Ritz Carlton Hotels and Service Quality - Research Paper Example

Ritz Carlton Hotels and Service Quality Ritz Carlton Hotels and Service Quality In order to get and stay at the top, hotels such as the Ritz Carlton realized that treating its customer/client base right is probably the only way in which it can be able to retain and create loyal clients. It is also a way of ensuring that the said customers become part and parcel of the everyday running of the business organization. To members of this organization, service quality and provision is more than just an administrative routine. It is interesting to note that even with recent financial crises, some institutions are still making money, and even though not as much as before, they still boast of loyal customers. The Ritz Carlton has developed excellent service delivery strategies, which enable it to stay at the top (Reiss, 2009). This paper will look at some of the strategies, and how these ideas have shaped the way for other hotels to embrace service quality as a means of acquiring and retaining customers. The Three Steps of Service For the Ritz Carlton, customer service is something they invest in, offering their employees more than a hundred hours of customer service education so as to ensure their preparedness when dealing with customers. When organizations in the hotel industry neglect the aspect of improving service quality in favor of cutting costs, they are doing a great disservice to their customers and the organization’s stakeholders. The Ritz Carlton, in its bid to be the best, implements the three steps of service, which involves; welcoming customers, anticipation and compliance, and fond farewells (Reiss, 2009). Customers create bonds and relationships with employees, hence; creating an exceptional reputation in the whole industry. In the three steps of service, a warm welcome is part of the package for customers. Whenever guests arrive, it is customary to greet them and address them using their names when and if possible. In this strategy, there is the anticipation and fulfillment of the guests needs. In this case, the employees anticipate what the guest’s needs may be, and helps in fulfilling them to the customer’s satisfaction. This brings in a cordial relationship between the people involved. A fond farewell, which is part of this package, enables the customers to feel like they are leaving a part of them behind, which makes it easier to make a return whenever possible (Verma, 2012). The 12 Service Values The ‘twelve service values’ is a strategy that allows the employees to bring forth the brand’s promise to its customers and guests. In this strategy, each starts with letter “I”, which works to demonstrate the power that each employee has in the organization, regardless of their position, to bring into focus the organization’s determination to satisfy its guests (Reiss, 2009). For example; one of the twelve values indicates that employees are responsive to both the expressed and unexpressed wishes and desires of their guests. This implies that whatever the guest may want, he/she is at liberty to get from the staff at Ritz Carlton, which makes it easier for the people to become part of the organization’s bigger picture. It is crucial to note the role such a strategy plays in the evolution of an organization. By focusing solely on the needs and desires of a customer, it is possible to bring them joy during their use of that service. In this service industry, employees play a herculean role in ensuring that customers are happy. By using another example of the Ritz’ 12 service values, one can get to understand what it means to build and create guests for life (Reiss, 2009). This is the first of the service values present in the organization’s philosophy. They aim to bring the guests and the organization closer, hence; retaining them for life. The 6th Diamond In this service strategy, the employees are tasked with only three things. They are to; create mystique, be emotionally engaged, and be functional in all their undertakings. In the first step, mystique involves gratifying the customers’ requests before they even ask. This is where every employee’s ingenuity can be of great benefit to the organization. In the next step, they are meant to be emotionally invested in their guests. This means that they are responsible for their guests, especially when it comes down to creating special moments. The last step in this strategy is the functional step, where employees are expected to perform their basic functions, and even go beyond a guest’s expectations. This creates a bond between the guests and the employees that guarantees a return to The Ritz (Evans, 2010). How the Ritz has changed the mentality of most organizations The Ritz has made it vital for other organizations to implement services that benefit both the customers and the employees. Employee satisfaction is vital in ensuring customer satisfaction. Countless organizations are now trying to have their employees be part of the management process, which may ultimately provide insight into some of the needs and desires of the people they serve regularly (Cummings & Worley, 2014). Also, organizations are conducting research into the market to find out the latest trends in market in order to satisfy growing needs and desires. This enables them to have an edge over some of their competitors, and enables such organizations to compete on a local or even global scale. It is also through The Ritz Carlton’s mentality that other organizations are now making their hotels lifestyle brands. Currently, some organizations are not as keen on property development as they were in the past. They are keener on providing a lifestyle experience in some of the hotels that exist, instead of increasing new properties that do not provide much excitement to the potential customers. Furthermore, the organizations present are striving to build a culture based on employee and customer trust (Cummings & Worley, 2014). By instilling certain values in the running of their organizations, it is possible to become part of something bigger in the service industry and not just a hotel organization hell-bent on expansion alone. The Malcolm Baldrige Award In 1992 and 1999, The Ritz Carlton was honored with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for its outstanding work in the service industry. It was awarded this honor for being an organization that had mastered and implemented quality management principles exceptionally. In order to be awarded such a prestigious award by the U.S. Department of Commerce, seven categories must be satisfied, which include; customer and market focus, process management, measurement analysis, to name only a few. It is an organization that recorded the highest rate of increased profitability, market and productivity shares, and both employee and customer satisfaction (Verma, 2012). In a place where the check-in time is reduced, proficient, and swift, it is easy to see why guests would want to always visit The Ritz Carlton. The various facilities offered by the organization make it hard to beat, especially with the level of consciousness they put into addressing their customer needs. To prove that their level is above any other, the organization decided to implement a program that would monitor, anticipate, and meet most of the customers’ preferences. Furthermore, with an increase in family travel, the organization decided to engage in a two-year research study to improve the welfare of children visiting The Ritz. By interviewing customers and testing different products through a careful piloting program, the organization was able to successfully implement the POLO program (Verma, 2012). In conclusion, the organization’s approach to service provision has been described by some as a form of art. The manner in which they approach their tasks makes them a force to reckon with in the service industry. By developing relationships with their customers, the Ritz Carlton can boast of having loyal and content clients who are willing to spend freely, advertise freely, and even return regularly just to enjoy the comforts and luxuries offered. Presently, the customer support services that are provided by most of the organizations are disheartening. The manner in which some of them conduct their customer relations leave most customers with poor memories of the organization. However, The Ritz Carlton is keen on building and creating relationship. This makes it easier for the organization to grow, and retain a higher number of customers. References Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2014). Organization development and change. New York: Bantam Books. Evans, J. (2010). Quality & performance excellence. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Reiss, R. (2009, October 30). How Ritz-Carlton stays at the top. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/30/simon-cooper-ritz-leadership-ceonetwork-hotels.html Verma, H. V. (2012). Services marketing: Text and cases (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishers. Read More