I’m always impressed how stays at a Ritz-Carlton are consistently pleasant. The service is always just right, the staff is polite and their hospitality skills are well polished. 

Well there’s a good explanation for this, someone there figured out training is of paramount importance in running their properties. There was a Business Week article a while back revealing a few of Ritz-Carlton’s secrets, it’s interesting how they baked the training to make it easy and pleasant for staff to stay in the service groove:

Each day at every Ritz-Carlton around the world, employees from every department gather for a 15-minute meeting, known as a “lineup,” to review guest experiences, resolve issues, and discuss ways to improve service. These lineups are unlike most meetings held on any given day in most corporations. Once basic housekeeping items are out of the way, most of the rest of the time is spent reinforcing one of the 12 service values. How is it done? By employing the most powerful communications technique available: storytelling.

Read the article, particularly if you are in a service business and feel your staff needs a boost in the customer service area.

After my interview with Cooper, I observed two lineups—a general one and a more specialized meeting for the housekeeping staff on the morning shift. What struck me about both was the enthusiasm. These men and women had far more energy and excitement than I have observed among employees at many other companies. Employees were eager to discuss the stories, the service values, and how they can do better at incorporating those service values in their roles. The stories were used as teaching tools.

Now do the math. Two 15-minute lineups across 61 hotels, 365 days a year. The hotel is literally offering thousands of hours of training to its employees. No amount of training would be effective, however, without making an emotional and memorable connection with the trainees. Sharing cultural stories is the best way to do it. The Ritz-Carlton does this each day.