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How The Ritz-Carlton Began
Who would have thought that a poor Swiss herdsman’s son could start a hotel chain and make it the epitome of luxury? César Ritz began by working at premier hotels in France, England and Switzerland. He then opened The Ritz Paris in 1898. By that time, he was already the manager of London’s Savoy Hotel and owned several posh restaurants.
After the death of César Ritz, his wife Marie Keller allowed developer Albert Keller to franchise the name. In 1927, he opened a hotel in Boston and then other locations followed including New York City, Boca Raton, Atlantic City, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. However in 1929 due to the economic downturn after the crash of 1929 only one hotel remained open. After World War II they began to expand again with 69 hotels worldwide with plans to expand into China, Egypt Russia South Korea and more by 2011
The five principles that guide The Ritz-Carlton’s corporate culture have produced an extraordinary level of staff loyalty, unparalleled service, significant customer engagement and brand recognition. Those guiding principles are:
Principle One: “Define and Refine”
The founders of the Ritz-Carlton created a set of principles they called “The Gold Standards.” These standards have been credited with helping the hotel chain maintain its long-standing success. To keep these standards alive, the company has developed a creed and slogan as well as service plan that are integrated into every aspect of their business.
Every employee is given a card that reads, “The Ritz-Carlton is about providing the best service possible to our guests. We promise to provide excellent service and facilities for them.”
The Ritz-Carlton is a world renowned hotel chain that has a motto, three steps of service, and 12 values. The company’s motto is “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” This old fashion language shows that excellent service is timeless. It also conveys the idea that staff members should be respectful to each other as well as their guests. The first step of service involves greeting every guest by name with sincerity. The second step of service requires employees to predict what their guests will need next and fulfill those needs before they can ask for them in order to create memorable experiences for their guests. Finally, at the end of each stay, employees bid farewells by using the guest’s name again to show respect during these last moments together. These are just some examples from twelve core values which guide all decisions made within this organization.
- Take responsibility for fixing every guest’s problems. 2. Work with colleagues to meet each other’s needs and serve the guests well. 3. Always try to learn more and develop professionally, even if you’re not in a formal training program or course setting
When it comes to work, people should be involved in planning the scope of their job and its responsibilities.
Take Pride in Yourself
To keep your guests and employees safe, you should protect their private information. Be aware of how they’re using it. Maintain facilities that are safe for them to use, accident-free, and sparkling clean.
Managers reinforce these values at daily interactive meetings called “lineups.” At the lineup, employees discuss these values and share stories and information.
To remain relevant and up-to-date, the company conducts ongoing research about what consumers want from a high-end hotel. Recent results showed that luxury hotel customers are either “classic status seekers” or “discerning affluents.” They won’t buy a Mercedes just because of its name; they want to leave an impression, blaze their own trails, lead interesting lives and enjoy exclusive experiences. The Ritz Carlton must win over both types of luxury consumers without compromising its principles.
