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How To Bring Ritz-Carlton Caliber Customer Service To Any Type Of Business

How To Bring Ritz-Carlton Caliber Customer Service To Any Type Of Business

Old Feb 26, 2020, 7:59 am
  #16  
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To me, "Ritz-Carlton service" means lots of empty "sirs" and stuffy, uncomfortable formality as s a substitute for actually providing quality service. I have generally had poor to mediocre experiences at Ritz-Carltons. None stand out to me as an example of the type of service I would like to receive.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 8:10 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by DJ_Iceman
Like it or not, SPG loyalists, yes: the Ritz-Carlton is the benchmark of superior service in the hospitality industry and they serve as such for other industries as well (as described in the OP's post). Ritz-Carlton is the only hotel company to have earned the Malcolm Baldrige award, and one of the only organizations to have won it twice. They gladly share their philosophies, knowing that they are much harder to put into practice than to read about.

The complaints listed here seem rooted in jealousy, envy, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what "guest service" really means. Here's a hint: it's not as simple as upgrading someone to a suite because they've spent a few dozen nights in a Four Points.
I understand that it's difficult to sympathize with some of the "SPG Loyalist" complaints, but this is one where I disagree, and although a somewhat frequent customer of SPG, I was never a loyalist or even top tier elite there. R-C's have never stood out to me under the Marriott umbrella. Maybe there was a time when they did. But the service I've received seems to be the same as just about any other Marriott (or SPG) brand. Maybe it's because I'm not very needy and demanding...but I've never seen anything exceptional. In fact, most of my RC stays have been unremarkable. Mainly I recall the dated decor at most of the properties, not anything about the service.

I guess I generally expect, and almost always receive, polite and helpful service at all of the Marriott hotels. To be honest, if there's a RC and a Ren or Westin, etc. side by side for the same price, I'm just as likely to pick any of them, the RC doesn't stand out to me.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 9:45 am
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by AbuCordoba
I came across this article below, I was wondering if people really do think Ritz Carlton is the benchmark for customer experience? I personally have found my experiences at St Regis and Park Hyatts to be much more customer focused than at Ritz properties.
"benchmark" doesn't mean "the absolute best thing"
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 10:45 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by writerguyfl
I've always viewed the Ritz-Carlton approach as a regimented philosophy of customer service. When I worked in hospitality, the Ritz-Carlton's service was indeed deemed to be the pinnacle by many managers (general and otherwise). My first hotel job was at an upper-upscale property very much in the style of a Ritz-Carlton. At the Front Desk, everyone wore suits and guests were addressed with Mr/Ms/Mrs/Dr.
I believe when executed as per RC "manual book" said, RC service is indeed outstanding. One of the example I experience would be RC Ras Al Khaimah Al Hamra Beach.
(Sorry cant find better word than manual book)
The service there easily match the service as Al Maha and Suiran Kyoto, both are A Luxury Collection Hotels.


However, the fact that some (or even many) people here on FlyerTalk have experienced mediocre/bad service at a Ritz-Carlton does damage the reputation of the brand. If Marriott is smart, they will proactively address the weak links in the chain. Maintaining the reputation of a brand requires work.
I guess when there are too many dead trees in the forest, the forest will looks ugly.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 10:46 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by mctaste
People who dont pay to stay *are* second class hotel guests. Or maybe third class. People who book through OTAs are in there somewhere too, in my experience.
Seriously? Why would anyone want to be loyal and accumulate points in a program that treats you like that?
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 11:06 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by writerguyfl
However, the fact that some (or even many) people here on FlyerTalk have experienced mediocre/bad service at a Ritz-Carlton does damage the reputation of the brand. If Marriott is smart, they will proactively address the weak links in the chain. Maintaining the reputation of a brand requires work.
I think what you're missing is that for many mediocrity is now the standard at RC. I don't particularly care what currency someone uses to stay at a hotel, but all my RC stays have been with cash (most via FHR). Given the steady decline of the RC, it might be smart to focus on saving the handful of properties worth saving than trying to rehabilitate the plethora of sub-par hotels.

