LAST-MINUTE HONEYMOONERS Late one night, two last-minute guests arrived at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna. When they visited the Club Lounge, The Club Lounge Manager was enthralled by their story. The couple had just driven by car all way from Great Britain with their two dogs, Charlie and Jasmine. But it turned out this was much more than a driving tour through Europe. The couple began their trip with a small wedding ceremony. They had planned to drive to Venice, but because it was high season in Venice, they decided to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna for two nights instead. The Club Lounge Manager booked the couple a table in their restaurant, Dstrikt, and arranged for two glasses of Champagne for them. Then, while the couple was at dinner, The Club Lounge Manager worked with a colleague from In-Room Dining to set up a surprise in their room—chocolate-covered strawberries and some dog snacks. The Club Lounge Manager also secretly took pictures of their two dogs in the room on The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna dog pillows. The next day the guests returned to the Club Lounge, where two Club Agents surprised them with information about all they could do with the dogs in Vienna. On the second night of their stay the Assistant Director of Housekeeping surprised them with a beautiful rose petal turndown. It’s no wonder the couple decided to extend their stay another three nights, but unfortunately, they could only stay one extra night because the hotel was fully booked over the weekend. The Club Lounge Manager talked to them about other hotel options and found out that the guests had never been to The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. As they had to drive back to England anyway, The Club Lounge Manager proposed this alternative as a great option to break the long drive and also to get to know another Ritz-Carlton property. (The couple had already stayed at over 20 Ritz-Carlton properties worldwide.) The guests were very happy with this idea. FINDING THEIR FOUR-FOOTED FRIEND On their last night in Vienna after the guests had already said their "good-byes," the husband ran back into the Club Lounge and informed The Club Lounge Manager that the younger dog, Jasmine, had run away inside the hotel. The Club Lounge Manager asked a Bellboy and a Loss Prevention Officer for help, and they all searched together with the couple until the husband finally found Jasmine. The couple was crying tears of happiness and couldn’t thank the team enough. The next day the couple drove off to The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. After their vacation, The Club Lounge Manager received this lovely email from them: "Well, we are all home safe and sound and managed not to lose Jasmine in The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. Many, many thanks for your beautiful and thoughtful gift of the photograph of Charlie and Jasmine. It was amazing!! I have shown it to everyone back in the UK, and it now has pride of place in our home. The suite in Berlin was also fantastic, and I must thank you for organizing that as well. "We always stay in The Ritz-Carlton because the service and the staff are exemplary, but you go above and beyond this and made our stay one that we will never forget. You are an asset to the company, and I am sure you will excel to a very senior position. "Our home address will be on the system and my mobile number is 07…. if you are ever considering visiting Liverpool, then please contact us. You will always be welcome to stay and Jasmine and Charlie would love to see you! Many many thanks. You are a star!" ∞

The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (RCLC) spoke with Herve Humler, President and Chief Operations Officer at The Ritz-Carlton, about his views on community outreach and leadership. RCLC: Do you feel leaders are role models? Mr. Humler: Leaders must walk their talk. You must give from the heart, spend time with your employees, and listen. When I travel to the openings of hotels, I tell the ladies and gentlemen [the new employees] that I’m the president of the company, and I’m a very important person. But then I remind them that they are more important than I am. If I run the best hospitality company in the world, it’s only because of what they do. I’m very grateful for that. I get my energy from being around our employees because there’s so much to learn from them. RCLC: What is one of your leadership goals? Mr. Humler: I have only one mission and that is to create excellence every day. My friends are the 40,000 ladies and gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton. I want them to succeed, and I want to make sure they have the tools to succeed. It’s important to help others. You have to remember where you came from. Someone gave you this opportunity, and you have to give opportunities to others. RCLC: Service has always been a cornerstone of The Ritz-Carlton culture, but when did the company begin embracing community outreach? Mr. Humler: At the very beginning, when we were determining what The Ritz-Carlton was going to be, we knew in order to be successful that we had to give back to our community and be involved in our community. We had a vision to do the right thing. When they opened the first hotel, they went right to work figuring out how to connect with community. We started with small things like taking a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to a soup kitchen. There’s always a first step, and now every year we have some great success stories to tell. RCLC: Can you share how The Ritz-Carlton hotels are assisting communities today? Mr. Humler: Community service is more effective when it’s organized—especially when you have over 40,000 ladies and gentlemen. Our Community Footprints® program supports the outreach of our hotels around the world and encourages all of our employees to be involved. We focus on three areas: hunger and poverty relief, environmental responsibility, and well-being of children. For example with our mentoring program, Succeed Through Service, we go to the inner city schools and encourage students to stay in school and graduate. We partnered with America’s Promise Alliance to create a curriculum that brings students to the hotel and introduces them to all the jobs in a hotel. At one school, students needed to learn proper nutrition. So we made a garden and students learned how tomatoes, beans, and broccoli grow. We also partner with many other associations like Save the Children or Make-a-Wish. The Ritz-Carlton’s Community Footprints social and environmental responsibility focus is our legacy—and our future. I am immensely proud of our ladies’ and gentlemen’s contributions to our local communities around the world. RCLC: Are community service projects supported throughout the world? Mr. Humler: Community service works everywhere, but you have to find what the community needs. It’s a new concept in several countries. But once we get started, then the idea spreads. It’s contagious. We started revitalizing the botanic garden in Guangzhou. It’s the second largest botanic garden in China. We began by planting exotic trees. Then we went back to plant a vegetable garden. While we were planting, people visiting the park started gathering all around us and wanted to help. Now the city has given money toward the refurbishment of the garden. RCLC: Do employees appreciate the commitment The Ritz-Carlton has made to community service? Mr. Humler: When I travel around the globe, our employees are very proud to share what they’re doing to help people in need or the community. You have to remind—not force—your employees why they should be involved. When you participate with a Community Footprints activity—that’s how you learn; that’s how your family learns; and that’s how your children learn to take care of the environment and make a difference for others. Every time you contribute to something you feel good about it, too. RCLC: Do you feel all companies should be reaching out to their communities? Mr. Humler: I suggest people see what’s happening in the community and get involved. Make a trip to the school. Spend time with the principal. Find out what is needed. What kind of support do they need? Some people send a check, but not everyone has a big check. You can commit to being involved. Small things can make a big difference. RCLC: How do these programs impact your younger employees, especially Gen X and Y? Does it help with recruiting? Mr. Humler: We know that Gen X and Y want to work for companies that are socially responsible—when they do their research as they search for potential employers, they see the impact that The Ritz-Carlton is making. They know that we are making a difference in the community, and that makes them want to work for our company even more. We know that the opportunity to give back is a driver of employee engagement. It makes them more committed to their work and interested, which helps them grow professionally. Giving back is also very important to the younger generation and they find it an essential part of their everyday life. It is also part of our DNA of being in hospitality; they really want to help people. ∞

You’re waiting at airport security, and someone cuts to the front of the line. You’re at the movies, and the people next to you are talking loudly. You’re in a meeting, and your colleagues are working on their smartphones. I’m sure you’ve witnessed some of these scenarios, and perhaps you’ve even been the one checking your smartphone while the boss is talking. So what’s the big deal? Shouldn’t we all have the capability of tolerating each other’s minor moments of disrespect? Absolutely. However, as you look around the world today, it sometimes seems as if inconsiderate behavior has become the norm rather than the exception. Civility doesn’t have to fade from our experience. We all have a right to exercise courteous behavior, and with busy holiday travel and shopping around the corner, now is a great time to remember the importance of expressing graciousness. Here are four ways we can apply some of the wisdom from the past to our modern day interactions. Words of Wisdom #1: George Washington, the first President of the United States, advised: Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present. Application: You’re not alone. When you’re at the airport, getting on an elevator, or getting off the subway, be aware of the people around you. Try to keep lines moving forward, and consider smiling at people. Words of Wisdom #2: Albert Einstein, a Nobel prize winning theoretical physicist, noted: It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. Application: You know what’s coming - put the personal computing devices (smartphones, iPads, tablets, etc.) aside. Try giving all of your focus to the people that you’re with, or if you’re walking down the street, pay attention to your surroundings. You’ll find this safer and much more friendly. Words of Wisdom #3: Samuel Johnson, an 18th century writer, literary critic and lexicographer, observed: When once the forms of civility are violated, there remains little hope of return to kindness or decency. Application: Media often portray our society as polarized, dramatic and sometimes downright rude. This type of content earns high ratings and attention, but it’s not appreciated when we encounter it in real life. Try to be a role model for others by conducting yourself with grace and thoughtfulness. You can disagree with someone and still be polite. Words of Wisdom #4: Amelia Barr, a British novelist who wrote 63 books after age 50, remarked: Kindness is always fashionable. Application: It’s been said that this is the "Age of Entitlement." Entitlement is not necessarily a bad thing. However, individuals shouldn’t demand and expect priority treatment simply because they’re breathing. The antidote to entitlement is the Golden Rule—treating other people the way you would like to be treated. Imagine how the niceness level of the world would improve if we each made an effort to be a little more compassionate, a little more thoughtful of our neighbor, and a little less selfish in our actions. We don’t all have to become Mother Teresa, but we can practice civility. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "‘Radar On-Antenna Up’: The Ritz-Carlton Way of Fulfilling Unexpressed Wishes and Needs." There is no greater experience in service delivery than to surprise and delight a customer, and this program shows how the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton take service excellence to the highest levels every day.

