There are very many hotels in the world, and a great amount of them are five-star luxury hotels. The management of these hotels has an important job of retaining the best possible service and attracting new, as well as previous customers. Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, located in Shanghai, is considered to be one of the best in the business and has stayed afloat through many local and global problems.
Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a part of the Shanghai Centre that consists of 3 buildings. The opening of the complex took place in 1990, with the buildings becoming a major attraction on the West Nanjing Road. The recent renovations have given the hotel a new and fresh look, and it is still considered to be one of the best places for business people and international travelers.
In the past, there have been some organizational problems and staffing issues. As the hotel was planned to be an international connection, the staffing had to be selected with great care. The structure of the employees had to be such that people from all over the world would feel comfortable, but majorly local population was dominant in the business.
One of the reasons that Ritz-Carlton has such a reputation is because it is a very “people-oriented” organization. As the business is based on the customers, and the service that is being provided, the relationship between the staff and clients is the key feature of such a business. There is a direct correlation between how the staff acts towards the visitors and how the visitors of the hotel will respond towards the staff and the hotel in general.
This greatly determines the return rate and the attraction of new customers. The Manager of the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel does the entire interview with the potential employees himself. Even though it is time-consuming, it allows for a selection of specific kind of people.
It is very noticeable when a person forces themselves to act nicely to others, and the response that they will receive is not going to be positive. But when a person is truly pleased in doing their job of helping the customer, the people will respond to that and enjoy their stay (Ulrich 14).
The relationship that exists in the Ritz-Carlton between the management, staff and clients is unique and hard to imitate. In the time of problems for the staff and hotel visitation, the management was able to understand the worsening situation and help the staff in any way it could. This reinforces the positive attitude towards the organization and creates a want for the staff to repay for such great treatment.
There is a limited amount of people in the world who can take true joy in life and accept everything with a positive attitude (Larkan 20). So, the people who can enjoy their workplace, communication with others and can do all this with a positive attitude are very valuable.
As the hotel market is very competitive, it would be hard for a rival manager to create the same conditions. But the key to success is finding the best-suited people for the job and the ability to establish a fair and positive relationship with the staff and the customers (Hassanien 9).
Ethics are extremely important in a business such as this. The key goal is to regulate the actions of corporation and employees about the surrounding natural environment, people and society’s laws and rules. Another reason why ethics is the right direction for any business is that honesty will be rewarded and the benefits gained from kindness will be much greater than those of lies and deceit. But very often, rules and laws are helpless in controlling the ever reaching negative actions of a business.
The laws are meant to better the society and conduction of businesses, representing the interest of the population to keep it from harm both physical and mental. Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel has a high level of ethics and morality, as it treats the customers and employees with great respect. This is exactly what makes it such a valuable environment to work in.
The goal of human resources is to develop regulations as comprehensively as possible, touching upon every outcome by constant revision and investigation of the factors involved in such a delicate matter. This was the case with Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel because it was able to adjust to the changing time and set criteria that must be followed by everyone equally.
With the current economy changing, especially at a worsening time, the market is becoming different. There are certain things that people need, so the demand on the market is special for every location. The global approach would guarantee a lot of choice and possibilities for the business. It is well known that consumers are the ones who most commonly dictate what is needed, but business owners and employees should also have morality and ability to defend their own rights.
To solve some present problems th, here are several avenues that could be taken. One possible way to achieve this would be to offer higher salaries, but in the current economic condition, this option is not always available. Since the hotel is an already established organization, some benefits could be offered. A complimentary stay in the hotel, in the time when business is slow, could be proposed. The rate will be lower if the staff stays for a longer period.
If the people who work at the hotel take ownership of the building and feel as if it is part of their life and their home, they will take great care in keeping it in order and best reputation. Another route to be taken is to offer paid vacations but at a lower salary. Employees will have a chance to take some time off, but they will still get paid, even if the amount is somewhat lower.
But most importantly, the international nature of the business should be explored, and people from other nations must be attracted to stay. This could take a form of lowering the rates for people from other countries or providing a package that includes extra use of facilities or discounts for close-by shopping malls.
Overall, the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel has made many adjustments, but the best treatment for its customers is one of the most important ones. A company that values the consumer will be the most successful. Every business that involves people must base their services on equality and adequate work compensation. An employee, who is happy and not forced to their workplace, will be more productive and thus will increase the success of the organization.
Works Cited
Hassanien, Ahmed. Hospitality business development. Burlington: Routledge, 2012. Print.
Larkan, Kerry. The talent war: How to find and retain the best people for your company. Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish, 2009. Print.
Ulrich, Dave. Leadership in Asia: Challenges, opportunities, and strategies from top global leaders. New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2010. Print.