Hotel Customer Service Practices: Shangri-La vs. Ritz Carlton Report

This report provides a comprehensive comparison of customer service strategies employed by the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London, and the Ritz Carlton, London. It examines their customer service policies, service quality visions, and service guarantees, including complaint handling procedures. The analysis highlights key differences in their approaches to customer service, such as the Shangri-La's focus on tailored services and the Ritz Carlton's emphasis on operational excellence and personalized guest experiences. The report further explores the hotels' complaint handling procedures, detailing how they address customer feedback and ensure service recovery. Finally, the report offers recommendations for developing customer-focused services to enhance guest satisfaction, including personalized experiences, free amenities, and proactive service models. This report is designed to provide insights into best practices in the hospitality industry, focusing on strategies to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Customer service 6

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Identify and compare the two hotel’s customer service practices and policies and service
quality
vision..........................................................................................................................................3
Identify and compare the two hotel’s service guarantees and complaint handling procedures.. 4
Recommend on the development for appropriate customer focused services to improve guest
satisfaction.................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Customer service is linked with the one on one interaction between the consumer in order
to provide them with the best possible services. This study will focus on comparing the customer
service practices and policies and service quality
vision of the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London and Ritz Carlton, London. This study is
also significant in comparing service guarantees and complaint handling procedures of the two
hotel. Furthermore, appropriate set of recommendation associated with the development of
significant customer focused services. Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London offers exuberant
range of services and other set of authentic wellness programmes. On the other hand, the Ritz
Carltonis one of the best and prestigious hotel and is a member of international consortium.
MAIN BODY
Identify and compare the two hotel’s customer service practices and policies and service quality
vision.
The customer service policy is another significant pivotal strategy which is useful in the
development of significant customer service culture within the company (Rahimi and Kozak,
2017). It is considered to be as the written code of conduct which are to be taken into
consideration by the employers and employees in order to serve customers. Shangri-La Hotel,
At The Shard, London provides exceptional customer service with wide range of hospitality
services. It tends to have 202 suites and rooms and with the spectacular city views. It has three
signature dining venues and also has highest infinity pool in London. Shangri-La Hotel, At The
Shard, London tends to offer exuberant range of services and other set of authentic wellness
programmes. It provides best possible hospitality services with experienced staff. It also offer
infinity sky pool, gym, relaxing spa treatments and sauna. It also provides customers with the
tailored made services to enhance their staying experience. Various other services like breakfast,
upgradation, customization, luxury, business services and parking services, bar, laundry, dine-in,
Wi-Fi, etc. has been available to provide the best possible customer services. It offers the best
possible customer service offers and packages. It offers best possible customer service linked
with the 24 hour concierge service, laundry and valet services, children services, 24 hours in-
room dining, in- room spa services, car rental services, event, conferencing and banqueting
facilities. The vision of the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London is to create an

architecturally striking vertical city which incorporates retail, hotel, offices, apartments, public
viewing gallery and restaurant.
The Ritz Carlton which is located in London. It is a symbol of high luxury and society. It
is one of the leading hotel across the globe. It is one of the best and prestigious hotel and is a
member of international consortium. The customer service provided by the Ritz Carlton
company is warm and sincere greetings to the guests. The fulfilment and the anticipation of each
guests is prominent. It provides standard range of services to the guests and a set benchmark is
there which has to be fulfilled by providing services to the customers. It provides exceptional
range of services and genuine care to the patients. Customized services and special treatment to
the guest are given. The key values of the Ritz Carlton, London is to offer impeccable standard
of service which surprises and delight the guest in every possible manner. The key vision of the
Ritz Carlton, London is to inspire the life's most meaningful journey. The customer service
policy associated with the Ritz Carlton, London is associated with the operational excellence. It
focuses on delivering the best possible hospitality services in order to provide unique set of
experience. It also offer services like pool, gym, sauna, breakfast, relaxing spa treatments,
upgradation, business services and parking services, bar, customization, luxury, laundry, dine-in,
Wi-Fi, etc. It offers scenic beauty locations which tends to offer best possible indoor and outdoor
venues to provide the best possible scenic location to the guests (Zhang, 2017). It provides
mobile app check- ins and provide best possible services by combining it with the world- class
expertise. The key service strategy associated with the Ritz Carlton is that, it has been
empowered to create memorable, unique and best possible personal experience to the guest. The
key elements of the Ritz Carlton customer service is to provide sincere and warm greetings, use
the name of the guest and the third element is to fulfil and anticipate the needs of guest.
Identify and compare the two hotel’s service guarantees and complaint handling procedures.
The compliant handling procedure of the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London is
phenomenal. In case of filing a complaint, the guest can do the same by sharing feedback and
comment on the personal website, through email or contacting the Shangri-La group. The staff of
the hotel reviews every complaint and provide them with the best possible service to the guests.
Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard hotel tends to provide the guest with the bets rate guarantee
services which helps in providing the effective set of services at the best possible price.