The employees of The Ritz-Carlton hotels—also known as the Ladies and Gentlemen—plan community service activities throughout the year to support their local communities. This is an opportunity for hotels around the world to make a lasting contribution and truly make a difference. As we enter the holiday season, the story below is a wonderful example of how important it is to include others in our celebrations and express gratitude for all the gifts around us. And so our story begins . . . Once upon a time, the Community Footprints team at Abama Golf & Spa Resort in Spain was planning its December activities. For most, December is a special month. It’s a time when we think of the people we love—our family and friends—and so this month is often nostalgic and full of memories. Therefore, the Community Footprints team decided to focus on those who did not family or friends to sing songs with, give a hug to, or spend their holidays with. The Elder’s Home in Guia Isora next to the hotel was chosen for this very special activity. While planning the activities, the team decided that a game called "The Tree of Wishes" would be enjoyed by the group of senior citizens. The team brought a beautiful wooden Christmas tree from the Kids Club, which had been designed by the Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Senior Citizens Home. Each resident decorated a Christmas ornament and wrote a Christmas wish on it. The hotel’s General Manager was in charge of hanging the ornaments on the tree and if people wanted to share their wishes, the General Manager read them out loud. Many of the wishes were quite emotional: "I wish my son could find a job," "I wish I could spend some time with my family," "I wish my daughters could come more often to see me," and "I wish not to be forgotten and to be remembered by someone someday." The team also gave the residents a huge basket of cakes that had been prepared by the resort’s Executive Pastry Chef and his team. The residents loved having hot chocolate with the cakes. Everyone enjoyed a fantastic time and beautiful conversations with these charming people who had so much to tell and share. The Ladies and Gentlemen gave each resident a plant with a lovely note, and the residents were so grateful and pleased that they didn’t even have words to thank the Ladies and Gentlemen. The games, the cakes and the gifts were greatly appreciated. Recognition and Gratitude The Ladies and Gentlemen then announced that they had one final thing to give to the residents … and that was, "Thank you!" The Ladies and Gentlemen explained that many of the residents had worked in the local fields 50 years ago, and had also helped build the hotel. The Ladies and Gentlemen thanked the residents because they had worked so hard to ensure a good future, and without their hard work, there wouldn’t be an Abama Golf & Spa Resort. Several of the residents welled up with tears. They had not expected to be recognized and thanked for their work, and they were truly touched. Before leaving, the Ladies and Gentlemen gave the residents a picture showing the hotel now compared to how it looked 50 years ago—photographic evidence that their hard work had helped create a beautiful property. The Ladies and Gentlemen were grateful to dedicate their time and effort to these wonderful people. It was a magical afternoon! ∞ The Ritz-Carlton invites you to participate in Give Back Getaways. Our guests are invited to join our employees in half-day voluntourism experiences that contribute something meaningful to our communities. Each Give Back Getaways project is unique to the destination, and there is one constant — each experience makes a lasting contribution.    .

Medical professionals have years and years of training and often decades of experience. Their purpose is to restore patients to health and save lives. Their profession is learned and noble and can seem a little mismatched when paired with the hospitality industry. We can all agree that fluffing pillows and putting mints on beds is hardly the top priority in healthcare. But what about making patients feel comfortable? Healthcare—as well as hospitality—must pay close attention to the needs of their patients/customers. Front line staff should have the skills and support to interact with patients/customers and with each other. Dr. Kamal Sawan, Chief at Oklahoma University Physicians Plastic Surgery, recently spoke with The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center and pinpointed three key business practices that he learned from The Ritz-Carlton that have impacted his medical practice. Business Practice #1: Provide a Warm Welcome Dr. Sawan: Most people’s blood pressure goes up the moment they walk into a physician’s office because of the stress of the unknown. When you walk through the door at The Ritz-Carlton, there’s a comfort zone and literally people feel at home. And they’re made to feel at home. For you to walk into somewhere you’ve never been before and for you to feel completely at ease—that’s a remarkable achievement. If patients can walk into a hospital or a physician’s office and immediately feel at ease, their care will be much, much better their satisfaction will be much, much better. A lot of healthcare establishments hire people for the front desk and tell them that their job is to answer the phones. But there’s so much more to it than that. For me, the people at the front desk represent the clinic. They represent me. These people are the gatekeepers, and they set the tone for the patient experience. I let staff know what I expect from them beyond answering the phones, and I rely on my front line staff to create an atmosphere of comfort and responsiveness to patients. Business Practice #2: Meet Expressed and Unexpressed Needs Dr. Sawan: Twenty years ago, the approach to healthcare was patients first. Doctors were trained about bedside manner—how to approach and treat the patient was of primary importance. This focus on the patient has disappeared, and now the emphasis tends to be on scutwork and quotas. But with HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), lots of people in the healthcare industry are zoning more toward how can we provide better service for the patient so they are satisfied. The Ritz-Carlton has a great reputation for providing excellent service and shows how to pick up tiny little clues and non-verbal communication. After attending Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton and "Radar On-Antenna Up": The Ritz-Carlton’s Fulfillment of Unexpressed Wishes and Needs in 2008, I initiated "Service with a Smile." I meet with staff for 30 minutes every Friday to review customer care concepts. My staff is more engaged with patients, and now they remember details like birthdays. Patients often call and ask for staff assistants by name. More importantly, the staff knows their patients as more than just transactions, and we’re committed to providing more personalized service. Business Practice #3: Cultivate Culture Dr. Sawan: What we can learn from The Ritz-Carlton is how do they do it—how do they engage the customers and how do they engage their staff to provide that exceptional service that results in satisfied clients. I recently attended The Ritz-Carlton Executive Education Program, and I learned that changing a culture takes time. I’m a surgeon, and surgeons don’t have a lot of patience. We like to see results. But I’ve learned that if the whole culture is going to change, it does take a little time. Consistency is key, and change will happen. You have to look at the big picture and then downward to the details. But never forget the big picture. The big picture is always important. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center is offering a one day class called: "Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton—Best Practices for Service Excellence in Healthcare" on Monday, February 10 at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City in Arlington, VA. Learn the basics of how to create a service culture that not only improves your customer experience, but also plays a role in the foundation of your healthcare organization.

Last week The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. announced the debut of Ritz Kids, a fun and engaging program for children. Through an expanded partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, The Ritz-Carlton has crafted experiences that appeal to children’s innate love of discovery and sense of curiosity. Childhood is a wonderful time of learning, and these early years of development often provide lessons that stay with us for a lifetime. Many of these first lessons come through children’s books where our favorite characters serve as role models. Our fictional friends teach us about everything from adventure to friendship—and even how to be a leader. Of course, not every character approaches leadership in the same way. "IT IS NOT OUR ABILITIES THAT SHOW WHAT WE TRULY ARE. IT IS OUR CHOICES." - ALBUS DUMBLEDORE Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series, could best be described as a paternalistic leader. He takes care of everyone and ushers Harry through needed life lessons. Dumbledore is wise, talented and respected, but he remains humble. Whether Dumbledore is tackling an administrative challenge—such as arguing with Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic—or addressing an external threat—such as battling with Voldemort, the Dark Lord—Dumbledore never loses his integrity. He stays calm and levelheaded in every situation. He demonstrates that leaders must use grace, diplomacy, perseverance and strength to overcome obstacles. "NEVER HURRY AND NEVER WORRY." - CHARLOTTE Charlotte A. Cavatica, the spider from the book Charlotte’s Web, is more of an authoritarian leader. To be fair, she’s working under enormous deadlines— her short life span and the possible demise of Wilbur, her best friend. Also, she doesn’t have the strongest team. Wilbur is a panicky pig, and Templeton is a rat. Anyone who’s worked with a rat understands that close supervision is necessary. Charlotte is a consummate strategist. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of her team, and she assigns them tasks based on their unique skill set. She also understands her audience—the humans, and she knows how to create a plan that is executable and achieves the desired results—Wilbur’s life is saved. Despite her autocratic nature, Charlotte has a great deal of compassion. She dedicates herself to saving Wilbur’s life, and she treasures his friendship. "YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM, AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK." - CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Christopher Robin, from the Winnie-the-Pooh books, is a democratic leader. His "team"—Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Tigger and Owl—can function without him. However, when there are big problems—like Winnie-the-Pooh getting stuck in the honey tree—he’s there to lend wisdom and a helping hand. He’s also willing to consider others’ solutions and ideas. Christopher Robin is a caring leader. He repeatedly puts Eeyore’s tail back on and helps Winnie-the-Pooh with his schemes to acquire honey. He also recognizes and celebrates the successes of his team. When Winnie-the-Pooh seems to rescue Piglet, Christopher Robin suggests throwing him a hero party. "AGE IS FOOLISH AND FORGETFUL WHEN IT UNDERESTIMATES YOUTH." - ALBUS DUMBLEDORE Dumbledore, Charlotte, and Christopher Robin are just a few of the leadership examples in children’s literature. We’d love to hear from you. What childhood books or characters inspired you? Who are some of your favorite fictional leaders from your youth? ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a course called: "It’s All About Leadership at The Ritz-Carlton." This class focuses on 12 principles from The Ritz-Carlton designed to inspire leaders to further engage and inspire their employees who in turn will further engage your customers. The class is available as a keynote or as an on-site presentation.  

There’s been a lot of focus on customer service this past year. We enjoy seeing organizations become more customer/client/patient-centric and applaud this progress. However, according to recent research, there’s still room for improvement. Here are our top five customer service phrases or practices that we’d like to see exiled from use: 1) "I can’t help you. There’s nothing I can do. You’ll have to call customer service." Customer service should not be considered a department with boundaries. Every employee in your company is in customer service, and each employee should be committed to owning and resolving issues. Your customers/clients/patients shouldn’t have to jump through hoops and play phone tag in order to get help. Solution: Make sure your organization’s culture is focused on meeting the needs of customer/clients/patients, and empower your employees to handle issues right away. 2) "Call during our business hours." or "Call back Monday. We don’t work on the weekends." It may be challenging and expensive for your organization to help customers after normal business hours, but the fact remains that customer issues happen 24/7. Forcing customers to communicate in your time frame tells the customers that their needs are not your top priority. When customers have to work harder to communicate with you, they become more frustrated with your organization and your service. Solution: Offer multiple ways for your customers to contact you. Make sure there’s at least an email address clients can use to contact you after hours. Show your customers that you value and support them. 3) "Please stay on the line, and your call will be answered in the order that it was received. Your call is very important to us." And then music, music, music—followed by a click and a dial tone. It’s very frustrating to wait on hold for 15 minutes only to be hung up on. It happens. There’s going to be human error, and we should recognize that. On the other hand, if you’ve told me repeatedly that I’m "important," and then left me waiting in a black hole—with no idea of when I might receive help—and then you hang up on me—you should also understand that you’ve just lost my trust. I did everything you asked, and you abandoned me in my time of need. Solution: Be careful about what expectations you set with clients. You can’t just claim to care. Your actions have to show you care. 4) "They made me do it." or "It’s the computer’s fault." or "It’s company policy." It’s not easy to be on the front lines and face upset customers each day. It’s a tough job. Your computer may fail daily, or you might have to follow a company policy that doesn’t seem entirely fair to you. It’s human nature to feel defensive but that’s not going to solve the problem. Telling customers that their problem is, "not your fault" doesn’t make the customers’ problem any better. Solution: Keep the focus on problem resolution. Tell the customer what you’re doing to fix the problem and don’t participate in "the blame game." 5) Forgetting to say, "I’m sorry." Your customer is upset. There’s a problem. Most likely, you had nothing to do with it. In fact, it may even be the customer’s fault. Regardless of what has happened or why it happened, you’re now faced with a disappointed client and possibly a client that has lost some faith in your organization. Even if it’s not your fault, it won’t hurt you to accept responsibility by saying you’re sorry. Most likely, it will help your customer calm down and focus on next steps. Solution: Saying, "I’m sorry" is about expressing empathy. It shows customers that you recognize and relate to their difficulty. At The Ritz-Carlton, we’re continuing to look for improved and better methods to meet our customers’ needs. We encourage you to join us in this endeavor. Spend December identifying any shortcomings in your organization, and let’s make 2014 a memorable year of legendary service for all of our customers.  ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton." Learn the basics of how to create a service culture that not only improves your customer experience, but also plays a role in the foundation of your company.