Originally Posted by Kacee
To me, "Ritz-Carlton service" means lots of empty "sirs" and stuffy, uncomfortable formality as s a substitute for actually providing quality service. I have generally had poor to mediocre experiences at Ritz-Carltons. None stand out to me as an example of the type of service I would like to receive.
Agreed. I've experienced some truly exceptional service from Anantara (one of my new favorite brands, I think) and Luxury Collection properties, as well as good service from other legacy luxury brands like StR and MO. These days I find the average Conrad to have superior and less stuffy service to the average RC.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 11:15 am
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by Beltway2A
I don't particularly care what currency someone uses to stay at a hotel, but all my RC stays have been with cash
Agreed - despite some unfounded assumptions by other posters upthread about how we pay for stays, at least in my case (and yours) I've actually only ever paid cash at RCs. Why? Because RCs don't, in my experience, command the point premium that they ask for. I'll stay at an RC for business if it's the best property in a market, and I'll pay cash for a pleasure stay if it's the offseason somewhere and the RC is at only a modest premium to other truly downmarket properties in the area. But if I'm looking to use points and it's 35-50k for a Westin or Marriott and 70-85k for an RC (e.g. Manhattan), then I won't even think about the Ritz. Which comes back to the original point - that RC in many of our books doesn't live up to the hype that they seem to be selling in the OP's original article.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 11:46 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by DJ_Iceman
Your whole post was excellent, writerguyfl, but I found this point particularly interesting. I, too, worked for Disney and very much resonated with the corporate style and values! But you may be interested (dismayed?) to hear that even Disney has started to behave more like Ritz-Carlton. There was a realization (correct, in my view) that particularly at Disney's high-end resorts, the level of guest service simply wasn't up to the standard of other world-class hotels and resorts. Interestingly, the cruise line and Aulani did seem able to deliver, but at the other hotels and DVC properties the service just wasn't up to snuff. About three years ago Disney lured several executives away from Ritz-Carlton to rejuvenate their high-end resorts. Personally I haven't noticed any improvements.
My experience as a Disney World Cast Member was not great. Without getting into details, I'll just say that my 10+ years of experience working into hotels meant zip to them. I couldn't get interviewed for positions that I previously held because they only discounted non-Disney work experience.

As for their high-end hotels, they certainly need help. (I'm actually surprised some of them have managed to hang onto their AAA 4-Diamond ratings.) I hadn't heard of a Ritz-Carlton connection, but that doesn't surprise me. That wouldn't have been the direction I've have gone in, but something is better than keeping the slow, downward trajectory that was happening.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 12:03 pm
  #24  
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Ive only ever stayed at one Ritz-Carlton so far, but after high expectations of the brand based on my own reading about and being familiar with what the brand stands for, agree with @Kacee and @Beltway2A. I found the property [RC Doha] to be nicely [re]designed, but the service awful - lots of staff who will shower you with sir and linger/cling around/to you, but otherwise possess no ability to be intuitive, maintain consistent standards or take initiative. I had three staff follow me to the elevator to escort me to the club lounge upon check-in uselessly and I-dont-really-give-a-damningly asking me how my flight was, how my day is so far and if theres anything I need. After writing an extensive review, the GM if that property reached out asking me to e-mail him with more feedback, which I did... and he didnt respond weeks later, let alone acknowledge anything.

I dont need to be unnecessarily fussed over, I dont need to be swarmed, I dont need forced niceties and I dont want over-promising and under-delivery. Based on this one mediocre experience, Ive already written off Ritz-Carlton as a brand and will instead focus on St. Regis and Luxury Collection properties for when the luxury urge strikes. Will Marriott care or do anything? Based on their track record for how seriously they take complaints or criticism about their loyalty program, elite experience or brand feedback seems to be a resounding NOPE.

Sigh.

khabah
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 12:22 pm
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Originally Posted by khabah
I found the property [RC Doha] to be nicely [re]designed, but the service awful - lots of staff who will shower you with sir and linger/cling around/to you, but otherwise possess no ability to be intuitive, maintain consistent standards or take initiative. I had three staff follow me to the elevator to escort me to the club lounge upon check-in uselessly and I-dont-really-give-a-damningly asking me how my flight was, how my day is so far and if theres anything I need. After writing an extensive review, the GM if that property reached out asking me to e-mail him with more feedback, which I did... and he didnt respond weeks later, let alone acknowledge anything.
I think this is a really interesting example. To some people, this type of attention might be superior service. But there's a whole other demographic, in which I'm included, that believes luxury is being left alone not followed around and having strangers small-talk with me and call me sir. Great service is when people either learn or anticipate what I like or want and deliver on it without all the extra interactions.

