CSI Miami

As I continue to share some of my favorite guest interviews from Season 1, please read client service insights from Romy Saunders, director of quality assurance for one of my favorite hotels - Mandarin Oriental, Miami.

CSI Miami (Originally posted on September 26, 2006)

This CSI Miami is led by Client Service Insights special guest for September, Romy Saunders, director of quality assurance at Mandarin Oriental, Miami. (Horatio will just have to wait.)

Mandarin Oriental is famous for its commitment to exceptional service. It’s one thing to be committed to it, but it’s quite another to deliver it consistently and at so many properties across the globe. Romy offers her thoughts on Mandarin Oriental's approach:

CSI: Tell us what "commitment to exceptional client service" means at Mandarin Oriental?

RS: It means that each colleague, regardless of his or her responsibilities in the hotel, lives the mission of delighting and satisfying our guests, always looking for ways to make a difference in their experiences with us. We are committed to exceeding their expectations by surprising them with our ability to anticipate and fulfill their wishes, personalizing the service we provide and taking ownership of their requests and needs. We are always listening to our guests and responding to what will make their experiences memorable. A Mandarin Oriental guest feels as though he or she is the most important guest in the hotel.

CSI: How do you deliver and maintain such a high level of service each and every day?

RS: In working together as colleagues, we treat each other with mutual respect and trust, drawing on the collective talents of all our colleagues to ensure the highest level of service. Genuine care and concern along with communication and training are key factors in ensuring that we anticipate guest needs.

CSI: How do you manage to stay in touch with your guests’ expectations?

RS: Our guests have very high expectations of us and we pay very close attention to their comments and review them on a regular basis. Guests speak to us at all times – before they arrive, during their stay, after they depart – and we listen very closely to what they say.

CSI: Talk about the challenge of exceeding guest expectations, when those expectations may be different for guests in Miami versus Bangkok or Paris.

RS: Mandarin Oriental promises “sense of place” as each hotel blends the magic of the Orient with its own unique characteristics. There is always the “yin and the yang” of delivering consistent service wherever our guests visit us around the globe, surprising them with unique touches that make each hotel special. Our guests expect consistency in the level of service delivery and our attention to detail but know that each hotel will offer an experience unique to its location.

For example, at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, guests arriving early in the morning, as a part of our Latin Fantastic package or guests paying for an early arrival, are offered complimentary jet lag welcome tea, anticipating the needs of our guests as well as honoring the tea traditions of the Orient.

CSI: How do you know that your commitment to client service delivers a tangible return on investment?

RS: The highest compliment we receive is repeat business.

As always, we welcome your comments. A special thanks to Romy Saunders for her contribution and to Frederick Fung for making this possible. As you might have guessed - first class service all the way!