The holidays are a wonderful time to share joy and goodwill. Although this is something The Ritz-Carlton strives to do throughout the year, these gestures of kindness are often times appreciated more during the holiday season. We hope that you will enjoy these stories of Christmas cheer, and we wish all of our readers a happy holiday season. A Second Home Discovered Over Holidays An American guest was staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen over the Christmas season. The Ladies and Gentlemen of the hotel knew the guest was disappointed that he couldn’t celebrate Christmas with his family, and the hotel staff did not want the guest to feel homesick during his stay in China. The Duty Manager worked with the Guest Relations Manager and the Guest Relations Department to create a personalized Christmas card for the guest. The Duty Manager took pictures of Ladies and Gentlemen from each department holding letters of the alphabet. Then he glued all the letters into a large Christmas card that spelled out the guest’s name and "Merry Christmas." All the Ladies and Gentlemen wrote a personalized Fond Farewell and Christmas message in the card, and it was placed in the guest’s room the night before his departure. A few days later, the General Manager received the following email from the guest: "I am returning to the U.S. to spend New Year’s Day with my sons and daughters, but The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen is now my second home. I will never forget the Ladies and Gentlemen at The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen. Your warmth and general care touched my heart deeply, and you are forever my family in China!"   The Lost Luggage Christmas Crisis An In-Room Dining Gentleman at The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago was dropping off an early breakfast, when he heard an upset guest. The guest had just learned that her suitcase—containing all of her hygienic products and clothes—was lost by the airline. The guest was devastated because not only were her clothes gone, but it would be nearly impossible to buy new clothes on Christmas Day since all stores nationwide were closed by law. The In-Room Dining Gentleman decided to go out and try to find an open store. He visited nearby malls and outlets but only met with disappointment. So he spent two hours traveling to the downtown parts of the city in hopes of finding a small store. When all hope seemed lost, he found two stores that were closing up. He told the story of what had happened and pleaded with one of the business owners. The business owner had a big heart and agreed to let the In-Room Dining staff person in the store. He bought the hotel guest pajamas, socks and most of the items that were important to her. Then he returned to the hotel, had the hotel gift store wrap all the items and left them in her room with a handwritten note that said: "On behalf of The Ritz-Carlton, we apologize for the inconvenience you have undergone with your luggage, but we are happy to give you these articles of clothing. We hope it is to your liking, and if there is absolutely anything else that we can assist you with, please let us know. We will be more than happy to help out. We wish you a very merry Christmas on behalf of our in-room dining team."   It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas An Australian couple stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas during a business trip over a Christmas weekend. The couple was especially taken with The Club Lounge and its beautiful Christmas tree. The couple told the Club Lounge Manager that their frequent business travels usually deprived them of the opportunity to enjoy the holidays with family and to enjoy a Christmas tree at home. The husband joked that he might need to sneak back into the lounge late at night and drag the Christmas tree to their room. Shortly after this conversation, the couple went out to dinner. When they returned to The Ritz-Carlton and entered their room, they were stunned to see that a full-size Christmas tree had been set up—complete with decorations and sparkling lights. Beneath the tree were gifts for the couple from the hotel, including handwritten cards from The Ritz-Carlton "family." Their room was filled with the true spirit of Christmas! After his stay, the husband sent a heartfelt email to the hotel. Here is an excerpt: "The happiness that The Club Manager brought to us cannot be expressed in words. This letter is a testimonial to the exceptional degree of care and customer service offered by both The Club Manager and other hotel staff members. "As background, my professional career has afforded me the opportunity to travel the world and be directly involved in running major customer service organizations. I am often asked to comment and consult on customer service issues. Unfortunately, the majority of this involves advising organizations on deficiencies and ways to improve. This is often the case with so-called "five star" hotels. "I am now delighted and at the same time inspired to be able to write to you to highlight the truly exceptional examples of service that your staff demonstrated. I have never experienced such intuitive, genuine customer service in over 25 years of travel and business. What your staff did for us over this Christmas period will remain forever in our memory. "I hope that you will share this story with your staff, and I am happy for you to use my testimonial as you choose as an example of the world’s best service that two of your "Ritz-Carlton family" provided. Thank you once more for making this Christmas the most memorable ever."   A Christmas Tree Surprise & Delight A week before Christmas, a family arrived at The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common. A few of The Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen noticed that their six-year-old daughter seemed sad as she quietly looked at other children who were having their picture taken in front of the Christmas tree. The Ladies and Gentlemen learned that the little girl had been ill and that the purpose of their visit was to take her to The Children’s Hospital for further treatment. One of the Gentlemen immediately befriended the six-year-old and found out that she loved big Christmas trees. He told her all about a beautiful 40-foot tree at Faneuil Hall. The little girl was exhausted from all the tests and checkups but that did not stop her from rushing out with her parents to see the tree at Faneuil Hall. While they were out, the Ladies and Gentlemen got to work! They ran to a nearby store and bought several presents; they wrapped them and placed them in the guests’ room. But something was still missing. Within a few minutes the Ladies and Gentlemen set up a 7-foot tree in their room as well. One hour later, the little girl and her parents returned to the hotel. When they opened the door to their room, a bright and gleaming Christmas tree appeared before them. The little girl screamed out of joy! She opened her presents and a personal Christmas card signed by all The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common Ladies and Gentlemen. The parents came to the lobby to express their sincerest gratitude. They said that they had not seen their daughter smile in days and that she had not stopped smiling since she saw the tree. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "Radar On-Antenna Up: The Ritz-Carlton Method for Fulfilling Unexpressed Wishes and Needs." There is no greater experience in service delivery than to surprise and delight a customer, and this program shows how the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton take service excellence to the highest levels every day.

What skills would you like to learn or refine in 2014? Now is a great time to set professional development goals, and reading is a great way to discover new ideas, tools and strategies. We’ve compiled a list of 10 books that offer good advice on communications, customer service, employee engagement, leadership development and organizational culture. 1) "Leading Through Uncertainty" by Ray Davis with Peter Economy Discover how Umpqua Bank emerged from the great recession better and stronger than ever. For those who want to make a difference in their organization, this is a must-read. 2) "The Truth About Getting The Best From People" by Martha I. Finney If you’re looking for ways to boost employee engagement in 2014, you’ll find dozens of practical ideas in this book. The second edition includes tips for managing virtual and multi-generational teams. Go team! 3) "The Exceptional Presenter" by Timothy Koegel Even world-class presenters can pick up new techniques to ‘better their best’ from this material on how to enthrall audiences. 4) "Crucial Conversations" by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler Every leader should have this book handy as a resource. It provides the tools for addressing issues in a manner that’s safe and productive. 5) "Managing Transitions" by William Bridges This book is especially helpful for mergers, acquisitions and re-organizations, but it’s also helpful for any organization looking for ways to help staff embrace workplace changes in general. 6) "Drive" by Daniel H. Pink This book reveals what really motivates people and provides tools for leaders on how to engage their employees. 7) "The Why of Work" by Dave Ulrich and Wendy Ulrich This book explores how important it is for people to have meaning in their lives. Employees who understand the purpose of their work—not just how to do their jobs—tend to volunteer their best every day. 8) "Switch" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath The goal of this book is to provide the tools to overcome instinctual resistance to change. By managing both your rational and emotional systems, the authors stress that you can make changes more easily and quickly. 9) "The Speed of Trust" by Stephen M. R. Covey Trust is an integral part of a successful organization, and this book shares examples and tips for inspiring trust in all of your relationships. 10) "The Three Signs of a Miserable Job" by Patrick Lencioni Employees continue to look for connection, relevance and purpose, and this story shows how the approach used by a manager can impact a team and an organization. What business books have impacted you the most? Are there any books published within the last year that you feel are destined to become business classics? Let us know what books you recommend to your colleagues. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a three-day Executive Education Program. This program is designed for senior executives who wish to lead sustainable positive change in their organization. Participants return to their organization with an action plan to implement their key learning from the session.

