The Ritz Carlton
Legendary Service from a
Legendary Culture with
Raving Fans
Prepared by:
James J. Messina, Ph.D.
The Ritz Carlton
Mystique
“
The Customer is
always Right”
Cesar Ritz
History
1850 – Cesar Ritz born in Niederwald, Switzerland
1898 – The Paris Ritz open and the Ritz-Carlton Management
company formed
1910 – Ritz-Carlton Hotels are established in the United States
under the supervision of Cesar Ritz
1912 – The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal opens
1918 – Cesar Ritz died and his wife Marie kept up the family
business
1927 – The Ritz-Carlton, Boston opens Depression Era – The
lights were kept on to portray a successful image
1964 – The Ritz-Carlton, Boston is owned and managed by
Cabot, Cabot and Forbes and later by Gerald Blakely
History
1983 – William B. Johnson buys the Ritz-Carlton, Boston and
the rights to the Ritz-Carlton name. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Company is founded and established
1984 – Openings of the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead; The RitzCarlton, Atlanta; The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel (the first
resort)
1990 – Opening of the Ritz-Carlton, Sydney (first property
outside the United States)
1992 – The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. wins Malcolm Baldrige award
1998 – The Ritz-Carlton Company became part of the Marriot
International family of hotels
1999 – The Ritz-Carlton Co. wins the Malcolm Baldrige award a
second time
2012 – 77 Properties worldwide
The Legend
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The Ritz Carlton has achieved the
Malcolm Baldrige Award twice, once in
1992 and again in 1999
No other entrant in service division has
been successful more than once
Highest in guest satisfaction among
Luxury Hotel Chains in 2003
Known for its
fine Service
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Private bath in guest room
Lighter fabrics in rooms
White and black tie uniformed staff
Fresh cut flowers in public areas
Ala Carte dining / gourmet cuisine
Intimate smaller lobbies
Personalized guest experience
The Ritz Carlton
Culture
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The Gold Standards are the foundation of The
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. They
encompass the values and philosophy by which
they operate and include:
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The Credo
The Three Steps of service
Service Values
The Employee Promise
These Gold Standards are printed on a card
carried by all employees to insure flawless
service to their guests
The Credo
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The Ritz-Carlton is a place where the genuine
care and comfort of our guests is our highest
mission.
We pledge to provide the finest personal
service and facilities for our guests who will
always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet refined
ambience.
The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the
senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the
unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
The Motto
At The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,
L.L.C., "We are ladies and gentlemen
serving ladies and gentlemen."
This motto exemplifies the
anticipatory service provided by all staff
members
The Three Steps
of Service
1.
2.
3.
A warm and sincere greeting. Use the
guest's name
Anticipation and fulfillment of each
guest's needs
Fond farewell - Give a warm good-bye
and use the guest's name
Service Values 1-6
I am proud to be Ritz-Carlton
1.
I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests
for life.
2.
I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed
wishes and needs of our guests.
3.
I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal
experiences for our guests.
4.
I understand my role in achieving the Key Success Factors
and creating The Ritz-Carlton Mystique.
5.
I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve
The Ritz-Carlton experience.
6.
I own and immediately resolve guest problems.
Service Values 7-12
I am proud to be Ritz-Carlton
7.
I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral
service so that the needs of our guests and each other are
met.
8.
I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow.
9.
I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me.
10.
I am proud of my professional appearance, language and
behavior.
11.
I protect the privacy and security of our guests, my fellow
employees and the company's confidential information and
assets.
12.
I am responsible for uncompromising levels of cleanliness
and creating a safe and accident-free environment.
Guest Relations
Standards
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Never lose a guest – Instant guest
pacification is the responsibility of each
employee – whoever receives a complaint will
own it, resolve it to the guest’s satisfaction
Escort guests rather pointing out directions
to another area of the Hotel
Customer Delight
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To create loyal customers one must have a
keen understanding of the customers and
fulfilling their desires:
“Remember me”
“Know what I want”
“Know how I want it”
3 Components of
Employee Empowerment
1.
Know what they are suppose to do
2.
Know how well they are doing
3.
Authority to make changes
The Basic
Empowerment Process
Warm
Welcome
Employee
Senses
Guest
Wish or
Need
Employee Employee Determine
If
Breaks
Applies
Guest
Dissatisfied
away from Immediate Reaction
Routine
Positive
Duties
Action
Anticipation
Compliance
with Guest
Needs
Fond
Farewell
If
Satisfied
Document
the
Incident
Employee
Returns to
Routine
Duties
Guest
Memory
System
Escalate
the
Complaint
Results of
Empowerment
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Each employee has access to an account
to provide the magnificent customer
service each guest expects
Guests remark that they are:
 “Pampered”
 “Respected”
 “Treated like Royalty”
“Smile we are on Stage”
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Always maintain positive eye contact
Use proper vocabulary with our guests
and each other
Use words like:
 “Good Morning”
 “Certainly”
 “I’ll be happy to”
 “My pleasure”
“You are Ritz Carlton”
Be an Ambassador of your Hotel in
and outside of the workplace: Always
speak positively-Communicate any
concerns to the appropriate person
Telephone Basics
Use Ritz-Carlton telephone etiquette
 Answer within three rings with a “smile”
 Use guest’s name when possible
 When necessary ask the caller –”May I place
you on hold?”
