Case Question Ritz

Case Questions

1. "Service" can be an elusive concept.  What is the essence of the Ritz-Carlton experience?  What is The Ritz-Carlton selling?

“We are not servants. Our profession is service” this phrase is said by Schulze the president and COO of Ritz Carlton one of the top luxury hotel chains in the world. He explains through this expression his philosophy of being a high qualityservice organization.

Ritz Carlton is known for its elegant ambience and culture of service excellence. The hotel wants to create an unforgettable memory with their guest, just with saying “thank you for allowing me to serve” reflects that the real Ritz Carlton service essence. Their most important goal is the customer satisfaction by the highest level of service, being “the best” with theirguest, since the beginning with a warm and sincere greeting to the fond farewell, always personalized and highly professional in order to establish long lasting customer relationships

According to the credo, the Ritz Carlton experience consists of “enlivening the senses, instilling well-being and fulfilling even unexpressed wishes and needs of your customers” or in few words “genuine care andcomfort” . Genuine care and comfort can only be achieved with exceptional employee commitment.

Ritz Carlton is not in the hotel business since the hotel business is about selling rooms, selling food, selling the bar. They do those things incidentally, but their business is service. What they want to sell is excellence in service they are committed in satisfying guest needs and wants, theirproduct is “unique experience” that customers want to repeat because their profession is service.
     

2. How does The Ritz-Carlton create "Ladies and Gentlemen" in only 7 days?

The seven day countdown was a result of the evolution and refinement of the hotel opening process, which with the pass of the years became more solidified. This is the time in which people have to convert to RitzCarlton employees.
"We are Ladies and Gentleman Serving Ladies and Gentlemen" that was one of the phrases that employees have all the time present in their mind because of the excellence with which they do their job. If they do what they do right, they become as important as any important and fine guest. That is what their employees learn since the beginning, to feel ladies and gentlemen.During these seven days The Ritz-Carlton trained and dipped into a their culture, and to help the new staff members navigate their way, they provided each of them with a paper palm. They have an orientation process that aligns the workers with the mission of the company. The first thing they do is discuss values their philosophy and the importance to follow the Gold standards such as the motto,The credo, the three steps of service, the twenty basics and more.
For the next five days they are prepared in life safety or procedures for handling guest difficulties or details involved in performing their job to the standards set by The Ritz-Carlton
Finally they are just prepared for the great moment in which all their learning and new mission becomes true. Because during that process theyare ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen

3. In what may be a first for the hospitality industry, Brian Collins, hotel owner, has asked James McBride, Ritz-Carlton general manager, to lengthen the amount of time spent training hotel employees before hotel opening.  Should McBridge lengthen the 7 Day Countdown?

No, I strongly believe that McBridge should not lengthen the 7Day countdown the reason why will be outlined down.
One of the most important things in any type of business is how are the basis built. The Ritz Carlton can be compared as a huge building that will be built and the 7 day countdown is the basis structure.
In my personal opinion the 7 day countdown is sufficiently productive and efficient in order to be strong and firm to support the Ritz...