How many people in your company work in sales? How many people at your business work in marketing? How many people in your organization work in customer service? (Hint: The answer is the same for all of these questions.) Everyone in your company—no matter their specific job title—can help with sales, marketing and customer service. Even if you never see a customer, you’re still able to promote and represent your company. Sharing positive feedback with vendors, colleagues and friends will help market through word-of-mouth. But how can you help with customer service if your interactions with clients are limited? Here are three ways in which everyone has the chance to contribute to customer service: 1) Improve a Process No matter what your job is, try to view your organization through the eyes of your client. Is your company easy to do business with? Or do your customers have to maneuver an obstacle course in order to give you money? Keep a customer-centric mindset at all times. Employees and staff who never or rarely deal with customers may be tempted to favor administrative efficiency over customer satisfaction. When solving even the smallest business problems, your first question should be, "How will this impact the customer?" Service Value 5 at The Ritz-Carlton is, "I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience." This business practice emphasizes that everyone in the organization is responsible for refining the customer experience. 2) Listen to Customers On the rare occasion you speak with a customer, make sure you listen to what your customer needs. If the customer has reached you by mistake, your instinct may be to cut the customer off. Even if it’s not your job, listen to what the customer needs. You may have to transfer the customer to a co-worker, but if you listen and respond to the customer with empathy, this will help your customer feel cared for and less like a football that’s merely being passed down the field. If you never have direct contact with clients, there are other ways that you can "listen" to them. For example, you could pull data such as web page analytics to review through the lens of customer feedback. This type of data can provide important clues on how to improve customer experience. Service Value 2 at The Ritz-Carlton is, "I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests." You can’t be responsive if you’re not listening. The Ladies and Gentlemen working at The Ritz-Carlton understand part of their role—regardless of their job title—is to listen, pay attention and respond to customers’ needs. 3) Own Customer Problems Although your interactions with clients may be limited, when you have the opportunity to help a customer, be sure to own the situation. You may need to refer the customer to a colleague who is in a better position to address the challenge, but you can still follow up and ensure that the customers’ needs are met. The Leadership Center had the opportunity to train staff at one hospital to be more alert to customer needs and take responsibility for problem resolution. Not long after this training, one of the maintenance workers was in a patient’s room and noticed the patient’s face was turning blue. The maintenance employee quickly found medical staff and they were able to save the patient’s life. Before the training this employee rarely noticed the patients, but once he understood that patient experience was part of his role he was empowered to take action, which consequently, saved a life. Service Value 6 at The Ritz-Carlton is, "I own and immediately resolve guest problems." Even if your day-to-day tasks don’t have you regularly connecting with customers, you should always view the customers’ needs as a priority. With that mentality, you won’t hesitate to help should a need arise. When your company adopts a true customer service focus, then all of your staff will naturally accept responsibility for the welfare and care of your customers. Clearly, an entire company of committed customer service agents is better than one small, devoted department. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton." Learn the basics of how to create a service culture that not only improves your customer experience, but also plays a role in the foundation of your company.

Once upon a time, the C-Suite had a meeting to brainstorm cost-saving measures. Each executive had an idea on how to reduce expenses. The CFO felt that marketing could cut back on advertising, and the CMO suggested that they consider outsourcing accounting tasks. Each recommendation was met with objections and counter points, and it seemed as if no one’s ideas were going to move forward. Finally, someone suggested a change in how the frontline staff operates. The idea was logical and seemed as if it would save thousands of dollars. They quickly agreed to this modification and within a week, they sent an email to all employees informing them of the new process. But the story doesn’t end there. When the C-Suite met the following quarter, they discovered that their innovative idea had streamlined one task but created more work down the line—resulting in overtime expenses. Their cost-saving initiative wasn’t cost saving at all. It actually increased the organization’s expenditures. Although the tale above is fictitious, many organizations have been through a similar scenario. What seems like common sense to the decision makers in the room, can turn out to be illogical and ineffective. In order to avoid this situation, The Ritz-Carlton employs the following service value: "I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me." This service value is not only a promise to the Ladies and Gentlemen—the employees of The Ritz-Carlton—but it’s also beneficial for the following reasons: 1) Invites Insight It’s easy to look at someone else’s work and make a snap judgment about efficiency or productivity. But when you speak with your staff, you gain a clearer understanding of all that takes place. If the executives in the above scenario had consulted a few of their frontline employees before making a decision, they would have gained valuable perspective that might have enabled them to implement a more successful strategy. 2) Shows Respect When senior leadership makes sweeping decisions without vetting their ideas to staff, employees may feel slighted. They might wonder if management values their input or understands their contribution. 3) Encourages Trust There may be times when an organization needs to make changes without discussing all the details with staff. However, when your decision-making process is transparent and appropriately inclusive, this inspires greater trust and allows employees to feel more secure in their roles. 4) Creates Team When you involve co-workers in the planning process, they naturally feel included. Participation invokes a spirit of unity. It also lays the groundwork for accepting business improvements. Employees often resist change, but when they’ve been engaged in the process, they’re much more likely to be supportive of new initiatives. 5) Prevents Inefficiency As every good carpenter knows, you measure twice, and cut once. You can follow this adage by soliciting feedback from the staff involved in the work prior to making decisions. Having all the right data at the start will allow you to craft your business decisions more effectively. You still may need to refine a new process, but hopefully, you should avoid scrapping it all together. If your organization is interested in cultivating employee engagement, then be sure to include the proper people in the planning of the work. Employees who feel valued for their contributions will be more committed to your organization and more invested in helping it improve and grow. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a course called: "It’s All About Leadership at The Ritz-Carlton." This class focuses on 12 principles from The Ritz-Carlton designed to inspire leaders to further engage and inspire their employees who in turn will further engage their customers. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, in Atlanta, celebrated its 30-year anniversary in January 2014. In honor of this milestone, we’re sharing two guest stories that exemplify the level of personal service the hotel has continued to provide over the last three decades. One Fine Clay On a beautiful fall weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, a mother and her daughter arrived for a vacation at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. The daughter had recently started attending one of the local universities, and her mother had traveled from London to visit and to give her daughter a break from her studies. To celebrate their weekend together, the guests booked appointments in the Spa, including a relaxing massage. While preparing the daughter for her treatment, the Massage Therapist inquired as to how she was enjoying being a new student at the university. The guest told the Massage Therapist that she really liked Atlanta and was enjoying her college experience. However, she shared that she was disappointed in the quality of one of her classes. The guest explained she is very passionate about ceramic arts and had hoped she would be able to expand her skills through her sculpting class. Unfortunately, she felt the class was not living up to her expectations. As it turns out, the Massage Therapist also had a passion for ceramics. Wanting to provide a warm welcome to Atlanta for the guest, the Massage Therapist decided to put together a special gift. That evening, the Massage Therapist went to one of her favorite local art supply stores and purchased her favorite brand of clay, "104 & Dixon," as well as some wooden sculpting tools, a spray bottle for moistening clay, and a selection of fine ceramic art magazines. The Massage Therapist created a gift basket and included a letter with both the contact information for her favorite ceramic supply shop as well as a list of local art studios offering ceramics classes. For the final personal touch, the Massage Therapist gifted two ceramics pieces that she had personally crafted, including a small jewelry box and a leaf ornament. The daughter was delighted with the gift. The guests were so impressed. They agreed they would stay at the hotel again during her mother’s next visit.   Mystery of the Vanishing Taxi Upon arriving at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, a guest realized that he had left his briefcase with some very important papers in the back of his taxi. In fact, the papers were crucial for him to close a $16 million (US) dollar real estate transaction. The guest was quite distraught, and he approached the Bell Stand Attendant and told him what had happened. The guest had been very distracted during his travels in thinking about the enormous business deal he was about to close and did not pay attention to type of car or the company the taxi belonged to. Unfortunately, the only significant detail about the trip that the guest could remember was the fact that his driver was female. The Bell Stand Attendant immediately called the airport Taxi "Starter" and left all pertinent details with them. While they said they would check into it, the taxi company did not seem confident they would be able to identify the car with so little information. To solve the problem, the Bell Stand Attendant shared the guest’s predicament with Loss Prevention. Together, they were able to pull up the security videotape from when the guest arrived and determine the make and color of the taxi. Luckily, they were even able to pull up the license plate number from the vehicle! With this new information, the Bell Stand Attendant drove to the airport taxi stand and worked with the drivers to track down the taxi in question. After approximately 45 minutes, the driver returned to the airport. When they opened the trunk of the car, they were relieved to find the missing briefcase. The Bell Stand Attendant then returned to the hotel with the briefcase and gave it back to the very grateful guest. The next morning the guest shared his experience with the Hotel Manager. The guest was so impressed by the efforts of the Ladies and Gentlemen that he was moved to tears. He conveyed his gratitude to the Bell Stand Attendant for going far and beyond what he would have expected from a hotel employee. He said this experience would remain with him forever, and he would use it as an example with his own staff to encourage them to increase their level of engagement with their customers. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "‘The Fire Within’ - Igniting Passion for Ritz-Carlton Performance Excellence." This class shows leaders how to ignite and sustain employees’ passion for customer service excellence. 

There are countless ice cream flavors in the world. Imagine ordering a bowl of spaghetti and cheese ice cream. Or how about a couple of scoops of oyster ice cream? Of course, the reigning favorite flavor in the United States is vanilla. There are people who honestly enjoy vanilla ice cream, but often, vanilla is chosen because of its neutrality. It’s typically the least objectionable flavor when you’re trying to please a large crowd. IS YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE VANILLA? Your customer service standards can be thought of in the same way. Are they basic, predictable, and unchanged? You may be proud that you’re offering reliable service, but your clients may construe your standards as the expected service. If you check into a hotel room, you expect the rug to be vacuumed, the bed to be made, and the bathroom to be clean. This is the bare minimum that is provided to every guest. You haven’t received anything special, and you probably won’t be Tweeting, "Checked into hotel. Bed was made!" In order to stand out and make an impression on your customers, you need to move beyond vanilla—beyond basic customer service. HAVE YOU ADDED SPRINKLES TO YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE? Certainly, you’ve read about customer experience and "wow" moments. A customer experience is akin to receiving a waffle cone dipped in chocolate and covered with sprinkles. It’s memorable, worthy of a photo, and will most likely delight your client. Customer experiences are often thought of as grand gestures, but small acts of consideration have the potential to impress your clients as well. For example, if you check into a hotel room and the rug is vacuumed, the bed is made, and the bathroom is clean—but this time there’s also a hand-written note to you. Or maybe there’s a complimentary fruit basket because the hotel is recognizing you for your repeat business. Extra efforts like these are more likely to be noticed and appreciated by your customers. Customer experiences can make your clients feel valued and recognized, but do they generate customer loyalty? DID YOU KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER LIKES BACON ICE CREAM? In order to provide legendary customer service, you must talk to your clients and genuinely connect with them. You must make customer engagement a top priority. When you take this approach to service, you can anticipate your clients’ needs. You can have a pint of bacon ice cream ready to serve them because you know that’s their favorite. Without knowing your clients and understanding their preferences, your hand-crafted customer experiences may fall flat. This has even happened at The Ritz-Carlton. A bottle of wine was once sent as an amenity gift to a speaker for an Alcoholics Anonymous event. Mistakes like that show the importance of being aware and alert. Remember—you’re building a relationship with your client, and who doesn’t appreciate an attentive partner? Customer engagement is not something that happens once and then is done. It’s a continual conversation. You can’t assume your clients have the same preferences today that they had five years ago. People change. Customer engagement means communicating with your clients and discovering how to adjust and evolve the customer experience to better fit their needs. CONSIDER A NEW FLAVOR You may think your vanilla customer service is working for you. Clients aren’t complaining, and your staff is comfortable offering basic service. But if you want to stand out from your competition, generate word-of-mouth, and instill customer loyalty—then it may be time for you to move beyond vanilla. Begin by genuinely engaging with your clients, and then tailor your customer experiences to meet their needs. As you build trust and create customer loyalty, you’ll see the benefits of trying a new flavor of customer service. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a full-day program called: "The Ritz-Carlton Experience…‘It’s Our Pleasure.’" This dynamic and interactive presentation offers you the opportunity to observe The Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentleman in action. It also includes a one-hour debrief to help you identify which business practices you can implement at your organization. 

