alberta

observes that employees appreciate “little things that
make a difference,” including discounted bus passes and
providing them with the sense of having an extended work
family. Overall, there’s a nurturing philosophy at play here.
As Jeannie puts it, “We take care of our ambassadors so that
they can take care of our guests. This simple concept allows
our hotel to be successful.”
In keeping with that, two long-service employees among
the hotel’s tight-knit staff of 30 were recognized this year
with the AHLA’s Gold Key Awards - Housekeeping Manager
Rukmani Narayan and Night Audit Ambassador Sin Nao.
Jeannie praises them both for providing “phenomenal
service” over long tenure.
The hotel’s philosophy
is that “Everyone has the
opportunity to show
leadership in their role
and that leadership is
vital to our success.”
Jeannie explains, “To us,
hiring top-notch people
is just good business. And
so is helping them grow
Jeannie Langley, General Manager
and thrive.” To that end,
the hotel’s ambassadors
receive position-specific training as well as education
in emergency preparedness, and health and safety
responsibilities. In addition, a Customer Service Excellence
Program includes classroom sessions and on-the-job
training focused on how to exceed guest expectations,
enhance their experiences, and handle any complaints in a
win-win style for both the guest and hotel.
That training contributed to the hotel’s recent Hotel
Association of Canada’s Hall of Fame Human Resources
Award, which among its criteria includes the requirement
to “effectively solve guest complaints.” Jeannie shares, “We
get minimal complaints. The few that we do get, we have
processes in place to make sure we solve it or provide an
alternative.” She stresses that “There’s no cookie-cutter
answer. Listen to and address the guest’s needs. Resolve
each individual issue as it pertains to that guest. Show
empathy and provide resolution or an alternative.” As
the hotel’s Certificate of Excellence status on TripAdvisor
attests, the hotel’s caring approach is a major plus, along
with its location, convenience, and residential feel, nicely
summed up by the tag line, “Live like home.”
Overall, Jeannie credits the hotel’s abundance of awards
to a few basic credos. “Hospitality is all about guest service
and making them want to come back. Consistency is key to
our success, providing phenomenal service and a superior
product.” The awards provide tangible benefits. “For us,
as people who work here, we’re proud that all our efforts
are paying off. Being non-branded, these awards establish
us in the marketplace, substantiating that we provide a
consistent product. We work hard to ensure that stays true.”
alberta
alberta
hospitality
hospitality |
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