Agoura Hills, CA - August 18, 2009 � When your clients are the
crème de la crème, you cannot take risks with customer service
� especially when your guests own the property. This is the case with The
World, a 644-foot luxury residential ship with more than 120 owners of
its elegant apartments. The apartment owners enjoyed the floating
lifestyle so much, they partnered to acquire the ship itself in 2003.
The ship continuously circumnavigates the globe with a staff of multi-lingual
concierges that deliver personalized service to the most experienced travelers
anywhere. The primary challenge is finding and providing information
on the best restaurants, shopping and entertainment in ports ranging from
Hong Kong to Sydney, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Dublin, Rio and about 100 others.
ResidenSea, which operates and manages The World, automated the ship�s
complex guest services operation with The
Concierge Assistant® a comprehensive hospitality
concierge software system from Gold
Key Solutions that is used by hundreds of exclusive luxury destinations
and Five Star properties internationally.
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The World in Hong Kong
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The World is probably Gold Key�s most interesting implementation, but
one that the Concierge Assistant (CA) handles with aplomb. �We think of
ourselves as a five-star community at sea rather than a cruise ship,� said
Ceci Leger, corporate concierge for ResidenSea, the Miramar, FL-based company
that manages The World, a 12-deck vessel housing 165 private residences.
�Our international multilingual concierge team uses CA to share guest request
information with other appropriate staff. This instantly enables
us to fulfill the desires of our Residents and Guests professionally and
quickly.�
The World is their oyster
To say that Resident Owners of a customized 12-deck ship are accustomed
to a very high level of personal service is an understatement. �CA is a
great tool because we have hundreds and hundreds of variables that our
Resident Owners list as preferences,� said Leger. �These may be preferred
transportation, currency, hobbies, flower preferences, and how they want
their apartments prepared prior to their arrival. We input these
in our Concierge Assistant database for each Resident and update the information
through regularly distributed questionnaires and onboard meetings.�
Port information uploaded via satellite
The World�s staff provides detailed information on each port of call
and CA enables them to tailor and deliver custom itineraries to each Resident
based on their preferences. �This is a different concierge process than
any other operation,� said Leger, who is a Les Clefs d�Or member and manages
three on-board concierges from her shore-based office in Miramar. �I research
each port of call in advance and upload my findings through our satellite
link to the shipboard system daily to synchronize our databases. Gold Key
created a Remote Contact Manager that enables me to export my findings
instantaneously to the ship so Residents are up to date with the latest
in-port events.�
What is your pleasure?
While arranging group activities is sufficient for the concierge team
on a typical cruise ship, the Residents on The World have a different level
of expectation. �We may provide a white-linen gourmet beach BBQ in the
Seychelles for all Residents and Guests or a private dinner for two in
an owner�s apartment. Most of our owners prefer to make their own
plans, and we honor their wishes and protect their privacy,� said Leger.
Service trend analysis
ResidenSea senior management values CA�s ability to provide an accurate
picture of the �logbook activity� which clearly itemizes the service usage
patterns as well as the amount of time being dedicated to the fulfillment
of requests. �We use this data in our quarterly activity reports
to the ownership board,� according to Leger. �It is an accurate reflection
of the trends in our ship-board community, which among other things, makes
it easier for us to identify where our attention should be focused to meet
and, hopefully, anticipate the needs of our Residents and Guests.�
According to a long time Resident of this magnificent ship, �The real
luxury is that at the end of every day, we are back in own private world.
Everything is provided to feel supremely comfortable aboard; a friendly
and attentive staff, wonderful restaurants, great food; as well as tennis
and swimming to keep us fit. The World is a great community of like-minded
friends. All this, and the adventure of exploring and enjoying the
whole world, without ever leaving the comfort of home� Pure Bliss.�
About ResidenSea
ResidenSea is a management company offering sales, marketing, operations
and administration services for specialty luxury properties on land and
sea. We believe in providing tailored solutions to ensure success.
We currently manage The World,
the only private community at sea offering residential options and rental
travel experiences to the discriminating traveler. Whether you are interested
in purchasing a residence or renting a private home onboard The
World, we are eager to assist you. If you would like to learn more
about The World, please click
here now. For additional information about ResidenSea (the management
company), please contact us.
About Gold Key Solutions
Gold
Key Solutions� The Concierge Assistant improves guest services and
staff communication by creating orderliness and accuracy throughout the
entire concierge process for hotels of all types. The Windows-based
software application increases staff efficiency and reduces expenses by
automating all guest services activities and reporting, allowing managers
to put in place a standard of excellence that may be continually refined.
The system is available either as a property-based solution, or as a Web-based
system that may be accessed online with most browsers. The Concierge Assistant
is used by over 400 full-service Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood,
St. Regis, Four Seasons and other quality properties. The system
is also employed by many residential living properties and by personal
assistant and professional concierge companies to optimize services to
each client.
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