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Activities on the Fly for Five-Star guests May 25, 2005 - LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, operated by Noble House Hotels, is a shining jewel on the white-sand beach of Naples, Florida. The former mid-scale beach-front hotel recently emerged from a complete $54M makeover as much more than a hotel. In addition to beautiful new resort facilities, the transformed LaPlaya now offers an exclusive 654-member club with its own private golf course, the elegant SpaTerre spa fitness center, and is attracting a new class of clientele accustomed to five star service.
�We wanted a system that would elevate our service by maintaining detailed profiles of each member and guest and track their activities and preferences on property and off,� said Shoenberger. �We also wanted to give our staff a way to communicate guest needs throughout the resort. The Concierge Assistant software creates a profile with complete contact information and activity history for each guest, including the ability to display a digital photo to allow instant recognition. The guest profile shows our staff when guests have stayed here before, if they prefer spa or golf, what restaurants they frequent and many other facts that let us serve clients more professionally.� Groups are a large part of LaPlaya�s business, and the property hosts many high-end corporate retreats, company gatherings and member-sponsored functions. �We are finding that many planners want a luxury venue for their company meetings,� said LaPlaya�s Scott Shoenberger. �With members hosting meetings the property is often filled and we must be prepared to serve 1,300 ultra-VIPs almost every day. The Concierge Assistant system has made this much easier than before when we had to track everything manually. The system even provides custom-printed itineraries with meeting times and function room locations for group members.� Since so many activities are available, providing guests with personalized schedules for spa appointments, tee times and dinner reservations is also a welcome service. �Image is a key part of high-quality guest service, and The Concierge Assistant creates attractive guest documents with the LaPlaya logo for a very professional appearance.� Data Security Insurance Security is also a priority for LaPlaya. �We have members-only areas that are constantly monitored by staff in wireless communication with our offices,� said the LaPlaya�s managing director, Scott Shoenberger. �Since we maintain a great deal of highly personal guest and member information in our files, data security is of primary importance to us. We don�t have time to become experts in firewalls and Internet security, and our data is too valuable to take risks. To ensure safety, none of our systems are open to the public Internet, which is the most frequent entry point for database penetration. Our Concierge Assistant system, which houses much of our guest information, is secured on a property-based server inaccessible to hackers.� Whether guests come to LaPlaya for business or pleasure, they usually pack for a variety of activities such as fine dining, beach sports, golf and formal events. At check-out time the array of luggage can cause a unique problem at the luxury resort. �The way we handle lost and found items is important to our guests,� said Shoenberger. �Not only must their valuables be adequately secured, but dated and tracked by room number and possible owner. In the past we used our big red logbook, but this was an inefficient and error-prone way to track guest belongings. Now our concierge software handles this duty efficiently and allows us to quickly notify guests of items they may have left behind. This is the kind of service our clients value.� The way a staff coordinates its activities and shares information about guest requests is critical to good service at any property. LaPlaya automated this process as well. Every workstation is connected to the property�s Concierge Assistant software system for instant, accountable cross-property communication. �Guests often make verbal requests at the front desk or to other staffers to arrange tee times, spa appointments, dinner reservations or to schedule transportation,� said Scott Shoenberger. �Our clientele trusts their requests are being addressed, and they expect confirmation their reservations are received by the appropriate outlet. We automated the process through our concierge system to strengthen guest service. When one of our staff receives a guest request, he or she enters it into The Concierge Assistant for action and it is instantly broadcast throughout the resort. When the appropriate team member at SpaTerre, our golf course, or in one of our restaurants gets the message the system mandates they confirm receipt before it allows them to continue work. This kind of technology supports our service standards by keeping our staff accountable.� The new LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is an oasis in Florida, with fishing, beach activities, a luxury spa and Bob Cupp-designed par 72 championship course it is attracting guests from around the world to the Naples Gulf Coast. �As a true destination our guests and members expect us to be knowledgeable about the surrounding Florida area,� explained Shoenberger. �We maintain a comprehensive listing of area restaurants, attractions and activities in our Concierge Assistant system. The installation and training team from Gold Key Solutions had everything loaded in the system when it was delivered so we had a running start. The Gold Key team�s extensive experience with the top four- and five-star properties in our class helped us understand innovative ways to use the system to assist our clients at every touchpoint. Our business at LaPlaya is about pleasing guests; The Concierge Assistant system is a great tool for delivering service that exceeds guest expectations.� About Noble House Hotels La Playa
About Gold Key Solutions
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LaPlaya�s
managing director, Scott Shoenberger, said, �LaPlaya has gone through a
complete facility renovation and lifestyle upgrade. We escalated
from a three-star family property to an exclusive four-to-five star resort
with private luxury club and golf course. Our resort guests and club
members have access to a world-class destination here and they expect the
highest level of service and personalized attention during their stay.
Guest recognition and knowledge of client preferences have become essential
to our new quality standards.� To help its staff deliver first
class service to its guests and members, LaPlaya installed the widely respected
The Concierge Assistant Windows-based concierge software from Gold Key
Solutions, throughout the property.
