Unreasonable Hospitality in Consulting: Why Everyone at SDS Must Own the Client Experience
At Strategic Data Systems (SDS), we’re in the business of technology consulting, but just as importantly, we’re in the business of service. To do that well, we’ve taken an unexpected page from the world of fine dining.
In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara recounts his journey transforming Eleven Madison Park from a good restaurant into the best restaurant in the world through exceptional food and unforgettable guest experiences. His secret? Making hospitality everyone’s job, not just the maître d’, not just the chef, but every single person on the team.
That idea deeply resonates with us.
The Hospitality Economy Is Everywhere—Even in IT
Guidara opens the book by declaring that America has shifted from a manufacturing economy to a hospitality economy. Whether you’re serving a five-course meal or deploying enterprise cloud solutions, the client experience matters. Clients buy more than your skills; they buy how you make them feel. That’s as true in a boardroom as it is in a dining room.
Too often in consulting, we silo “client service” to a few roles: account executives, delivery leads, engagement managers. But true partnership means the whole team is listening, anticipating, and acting with intention. Everyone at SDS, whether writing code, recruiting talent, or selling our services, has a role to play in creating “wow” moments for our clients.
Going the Extra Inch, Not Just the Extra Mile
One of Guidara’s key philosophies is what he calls the One-Inch Rule: if you don’t deliver with intention at the very last moment, for example, how a dish is placed on a table, then you risk undermining all the effort that came before it. At SDS, we see this when a well-built system fails because of a confusing hand-off, or when a brilliant solution goes unused because no one explained it clearly.
It’s not enough to be technically excellent—we must be relentlessly intentional.
That means:
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Engineers who explain complex systems in plain language.
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Designers who anticipate the emotional journey of an end user.
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Analysts who proactively call out risks, not just crunch data.
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Project teams that remember birthdays, not just sprint cycles.
Creating a Culture of Ownership
At Eleven Madison Park, Guidara created “ownership programs” where team members were empowered to lead aspects of the experience—from linens to cocktails to silverware. At SDS, we believe the same applies to consulting. Every individual should feel ownership over the client experience.
Whether it’s creating a custom dashboard that wasn’t in scope but solves a real pain point or finding a way to connect on a human level during a tense go-live, the goal is simple: make people feel seen, heard, and valued.
The Best Consultants Are Dreamweavers
At Eleven Madison Park, Guidara eventually formalized the practice of creating magical guest moments by introducing Dreamweavers, team members dedicated to observing guests, listening for clues, and crafting small, deeply personal moments that left lasting impressions.
We’re bringing that same spirit to Strategic Data Systems through our Principal Consultant program.
Our Principal Consultants aren’t just technical leaders—they’re ambassadors of our culture and champions of client care. They are the first to lean into nuance, anticipate needs, and notice what’s not being said in a room. They don’t wait to be asked; they listen, act, and elevate the experience for our clients and teams.
Whether they’re helping a client think through a business challenge that falls outside the original project scope, mentoring a newer consultant through a difficult moment, or simply creating space for deeper, more human conversations, our Principal Consultants are Dreamweavers in action.
They remind us that exceptional service isn’t accidental—it’s intentional. Their example helps set the tone for the entire company.
Hospitality Is Everyone’s Job
The big lesson from Unreasonable Hospitality? You don’t need to be in restaurants to deliver great hospitality. You just need to care deeply, listen actively, and act intentionally.
At SDS, we’re not content to deliver only what’s expected. We’re pursuing something greater: transformative experiences for our clients and their teams.
Because in the end, that’s what true consulting is all about: not just solving problems, but making people’s lives better.
Learn more about Strategic Data Systems at https://sds.io
About the author
David Pledger is a founding partner of Strategic Data Systems (SDS), established in 1992 alongside Keith Stafford. With a foundation in electrical engineering and early career experience as a database consultant specializing in Sybase and SQL Server, David helped build SDS into a trusted provider of high-quality information technology consulting services. Under his leadership, SDS has delivered talent and solutions to clients across the region and the nation. David believes deeply in the philosophy that if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers—an idea that continues to shape the company’s culture and success.
david.pledger@sds.io; 513-782-2020