This is perhaps a bad example, because it's a totally different experience, but at one of the large Riviera Maya all-inclusives I stayed at for a wedding, we had the same waiter at the pool several days in a row. After the first day, he saw us sit down and came over and asked us if we wanted the same drinks as the day before (can't remember now what they were but he named them). Another time, he came to the pool while we were in it and asked if we'd like some fresh drinks delivered to us in the pool. I don't remember him once calling me "sir" or asking me how my day was, or making any other small talk.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 12:38 pm
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Originally Posted by JBord
This is perhaps a bad example, because it's a totally different experience, but at one of the large Riviera Maya all-inclusives I stayed at for a wedding, we had the same waiter at the pool several days in a row. After the first day, he saw us sit down and came over and asked us if we wanted the same drinks as the day before (can't remember now what they were but he named them). Another time, he came to the pool while we were in it and asked if we'd like some fresh drinks delivered to us in the pool. I don't remember him once calling me "sir" or asking me how my day was, or making any other small talk.
I think it's actually a great example. "Service" has to translate into something tangible that makes your life better, or else it means nothing . "Sirs" and "Ma'ams" and pretending to care about how your flight was - that's called "lip service"...and it's worthless.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 1:12 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by arlflyer
I think it's actually a great example. "Service" has to translate into something tangible that makes your life better, or else it means nothing . "Sirs" and "Ma'ams" and pretending to care about how your flight was - that's called "lip service"...and it's worthless.
It's actually annoying. Providing mediocre service while sticking a wooden "sir" on at the end of every sentence just emphasizes that staff is only paying lip service to providing quality service. The worst example of this I can recall is StR SF. But they were certainly guilty of it at RC Central Park, too.
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 3:05 pm
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Originally Posted by Kacee
It's actually annoying. Providing mediocre service while sticking a wooden "sir" on at the end of every sentence just emphasizes that staff is only paying lip service to providing quality service. The worst example of this I can recall is StR SF. But they were certainly guilty of it at RC Central Park, too.
StR SF is tied as my biggest disappointment with The Bodrum EDITION so far.

I have a feeling this is also a difference between generations - quite a few people here call LC properties not luxury and go crazy over RC or STR.

I'd rather pick LC/W/JW over them..
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 3:39 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Kaloz
StR SF is tied as my biggest disappointment with The Bodrum EDITION so far.

I have a feeling this is also a difference between generations - quite a few people here call LC properties “not luxury” and go crazy over RC or STR.

I'd rather pick LC/W/JW over them..
I hear the same things about the LC that I hear about the Conrad. I'd usually pick either over the RC/StR. I had a terrible stay at the StR Osaka, which I had been looking forward to. It was a real shame, but thankfully followed by a fantastic stay at the Conrad in Tokyo. To date, the latter is one of my favorite hotels of all-time, and I happily choose it whenever I'm in Tokyo.

I decided to dip my toes back into the StR waters in Bangkok, and after an unpromising check-in experience (full of the behavior described earlier in this thread), the rest of the stay was wonderful. With the StR in particular the quality of the Butler staff makes a big difference.

Last edited by Beltway2A; Feb 26, 2020 at 3:45 pm
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Old Feb 26, 2020, 3:55 pm
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Originally Posted by Kaloz
StR SF is tied as my biggest disappointment with The Bodrum EDITION so far.

I have a feeling this is also a difference between generations - quite a few people here call LC properties not luxury and go crazy over RC or STR.

I'd rather pick LC/W/JW over them..
Interesting. I've only stayed at a couple StR's and SF is one of them and I felt the same way. I think the "luxury" is more tied to the property itself, there are some very beautiful StR's.

It's certainly generational. As a young-minded mid-40's person, I don't understand how some (mostly younger) people consider W's to be a luxury experience. I don't care for most of them. Kind of similar with JW's to be honest, although a couple I've stayed at are very nice. I do like the LC's and Editions which I think both fall into a "luxury" category. But to get back to the thread topic, the service seems to differ from property to property. But the overall experience is better at some of these brands than RC or JW, at least for me.
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