My wife and I just returned from Philadelphia where we spent a weekend at the Ritz Carlton, a venue famous for its customer service experience. Needless to say we were not disappointed. On Thursday, the day before we planned to check in, I received a call from a charming young woman who welcomed me as a guest and offered to review any special needs I might have for the weekend. Since my reservations had been made online I wasn't expecting this level of attention but took the occasion to mention that we would be celebrating my wife's birthday during our stay. She quickly listed several options for complementary services they could offer to make the weekend extra special and after I had made my choice gave me her name and extension just in case I thought of something else before our arrival.
The attention to detail continued Friday morning. It began with a "happy birthday" greeting from our valet and doorman, personal greetings from the registration desk staff before we announced our names, a gift bag and welcome letter magically delivered by a smiling hostess, and a tour of the hotel and our room amenities by a gregarious bellhop. Friday dinner in their restaurant was equally impressive and the beautifully decorated and personalized piece of birthday cake waiting in our room after Saturday night's dinner at a local steakhouse rounded out a fabulous service experience.
It is interesting to observe persons who love to serve. They seem to gain special joy from offering others something of themselves without expecting anything in return. Every employee we met at the Ritz Carlton embodied that love of serving. I'm sure they have been well trained and coached, and I suppose they don't always feel like serving, but it was fun to be on the receiving end of their special treatment.
Leaders could take some lessons from those around us who serve every day. Suppose leaders would pay more attention to how employees are doing (even taking time to know their name)? What if leaders thought more about delighting their customers and personalizing their products and services? Might not the world be a better place if leaders thought less about the value of their stock options and more about the worth of their character? Could loving and caring someday replace layoffs and downsizing?
The world's greatest leaders have all served others - Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Theresa to name a few. I have much to learn from them. While a weekend at the Ritz Carlton won't change me as a leader, it did remind me of the importance of serving others, whether we are getting paid for it or not.
1 comment:
Great reflections. My wife and I spent three days at the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove (Miami) when I was registered there for a conference and it was a lifetime memory. Far beyond the beauty of the facility and our room (which were really beautiful!) it was our experience of the staff that was amazing. Thanks for your article; it brought back lots of great memories. dce
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