What's Tested is What's Taught

Daniel Engber:

“Toothpaste has always been a secondary consideration within hospitality,” said Tim Kersley, senior vice president at Gilchrist & Soames, the high-end toiletries provider. Like the hotel executives, he attributes this neglect at least in part to the influence of the ratings guides. But when I contacted AAA to ask why they’re throwing diamonds at bars of soap but holding back on toothpaste, I got the runaround.

“The diamond ratings come from what we typically see,” a AAA employee told me. “Toothpaste is not something they typically put out.”

“So you don’t give ratings based on toothpaste because hotels don’t give toothpaste to their guests?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“But the hotels told me the same thing—they said they don’t give toothpaste because of your ratings.”

“Hmm.”

“So I guess it’s a chicken-or-the-egg situation?”

“A what?”

“A chicken-or-the-egg.”

“I’m sorry, a what?”