Page 139 - The New Gold Standard

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Build a Business

Focused on Others

The service we render to others is really the rent we pay
for our room on this earth. It is obvious that man is
himself a traveler; that the purpose of this world
is not “to have and to hold” but “to give and serve.”
There can be no other meaning.
SIR WILFRED T. GRENFELL

Businesses like Ritz-Carlton that are known
for their emphasis on human factors (cultural
|development, service excellence, and employee
empowerment) typically fall short when it comes to
process-driven quality improvement. However, Jean
Cohen, vice president and area general manager of The
Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, observes that consistent
quality processes are the reason that Ritz-Carlton enjoys
a reputation for employee empowerment and legendary
service. “Some people may think it is counterintuitive for
a company that is so focused on service excellence and the
nurturing of the intangible ‘Ritz-Carlton Mystique’ to
be equally driven to record and analyze data. However,
quality processes are what ensure that the fundamen-
tals of top service delivery are consistently maintained
worldwide. If we do not deliver flawlessly in fulfilling
the basic service expectations, we deprive ourselves of

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