The Ritz Carlton’s mission statement is: “The Ritz Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed yet refined ambiance. The Ritz Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests” (Application Summary, 1999). Regardless of location, objectives goals and standards remain the same throughout the company.
No matter where you travel people are expected to have their basic needs met and then some. They are expected to be treated with respect by the employees and vice versa. Michelli’s first objective examined is “define and refine”. In short, this basically means to treat other the way you want to be treated, with dignity and respect. Everyone who works for the Ritz Carlton is supposed to follow the saying, “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen” (Moore, 2010). People who work at the Ritz Carlton set the standard for better-quality service make adjustments along the way if need be.
The same thing is in the back of every employees mind; excellence. “Empower through trust” is the next objective that is examined by Michelli. At the Ritz Carlton, trust is a concept that is not only published in the management objectives, but is lived out through each and everyone that walks through the doors of the hotel. Patrons must trust that the company and its employees are going to take care of the customers in any way possible. For example, each employee at the Ritz is allowed to spend up to $2000. 00 on customer needs if the employee sees fit (Moore, 2010).
Employees are trusted to resolve a customer issue to resolution in a timely matter and as efficiently as possible. As many of us have heard over and over again, “it’s not about you”! This Ritz Carlton management objective says that the needs of the customers come first and foremost and employees should communicate these needs and wants to the management team. The main purpose of this objective is to ensure that the employees listen to the customers, and do so on a regular basis (Moore, 2010). Without this, it becomes difficult to make improvements in areas that the company may be lacking in.
Communication serves as the key in a relationship, whether personal or professional. One of the things that many people look for when choosing which hotel to stay in when they are taking a trip is whether or not the company and its employees go above and beyond the call of duty. The fourth objective examined by Michelli discusses “deliver wow”. This objective builds upon the last and demonstrates to the customers that the employees are listening to their needs and communicating them to the right people (Moore, 2010).
Going the extra mile and doing more than what is expected is what makes people think they have spent their time and money wisely. An example of this would be a customer complaining about how cold it is in their room. From there, the maintenance worker gets on the task of resolving the issue, however, going above and beyond this would be bringing an extra blanket to the customer with a complimentary drink coupon. The last objective examined by Joseph Michelli is “leave a lasting footprint”.
This objective encourages managers and directors to become active members of their community in their leadership roles (Moore, 2010). All in all, how are people going to remember a manager aside from increasing profits for the company? A person’s legacy is important both professionally and personally, and everyone wants to be remembered as a productive citizen that is loved and respected by the people that surround them. The Ritz Carlton’s five management objectives apply the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment (Application Summary, 1999).
These principles are communicated and reinforced throughout the whole company and instilled into each employee in spite of their geographic work location or precise culture. No matter where you travel and which Ritz Carlton or Marriot you stay in, you can be assured that the quality of service is uniform all throughout. The three steps of service that the Ritz Carlton practices are a warm and sincere greeting, anticipation and compliance with guest needs, and a fond farewell (Application Summary, 1999).
References
Application Summary. (1999). The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L. L. C. Retrieved from http://corporate. ritzcarlton. com/NR/rdonlyres/22E2CEC9-62A4-4EA2-9C3C-51628265E10E/0/rcappsum. pdf Michelli, J. (2008). The new gold standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. New York: McGraw- Hill Moore, J. (2010, July 26). The New Gold Standard: Ritz Carlton. Retrieved from http://www. buzzle. com/articles/the-new-gold-standard-ritz-carlton. html
