Scheduleforming part of the Balance Sheet - Domain-b

Annual Report 2007-2008
both countries, Taj Spa at Taj Tashi Thimphu offers luxurious Indian and Bhutanese signature spa therapies and experiences.
Within two months of opening, the spa has been featured in the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler Hot List 2008, USA. Taj Spa at
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Taj Green Cove Resort, Kovalam and Taj Malabar, Cochin underwent facility upgradation and
renovations. As on date, 16 Taj Spas are operational in Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces in India and international locations.
Product Upgradation
Your Company continues with its ongoing program of investing in renovation and upgradation of its property. During the year Taj
Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai, Taj Palace, Delhi, Taj Bengal , Kolkata, Fort Aguada Beach Resort, Goa, Lake Palace, Udaipur,
Taj Mahal, New Delhi, Taj West End , Bangalore, Gateway on Residency Road, Bangalore were renovated. The Pierre in New York
is currently under major renovation and will open soon. The Company also over saw and supported renovation in some of the key
properties of Associate companies as part of its ongoing programme of investing in renovation and product upgradation.
Guest Experience
Your Company is committed to enhancing Guest experience by improving the product and service levels so that they are best in
class. Towards this objective the Company has continued its efforts and this has resulted in several key initiatives being taken
in terms of service and product aspects. The hotel concierge service was further reinforced through on-site training by expert
international trainers and enhanced technology. The concierge service has been received well by our guests and has been a
significant value addition. The continuing efforts in training our Food & Beverage associates in the skills required for sommeliers
and bartenders has significantly improved the guest experience in our restaurants. Similarly, various product refinements were
introduced in the hotels covering the entire aspect of floral arrangements, lighting aroma etc.
In your Company’s quest to benchmark against the world’s finest hotels, the services of world renowned international firm was
retained to refine the Taj brand standards. This will enable your Company to establish a unique identity in its endeavor to clearly
differentiate the brand.
Recognition and retention of talent is of critical importance in a people-intensive industry such as ours. Key initiatives to identify
key resources were the “Role Models” programme for executives and the “Diamonds are Forever” for staff were commenced
during the year.
Your Company is aware that well-trained frontline employees are key to retaining our market positioning. Training initiatives for
the year included new modules on Inter-cultural Sensitization, Accent Rectification and Voice Modulation, etc.
The focus on employee engagement in improving processes and procedures to ensure guest delight is reflected in the Process
Improvement Teams deployed across the Strategic Business Units (SBUs). These teams meet, analyze and implement improvements
in operational processes that impact guest satisfaction.
The SBUs have created and implemented, a series of initiatives, focusing on service excellence and delighting the guests. Brand
Service Standards, Procedures & Standards Manual, Internal & External Audits, were rolled out for all front line departments to
focus on ensuring consistency in service, enhancing service standards and ensuring defect free product and services. The
SBUs launched the Competency Based Training Module, targeting at all front line employees, to build people capabilities, to
deliver service excellence. Cross exposure training, international talent swaps and developing talent were focused on. Key
performance indicators (KPIs) have been created and implemented for all departments, to track in-process measures to ensure
adherence to service and operating standards.
During the year, the Customer Feedback System was extended to all the international hotels. All the hotels are HACCP certified.
Standardization of crockery, cutlery, recipes and menu templates, uniforms for frontline positions and also the back of the house
positions and room amenities in the form of mini bar standards were undertaken. Standardization of cuisine of different regions
and types were driven to enhance quality of food and provide innovative F&B offerings. A range of food items like exotic breads,
desserts and felchlin chocolates were launched to provide higher level of F&B experience.
Pre-Opening Manuals have been created and implemented for new opening properties, to ensure consistency in service delivery
and enhance guest interaction. The SBUs launched a series of employee related initiatives. These include Wall of Fame for
recognizing outstanding service delight stories, Brick Bats - a stepping stone to proactively correct a mistake to ensure that
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