Transformation is Dr. Blackman’s specialty. As an orthodontist, Scott Blackman skillfully straightens crooked teeth, changing the appearance of the children and adults who come to him for help. But that’s not all he transforms. A champion of service excellence, Blackman reshaped the culture of his orthodontist practice from the inside out, enabling his staff to deliver customized service to every patient. When his professional career began 18 years ago, Blackman felt something was missing from the service he provided. He recognized outstanding service in other businesses but found it to be sorely lacking in the healthcare industry. A visit to a healthcare professional typically meant patients spent long periods in the waiting room and received impersonal service … exactly what Blackman didn’t want happening in his office. An Inspirational Greeting A pivotal experience in 2012 became the motivation for Blackman to look for ways to transform the service his patients received. "It was when my family and I were vacationing at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Resort," he explained. "We walked around a corner in the hotel and an employee we hadn’t even met yet greeted us with, ‘Hello Dr. and Mrs. Blackman, how are you this afternoon?’" That simple guest experience made a huge impression. Later that day, while relaxing on the beach, Blackman thought, "This is what I’m talking about," referring to the service his family had experienced. "What if we married this with what we do?" Thinking the question through, Blackman concluded, if people choose to stay in hotels based on service standards, the same philosophy would apply when families select an orthodontist for their dental care. Yet, he wasn’t sure how to put a system in place that would bring about the necessary changes. Building and Staffing for Service Excellence Throughout his quest for new and higher service standards Blackman read books, did research and eventually found what he was looking for when he attended two Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center courses: "Legendary Service—Best Practices for Service Excellence in Healthcare," and "’Radar on-Antenna Up’: The Ritz-Carlton’s Fulfillment of Unexpressed Wishes and Needs." These, plus a multi-day Executive Education program with The Leadership Center team, allowed Blackman to take all the "big, important ideas" he wanted his practice to embody and put them into a format to devise a system for change and sustainability. "From our hiring process to performance assessments to benchmarking results, we basically had to redevelop everything," Blackman said. With his personalized service standards, goals and business credo in place, Blackman headed back to his office, ready to implement the changes. Part of Blackman’s culture transformation included moving his practice into a newly built facility; one he put a lot of planning into, "based on the service we wanted to deliver," he explained. As a result, the design of the interior space enhanced his patients’ experience and eliminated wait times. "We wanted to live up to our promise to each patient so we created multiple common areas where the floor plan helped relieve any bottlenecks in the office." When asked what the biggest hurdle to delivering exceptional customer service was, Blackman quickly responded, "You have to find the employees who have heart. It isn’t easy to obtain and retain the best people, but it has to be done." Today Blackman says he has "the strongest team of employees in 18 years." Made up of new and long-term personnel, the team is made to feel like family and is encouraged to treat patients the same way. "My employees take ownership in their work," said Blackman, who relies heavily on his staff to deliver service well beyond the norm. "There’s no need to micromanage when you hire people you trust and believe in." Aligning to Service Standards Daily The service standards Blackman and his employees practice align closely with those performed at Ritz-Carlton properties. For example, each morning before patients arrive, Blackman and his team gather for their "Line Up" where everyone stands in a circle to review their 10 service standards. Next, they discuss their version of The Ritz-Carlton’s "Three Steps of Service," — key principles and objectives for interacting with patients. Always use the patient’s name when greeting and speaking with them; review what service the patient is there for Anticipate patients’ needs and never leave a patient alone in a room Make sure patients get the "fond farewell" — a personalized "thank-you" and "good-bye" followed by an escort to the front office Blackman’s team takes time to note specifics of their patients’ lives, like anniversaries and birthdays, making it easy to mention those details during an appointment. They’ve even gone so far as to make sure a patient’s favorite tea is available when they arrive for their appointment. Proper Maintenance In addition to focusing externally on their clients, Blackman and his team tackle internal procedures with what he calls "problem management." "For instance," said Blackman, "we discuss any broken systems where we didn’t do what we wanted to in a given situation," a critical element when resolving issues and fine-tuning the system. Reflecting on the success of the culture transformation he achieved, Blackman says he is "amazed" at how his employees and patients benefit from the best practices he put in place. They genuinely feel the effect of his motto, "We’re family serving family," which is apparent from his employees’ posts on the office Facebook page, "Reflections, An Orthodontic Experience" and from patient testimonials such as, "The doctors and staff are wonderful professionals who go above and beyond my needs," and "From the beginning, Dr. Blackman … made us feel as if we are part of the ‘family.’" Now that’s something to smile about! ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center is offering a one day class called: "Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton—Best Practices for Service Excellence in Healthcare" on Tuesday, April 29 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in McLean, VA. Learn the basics of how to create a service culture that not only improves your customer experience, but also plays a role in the foundation of your healthcare organization.

Is it real? It’s a question you have to ask when you find out that Twitter stories turn out to be hoaxes, reality TV shows can be manufactured, and even foods can be more artificial than real. No one likes to feel tricked or manipulated. This is especially true in customer service. The Credo of The Ritz-Carlton states that: "the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission." Genuine service must come from the heart, and your customers will sense if your kindness is an act or the real deal. What makes each of the two guest stories below so special is that the staff—also known as the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton—genuinely connected with the guests. The Ladies and Gentlemen’s actions were motivated by real caring, and the responses from the guests show how much authentic thoughtfulness is appreciated. Baby’s First Gift One morning, a Spa Attendant at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, greeted a new guest at the Spa. The woman was scheduled for a pre-natal massage, and the Spa Attendant set to work immediately to make her feel relaxed and comfortable. In talking with the guest, the Spa Attendant learned that the guest was expecting the little one in just a few months. The woman disclosed that she and her husband were feeling a little nervous about the life change ahead for them, but were looking forward to their new adventure. During the day at the Spa, the Spa Attendant felt she had built a strong bond with the soon-to-be mother, and decided to make a special gift to commemorate the couple’s new journey into parenthood. Her creative and artistic abilities kicked into high gear and that night she began crafting a full-sized ‘baby adventure book.’ Each page offered an area for a photograph and handwritten note by mom or dad. To add to the baby joy, she sewed 12 different onesies—one for each month of the baby’s first year! Once complete, the Spa Attendant sent her handmade gifts with a personalized note inviting them to continue visiting the hotel once the baby was born. A few days later the hotel received the following note from the guest: "I just received a package from your Spa Attendant … and I am seriously blown away. I am completely overwhelmed and shocked at such a wonderful sweet handmade gift! I LOVED all of it! Thank you!" Remembering A Special Guest After the passing of a guest’s beloved wife, the guest wrote the following note: "I am writing to you to express my deep and sincere THANKS to the Guest Relations Team at The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen. You will be aware of the circumstance that prompted my return to this hotel. When my (now late) wife and I were here in May this year, all the staff were incredibly caring and conscious of my wife’s limitations. Nothing was too much trouble and the Club floor team always remembered her name and asked about her general health. She was diagnosed with a chronic muscle condition 10 years ago, which meant a gradual decline in her muscle capability. She had a wonderful time during our visit. She was unable to walk, so she spent a lot of time in the Club Lounge area. No one expected her to lose her health so quickly, but she passed away suddenly, 5 weeks after our visit to Shenzhen. So, as part of my grieving and to personally thank the staff at The Ritz-Carlton, I have made the trip back. I am OVERWHELMED with the sincerity, care and kindness shown by your team. To be greeted with flowers, a handmade card, and a specially made personal video is something I will never forget. I cannot express my thanks enough to the Ladies and Gentlemen for their thoughtfulness, time and effort in putting together that video. I have a copy to show to my family back in Australia. My wife and I travelled to many international cities around the world and stayed in 5-star hotels everywhere, and we have never (never) experienced the level of personal care and attention that your team provided us. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks to ALL of you." Creating memorable and personal customer experiences begins with genuine customer engagement. Diana Oreck, Vice President of The Leadership Center, advises: "Do not treat your customers in a transactional fashion—as just a head in bed, a deposit/withdrawal or a medical procedure. Your customers are real people, and they want to be recognized as unique individuals." True customer caring is not manufactured or mass-produced. True caring is real and really appreciated. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center is offering a one-day class on Tuesday, May 6 at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester called: "‘Radar On-Antenna Up’: The Ritz-Carlton Way of Fulfilling Unexpressed Wishes and Needs." There is no greater experience in service delivery than to surprise and delight a customer, and this program shows how the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton take service excellence to the highest levels every day.

