The Ritz-Carlton could monitor its success in achieving quality through various methods,

including:

Guest satisfaction surveys: Regularly collecting feedback from guests about their experience and

satisfaction levels.

Online reviews and ratings: Monitoring and analyzing customer reviews on platforms such as

TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Google to gauge overall satisfaction.

Repeat customer rate: Tracking the percentage of customers who choose to stay at the Ritz-

Carlton again, indicating their satisfaction with their previous experience.

Employee feedback: Conducting regular surveys or meetings with employees to understand their

perspectives on quality and any areas for improvement.

Performance metrics: Continuously measuring and analyzing key performance indicators such as

service delivery times, reservation accuracy, and housekeeping efficiency to ensure they meet or

exceed established benchmarks.

Actions expected from a company that intends quality to be more than a slogan may include:

Thorough training and development programs: Providing ongoing training for employees at all

levels to enhance their skills and knowledge, empowering them to deliver exceptional service

and address quality issues effectively.

Effective communication channels: Establishing clear lines of communication throughout the

organization, allowing employees to report and escalate quality concerns and ensuring they are

addressed promptly.
Regular performance assessments: Conducting regular performance evaluations for employees to

identify areas of improvement, provide constructive feedback, and reward exceptional

performance.

Continuous improvement initiatives: Encouraging employees to actively participate in

continuous improvement efforts, implementing processes and systems to track and address

quality issues, and fostering a culture of innovation and learning.

Empowering employees: Giving employees the authority to make decisions and take ownership

of quality issues within their areas of responsibility, enabling them to provide prompt solutions

and enhance the overall guest experience.

Compliance with industry standards: Adhering to industry standards and regulations, conducting

regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance, and implementing corrective actions if any

deficiencies are identified.

Commitment to customer satisfaction: Prioritizing customer needs and preferences, promptly

addressing any complaints or issues, and continuously seeking ways to exceed customer

expectations.

Control charts, Pareto diagrams, and cause and effect diagrams can be used to identify quality

problems at a hotel by analyzing data and visualizing potential causes and effects. Here are some

examples:

Control charts: Control charts can be used to monitor and analyze various hotel processes to

identify any deviations from expected performance. For example, a control chart can track room

service delivery times over a period of time. If there are consistent delays or fluctuations, it could

indicate a quality problem that needs to be addressed.

Pareto diagrams: Pareto diagrams can help identify the most frequent or significant quality

problems at a hotel. For example, a Pareto diagram can be used to analyze guest complaints and

identify which issues occur most frequently. This can guide the hotel in prioritizing

improvements to address the most common concerns.

Cause and effect diagrams (also known as Fishbone diagrams): Cause and effect diagrams can be

used to identify potential causes of a quality problem. For example, if there is a consistent issue

with breakfast service, a cause and effect diagram can help identify potential causes such as

inadequate staffing, poor communication, or equipment malfunctions.

Some nonfinancial measures of customer satisfaction that might be used by the Ritz-Carlton are:

Customer feedback and surveys: The Ritz-Carlton can gather feedback from guests through

surveys or comment cards to measure their satisfaction levels. This can include asking guests to

rate their overall experience, the quality of service, cleanliness, and amenities.

Customer loyalty and retention: Tracking the rate of repeat guests or the number of guests who

become loyalty program members can be an indicator of customer satisfaction. Higher rates of

repeat business and loyalty demonstrate that guests are satisfied with their experiences at the

hotel.

Online reviews and ratings: Monitoring online review platforms like TripAdvisor or Google

Reviews can provide a measure of customer satisfaction. Analyzing the overall rating and

reading guest reviews can offer insights into the quality of the hotel's service and facilities.
Employee feedback: The Ritz-Carlton can also gather feedback from employees about customer

satisfaction. Regular communication with employees can provide insights into guest experiences

and identify areas for improvement.

It is important for the Ritz-Carlton to regularly collect and analyze these nonfinancial measures

of customer satisfaction to assess the effectiveness of their quality efforts and make

improvements where needed.

Fishbone Diagram:

The fishbone diagram, also known as the Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, helps

identify potential causes and sub-causes that may contribute to a problem. For a customer who

just checked in at Ritz-Carlton, the following quality variables can be considered:

Main Cause: Customer Experience

Sub-causes:

1.Staff Interaction:

 Lack of friendliness or professionalism

 Inaccurate or insufficient information provided

 Language barriers

2.Room Quality:

 Insufficient cleanliness

 Maintenance issues (e.g., non-functional amenities)

 Inadequate room amenities (e.g., missing toiletries, no minibar)

3.Check-in Process:

 Long waiting time

 Inefficient handling of paperwork

 Ineffective communication regarding room details or upgrades

Problem and Solution:

Problem: Long waiting time during the check-in process.

Step 1: Define the problem and gather data.

Gather data on average waiting times during the check-in process.

Determine customer feedback or complaints specifically related to long waiting times.

Note potential causes, such as understaffing or inefficient processes.

Step 2: Use a Pareto chart to prioritize causes.

Analyze the data and identify the most significant causes contributing to long waiting times.

Pareto chart can be used to visually display the frequency and impact of each cause.

Step 3: Apply Process Flowchart to identify inefficiencies.

Map out the entire check-in process from the moment the customer arrives at the front desk to

when they receive their room key.

Identify any bottlenecks, unnecessary steps, or communication gaps.

Step 4: Use Root Cause Analysis to determine the underlying cause(s).

Conduct a root cause analysis to dig deeper into the identified causes from the pareto chart and

process flowchart.

Tools like the 5 Whys or Cause and Effect diagram can assist in identifying the root cause(s) of

the problem.

Step 5: Implement corrective actions.

Develop an action plan to address the root cause(s).

This may include hiring additional staff during peak check-in times, implementing more efficient

check-in procedures, or improving communication channels.

Step 6: Monitor and measure results.

Track waiting times after implementing corrective actions and compare them to the baseline

data.

Gather feedback from customers and staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvements

made.

It is important to note that the steps provided are a general guideline, and Ritz-Carlton may

customize their problem-solving approach depending on the unique circumstances and resources

available.

Reference

Luxury Hotels & Resorts | The Ritz-Carlton. (n.d). The Ritz-Carlton. Retrieved December 3,

2022, from

https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/about