Thursday Reset: "The One-Sentence Briefing"
The one sentence that stops the guessing before it starts
The One-Sentence Briefing
There’s a moment every operator knows.
A guest asks a reasonable question. Your team hesitates. And you can hear it in their voice—they’re guessing.
That moment doesn’t start with the guest. It starts earlier, when a change went live and no one told them why.
This is the fix.
The Template
“We’re [changing what] because [human reason]. If a guest asks, you can say: [guest-facing version].”
Fill it in. Send it to your team. Or save it for the days when your brain is mush. Just make sure it lands before the guest asks.
Examples
Checkout time moving earlier:
“We’re moving checkout to 10am because we need more buffer for turnovers. If a guest asks, you can say: ‘That window lets us get everything right. Rushed turnovers show.’”
Rate increase for a busy weekend:
“We’re raising rates for the 18th because there’s a festival in town. If a guest asks, you can say: ‘That weekend fills fast because of the festival. Booking earlier usually keeps rates lower.’”
New cleaning fee:
“We’re adding a visible cleaning fee because guests keep asking what’s included. If a guest asks, you can say: ‘We break it out so you see what you’re paying for. No surprises.’”
Minimum stay policy:
“We’re setting a 3-night minimum for summer because short stays were hurting turnover quality. If a guest asks, you can say: ‘The minimum lets us keep things at the standard you’re expecting.’”
Copy This
We’re ____________________________________
because ____________________________________
If a guest asks, you can say:
“____________________________________”
Download the one-page version your team can actually use.
If You’re Short on Words
You can even have AI draft it—then make it sound like you. Copy and paste this into your favorite AI tool and add your specifics.
I run a [hotel / vacation rental / inn] and I’m making this change:
[Describe the change—e.g., “moving checkout from 11am to 10am”]
Give me:
The human reason (one sentence, no jargon)
What to say if a guest asks (one sentence, warm but clear)
The full briefing: “We’re [change] because [reason]. If a guest asks, you can say: ‘[answer].’”
Keep it simple.
The Point
Your team can’t carry what they were never given.
One sentence, before the change.
That’s the difference between a team repeating rules and a team that sounds like they actually run the place.