Success or failure in the hospitality sector simply comes down to providing the best service possible. Thanks to the confluence of technology adoption and the drive to remain competitive, many hospitality providers are breaking new boundaries when it comes to service.
One example that comes to mind is the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, which recently launched its True Waldorf Service. Under this new service initiative, the Waldorf basically assigns a personal concierge to each qualified guest and acts as their primary contact, before, during and after their stay.
What makes this service unique is that before guests arrive they receive a personalized email connecting them to their own concierge, who offers pre-arranged services and special requests attuned to their history and personal preferences. When guests arrive, the concierge then escorts them to their accommodations, bypassing the typical check-in process. And, the concierge and other support staff are on-call for these guests 24/7.
In addition, when traveling with children and teenagers, guests are often challenged with keeping their offspring from being bored. The Four Seasons, Omni, Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International recently launched a ‘teen concierge’ service that connects younger guests with someone their own age on the property.
Beyond keeping younger guests happy, by catering to the teens and younger Millenials, these hospitality providers are building brand loyalty in the next generation of leisure and business travelers. This demographic also has a major influence as they often post photos of their travel experiences on Facebook and Twitter.
Of course, it’s always interesting to hear directly from a concierge about this unique job. Cooper Smith, the manager of guest services at the Prince of Wales Hotel, was recently highlighted in The National Post and had this to say: “If you give me a week, I can do anything. Give me a day, I can make magic happen.”
Yes, these new concierge services are all about making magic happen. Thanks to new approaches in customer service, hospitality providers are becoming more differentiated and enhancing revenue by creating long-term guest loyalty.
Hospitality has only begun to embrace technologies that will simplify and streamline the work of the personal concierge. Please call us and let’s talk about how we can reduce the cost and increase the capabilities of your personal concierge staff.