 LONDON—February 27,
2012—“Knowledgeable and sophisticated” is how Executive Head Concierge
Frank
Laino describes the leisure guests that stay at The Stafford London by
Kempinski in the historical district of St. James. Taking care of those
guests’
requests quickly and professionally is easy thanks to web-based GoConcierge, the lodging industry’s leading guest service operations
system. Produced
by Los Angeles-based GoConcierge.net, GoConcierge
ensures that Laino and his team
of five concierges are able to log and manage guest requests without
even one
falling through the cracks.Prior to transitioning to GoConcierge two years ago, concierges at the 105-room hotel relied on log books and diaries to manage guest requests. “We were old school,” says Laino, who has been at The Stafford London by Kempinski since 1998. “GoConcierge, however, has totally revolutionized how we handle guest requests.” Now, using GoConcierge’s online Guest Task Calendar, concierges at front desk and back of house stations can log and track guest and other requests and tasks quickly and easily. With just a few clicks, these can be entered and located. The calendar is color coded, which makes it easy to highlight open, pending and closed tasks. Because a history of each guest’s request is stored in GoConcierge, it is easy to generate itineraries. These can be printed or e-mailed in a matter of seconds along with a personalized confirmation letter on stationery that includes the hotel’s logo. Point-to-point directions and maps also can be generated easily. Text Messaging Feature GoConcierge’s text messaging option in the Calendar is another feature that is utilized frequently. Concierges simply go to the Calendar, type a message and hit “Send.” Messages up to 160 characters in length can be sent. When a guest responds to the text message, it appears in the Calendar as a flashing message until it is answered or the requested task accomplished. Any guest carrying a cell phone can receive a text message. “We use text messaging every day,” says Laino, who has been a member of Les Clefs d’Or for 25 years. “It is great for immediate communication.” “Being able to communicate with guests this way is unique for a system like ours,” says Adam Isrow, Executive Vice President of GoConcierge.net. “It is one more way GoConcierge makes the daily tasks of a hotel or resort team member more efficient while improving the guest experience.” Other Departments Have Access Associates in reservations, management and bell staff also have access to GoConcierge. Laino says this has reduced the volume of calls to his team significantly. GoConcierge is used to record package delivery and to also communicate internally with concierge staff. “It is a much easier way for me to communicate with our concierges,” Laino says. “The note I leave will roll over until everyone has seen it.” Because GoConcierge is web based, Laino can view concierge activity from any location with wired or wireless Internet access. “The ability to work remotely has been great,” he says. Buttons on the GoConcierge screen link directly to frequently visited sites. A customized location database within GoConcierge allows concierges to quickly identify area restaurants and attractions. Reports available within GoConcierge detail volume of reservations made for on-site and external restaurants, limousine service and attractions. Laino says he also generates general task reports and administrative reports. System Has Been Easy to Learn For Laino and his concierge team, learning GoConcierge has been easy, Laino says. “There is so much less writing that you have to do,” he emphasizes. “For hotels looking for something that is going to make their concierge service more personal and professional, it is ideal.” “Our focus is on making it as easy as possible for concierge and other departments to respond to guest requests quickly and efficiently,” says GoConcierge.net’s Isrow, who recently participated in the 59th UICH Les Clefs d’Or International Congress in London. “Ultimately, it is the hotel’s guests who benefit with a more personalized luxury experience.” In addition to The Stafford London by Kempinski, GoConcierge also can be found at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul. About The Stafford London by Kempinski: The Stafford London by Kempinski is located in the heart of London in the historical district of St. James. The 105-room hotel features four meeting rooms, 380-year-old Stafford Wine Cellar for private dining, Lyttelton restaurant featuring rustic seasonal cuisine, Courtyard for al fresco summer dining, American Bar for all day casual dining, and The Lounge for afternoon tea. Call +44 (0)20 7493 0111 or click here for more information. About GoConcierge.net:  GoConcierge is a Web-based task-tracking
and database solution for
concierges and other departments including guest services, front desk,
shipping
and receiving, and restaurants. It is used by over 500 hotels and
businesses in
more than 40 countries spanning five continents around the world.
Customers
include properties from major companies including Hilton, Hyatt,
Fairmont,
Mandarin Oriental, JW Marriott, Omni Hotels, Peninsula, Le Meridien,
Ritz-Carlton, Rosewood, Raffles, St. Regis, Westin, W Hotels and Luxury
Collection. For more information about GoConcierge.net, go to www.goconcierge.net/home or
call (818) 263-8993. |