a friend as a gift.
3) So you get cookies at check-in. What can be done to send me off with an equally warm feeling at check-out?
Go get 'em guys. These are yours for the taking. And all I ask in return is a double dose next time I Doubletree.