 Do not screen calls
 Eliminate call transfers when possible
 Adhere to voice mail standards
Appearance
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Take pride in and care of your
personal appearance
Everyone is responsible for
conveying a professional image by
adhering to Ritz-Carlton clothing
and grooming standards
Safety First
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Think Safety First
Each Employee is responsible for
creating a safe, secure and accident
free environment for all guests and
each other
Be aware of all fire and safety
emergency procedures and report
any security risks immediately
Protecting Ritz Carlton
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Protecting the assets of a Ritz-Carlton Hotel
is the responsibility of every employee
Conserve energy
Properly maintain our Hotels
Protect the environment
The Sixth Diamond
The Employee Promise
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At The Ritz-Carlton, our Ladies and Gentlemen are
the most important resource in our service
commitment to our guests.
By applying the principles of trust, honesty,
respect, integrity and commitment, we nurture and
maximize talent to the benefit of each individual
and the company.
The Ritz-Carlton fosters a work environment where
diversity is valued, quality of life is enhanced,
individual aspirations are fulfilled, and The RitzCarlton Mystique is strengthened.
Business Excellence
Roadmap
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Plan: Develop the Roadmap to Excellence Pyramid
Do: President and COO personally demonstrate
standards and hold one-on-one and group
meetings, distribute the Excellence Pyramid, and
reinforcement of The Gold Standards
Check: Leadership effectiveness is evaluated from
semi-annual employee satisfaction survey and audit
from public responsibility programs
Act: Leadership gaps result in additional training,
developmental job assignments and/or improved
processes, courses and/or facilities
Macro-Environment
Analysis
Macro-Environment Analysis
Plan: Confirm/Modify Vision, Strategy, Methods
and Foundations
Do: Select Ritz-Carlton Strategic Mandates
Do: Develop Ritz-Carlton “Vital-Few” Objectives
and Targets
Macro-Environment
Analysis
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Check: Reviews of Strategic Plan by Vice
President of Quality: monthly performance
reviews of the Strategic Plan; quarterly reviews
create opportunities for improvement and
innovation and benchmarking
Act: Findings and Actions are deployed to lower
levels through traditional hierarchy, process
owners and teams, and Commitment to Quality
newsletters
Ritz Carlton is Creating
Raving Fans
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According to Ken Blanchard and Sheldon
Bowles it is no longer “good enough” to
have satisfied customers in our service
industries – our customers must be
RAVING FANS!
(Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles)
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So how do we get them to be Raving
Fans?
First Key to Creating
Raving Fans
Decide What you Want
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If you want satisfied customers then just tell
everyone: “We are no worse than our competitors”
Instead: Create a Vision of perfection centered on
your customer!
And then Check out on how well you are doing!
Look at what Cesar Ritz set out to do in 1898 and it is
still live and well today!
He wanted his customers to always feel that they
were right and that the service they received was
legendary! How about you? What do you want?
Second Key to Creating
Raving Fans
Discover What the Customers Want
1.
2.
3.
4.
Discover your customers’ vision of what they really want
and then alter your vision if need be!
You must have your own vision before you can understand
your customers’ vision
Your customers’ vision will likely focus on one or two
things and your vision has to fill the gap
You have to know when to ignore the customers’ wants
and if necessary & tell the customers to take the vision
elsewhere to be fulfilled-You cannot be everything to
everybody-you must be willing to be all that you can be
within the window of your own vision – So do you know
what your customers want?
Third Key to Creating
Raving Fans
Deliver the Vision plus One Percent
1.
2.
3.
You must always deliver all the time what your vision and
your customers’ vision expect – Consistency creates
Credibility –you must not only talk the talk but walk the talk
Delivering Vision plus one percent = keeps you moving ahead
and focused beyond your vision – this rule reminds you that
you only have to improve at a one percent rate per week and
if that is the case in fifty weeks you have improved 50% - the
One Percent also allows for Flexibility in the vision since
visions always need to be changing, developing and altering
direction based on changes customers’ expressed needs and
vision
So how consistent and flexible are you in the execution of
your vision?
You can do Legendary
Work with Raving Fans
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You must commit to your vision for your
organization
Listen to your Customers
Be consistent in your services and flexible
in the evolution of your evolving vision
Resources
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The Ritz-Carlton website:
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/
The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center website:
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/corporate/leader
ship/default.asp
Raving Fans (1993) By Ken Blanchard and
Sheldon Bowles. New York: William Morrow