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 Charlotte Marriott SouthPark
Dr. John Izzo
"I have had the privilege of advising several of the largest chains in the world including Marriott, Fairmont and Renaissance and have had many great service experiences at properties around the world, but what always interests me is how leaders in those hotels create that great experience.
One of my favorites was a simple service experience at the Park Hotel in Charlotte,
North Carolina when I arrived after midnight to give a talk at seven the next morning. Arriving in my room, I realized that I had no contact lens solution so I called down to the front desk asking if they had a gift shop. The front desk attendance says "we have one but it is closed for the night and won't open until 8 a.m." I thank him and am about to hang up dejected when the staff member asks: "Why sir, what is it that you need?" When I tell him my need he asks if I would hold for just a moment. Moments later he comes back to the phone to tell me they have opened up the gift shop, chosen two different solutions and that a staff member will be to my room with both choices within a minute or two. He arrives with little fanfare, holds up the two choices, I choose my favorite solution, he wishes me a great night and whisks away before I can give him a tip.
Now what is interesting about this is experience is that it is typical behavior at the Park Hotel. Why? First they have a clear vision driven for years by their leaders from hiring, orientation and in daily meetings, which is to exceed the HIGHEST expectation of every customer in every interaction. Second, the staff is empowered to do whatever it takes-like open up a closed gift shop. Trust me in twenty years of travel this is not a power most staff have. Finally, the staff did what all employees will do when empowered to act-they will do the right thing for the customer. One of the greatest myths in business is that we have to push people to serve-mostly we have to get out of their way. So if you don't have great service in your organization, it is probably not your employees, it is much more likely to be about leaders.
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 Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos
Mark Sanborn
"Recently I was speaking for a client at the Fiesta Americana in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I'm a fan of Mexico for vacations as well as business meetings and have been to many resorts there. Typically grounds keepers work early in the a.m. and have little interaction with guests. Rarely have I seen grounds keepers and maintenance staff establishing eye contact and offer a greeting. At the Fiesta Americana the grounds keepers, without exception, acknowledged me and say hello or good morning in Spanish. And the grounds were carefully raked and immaculate.
 I mentioned this during my presentation. As a result, the meeting planner told me about the general manager, Alberto Gurrola, and arranged a meeting for us to talk. Alberto told me that he has asked the grounds keepers to engage guests in Spanish although they know English greetings. "We want our guests to have an authentic experience of Mexico. I also encourage the grounds keepers to try to teach the guest a few words of Spanish if time allows."
Here's what I noted: happy employees help make for happy guests. But employees are happy when they're treated well, regardless of their position. The dignity and respect given by management translates directly into the guest's experience. Little things make a big difference, and the beautiful property of the Fiesta Americana is enhanced by grounds keepers doing an ordinary job extraordinarily well."
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 Jasper Park Lodge & Broadmoor Colorado Springs
Richard Worzel
"Over a 22+ year career as a professional speaker, I've stayed and spoken at many venues, with the usual mix of good, bad, and ugly. A few stand out as places I've not only enjoyed, but would eagerly seek to visit again. Of these, two hold a special place in my heart, and ironically, both are in the Rocky Mountains, although they're more than 2,000 miles apart.
The first is the Jasper Park Lodge, which is part of the Fairmont chain of hotels, and was one of the original Canadian National Railway hotels, built to help entice tourists to travel west on the train in Canada. It's more than just a lodge as there are also a series of small cottages around, and the setting is one of the most magnificent in Canada, with the mountains on your doorstep. As a Fairmont, the service is
impeccable, and the Lodge is rustically beautiful, with grace and class designed in from the ground up. The conference rooms are perfectly adequate, but the Lodge and the setting itself are the deciding factors. A stunningly beautiful location!
The second, and even more magnificent, is the classic
Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs
, Colorado. Again the setting is fantastically beautiful, and the hotel matches it. It was also built as a railway hotel, but everything about the hotel, the rooms, the setting, the service, and the atmosphere breathes class in the way that Fred Astair meant it in the song, "Top Hat": "I'm stepping out, my dear, to breath an atmosphere that simply reeks with class." It is impeccably maintained, classically beautiful, and the service is about the best I've experienced anywhere. The meeting rooms are in a separate building, which is built on the same classic lines, with a balcony that overlooks the golf course and the mountains. Stunning is the word that best describes this complete package, and even that may not be sufficient. It is a delight."
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