Word choice and tone are important tools for all employees who speak with customers. Using the right words shows professionalism, kindness, responsiveness, respect, and even reduces any frustration or anger your customers might be feeling. Here are 10 simple ways your staff can improve communications: 1) Use A Proper Greeting. This is the moment when first impressions begin. "Good morning," "Hello," and "Hi" are all good choices. Avoid greetings like: "Howdy Doody," "Hey there," or referring to your customers as "Babe," "Honey," "Dear," or "Sweetie Pie." 2) Be Conversational but Not Overly Chummy. It’s great to chat with customers and ask them "How are you?" However, you shouldn’t treat customers too casually—like old friends who just walked into your living room. They might find it disrespectful. Avoid phrases like: "What’s up?" "How goes it?" and "What’s happening?" 3) Don’t Use Slang and Acronyms. You’re not texting. You’re having a professional conversation. When you use slang or acronyms, your customers might not understand what you’re saying. Customers may also feel your approach is a little too laidback or indifferent. Avoid phrases like: "You guys," "Dude," "No worries," "Huh?" "Wanna" "BTW" and "Oh-Em-Gee." 4) Never Start with a Negative. Rather than starting your sentence with an automatic "no," try starting with a "yes." Voicing negativity, according to the article Words can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman, releases stress chemicals in your brain and your listener’s brain. The article notes "the listener will experience increased anxiety and irritability, thus undermining cooperation and trust." Try saying "What I can do is …" rather than "no." 5) Keep the "Buts" Out. The word "but" often nullifies any positive words that precede it. For example, if you say, "We value your business, but …"— customers will only hear the words after the "but" and will not believe they are valued. "But" can trigger mistrust. Try replacing "but" with "however." 6) Choose Empathy Over Orders. Telling upset customers to "calm down" doesn’t tend to work. The book "Crucial Conversations" states: "It’s not such a good idea to tell others that they need to calm down or that they need to take some time out. They may need the time, but it’s hard to suggest it without coming off as patronizing." Try expressing compassion instead by saying, "I can see you are very upset." 7) Shun Phrases that are Hopeless and Helpless. You want customers to feel that your service is reliable. Phrases like "There’s nothing I can do," "I’m going on break," and "That’s not my job," do not instill trust with your customers. Your customers should never feel lost or abandoned. If you can’t personally help your customer, try saying, "Please allow me to find out for you" or "I will find someone who can better assist you with …". 8) Don’t Ask Customers To Solve Their Own Problems. Customers may need to give you information, fill out a form, or make a phone call in order to resolve a situation. However, when you begin by telling customers, "You need to …" your customers might be annoyed and think you’re making them do extra work. Although you might require their participation, try keeping the focus on the service you’re delivering by asking, "Can you provide me with …." 9) Accept Responsibility. Your customers want problem resolution—not blame and excuses. They don’t want to hear "It’s the computer’s fault" or "It is company policy." Keep your words focused on solutions rather than blaming your company, colleagues or technology. Reassure your customer by saying, "Let me see what I can do for you." 10) Don’t Argue with Your Customer. Your customer may be right. Or your customer may be wrong. Either way, you need to avoid an argument. Saying to your customer, "That could never happen here!" will only aggravate a situation. Try to evoke a more cooperative attitude by saying, "I am so sorry you had that experience." There’s poetry to customer service. When you choose your words wisely, you represent your organization with professionalism, grace, discretion, consideration and respect. You appear responsive and reliable, and you set a tone for your customer service that will leave a favorable impression with your customers. ∞ On June 5th and 6th, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center is offering two one-day classes at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in Charlotte, NC. These programs shows how the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton take service excellence to the highest levels every day.

Many organizations today are jumping on the transparency bandwagon. Author Nan Russell points out in her article Trust: The New Workplace Currency, "Transparency must be thoughtful. It isn’t knowing everything or telling everything." She also asserts that "Transparency that isn’t thoughtful can diminish trust." Regularly Communicating and Listening The Ritz-Carlton has very thoughtfully embedded transparency into its values and culture. One of the ways this is demonstrated is through consistent and direct communication. Each day, The Ritz-Carlton hotels around the world participate in a Daily Line-Up. All employees—from front-line staff to the Chief Operating Officer—participate in this daily meeting. This gathering not only serves to align employees with The Ritz-Carlton culture, but also provides the opportunity to share news about the hotels and the overall organization. Company information is also shared through newsletters, emails and video. Beyond these formal channels of communication, senior leaders are accessible and willing to meet with employees, who are known as the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton. Hervé Humler, President and Chief Operations Officer, often reminds staff that his door is always open. He believes that "Leaders must walk their talk. They must give from the heart, spend time with their employees, and listen." The Ritz-Carlton underscores its commitment to open communication to the Ladies and Gentlemen through Service Value #9. It states: "I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me." This directive contributes to a culture of transparency by ensuring that the Ladies and Gentlemen participate in decisions and changes. The Employee Promise offers further proof of valuing openness by pledging that, "the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment" will be applied. In addition, all the Ladies and Gentlemen around the globe participate in the annual SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. By including everyone in this process, The Ritz-Carlton is demonstrating that each employee’s ideas are valued. Show Me The Numbers Many organizations struggle to communicate openly about financial information. For competitive reasons, they guard this data. However, this lack of transparency can be detrimental. In the article, "Power of Financial Transparency with Employees," Eric Holtzclaw shares his company’s experience. He states that "by opening up the books and allowing others more transparency, more people on the team have a deeper understanding of how the company makes and spends money. And because key employees…know the budgets and review them regularly, we have organizational accountability." Financial information such as budget numbers and year-to-date revenue are shared regularly at The Ritz-Carlton. Ladies and Gentlemen are aware of financial goals and openly discuss numbers. Not only does this instill accountability, but it also fosters a sense of ownership. Everyone is included, and is therefore responsible for achieving financial success. Sometimes companies are reluctant to disclose financial information because it is disappointing. No one wants to send out alarming news, but it is important to share important information such as this. Secrets only cause employees to be suspicious and rumors, with potentially wrong information, to circulate. "When you don’t inform your employees, their imaginations go on overdrive," warns Diana Oreck, Vice President of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. She recommends transparency in order to avoid "psychic turbulence" in the workplace. Millennials seeking transparency Ms. Oreck also notes, "transparent leaders—who don’t hoard information and don’t have hidden agendas—inspire and engage employees." Transparency leads to employee engagement because it fosters trust; allows employees to feel secure and safe; and shows employees how they’re contributing to the company’s mission. At The Ritz-Carlton, the Ladies and Gentlemen know that "the genuine care and comfort of [their] guests is [their] highest mission." Everyone has the same purpose, and this means everyone is on the same team—working toward the same goal. Transparency in the workplace is not simply a passing trend. By 2020, Millennials will be roughly 50% of the USA workforce, and according to the book, "The Millennials" by Thom S. Rainer and Jess W. Rainer, Millennials are "attracted to organizations where the leaders are transparent and open." Any organization that wants to appeal to the workforce of the future should consider adopting a culture of transparency today. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers a one-day class called: "Legendary Service at The Ritz-Carlton." Learn the basics of how to create a service culture that not only improves your customer experience, but also plays a role in the foundation of your company.

Imagine standing in an elaborate trade show booth at a large convention. There you are, alongside your sales team, promoting a high-quality product, talking briefly with customers as they wander in and out of the booth. Yet by the end of the show, you know you didn’t engage with clients in a way that would establish a strong business relationship. That was the dilemma Tom Hull faced … and overcame. In fact, Hull’s dilemma became the impetus for a successful marketing strategy. Hull, Vice President for Precor, explains, "Although we attend trade shows, they’re too big to be effective and connect with customers, so we decided to host a series of our own smaller, regional customer events." As designers and builders of premium exercise equipment for commercial and home use, Precor continues to be well represented at a variety of health and fitness trade shows. Yet, Hull’s smaller events allow him and his sales force to engage with customers in a way that develops individual relationships—relationships that ultimately lead to business deals. CREATING VALUE FOR THE CUSTOMER To orchestrate an event worth his customers’ time, Hull knew he needed a dynamic presenter who could speak to the needs of his audience. As a result, he contacted The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. Recognizing Ritz-Carlton properties as leaders in customer service, Hull arranged for the Corporate Director, Culture Transformation to conduct two half-day sessions for Precor clients that focused on service excellence. "We have a mix of customers we want to connect with," Hull said, "Everyone from club managers of corporate fitness centers to receptionists at hotel spas, as well as owners of large independent health clubs and YMCA staff members." As broad as his client pool is, Hull realized that, "They all have similar interests in creating an ‘experience’ for their members and guests." He further explained, "What Ritz-Carlton does for their guests is nearly identical to what exercisers hope to experience when they visit a fitness facility." And therein lies the magic behind Hull’s strategic plan. Beyond supplying customers with high-quality fitness equipment, he also gives them the opportunity to learn, from the experts at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, how to improve customer service at every level within their organizations. Providing opportunity for engagement At the Precor regional events Hull and his sales team are able to spend more time getting to know their customers. "The meetings allow for a longer conversation," he observed. Within the past two years, Hull has hosted four small, private events throughout the U.S. and Canada where Joseph Quitoni, a speaker and Corporate Director of Culture Transformation for The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, presented two popular courses, "Radar On-Antenna Up": The Ritz-Carlton’s Fulfillment of Unexpressed Wishes and Needs and "The Fire Within" - Igniting Passion for Ritz-Carlton Performance Excellence. "Mr. Quitoni’s message is ‘spot on,’" said Hull, "What I appreciate most about him is his personal warmth; he’s genuine." Hull says the most inspiring part of the presentation is when Precor customers, such as club owners and staff members, hear Ritz-Carlton stories about how employees have excelled at delivering customer service. "It gives them practical ideas around how to connect with and read their own club members." Quitoni enjoys sharing the "wow" stories he receives from General Managers of Ritz-Carlton properties. "The stories are powerful and help prove how one employee can make a difference in a guest’s experience," he says. "I enjoy showing the audience how relevant The Ritz-Carlton stories are to their own businesses." Other course highlights include how to: • identify clients’ "unexpressed wishes" • improve interactions with customers • empower employees, allowing them to address customer needs immediately Encouraging Training to Drive Business Hull noted a key take-away from each course, "The need for companies to commit to training, discipline and creating a culture driven to deliver excellent guest service." He said many companies try to create their own initiatives but without professional advice, such as what The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers, they’re not effective. Yet "effective" is a good way to describe Hull’s new marketing strategy. "The events have helped us accelerate and grow existing deals, and also find and win new deals, resulting in sales well above industry averages," he reports. Hull not only sees his Precor events as prime opportunities to drive sales but to connect with clients to help them build their businesses by improving customer service. "There are professional fitness operations out there working hard to train staff to have quality interactions with people who visit their facility," he said. "Doing that well is the most significant thing they can do to drive their business model." Hull and his marketing team see themselves as partners in that effort and that’s exactly the type of relationship they’re striving for. ∞ On Tuesday May 6, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center is offering a one-day class called: "‘Radar On-Antenna Up’: The Ritz-Carlton Way of Fulfilling Unexpressed Wishes and Needs" at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester in White Plains, NY. There is no greater experience in service delivery than to surprise and delight a customer, and this program shows how the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton take service excellence to the highest levels every day.

