the four seasons philosophy
Post on 28-Nov-2014
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Most Important Factors in Choosing a Luxury Hotel
The hotel offers impeccable service
The hotel is welcoming
The hotel is consistent in providing an experience that meets or exceeds my needs
Offers an overall hotel experience that I would enjoy very much
Offers service that is truly personal, recognizing the needs of the individual
Offers service that leaves me feeling understood, pampered and rejuvenated
Four Seasons is guided by a philosophy summed up in the Golden Rule.
“Treat others the way you would want to be treated.”
Treating employees as they are asked to treat guests amplifies the point even further.
Receiving personal service as an employee powerfully encourages the ability to pass that
service on to others.
The performance benefits of this approach include: lower turnover and a reputation for being an employer
of choice. The emotional benefits of this approach include: being apart of a caring community or family, one that
includes guests as well as staff.
The Golden Rule ethic has been in place for many years.
It has shaped a system of
standards, people, and a culture
that is designed to meet well-understood needs.
Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts was founded in 1961 and has sought ever since to make
personal service its distinguishing
competitive advantage.
The Power of Personal Service
“Most companies hire for experience and appearance, how the applicants fit the company image. We hire attitude. We want people who like other people and
are, therefore more motivated to serve them. Competence we can teach. Attitude is ingrained.”
-Isadore SharpFounder of Four Seasons
Service is the product of people, systems and culture,
which are dynamic and created over time.
Service is single most powerful weapon in a company’s arsenal because:
• It is so important to customers• It is difficult to deliver• It can be differentiated in so many ways
Competing on service is an investment in the quality of staff and the guest experience,
which over the history of the company has been the source of
Profitability l Reputation l
Growth
\
Personal service which delivers
recognition, reassurance, and respect
in authentic and appropriate ways has power to mitigate additional sources of stress.
The desire to serve is innate, there to be discovered, and not be taught by the hiring
organization.
Key characteristics sought in the recruiting processo Pride of association with the besto Pride in the quality of one’s worko Ability to contribute to a team
What Four Seasons calls unique culture is based on a series of insights and beliefs about the person
who provides the act of service, and the one who receives it.
Personal service is
important, distinctive, and memorable
The greatest luxury for our customers is time, and service can help them make
the most of that.
Standards work because they reflect both the guest’s needs and the servers individuality.
Each standard captures: Why the service matters What level of performance is required How that performance should feel to the guest
The Role of Standards
The Role of Values Meaningful acknowledgement of staff through
empathy and respect Leading through actions as well as words Setting high but achievable aspirations in
which every employee can take pride in
A focus on personal service can point the way to continuing innovation which is
meaningful to guests and difficult to duplicate.
• The goal of innovation is continued relevance-attracting new customers over time while retaining those who are already loyal.
Continued Innovation
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