Page 167 - The New Gold Standard

Support Frontline Empathy
response to my request is typical of what guests routinely en-
counter across all levels of the Ritz-Carlton. His e-mail read:
“Dr. Michelli, I have made a reservation for you for very early
arrival tomorrow morning. Please forward your flight details as
soon as possible, and I will have my night manager, Chris Walsh,
arrange airport transfer. You will have access to our Club
Lounge, which serves breakfast at 7 a.m. Please let Chris know if
you need any further assistance upon your arrival. I thought we
could have an early lunch at 11:30 a.m. as I am speaking to a
group at 1 p.m. Hopefully you can catch a short morning nap
before we meet. Please let me know if this will work for you as I
will not call you in the morning in the event that you may be
resting. Best Regards, Mark Ferland.”
Remember, all I asked for was the possibility of a one-hour
meeting with Mark. However, his actions embody the spirit of
service common to Ritz-Carlton. It is a level of care that tran-
scends attentiveness and embraces genuine empathy. Mark
looked beyond my stated needs by placing himself in my posi-
tion as his guest. What might a person who took an overnight
flight need upon landing in Orlando, given a recently changed
travel itinerary? Would that person be hungry? Tired? In essence,
much of what happens at Ritz-Carlton is an extension of the
way people would treat family members and other loved ones,
as opposed to the way they might treat complete strangers. The
intimacy of interpersonal caring and the art of anticipation are
critical aspects of Ritz-Carlton service culture. In fact, they are
the secret sauce of the Ritz-Carlton Mystique.

C Mystique D

In order to create a memorable experience, a service provider has
to connect with a guest’s individuality and deliver service cus-
tomized to that guest’s preferences. Many businesses do this using
customer relationship management software as a way of tracking

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