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Keys to Success Hospitality Tip:
One of the Most Comprehensive and Meaningful Guest
Service Codes Ever Introduced in Hospitality
by Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS, August 12, 2010 This series on the �high-touch� side of hospitality has prompted positive reader feedback and ideas from hoteliers and managers who have participated in some of my workshops idea
In the last column, I promised I would share one of the most comprehensive and meaningful service codes ever introduced. An unusual and perhaps unexpected fact about this service code is that premiered almost a century ago by one of the most successful hoteliers of all time. Elsworth Statler has been described and considered one of the most innovative and creative of hoteliers of all time. He is credited with many of the practices and construction methods that became industry standards. It was in Buffalo in 1908 that Elsworth Statler,(born into poverty in a West Virginia mining centers), began paying real attention to details that would become trademarks of his genius. In a 300-room hotel, he was the first to provide a bathroom in each room, which had been unheard of that time. Rather than force guests that were strangers to share common baths down the hall, he modified the construction practice to build rooms �back-to-back�. This practice was then able to use common electrical conduit and plumbing shafts (later known as the Statler plumbing shaft), making the bathroom a basic part of every Statler hotel and within a decade in many of the hotels in the industry. The Buffalo Statler introduced other innovations that evolved into standards at many hotels, including circulating ice water in every room, which was important in the pre-air conditioning heat in many cities, telephones in every room, a full size closet in every room, lights in every closet and a hook by the mirror in each bathroom that encouraged guests to reuse their towel, thereby saving laundry costs. Statler understood success was a combination of operations and marketing. He was perceptive in paying attention to building revenues and anticipated the expansion of conventions and meetings business. Guest rooms were not decorated in a �cookie cutter� style, but were with the proper balance of colors and design so that bedspreads, draperies and rugs could be interchanged from room to room if need be. In addition to the physical amenities he stressed and introduced, he recognized that guests had to feel appreciated. To emphasize his commitment, Statler introduced what he called the STATLER SERVICE CODE. Statler Service Code
I updated this Service Code and have used it successfully in training
programs and operations. If readers would like a copy of this version
in PowerPoint, please send a request for it to [email protected]
. I can also share with you an amusing example of teamwork
in delivering memorable and personalized customer service in a commercial
from SN Brussels Airlines in youtube
format.
�Life is service. The one who progresses is the one who gives his
fellow
Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome -contact me [email protected]
John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com ) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. Services are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. |
Contact:
John J Hogan, Ph.D. CHA CHE MHS
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Also See: | Keys to Success Hospitality Tip: Is there anything better than an angry customer? / Dr John Hogan / August 2010 |
Keys to Success Hospitality Tip: Breakfast Best Practices on Engaging the high-touch side of our business #3 / John Hogan / August 2010 | |
Keys to Success Hospitality Share Best Practices on Engaging the �high-touch� side of our business #2/ John Hogan / August 2010 | |
Keys to Success Hospitality Tip: Focus on engaging the high-touch side of our business by instilling passion in our people #1 / John Hogan / July 2010 |