In today’s global economy, it’s more important than ever to understand the nuances of communicating across cultures. Your gestures, words, style, and tone should adapt to local culture. The rules for basic customs—such as shaking hands, presenting your business card, and even whether to look co-workers in the eye—vary from country to country. What is appropriate in one part of the world may be insulting in another part of the world. For example, many cultures prefer an indirect, referential style when discussing business. While business professionals in the United States tend to take a more direct approach in meetings. In Singapore, you should always present your business card with two hands, and in Dubai you should present your business card only with your right hand. Here are three books that will broaden your understanding of customs around the world and prevent you from making social faux pas as you connect with colleagues and customers globally. Three Books About Cultural Awareness 1) "Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands" by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway "Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands" is a Library Journal "Best Business Books" winner, with over 300,000 copies sold. Fully updated with over 60 country profiles, this comprehensive book shares proper international business protocol and informs readers "how to handle common business interactions with grace, respect and an appreciation for different cultures." The foundation of this book began in the ‘90s when Terri Morrison created a digital database on doing business in 60 countries. For this revision, the introduction states that the authors consulted with "over sixty embassies, hundreds of representatives of private and public sectors, and many institutions of higher education." 2) "Multicultural Manners: Essential Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century" by Norine Dresser This book shares examples of the right words to say and provides readers with the correct behavior to use in a wide range of cross-cultural situations. The back cover of the book states that readers will discover: The dos and don’ts of successful business and social interaction with people from different cultures Appropriate etiquette regarding body language, food, child rearing, clothing, word choices, colors, entertaining, romance, and gift giving Detailed tips on avoiding embarrassment at work, in the classroom, in health care settings, on business trips, at meals, at weddings, at funerals, and on vacations and holidays Amusing firsthand accounts of cultural gaffes that illustrate how miscues happen—and how to avoid them A breakdown of customs, religions, languages, and ethnicities for seventy different countries 3) "Gestures: The Do’s and Taboos of Body Language Around the World" by Roger E. Axtell This book claims that it could save readers from causing an international incident. The book explores the ins and outs of body language from head to toe, and tells readers the cultural significance of simple gestures such as raising your hand to signal the waiter or extending your thumb to hitchhike. You will learn what gestures from all around the world mean. You’ll also discover how to use them and when to avoid them. Culture and The Ritz Kids® Program One way The Ritz-Carlton introduces customers to cultural differences is through the Ritz Kids® program. The content for the Ritz Kids program is designed upon four key pillars: water, land, environmental responsibility and culture. At The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa, there’s an activity for young guests called "When Cultures Meet," and through this activity, young guests learn about cultures that surround them, different customs, and interesting facts around the world. Technology, media and the world economy are breaking down boundaries. The need for a better understanding of cultures is greater than ever. If you want your communications and interactions to be successful on a global level, then you must make the effort to understand the values of your customers and colleagues. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation. 

Customer loyalty may seem like something that is developed over time, but according to ClickFox’s Brand Loyalty survey, 48% of consumers say that the most critical time to gain their loyalty is when they make their first purchase or begin service. This statistic shows the importance of making a good first impression. It also underscores the need to treat every customer—even new customers—as if they are loyal customers right from the start. Kevin Walsh, Senior Director of CRM & Loyalty at The Ritz-Carlton, agrees. "All guests are important and our goal is to create Ritz-Carlton guests for life," notes Walsh. Customer Loyalty at The Ritz-Carlton After conducting guest research and listening to the requests of customers, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program was launched in September 2010. The Gold Standards of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. are the foundation of The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program. The goal of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) at The Ritz-Carlton is to create guests for life and build a bond with our guests so that The Ritz-Carlton will always be their brand of choice. This is supported by some of the core Service Values of The Ritz-Carlton: create Ritz-Carlton guests for life (from Service Value #1) meet the expressed and unexpressed needs of guests (from Service Value #2) create unique, memorable and personal experiences (from Service Value #3) The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program is complimentary to join and offers guests the opportunity to have a deeper relationship with The Ritz-Carlton. When Rewards members share their preferences through their MyAccount Rewards Page, the Ladies and Gentlemen—also known as the employees of The Ritz-Carlton—can better provide anticipatory service and enliven the guests’ experiences. Unique & Memorable Loyalty Events The members receive rewards toward complimentary hotel nights, air flights and luxury merchandise. Also, members can take advantage of exclusive partnerships, special events and offers. "We want to provide ‘access to the extraordinary’ by offering exclusive and unique experiences to our members," Walsh explains. The exclusive member events are intimate gatherings designed to create lasting memories. Events are typically hosted with Rewards partners and, as an example, have included: an evening of education, fine cuisine and art. National Geographic highlighted their Big Cats Initiative and fine art sculpture program over an intimate dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas tours and tastings at private wineries in Sonoma Valley, sumptuous dining in one-of-a-kind settings and the opportunity to meet some of the industry’s most illustrious winemakers a special golf weekend getaway at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, which is coming up on July 11-13. 2014 and includes a private reception and coaching from a legendary golfer These events fulfill Service Value #3—create unique, memorable and personal experiences—and hopefully, also help achieve Service Value #1—create Ritz-Carlton guests for life. One Rewards member who participated in two events has been inspired to spend more time with The Ritz-Carlton. Since the events, the Rewards member took his son on a weekend trip to The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park and enjoyed a getaway with his wife to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. In addition, the Rewards member chose a Ritz-Carlton hotel to celebrate his wife’s birthday as well as his daughter’s graduation. CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT BUILDS LOYALTY The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program also supports the commitment of The Ritz-Carlton to impact the lives of others. Reward members have the option of donating their rewards points to charity and making a meaningful contribution to important causes. Customer loyalty is about commitment, trust and mutual appreciation. If your organization is considering creating a loyalty program, think beyond points, discounts and rewards. Instead, think about how to build relationships. Loyalty can begin when your customer first interacts with your organization, and it should be sustained through attentive service, memorable experiences and true customer engagement. This is The Ritz-Carlton way of creating customers for life. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation. 

The Ritz-Carlton is not only known for its culture of employee engagement, but also for recruiting and selecting passionate employees who are committed to service excellence. Each month, we will feature an interview with an employee—a Lady or Gentleman of The Ritz-Carlton—in order to share an insider’s view of the organization. John Cashion recently became the General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Singer Island, Palm Beach in Florida. The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (RCLC) spoke with Mr. Cashion about his career path and why he has continued to work for Ritz-Carlton for more than 16 years. RCLC: What attracted you to a career in the travel industry? Mr. Cashion: When I was 16 years old, onboard a transatlantic flight, I watched the movie, Pretty Woman. As soon as the actor who played the hotel manager introduced himself, I knew I wanted to be the general manager of a luxury hotel. RCLC: What other positions with Ritz-Carlton did you hold before achieving your dream of becoming a General Manager? Mr. Cashion: I’ve held positions that range from Director of Banquets to Assistant Director of Food & Beverage to Executive Assistant Manager as well as Director of Hotel Operations. RCLC: Why have you remained with The Ritz-Carlton family? Mr. Cashion: I have a passion for service excellence and wanted to continue to grow and develop within a world-class organization and with the company I love. RCLC: The name Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with service excellence. Why is that? Mr. Cashion: Providing excellent customer service is what every employee at The Ritz-Carlton does. They apply the principles of "trust, honesty, respect, commitment, and integrity" toward each other and our guests. These five elements of the Employee Promise impact the guest experience in significant and memorable ways. RCLC: How has the Employee Promise affected your experience with Ritz-Carlton? Mr. Cashion: The Promise goes on to say, "…we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company." I’m a perfect example of that. When you work hard for something, you get a return on your investment; you get your dream. RCLC: In addition to being a General Manager, you’re also an Ambassador for The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. What do you do in that role? Mr. Cashion: I talk with professionals, outside the hospitality industry, about how to deliver excellent customer service. I’m passionate about our brand and want to share my passion with others. RCLC: Would you share a story from your experience that describes what "excellent customer service" is? Mr. Cashion: Sure. Loyal guests were vacationing at the hotel with their daughter, when the wife had a medical emergency. I drove them to and from the hospital and when the wife was released, I made sure they were all comfortable and cared for in the hotel. Shortly thereafter, the husband requested to have a private plane reserved to fly the family home. It would have been easy to have the concierge take care of that important detail, but I was involved from start to finish. When the family was ready to leave the hotel our Ladies and Gentlemen lined up in the hallway to say ‘good-bye’ as the guests left their room. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Afterward, when I drove them to the airport, instead of dropping them off at the private aircraft terminal, I waited until their plane took off before returning to the hotel. Everything we did made our guests feel like family. RCLC: What inspires you about working for a company that encourages you to go out of your way to make guests comfortable? Mr. Cashion: The most inspiring thing is putting smiles on employees’ and guests’ faces. I like to take care of guests as if each of them is a guest for life. RCLC: How do you inspire employees to deliver the type of service you, as General Manager, do? Mr. Cashion: Lead by example. Do what you’re asking them to do. We’re all here for a common goal—to serve genuinely and with focus. I want the best for my employees so I engage in conversations with them and empower them to make decisions that will positively affect the guest. RCLC: Where does your passion for serving others come from? Mr. Cashion: The passion comes from what I do. I’ve never worked a day in my life because I love what I do and when you have a passion for what you do, you don’t think of it as work. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation. 

