Introduction
Ritz-Carlton Hotels is a well known company with a good reputation globally especially when it comes to exemplary customer service. It has a unique corporate culture from other hotels and lodgings across the globe. Its guests are always given a royal treatment by exceptionally trained employees in every detailed standard. It also has a unique motto printed on employees’ cards; “we are Ladies and Gentleman serving Ladies and Gentleman.”
The company is currently operating a different customer approach it adopted in mid 2006; “do not tell employees how to make guests happy”. The old one was so prescriptive and scripted. The current approach is based on outcomes. However, this has not affected the company’s goal which is to make a guest happy by rendering better services. In this new customer service philosophy, staff members react with the guests in a natural environment unlike in the old approach which seemed like they were reading from a book.
Cultural dimensions
The current organization culture at Ritz-Carlton can be described as outcome-oriented. Managers’ focus is more on results; the reason why they insist on pleasing a guest.
The manner in which employees do this is no longer the managers’ concern unlike in the old culture where employees were expected to follow laid down rules to reach this objective. The managers do not just expect the guests to be happy but also delighted by the services offered by the employees. The company executive also considers this during selection of new staff members.
The advantage of this culture is that executive focuses less on managing employees (Forssell, 2004). Once they have picked the right people, they give them the opportunity to spread their wings. They almost don’t have to manage employees. However, this culture may omit certain aspects in the early stage that affect the overall performance of the organization because it only focuses on results (Robbins, 2011).
Another cultural dimension that has been taken by this organization since 2006 is people orientation. From the motto; “we are Ladies and Gentleman serving Ladies and Gentleman”, it is clear that the employees are also considered special by the organization.
This culture shows that it is not just the business that maters but also the employees who work tirelessly to ensure that guest receive a better treatment.
The success of a business does not necessarily mean building a market share but connecting to the target. This culture is important because employees who connect to the guests are already motivated to work. Another important aspect of this cultural dimension is that managers are always patient and factor every person’s opinion before making any decision (Ballantine and Roberts, 2010).
The dangerous aspect of this approach, however, is that main purpose of a luxury hotel can be forgotten. It is so dangerous to prioritize on the employees needs more than the customers. It, therefore, becomes hard to determine who comes first. Even though the motto appears as if the two are treated equally, sticking this balance is never easy especially when a company wants to increase its revenue.
Qualities and skills needed at Ritz-Colton
I would wish to work at Ritz Carlton. As a new employee in a highly competitive industry, there would be need to polish and sharpen my communication skills. I will also have to be organized because that is all hospitality demands. Languages are another mandatory skill in the success of this industry.
Ritz-Colton is an upscale outlet hence there are chances of working with guests from different parts of the world. The success of this company, therefore, requires multi-lingual individuals. Having an ability to stay calm under pressure and also being able to work under strict deadlines also form part of required skills in this field.
The culture at Ritz-Colton
This organization has a strong culture because operations of employees are strongly influenced by the two cultural dimensions it has taken. The employees, for instance, have the motto of Ritz-Colton embedded on their cards to keep them on toes.
They have to abide by the organization’s philosophies to ensure that objectives are reached. Due to these laid down principles, employees are committed to the organization. They also pledge their loyalty to the organization when they sign performances contracts and agree to treat their guest with dignity. This strong culture helps in recruiting an explicit team for a luxury hotel.
New members are highly scrutinized because they are supposed to meet the quality standards expected by the incoming guests. Socialization becomes easy because the culture binds them together thereby creating an opportunity of teamwork that increases productivity. Due to the fact that the employees easily identify with the organization, the sense of belonging is another motivating factor. In a luxury hotel, employees need to be motivated in order to afford a smile while handling the guests.
Conclusion
I would consider being a fourth wheel to this organization because it is so clear, from the motto, that Ritz-Colton treats its employees with the dignity they deserve. Such organizations provide a good natural environment for learning. The motto also shows that unity exist between the employees thereby creating a good and strong cultural environment for the team. With the high competition in this field, Ritz-Colton would be my choice of a workplace.
References
Ballantine, J. H., & Roberts, K. A. (2010). Our social world: Condensed version. Los Angeles, Calif: SAGE/Pine Forge Press
Forssell, D. C. (2004). Management and leadership: Insight for effective practice. Hayward, CA: Living Control Systems Publishing.
Robbins, S. P., & Robbins, S. P. (2011). Management. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.