Ritz-Carlton has maintained its leadership in luxury lodging by focusing on fundamentals and adhering to rigorous standards . The lynchpin in their strategy is their people — ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen .
We have all heard of or experienced brands with memorable , talkable experiences . Disney , Chewy , Chick-fil-A , and Zappos . The list ( actually ) goes on .
A couple of years ago , when the Clubhouse app was getting off the ground , I had some great conversations with who I lovingly referred to as some “ old-school casino guys .” They have some great stories of how , at least in their minds , things used to be . As a brand marketer , I have to ask why casino operations are no longer mentioned in the great experience conversation .
For some , it has been a matter of budget cuts and process improvement . For some , it may have never been a genuine commitment , but I am here to tell you that your brand will not endure if the guest experience is not worth talking about positively ( and sharing with others ).
Large or small , your company can create great memorable experiences , and there are lessons to be learned all around us .
Team members who are given tools and trust create extraordinary moments . Ritz-Carlton has maintained its leadership in luxury lodging by focusing on fundamentals and adhering to rigorous standards . The lynchpin in their strategy is their people — ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen . Borrowing the family dinner concept of many restaurants , Ritz-Carlton ’ s lineup happens at every single hotel , everywhere in the world . Every shift is covered , and every team member participates . A signature part of the lineup is a “ wow story ” spotlighting team members ’ actions to create those legendary Ritz-Carlton moments . The consistency of having the same message delivered everywhere supports the focus on service . Moreover , the operator understands that things might still go wrong with a guest ’ s experience . So , every team member is authorized to repair an experience up to $ 2,000 .
As a side note , I recently had a conversation with someone who could recall a casino operator with a similar approach . Still , I am not sure anyone does this anymore .
There ’ s pet-friendly , and then there is PET-FRIENDLY . One of my favorite hotel brands is Kimpton . I stumbled onto them quite accidentally . Our admin booked me there because it was close to a meeting I was having in another city . When I arrived , I discovered the stories of a pet-friendly hotel ahead of its time . In the words of their director of pet relations , “ we invite you to bring your hairy , feathery or scaly family member with you for your stay — no matter their size , weight , or breed , all at no extra charge . If your pet
Ritz-Carlton has maintained its leadership in luxury lodging by focusing on fundamentals and adhering to rigorous standards . The lynchpin in their strategy is their people — ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen .
fits through the door , we ’ ll welcome them in .” And for those who traveled without their family member , the hotel would provide a goldfish . Unfortunately , the latter practice ended , but the lesson was that Kimpton understood its guests would miss their pets and created an inviting space to feel at home .
Guest loyalty is more than points . A subsequent visit to a different Kimpton and a second dinner at Capital Grille proved to me that CRM systems are only as robust as the usage . During the original Kimpton trip , I discovered they had yoga lessons as part of their in-room TV selections . Additionally , I could call the front desk for a mat and other equipment for my class . It was a nice break from the typical visit to the hotel gym . On a visit to a different Kimpton location , I was surprised to find yoga equipment already placed in my room with a note from the front desk when I checked in ! Now , whenever I travel , I look to see if Kimpton is an option , even though I have many points with a bigger chain .
My first dinner at Capital Grille was nice . My second visit was extraordinary when the sommelier asked if we wanted to try a bottle of wine because it was similar to a previous one . Remember , this was only my second visit there . This is akin to a $ 150 customer coming in for the second time and the steakhouse knowing their preferences . Sure , we probably know the preferences of our VIP guests , but how many preferences do we capture ( and use ) for our mid-tier guests ?
Some investments in the brand experience do not have a one-to-one ROI . Years ago , as we toured one of our Midwest locations , one of our finance executives noticed a soft-serve ice cream machine near the buffet . It wasn ’ t in the buffet dessert area . Instead , it was located just outside of the buffet . While we enjoyed lunch with the property team , someone came up , took a cone , helped themselves to a frozen treat , and walked away .
Of course , the finance executive asked the general manager why he hadn ’ t moved the machine in to be part of the buffet , and then , of course , he wondered what the property ’ s ice cream costs were .
The GM shook off the comment and said he had thought about it when he took over the operation . If he could make a few people happy to give them something inexpensive , he figured the profit in the casino could cover it . In truth , only a handful of people helped themselves without purchasing the buffet .
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