"The New Gold Standard" is a detailed book by consultant Joseph Michelli and the official Ritz-Carlton/Marriott ownership. Full of thorough and well presented information--hence the 5 star rating I gave it. Focuses on the Ritz-Carlton itself, issues of internal change and consistency since the recent takeover by Marriott from the original team. Quite an excellent case study, and a defining book in both the hotel management and company biography genres since its publication a few years ago.
One comment here: There's now a more recent book I enjoyed that directly applies Ritz methods to businesses in all fields; I suggest picking this one up as well: "Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization" by Leonardo Inghilleri, Micah Solomon & Horst Schulze. "Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit" is the first book written directly with the involvement of Horst Schulze, the formidable founding President/COO of The Ritz-Carlton (Schulze is the gent who won the two Baldrige awards and coined the philosophy "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen)." This new book uses The Ritz as its starting point, then methodically shows how to apply these techniques to your own business. This new book is not confined to issues of hotel management and, I thought, was a great read.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I purchased this book with the expectation of drawing on lessons of the legendary customer service of the Ritz Carlton. There were parts of the book, such as the examples of above and beyond service, that I found enthralling. Other parts of the book seemed repetitive and less than engaging. I would recommend it to someone working in the hospitality or retail industry but not to someone who is looking to apply it more broadly to other professions. I do have a much greater appreciation now for Ritz-Carlton as a company after reading the book.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Even if you've never stayed at a luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel, you are likely to know of the hospitality chain's sterling reputation. Few companies enjoy such powerful brand recognition; after all, the word "ritzy" has become part of the English vocabulary. Incredibly, no one ever wrote a corporate biography about The Ritz-Carlton, and its secrets of success and service, until Joseph A. Michelli took on this project. He details the five principles Ritz-Carlton employees follow to create a memorable, or "wow," customer experience. He shows how the company's leaders teach the "Ladies and Gentlemen" on its staff to live its mission and precepts. Michelli uses quotes and examples to illustrate every point (and is still supporting his position long after the reader's neck is sore from nodding in agreement). Yes, it really is all that. getAbstract believes this book offers any businessperson a valuable case study in excellence and service.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 19, 2008
Dr Michelli captures the essence of what makes the Ritz-Carlton a provider of service excellence and product quality. A strongly recommended addition to the business literature.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 2, 2010
cool book
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The IBM Competitive Edge Book Club is open to all Sales professionals at IBM. "The New Gold Standard" was our Q3 2008 book club selection. Overall feedback from the members was good. In the feedback from the members, we ask them the question - "What will you do differently in your job since your study of this book?" Some of the replies directly from the members included:
- "I will try to apply the concepts around exceptional customer service. Delivering 'wow' means extending our thought process beyond delivering just what is the basics and looking to over-deliver to our clients every day."
- "Focus on instilling and maintaining a service culture within my organization"
- "IBM has its own "ladies and gentlemen" - particularly pertaining to "dedicated to our client's success". What we can do better is help each other reinforce this with our local teams on a daily basis."
- "The book has given me good ideas for how to take customer service to the next level in our business. Some of the concepts and ideas in the book will help me when dealing with, or, selling to customers."
- "I think the book applies itself very well to anyone that deals with customers."
Thank you to Dr. Joseph Michelli for being apart of the IBM Competitive Edge Book Club experience and for writing a book that is interesting to read. The book drives home the importance of providing great customer service while balancing and recognizing those internally that create that experience for your clients/ customers.
Best Regards,
Brien Convery
IBM Global Workforce Partner and Competitive Edge Book Club Leader
0 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 9, 2008
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More About This Textbook
Overview
Discover the secrets of world-class leadership!
When it comes to refined service and exquisite hospitality, one name stands high above the rest: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. With ceaseless attention to every luxurious detail, the company has set the bar for creating memorable customer experiences in world-class settings. Now, for the first time, the leadership secrets behind the company's extraordinary success are revealed.
The New Gold Standard takes you on an exclusive tour behind the scenes of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Granted unprecedented access to the company's executives, staff, and its award-winning Leadership Center training facilities, bestselling author Joseph Michelli explored every level of leadership within the organization. He emerged with the key principles leaders at any company can use to provide a customer experience unlike any other, such as:
Sharing engaging stories from the company's employees—from the corporate office and hotels around the globe—Michelli describes the innovative methods the company uses to create peerless guest experiences and explains how it constantly hones and improves them.
The New Gold Standard weaves practical how-to advice, proven leadership tools, and the wisdom of experts to help you create and embed superior customer-service principles, processes, and practices in your own organization.
Product Details
Related Subjects
Meet the Author
Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D., is an internationally
sought-after speaker and business consultant whose
clients include Bridgestone Firestone, Nokia, The
Hartford Insurance Group, and UCLA Health
System. The author of the bestselling The Starbucks
Experience, he has appeared on The Glenn Beck Show and CNBC’s On the Money.
Table of Contents
Foreword Simon F. Cooper ix
Acknowledgments xiii
The Ritz-Carlton Experience 1
Define and Refine
Set the Foundation: Communicating Core Identity and Culture 19
Be Relevant 44
Empower through Trust
Select-Don't Hire 73
It's a Matter of Trust 94
It's Not about You
Build a Business Focused on Others 119
Support Frontline Empathy 146
Deliver Wow!
Wow: The Ultimate Guest Experience 165
Turn Wow into Action 187
Leave a Lasting Footprint
Aspire, Achieve, Teach 207
Sustainability and Stewardship 228
Conclusion: A Lasting Impression 256
Notes 265
Sources 273
Index 277