The New Gold Standard
Marked with a legendary history of excellence in service and high quality, the Ritz Carlton, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marriott International, is a model service organization that personifies name brand recognition. This paper will explore the Ritz Carlton’s five management’s objectives related to customer service and how the organization excels in this area no matter what the workforce or culture of the country in which they operate. What follows is a discussion of these objectives as presented by a Chicago organizational consultant and life coach at Second Story Counseling Chicago.
Objective one: Define and refine
This objective, as articulated in the New Gold Standard by Michelli (2008), suggests that all employees of Ritz-Carlton abide by the foundational motto that, “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” According to Brock (2009), ‘There’s an old-world quaintness about the language, but there’s no mistaking the meaning. People who work for the Ritz are ‘ladies and gentlemen. Their guests are ladies and gentlemen, too”. The take away from this principle is that employees set the standard for superior and then make adjustments along the way, with the end goal of excellence at the forefront. The management objective is easily understood, is universal in nature and is replicated throughout the Ritz-Carlton hotel network on a global scale.
Objective two: Empower through trust
For many organizations, there exists a stated and sometimes unstated goal of creating an environment of trust. At Ritz Carlton however, trust is not a concept or words written on paper but instead, a construct that is real. For example, Ritz-Carlton allows each employee to spend up to $2000.00 a need on customer needs, if the employee’s estimation, it is necessary (2009, Brock). Additionally, this company believes that workers should be trusted to resolve a customer issue to resolution, personally owning and if need be, shepherding the customer issue through various departments throughout the organization. This principle is communicated and reinforced throughout the entire company.
Objective three: It’s not about you
This objective keeps the focus on the patrons of Ritz-Carlton. At its core, it’s not about you is a management objective that empowers front-line workers who regularly engage customers to freely communicate the needs of patrons to supervisors, managers and higher up the corporate food-chain if necessary. The overriding objective in objective three is to listen to customers and to do so regularly (Bull Radio, 2008).
Objective four: Deliver wow
This particular objective builds upon objective three. Specifically, “Delivering the wow” demonstrates to customers that employees are listening to their needs. Worldwide, workers are asked to go above and beyond by anticipating customer needs and going the extra mile. An example of this might be a person who asks for the heat in their room to be looked at because they are cold. At Ritz, delivering the wow might mean that in addition to a maintenance worker resolving a room temperature issue, an extra blanket is made available to the customer with a complimentary drink coupon. Delivering the wow is deeply engrained into each employee, regardless of their geographic work location or specific culture.
Objective five: Leave a lasting footprint
This final objective has a great deal to do with being a responsible corporate citizen. Leave a lasting footprint is an objective that encourages managers and directors to become active members of their community in their leadership roles. In fact, managers are asked to ask themselves, “What is my legacy going to be as a leader? What will I have done that will last?” (Michelli, 2008). Leaving a lasting footprint examines what the leaders legacy might be, beyond increasing profits for the company. This global objective, like the previous four mentioned, is universal throughout the Ritz-Carlton hotel network.
Summary
For many travelers, “Ritz” is synonymous with ultra high quality service. The company’s five management objectives, as described in this paper, have helped the luxury hotel operator realize instant brand recognition throughout the world. By constantly focusing on quality, employee empowerment, active listening and community involvement, the Ritz-Carlton organization excels in customer service. It is no surprise that in 2007, 2008 and 2009, the company was rated among “the best hotel chains in the world” by the venerable J.D. Power & Associates (J.D. Power and Associates, 2007). It appears that patrons of the hotelier agree.
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