Do your employees know when it’s OK to ‘bend the rules’? Employees at The JBG Companies do. As one of Washington, DC’s premier real estate firms, JBG encourages employees to "know when it’s OK to bend the rules a little bit and find a way to say ‘yes,’" says Duane Wooldridge, Vice President of Residential Operations at JBG. The Residential Division for JBG manages more than 6,500 apartments for individuals living in the greater DC area. From upscale residences to affordable housing alternatives, JBG provides residents with homes and communities, not just buildings. Teaching How to Say "Yes" "A big challenge for any apartment company is when we fall back on rules, policies, the lease or landlord-tenant law as a way to say, ‘no,’" explained Wooldridge. "At JBG we’re developing a training class to help employees think about how they can say ‘yes’ to tenants more often, without violating the law, the lease or a policy." To help employees assimilate that type of behavior, Wooldridge and his associate, Andy Aument, Vice President of Operations, Residential Services, looked to The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center for guidance. "The Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with world-class service and if you’re going to aspire to be known as a customer-centric service provider in any industry, there’s no better company to emulate than The Ritz-Carlton," commented Aument. Senior associates from JBG met with Diana Oreck, Vice President of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, so she could "get to know our organization — where we currently are, where we’ve been and more importantly, where we’re looking to go," Aument said. Shortly thereafter, Oreck presented the course, "Radar On-Antenna Up: The Ritz-Carlton’s Fulfillment of Unexpressed Wishes and Needs," to 175 JBG employees. "A wide spectrum of employees attended," noted Wooldridge. "Everyone involved in the management of our properties was there; maintenance technicians, bookkeepers, front desk associates along with Asset Managers and Vice Presidents." Creating a Culture of Caring "A lot of what Diana spoke with our team about," Aument recalled, "was being able to connect with customers and each other. ‘Radar On’ applies to how we treat each other, not just the customer. It helps create a culture of caring." Oreck also shared ways to "find opportunities to fulfill the expressed and unexpressed wishes of our customers," Aument said. Providing a tangible example, Wooldridge referred to a recent employee story. "A potential renter was looking at pictures of one of our apartments online. He liked what he saw and was ready to rent. But he made a comment about how he had never rented an apartment - a very important decision - sight unseen before. Our employee sensed the customer’s hesitation and recalling Diana’s discussion about anticipating customer needs that aren’t clearly stated, used his iPad to create a walk-through video tour of the apartment, including the wonderful view from the apartment, something not available on-line. He emailed the video to the gentleman, who got excited and lost all hesitation to rent the apartment." Wooldridge concluded, "I believe that prior to the session with Diana, we would not have invested the extra 5 to 10 minutes to make the video. And I think the fact that the employee knew he had done something good, was probably even more impactful for him than it was for the new resident, who was thrilled." Granting Permission to Meet Customers’ Needs "It takes a lot to empower people," Wooldridge continued, "but The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center showed us how any associate can take charge and fix something that will affect a guests’ stay." As a result, JBG now encourages employees to pay special attention to tenants’ needs, moods and day-to-day circumstances, without being nosey. When a staff member accidentally had a resident’s car towed, the employee not only made sure the car was returned unharmed, he was also encouraged to present the tenant with a $50 gift card so the owner could get the car detailed. Wooldridge said employees aren’t always comfortable making that type of decision on their own. "They need permission to be customer oriented so we’re encouraging them to understand the context of a situation and be creative in how to help." ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation. 

Service Value 3 at The Ritz-Carlton is "I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests." The two stories below illustrate how empowered employees can creatively enliven a guest’s experience. In each story, the Ladies and Gentlemen—also known as the employees of The Ritz-Carlton—were able to transform a special event into a personal, unique and memorable occasion. A PRIVATE SHOWING The first story took place at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Singer Island. One of the owners was preparing to host his beloved granddaughters for the weekend. The Owner wanted to surprise the two girls with a special treat. He knew they had recently seen the Disney movie, Frozen, and had loved it so much they had talked non-stop to their grandfather about it over the phone. For their visit, he decided to reserve the theater in the Residences for a private viewing of the film so that he could surprise them and spend some memorable time together. The Owner approached the Residence Concierge to make the reservation. He explained to the Residence Concierge what his plan was, and she could tell that he was very excited to spend time with his granddaughters. The Residence Concierge confirmed the reservation with the Owner for that weekend and then decided to start making some plans of her own to make the night one that the family would never forget. DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOW THEATER? After some planning and a trip to the store that week, the Residence Concierge came up with an idea to help her really "Wow" the Owner and his granddaughters. She decided to decorate the entire theater in Frozen décor. She purchased movie posters, princess wands, and of course, a treat for the Owner as well—his favorite dark chocolate candies. To top it off, the Residence Concierge researched the film and wrote a personalized note from each of the main characters addressed to the little girls. When the time had come for the family to enjoy their movie, their jaws dropped when they entered the theater. The whole theater was a Frozen wonderland, complete with the special notes from the Disney princesses. The girls were so excited they could barely speak! The Owner was delighted and afterward said, "That was truly a wow moment!" A RETREAT FROM WINTER The second guest story took place at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester. This past year, the Northeastern United States experienced a very cold winter. In many areas, there were recording-breaking cold temperatures and higher than usual amounts of snowfall. In the midst of this long winter, two friends decided to take a weekend trip to try and forget about the cold weather. They wanted to meet someplace warm, but because it was a weekend trip, they could not travel too far away. The two guests decided to travel to New York City for the weekend and agreed to imagine that they were escaping to a tropical vacation in a warmer climate. To give themselves a taste of summer, they decided to book pedicure appointments in the spa—something they usually did together during the warmer months. A few days prior to the their arrival, a Guest Relations member learned of the friends’ plans to treat their vacation in New York as though it were a tropical getaway. Seeing an opportunity to take extra care of these guests, the Guest Relations member contacted the spa to see if they could help deliver the warmth of the tropics to help the guests shake off their winter blues. A SPA-TASTIC DAY On the day of their pedicure appointments, the two friends were welcomed into the spa with gifts of fresh flower leis and soft, island-themed music playing in their treatment room. As they relaxed in the pedicure chairs, they were served a fruit plate arranged with a variety of tropical fruits, including mango, pineapple and fresh papaya. To top off the experience, the spa team ordered special island-inspired drinks for the guests to enjoy. The two friends were in complete awe of the detail and planning that went into their spa visit and were so glad to escape the cold winter—at least while in the spa. UNIQUE, MEMORABLE AND PERSONAL Creating a genuine customer experience begins with customer engagement. You must learn what the customer desires. Once you understand the specific needs of your customer, then you have the right motive and direction for crafting a customer experience that not only produces a "wow" moment, but generates a lasting memory. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation. 

If an employee comes to work coughing and sneezing and clearly unwell, you would probably send the sick employee home. Not only would you want to express care toward the ill employee, but you would also want to prevent the virus from spreading to healthy colleagues and co-workers. Sending the sick employee home is a proper choice for the well-being of all. When it’s physically obvious that an employee might infect the work place, we take action. However, when an employee arrives at work with an "unwell" mental attitude, you may not notice it right away. Negative qualities aren’t always immediately apparent. Employees may act appropriately around you and only infect others behind your back in secret conversations. When this happens, employee engagement can rapidly decline. Diana Oreck, Vice President of The Leadership Center, warns that "Negative attitudes are contagious, and negativity on teams should be handled swiftly." You need to be on the alert for destructive qualities, and you need to address any caustic attitudes before they poison your work place. Here are seven qualities—when left unchecked—can seriously damage employee engagement: 1) Indifference Good employees are dedicated and passionate. When you see employees who no longer care about the quality of their work, it’s time to re-engage them or move them out the door. Employees who are mentally checked out will often drain the enthusiasm from their co-workers. As Oprah Winfrey noted, "Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you." You don’t want listless team members, you want energetic brand advocates that positively impact relationships with customers and co-workers. 2) Laziness You want employees who express initiative and industry. Employees who are always looking for ways to do less can dampen the spirits of your productive employees. They create an unfair working environment. In addition, lazy employees are cheating themselves. Anne Frank, author of "Diary of a Young Girl," noted, "Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction." Lazy employees undermine employee engagement for themselves and their colleagues. 3) Distrust Employees who view everything with doubt and suspicion can prevent others from having confidence in your organization. Trust has to be earned, but if you have employees who seem incapable of trust, then their skepticism may influence your team. Stephen R. Covey, author of "Speed of Trust," points out that "Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships." Without trust, employee engagement will not have the right atmosphere to take root and thrive. 4) Envy Envy is one of the most insidious qualities at work. It opens the door to resentment, rivalry and even prejudice. Leadership expert Dan Shyti notes that "usually top performers become targets of envious employees," and he advises managers to squash envy as quickly as possible. Employees who want what others have detract from employee engagement. Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said, "The spirit of envy can destroy; it can never build." 5) Rudeness There are jobs where you may have to deal with rudeness. For example, if you work in customer service, you may have to interact with angry, disgruntled customers. However, you should not have to endure unkindness from your colleagues. Good work relationships foster employee engagement. Negative and discourteous co-workers can contaminate an otherwise healthy environment. John Ruskin, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist in the late 1800s, pointed out the immeasurable value of treating each other with grace, when he said, "A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money." 6) Selfishness Collaboration and teamwork help employees feel as if they are part of something beyond day-to-day tasks, and when employees feel a greater sense of purpose, this leads to employee engagement. If you have employees who don’t want to be part of a team and who are only focused on their personal goals, this can deter a sense of loyalty to your organization. Brian Tracy, a motivational speaker and author, asserts that "Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities or make the money that you want without becoming very good at it." 7) Complacency When The Ritz-Carlton hires employees, it tries to select candidates who will use their discretionary effort to grow and achieve more. Bill Brister, a Guest Services Supervisor at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, notes when employees begin expressing complacency, all hope for employee engagement is lost. In addition, inattentive and apathetic employees affect the overall morale. Benjamin Mays, a former president of Morehouse College and a social activist, said, "The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities." There are probably moments when each of us has expressed one or more of these qualities, but if you have staff who regularly shares negativity, you should address the situation as soon as possible. The 2013 State of the American Workplace report from Gallup states that "Engaged employees are the best colleagues. They cooperate to build an organization, institution, or agency, and they are behind everything good that happens there. These employees are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work. They know the scope of their jobs and look for new and better ways to achieve outcomes. They are 100% psychologically committed to their work. And, they are the only people in an organization who create new customers." It may seem like a lofty goal to have all your staff engaged, but clearly, the benefits are worth the effort. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers executive education as well as courses and presentations on customer service, employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable culture transformation.