Page 51 - The New Gold Standard

Set the Foundation
as too basic to take up space on the card. Where possible, Ritz-
Carlton leadership attempts to resist the urge to overcomplicate
the fundamentals of service. This keep-it-simple approach is
consistent with guidance provided by business expert Ron
Ashkenas, managing partner of the consulting firm Robert H.
Schaffer & Associates. Ron observes, “A simplification strategy
must be treated as a business imperative—not just a nice-to-have
virtue but a key element for driving bottom-line success.”
In reality, the consistent execution of simple aspects of ser-
vice is central to distinguishing Ritz-Carlton from its competi-
tion. Whether a company is directly serving customers or is
serving other businesses, the basics of caring never change. As
such, the leadership at Ritz-Carlton weaves these three steps into
the core of the culture:

1. A warm and sincere greeting. Use the guest’s name.
2. Anticipation and fulfillment of each guest’s needs.

3. Fond farewell. Give a warm good-bye, and use the
guest’s name.
(Copyright © The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. All rights re-
served. Reprinted with permission.)

Guests at Ritz-Carlton properties probably are not con-
sciously aware that they are experiencing the Three Steps of
Service. However, customers do express the emotional impact
that these steps have on them. For example, a guest at The Ritz-
Carlton, Palm Beach, remarks, “I had an excellent experience
because the door and concierge staffs were very caring. They re-
membered me and my family by name. Every time our car pulled
up, they would actually get the door for us and greet each of us
by name.” Guest Richard Whitley reports the significance of a
fond farewell during the adversity of Hurricane Wilma: “As
guests, we were told we would be evacuating the hotel and that
the best time to travel to Merida was in the middle of the night.
They brought the buses in at 2 a.m. All of the staff of the hotel

31