Hotel Online  Special Report


.
..
100-Year Commitment to Impeccable Service Keeps
the Legend Alive at The Grove Park Inn
.>
The Concierge Assistant system enables historic property to
meet 21st century guest expectations; contributes to a
97% guest satisfaction rate
.

October 2008 � With a guest list that includes eight presidents, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Edison in its nearly 100 years of operation, The Grove Park Inn�s legendary status is well-deserved. And with solid growth over the past 10 years, many recent awards and a continued investment in flawless service, the legend is not only living, but perhaps just entering its prime.
.
.
�At the Grove Park Inn, our vision is to fulfill our legacy as one of America�s truly legendary resorts,� said Front Office Manager Oscar Alvarez. �Personalized service is a key part of the equation. Every staff member is dedicated to delivering the Grove Park Inn experience to each guest, to view every guest request as special and to ensure everything required of them gets done. This is the meaning of our mantra, �Everything We Do Matters.�� 

Consistent satisfaction ratings over 97%

Last year, The Grove Park Inn implemented the Concierge Assistant® system from Gold Key Solutions, a comprehensive hospitality concierge software solution, throughout the hotel to standardize its service and support its unique culture of superlatives. The results are impressive. According to Alvarez, monthly guest satisfaction ratings in the eight months since implementation have been consistently topped 97%, surpassing the property�s 95% standard.

�We are providing better service because we have better, faster, more effective communication between departments with The Concierge Assistant,� said Alvarez  �All guest requests are logged in our property-wide system that up-levels them according to how long they are pending,� said Alvarez. �Every appropriate staff member with password authority can quickly verify and respond to requests. For example, when a guest asks a concierge for limo service, the bell stand is alerted and can easily look up the guest�s arrival and departure information to schedule the limo without searching through countless e-mails.�

The Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina, is one of the most sought-after destinations in the South. With a AAA Four-Diamond rating, the Historic Hotels of America property offers:

� 512 guest rooms and suites
� Many fine dining establishments
� A Donald Ross-designed championship golf course
� An award-winning, $42 million spa
Staying ahead of the game

Alvarez also appreciates how the system supports more personalized guest itineraries by matching them to guest profiles and printing them on Grove Park Inn stationary. �For example, if guests are going to the arts and crafts show in Weaverville, the system reminds us of their dining preferences and suggests options in the area that they might enjoy. Guests can plan their whole day around our recommendation or return to the hotel for dinner.  In either event, they are always impressed that we anticipated their requests.�

Other advantages of the system:

� A faster more professional guest service process thanks to automated accurate information on local locations, events, restaurants, etc.;
� Consolidated information about the best golf courses and other venues in Asheville, as well as Yellow Pages, Rolodex information and Internet links;
� Professional-looking guest itineraries printed automatically with directions and contact information.
Alvarez also said his staff is happier at their positions because The Concierge Assistant helps them do a better job.  �There is so much information available on events in the Asheville region, it used to take forever for our team to put together an itinerary,� explained Alvarez. �Now a wealth of information is at our finger tips and guests tell us they are amazed at how quickly we are able to meet their needs.� 

About The Grove Park Inn
The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa is one of the South's most venerable and famous grand resorts. Built in 1913 from granite stones mined from Sunset Mountain, the resort overlooks the Asheville skyline and provides guests with majestic views of the legendary Blue Ridge Mountains.

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 Concierge Assistant is used by over 400 full-service Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood, St. Regis, Four Seasons and other quality properties.  The Concierge Assistant is also employed by many residential living properties and by personal assistant and professional concierge companies to optimize services to each client.

.
Contact:

The Grove Park Inn
Jim Monastra
Phone: (800) 438-0050 ext. 8945
Email: [email protected]
http://www.groveparkinn.com

Gold Key Solutions
Newton Gore
Phone:  (818) 865-0006
Email:  [email protected]
http://www.goldkeysolutions.com

Julie Squires
Softscribe Inc.
Phone: 404-256-5512
Email: [email protected]
www.softscribeinc.com
 

.
Also See: Upscale Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa Supercharges Concierge Services; Guest services keep pace with the Twenty-First Century at historic Arizona luxury destination / August 2008
A 120-Year History of Service to the Stars Sets the Scene for Tradition at San Diego's famed Hotel del Coronado; 21st century technology helps put to rest the ghosts of service past / June 2008
Concierge Assistant President, Newton Gore, Awarded Les Clef d'Or USA Honorary Membership; Gold Key Solutions recognized for ongoing friendship and support of prestigious Concierge Organization / May 2008
Luxury and Service Make Life Different at The Residences at Two Liberty Place; Staff utilizes The Concierge Assistant® software to deliver superlative service in a luxury environment / November 2007
The Peabody Orlando, Four-Star, Four Diamond Service Gold Key to Success; Anticipating guest needs is the hallmark of Peabody's impressive service reputation / October 2007
Capella Hotels & Resorts Selects The Concierge Assistant ® Software for All Properties; New Ultra Luxury Chain uses Concierge Assistant system to support matchless service at Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel / June 2007
The Concierge Assistant® Announces New Guest Service Technology, Hosts Users Meeting at Les Clefs d'Or Congress in Vienna; Leading-edge tools debut at elite international concierge organization summit / March 2007
Need Goat�s Milk for Your Bath? Or a Broadway Star to Sing Happy Birthday? Call the Concierge; Top hotels trade tales of their most unique guest requests / December 2006
By Land or By Sea, The Boston Harbor Hotel is the Place To Be; It�s all about the service at Boston�s most luxurious hotel / October 2006
Good Service is Not Enough: Global Travel Reshapes Guest Service in the 21st Century; Well-traveled guests transform concierge duties, expect more personalized services faster / June 2006
Charleston Place Offers Top-Floor Luxury for Business and Pleasure; The Club at Charleston Place Delivers Service and Cachet for Elite Visitors / May 2006
Miami's National Hotel Stays Hot, Delights Celebrity Guests with The Concierge Assistant; The Concierge Desk is 'The Game' at Trendy Miami Property; Guest Profiles Stay Secure / January 2006
The Concierge Assistant Used by Ireland�s Les Clefs d�Or; Prestigious Global Association Gives the Nod to Automating Guest Services, Keeping Guest Profiles Secure / December 2005
Napa Valley�s Carneros Inn Runs Rustic Elegance Securely and Efficiently with The Concierge Assistant Software / November 2005
Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Installs The Concierge Assistant Software; Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Installs The Concierge Assistant Software / Aug 2005
Industry First: The Concierge Assistant System Gains Real-Time Website Interface for Improved Guest Service / June 2005
Luxury Marco Beach Ocean Resort Aims at 5th Diamond, Leverages The Concierge Assistant / June 2005
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort Installs The Concierge Assistant Software, Redefines Service Standard for New Elite Club and 5-Star Guests / May 2005
Gold Key Solutions Joins with World�s Most Prestigious Concierge Association for The Les Clefs d�Or USA�s Pan American Congress / May 2005
Luciano Pavarotti, Laura Bush and Tom Hanks Make Appearances in The Rittenhouse Lobby / March 2005
The Five-Star Landmark London Applies Automated Concierge Technology to Put Polish on Personal Service / January 2005
Caesars Tahoe Becomes 100th Customer for Concierge Assistant Guest Services Software / November 2004

To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search

Home | Welcome! | Hospitality News | Classifieds | Catalogs & Pricing | Viewpoint Forum | Ideas/Trends
Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.