MIAMI / KISSIMMEE, FLA. � JUNE 23, 2003 � �It�s always a perfect 72 degrees with no chance of rain at Gaylord Palms, at least under our landmark four-acre glass-covered atrium,� said Kemp Gallineau, Hotel Manager at the 1,406-room Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee. �We are totally focused on guest service, and the M-Tech Espresso! Quality Management System definitely bolsters our service levels and overall efficiency across all departments.� The luxury resort�s four-acre atrium is a truly outstanding feature of a completely unique property recently rated by the American Automobile Association as an elite Four Diamond property. Divided into three specific Floridian themes, the atrium duplicates the festive island spirit of Key West, the old-world charm of St. Augustine and the fog enshrouded mystery of the Everglades, and serves up an unforgettable multi-sensory entertainment experience for the resort guest. �In everything we do, we strive to anticipate our guests� needs,� Gallineau said. �It�s a total experience we deliver to our guests. I say all this to put the power of Espresso in perspective. At Gaylord Palms, we view Espresso! as our behind-the scenes �atrium� � a real thing of beauty that sets us apart from the competition and empowers us to deliver a world-class guest experience every time.� Fingertip enabled Rapid Response Since Gaylord Palms opened in February 2002, staff members have been able to respond to guests� needs quickly and efficiently by using the M-Tech Espresso! Rapid Response System. Using the phone system as the main reporting tool, it lets any one of the property�s 1,500+ employees make an entry just by punching in a code number. On a higher level, certain employees can log in to the system from a PC and make entries and extract reports. The system also provides an invaluable 2-way wireless paging capability for rapid receipt and response to a guest service request or maintenance issue. �We rely on Espresso! to instantly get the word out about what needs to be done, be it a maintenance item like a light bulb that needs to be replaced in one of our 1,406 guestrooms, or the need for more towels in one of our Presidential Suites,� said Gallineau. �Service truly is the key to the ultimate guest experience and the repeat business and referrals flow naturally from it.� Gallineau said Espresso! has helped Gaylord Palms increase service levels and improve efficiency, while making it much easier to meet and exceed guests� expectations. �To their credit, M-Tech has worked beside us, continually extending and customizing the system�s capabilities to provide even more of what we need. They are very open to learning how industry needs are evolving and how these changes require specific adaptations to their solutions,� Gallineau said. �Espresso! is definitely a system we have been pleased to be associated with for a number of years,� Gallineau said. �We are currently looking to extend it to the in-room dining application, and we look for bigger and better things to result from our close relationship with M-Tech.� Nothing is ever forgotten
�Everyone knows that history repeats itself,� Gallineau said. �If we don�t learn from the past through solutions such as Espresso!, we are less likely to take proactive corrective action today that could save our guests and staff considerable time, headaches and money. �We use Espresso! not only as a tool for forecasting preventative
maintenance needs, but also to stimulate strategic thought on business
decisions, such as assessing which suppliers� products are the most reliable
and cost-effective.�
Leo Acosta, M-Tech�s Director of Sales & Marketing, concurred. �Close customer input from technology concept to development and delivery ensure that M-Tech�s quality management solutions are dually designed to ensure both a most memorable guest experience and a most emotionally and financially rewarding owner/operator experience,� Acosta said. �We�re pleased that the prestigious Gaylord Palms is realizing significant efficiencies through Espresso! and building upon their enviable reputation for outstanding customer service by consistently expanding their use of the system so that it is completely integrated into every hotel operation that touches the guest.� Improving communications is key From Guest Hotline/CRM to Preventive Maintenance functions, Espresso! helps hotels manage all of the critical processes in quality management, Acosta said. Espresso! is explicitly designed to improve communications between departments, streamline data collection and dispatching processes, and increase staff productivity, using proven, cost-effective technologies such as telephone and alphanumeric paging interfaces. Espresso! automates hotel workflow processes, making it easier to keep track of what needs to be done. By automating the flow of information �from the reporters to the repairers or responders,� the common headaches typically associated with hotel dispatching � lost service requests, miscommunication with guests, and inconsistent log books � are completely eliminated. Once a service request entry is made, Espresso! dispatches and tracks them automatically, from start to finish. Consequently, hotels and their staffs can stay focused on serving their guest � while Espresso! makes sure they can take care of all the critical little details. �It all adds up to WOWing guests with world-class service,� Gallineau said. �Espresso! lets us focus on delivering quality from the top down, so we can do everything in our power to attract and retain our guests -- and their invaluable word-of-mouth referrals -- by ensuring their complete satisfaction.� The recordkeeping capability of the M-Tech system allows housekeepers and engineers to be proactive in scheduling and resolving corrective maintenance issues before guests are affected. �In this way, our system solves one of the biggest challenges hotels face � streamlining communication between their engineering departments, which are responsible for completing most service orders, and their housekeeping departments, which discover and report most issues,� said Acosta. �And managers have all the information available to them in the system to easily monitor what is going on � from service delivery, to complaint resolution, to the completion of regular and unscheduled maintenance projects � allowing significant gains in efficiency, productivity and profitability.� Worldwide, more than 550 properties are using Espresso! to improve customer satisfaction, save staff time and improve the bottom line. A typical 1,000-room property realizes an ROI of $100,000+ annually in time and labor savings and asset protection, and much more through enhanced guest loyalty and referrals. About the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
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