I've blogged many times about how much I love to hear stories about exceptional customer service. Both guests and associates constantly send me wonderful stories. Let me share a few of my recent favorites.
The first was from a book by Joseph A. Michelli called The New Gold Standard, which examines how our Ritz-Carlton creates legendary experiences for their guests and those in their local communities. One of the examples used in the book is the story of Natalie Salazar, who at age 13 was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One of Natalie's biggest concerns was she was never going to be able to attend her high school prom.
When Laura Gutierrez, the Director of Human Resources at The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn, Michigan, heard about Natalie's situation, she and the rest of her team rushed into action to create their own prom for Natalie. Later that year, Natalie lost her battle with cancer, but she had been able to enjoy her special night thanks to the caring and dedicated associates at The Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn.
Another story I really enjoyed came from Elaine Jarrett, who traveled with Operation Smile, a non-profit group that provides reconstructive surgery for children in developing countries, to Hyderabad, India, in August. While in India, she and her group of 55 people stayed at the Hyderabad Marriott hotel and when she returned, she sent me a handwritten letter to let me know how enjoyable our staff had made their stay.
To accommodate the group's long hours, the staff started breakfast early for them and even packed lunches and brought them to the hospital where they were working one day. Elaine said that she and her team "will remember [that] mission as one of the very best" because of the kindness of the hotel's staff.
The final story I want to share is much more lighthearted, but very uplifting. After a stay at the Fairfield Inn in Galesburg, Illinois, young Emma Rau left her teddy bear, "Blackie," at the hotel. The staff found "Blackie" and safely returned him to his loving owner. Emma was so grateful to have "Blackie" back at home; she sent the associates at the hotel a very kind thank you letter and included a drawing of her beloved bear. That letter is posted above and I hope you'll take a look at it.
It really makes my day when I hear these stories of great customer service and I want to thank every one of our associates who work so hard to provide our guests with these fantastic experiences. Please leave me a comment and let me know your excellent service story.
I'm Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.
Marriott Associates Delivering Exceptional Service
My husband had hiatal surgery and the Marriott Courtyard Pasadena provided us an extra night during a busy time for them. I got to be near my husband who had successful surgery! Thank you, Marriott!
Posted by: ned and lorraine leavitt | 10/27/2008 at 01:55 PM
The Pittsburgh Marriott North is a truly exceptional property from the standpoint of customer service. Ranked high in your system, they take care of the little things along with the bigger ones. A few weeks ago, I was under the weather and they made me a bowl of chicken soup (not on the menu). Yesterday they made me a heroine by perfectly handling a day long meeting of women who saw the attention to detail.This is real SERVICE.
Posted by: Suzanne Caplan | 10/21/2008 at 04:33 AM
I stayed at the Residence Inn Greenbrier in Chesapeake Va for 3 nights for my anniversary. I must say the the initial look of the room, the customer service, the friendliness, and willingness to please far exceed my expectations. I felt like that was the only type of hotel I would ever want to staty in ever again. What ever you are doing you're doing it right, keep that spirit going and your hotel chain will always have success.
Posted by: Janet Proctor | 10/20/2008 at 07:05 AM
My favorite concierage staff are Don and his partner at the Brooklyn Bridge Hotel. They treat everyone like family, no matter how long it has been since your last stay and are very attentive to the needs of everyone who enters. After a long day of work my spirits are always lifted when I am greeted by them. While I find all Marrioot staff wonderful these two guys stand out! Thank you.
Posted by: Carolyn K McManus | 10/15/2008 at 10:49 AM
Hi Bill:
I truly think of Oakland City Center Marriott and Marriott in general as family.
I am legally blind with walking issues and I blogged about your exceptional staff and attitudes towards the disabled.
http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=17787
850&label=&searchType=ALL&txtKeywords=ministry&numPosts=25
It all starts at the top, so I truly thank you for all the wonderful human kindness and dignity Marriott has and continues to give me.
Jane
Posted by: s13cybergal | 10/14/2008 at 03:37 PM
Great blog Bill, wish everyone in the world felt the same way towards the human kind. Its bring joy in knowing that Emma got her bear back but at the same time tears roll down reading about the loss of Natalie. Life is unfair specially to nice people. I would like to believe that God loves her more that he cant leave her in this cruel world. Thanks and have a great day. Cheeers
Bins
Posted by: Bins | 10/14/2008 at 03:09 PM
thanks for a great hotel with exceptional staff and service, the waukegan, il springhill suites treated us to a wonderful experience during my sons navy graduation, the hotel was spotless, spacious and the staff were the best, good job, i will never stay anywhere else other than springhill suites wherever i travel.
Posted by: jerry willis | 10/14/2008 at 02:41 PM
Dear Mr. Marriott,
My story is a bit like the one about Blackie but it involves "Mr. Moose," a stuffed brown moose that my aunt (now long departed) gave my 18-year-old son, Ryan, back in 1992, when he was a toddler.
Fast forward to Oct. 10, 2008. My fourth child, Natalie, snuck into Ryan's room (he's away at college) and brought the beloved Mr. Moose to the Baltimore Marriott at Camden Yards where we were staying for the weekend.
My 14-year-old son and I ran the Baltimore 1/2 Marathon on Sunday morning and thus my husband was responsible packing up everyone's bags and checking out.
Well, you can guess what happened...Dads don't check the bed sheets. I was heartsick but I called and spoke to a wonderful Marriott associate named Alison ********. She assured me that she would look into the matter and get back to me in 24 hours.
When I got home from work, I heard a voice mail from Ms. ******** that Mr. Moose was on his way home to Pennsylvania...and she even gave me his tracking number!
I have always been a huge fan of Marriott Hotels but now -- as long as there is a Marriott in town -- I will not stay anywhere else.
Sincerely,
Margo McDonough and Bill Fisher (who is no longer in the dog house!)
P.S. Let's not tell Ryan about this, shall we?!
Posted by: Margo McDonough and Bill Fisher | 10/14/2008 at 02:20 PM
My family and I just returned from a 4 night stay at the JW marriott in DC. Everything was fantastic, food ,service and personel were all just fantastic.
Posted by: Jim Denaro | 10/14/2008 at 12:47 PM
What an inspirational story on the prom.It is nice to hear that a big corporation can and does have a heart. Also makes our worries on the economy seem a little less important.
Posted by: Sid Scheinberg | 10/14/2008 at 11:13 AM
Dear Mr. Marriott
These are exceptional stories of fine staff performance. Those people that you mentioned in your features have true human hearts within themselves for them to have felt the predicaments and needs of other people. Hospitality is not only about serving the hotel guests just because they pay money, its also about serving them with a conscience, being aware of their different needs, making them comfortable and going the extra mile in showing them that you truly care about them. Those things are what announces a particlular hotel as a decent one to the guest. Although I moved through four chain hotels through my profesional career and came accross many reception and hotel managers, never did I encounter such beautiful people as the people you mentioned in your feature. Good job guys. You enrich the hotel industry.
Posted by: Feras Werr | 10/14/2008 at 09:07 AM