Deep Dive: Spiderman and The Ritz-Carlton, an Organization that Empowers Employees & Lives its Identity

The Ritz-Carlton has clearly captured its Identity in its Credo, Promise and Service Values.  To help ensure that the Identity lives, each Ritz-Carlton has a full-time training director.  That’s right – each property has its own trainer.

The Ritz-Carlton is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guest is our highest mission.
We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet refined ambience.
The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.

“We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.”

I am proud to be Ritz-Carlton

1. I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life.
2. I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
3. I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests.
4. I understand my role in achieving the Key Success Factors, embracing Community Footprints and creating The Ritz-Carlton Mystique.
5. I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience.
6. I own and immediately resolve guest problems.
7. I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so that the needs of our guests and each other are met.
8. I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow.
9. I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me.
10. I am proud of my professional appearance, language, and behavior.
11. I protect the privacy and security of our guests, my fellow employees and the company’s confidential information and assets.
12. I am responsible for uncompromising levels of cleanliness and creating a safe and accident-free environment.

Reinforced on an ongoing basis to ensure that they “live”
Each shift has what is called a line-up.  The line-up is where managers cover the details of the shift for their area of responsibility. For food servers, this typically involves understanding food or drink specials and what might be 86 (on the menu but not available).  For front desk staff, the line-up can cover arriving and departing guests, etc.  At each line-up the manager goes over one of the 12 Service Values or stories of how a team member applied one of their Service Values to a touchpoint.

Ritz-Carlton empowers its employees to deliver its Values (see Service Value #3 above). Each has the ability to commit Ritz-Carlton up to a $2,000 expense in the delivery of one of its Values in the service of one of its guests.

Empowered employees advance the Identity
At a conference, the head of The Ritz-Carlton Learning Center shared this story.  A father and his young son were checking into a Ritz-Carlton in New York City, home to Spiderman.  The son looked up at the father and asked, “Do you think we will see Spiderman?”  Later that day, there was a knock on their hotel room door.  Envision the look on that child’s face when the door was opened to reveal – Spiderman.

This lifetime memory was provided by a janitor.  He overheard the son’s question as he did some light cleaning around the front desk when the father and son checked in.  Empowered by Ritz-Carlton, this employee contracted with an agency to deliver the Spiderman experience.  Wow!

What are your employees empowered to do to advance and live your Identity and wow your customers?

Remember, to your customers, you are your touchpoints.

This post an excerpt from my book, TOUCHPOiNT POWER! Get & Keep More Customers, Touchpoint by Touchpoint (William Henry Publishing, 2013).  Now available!  For information and to order, visit TouchpointPower.com or view the TOUCHPOiNT POWER! listing on Amazon.

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