Unconditional service guarantee is considered to be significant because it is useful in reducing
the consumer risk perception, differentiate service offering, providing the best possible service
quality, personalizing the internal management associated with the service recovery and
customer compliant. The unconditional service guarantee must focus on providing the forms of
compensation, easy to claim replacements, credit or refund, etc. under any other circumstance
associated with the service delivery failure within the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London.
The customers are not supposed to fill up any form or gap through lengthy process. The guests
complaints will be easy to invoke and is useful in the collection of the best possible information
in the shortest period of time. The Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London is relevant in
promoting an understanding associated with the service delivery system and must also focus on
building the best possible customer loyalty system. Setting up of the standards is useful in
examining where the service failure has occurred (Alnawas and Hemsley-Brown, 2018). The
main focus is always on the customers and provide them with the best possible services which
leads to operational growth and efficiency of the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London. The
hotel first focus on customers service input and the customers service output. Then the measures
for the performance has been established and then focus on monitoring the conformance related
with the requirements.
The compliant handling procedure of the Ritz Carlton is highly phenomenal because
they take into consideration each complaint in a highly significant manner. They take feedback
from the customers and in case of any issue the problem will be resolved with utmost degree of
accuracy. The hospitality staff listen to the complaint with empathy and concern. The staff takes
into consideration the main problems linked with the Ritz Carlton. It is useful in monitoring the
progress and take corrective action. The support team then discuss the key relevant set of options
in order to fix the problem. They provide the customers with the best possible solution and must
focus on effectively clearing up the facts. The Ritz Carlton, London also focuses on seeking
continuous improvement in order to provide the best possible customer services. After providing
the customers with the best possible solution it is relevant to take follow up from the customers
and ensure if they are satisfies with the service provided by the Ritz Carlton hotel. Moreover,
service guarantee is referred to as the service recovery to provide unique and the best possible
services to the customers (Rahimi, 2017). The Ritz Carlton hotel tends to effectively comply
with the gold standards which in turn helps in improving the results and outcomes. These

standards are the basic foundation which is associated with the Ritz Carlton hotel. It mainly
encompass the major philosophies and values.
Recommend on the development for appropriate customer focused services to improve guest
satisfaction.
Customer focused services is mainly associated with meeting the needs of the customers.
It is significant in putting the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London in the best possible
position by providing the world class experience and services at the hotel. The hotel must focus
on providing the luxury set of hotel amenities which improves the staying experience of the
guest. Good promotional activities is one of the key prominent way which is significant in
attracting the large number of customers and making people aware about the services and range
of amenities to improve the customer satisfaction of the customers. The hospitality staff of the
Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London must effectively focus on personalizing the staying
experience of the customers (Zaman, Botti and Thanh, 2016). This way it is useful in providing
the best possible customer service which in turn fulfils the need of the customers. Offering
freebies and other set of complimentary services to the customers of Shangri-La Hotel, At The
Shard, London is useful in improving the guest satisfaction level. Complying with the customer
relationship management tool is useful in effectively understanding why the customers choose
specific product services. Adhering with the service optimization platform is relevant because it
leads to the collection of the specific guest experience to evaluate the future and current stays.
Moreover, providing the customers with the up- gradation tool is considered to be highly
relevant in increasing the satisfaction level of the customers. Moreover, offering free internet and
Wi-Fi services is also one of the effective recommendation to improve the guest customer
satisfaction level. However, implementation of the new in- room technology is considered to be
highly relevant because it is truly game changing (8 Ways to Improve Hotel Guest Satisfaction
and Increase Retention, 2020). For effective communication, the guests has access to wide set of
information communication tools which is considered to be highly relevant in improving the
customers service experience. It has been recommended that, Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard,
London must focus on effectively complying with the proactive service model which is
considered to be useful in improving the satisfaction level of the guest and increase the retention
level. Offering customers wide set of multiple communication channels is useful in delivering
the best possible guest experience and also maximize the operational performance and

efficiency. Various communication channels like social media platforms, personal website,
texting and voice messages are considered to be of key relevance which is useful in the greater
communication with the guests (Chen and et.al., 2017). This way it is useful in providing them
with wide set of customers service, satisfaction and experience. Rewarding the guests who
continuously visit the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London. It is useful in providing them
with the various offers and discounts which in turn helps in improving the business performance
and attain greater standards. Ensuring smooth check- ins to the guest and also levelling up the in-
room amenities is considered to be highly relevant in improving the satisfaction level of the
customers. Providing them with the quick responses and complying with all the necessary
precautionary measures at the time of COVID-19 and complying with the necessary standards
and precaution to protect the customers and leads to higher satisfaction level.
CONCLUSION
From the study it has been summarized that, The customer service policy is written code
of conduct which are to be taken into consideration by the employers and employees in order to
serve customers. Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London provides range of exceptional
services to the guests. The compliant handling procedure of the Shangri-La Hotel, at The Shard,
London is useful in reducing the consumer risk perception and differentiate service offering. On
the other hand, the Ritz Carlton hotel tends to effectively comply with the gold standards which
in turn helps in improving the results and outcomes. The hospitality staff of the Shangri-La
Hotel, At The Shard, London must effectively focus on personalizing the staying experience,
adhere with in- room technology, range of hotel amenities at lower price, multiple
communication channels and various rewards to improve guest
satisfaction.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alnawas, I. and Hemsley-Brown, J., 2018. The differential effect of cognitive and emotional
elements of experience quality on the customer-service provider’s
relationship. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
Chen, M and et.al., 2017. The impact of high-commitment HR practices on hotel employees’
proactive customer service performance. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.58(1). pp.94-107.
Rahimi, R. and Kozak, M., 2017. Impact of customer relationship management on customer
satisfaction: The case of a budget hotel chain. Journal of Travel & Tourism
Marketing. 34(1). pp.40-51.
Rahimi, R., 2017. Customer relationship management (people, process and technology) and
organisational culture in hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management.
Zaman, M., Botti, L. and Thanh, T.V., 2016. Does managerial efficiency relate to customer
satisfaction? The case of Parisian boutique hotels. International Journal of Culture,
Tourism and Hospitality Research.
Zhang, P., 2017. A Study of the Factors that Affect Employee Performance in the UK
Hotels (Doctoral dissertation, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona).
Online
8 Ways to Improve Hotel Guest Satisfaction and Increase Retention. 2020. [ONLINE]. Available
through<https://www.amadeus-hospitality.com/insight/improve-hotel-guest-satisfaction-
retention/ >