Most operators think trust breaks happen in the inbox.
But 75% of guests never say what went wrong — they disappear quietly.
In this episode, Kay Walten breaks down the five moments that shape every guest’s decision to book, enjoy, return, or vanish. Only one of these moments happens online. The other four happen in the quiet, human parts of hospitality where trust is either reinforced… or eroded.
You’ll learn:
Why website clarity isn’t design — it’s emotional safety
How inquiry tone predicts the entire stay
Why pre-arrival communication is the hinge moment
What guests really evaluate in the first three minutes on-site
How the stay actually ends (and why most operators get this wrong)
A simple, practical test you can run before your next check-in
Kay also shares behind-the-scenes stories from Mexico, the French Riviera, Bobcaygeon, and Sian Ka’an — real moments that reveal how easily trust is broken and how powerfully it can be rebuilt.
Short strategy. Quiet truth. One thing to test before your next guest arrives.
• Smart Pineapple — AI + marketing for hospitality brands
https://www.smartpineapple.ai
• Substack (AI for Hospitality & Tourism)
https://www.aiforhospitality.info
• LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaywalten/