I get asked a lot by potential guests that have never stayed at a Cayuga-managed hotel or resort, what makes us so special and what allows us to charge “premium rates” even if the economy in our feeder markets is not really doing so well. The answer is quite simple. It is the combination of “covering the basics,” some of the greatest staff in the world and our philosophy of Experience, Learn, Connect and Relax.
Covering the Basics
A clean, well furnished and maintained hotel room as well as efficient service is a given in today’s competitive environment. Without good rooms, great food and service, it is very hard to compete. This is why we measure our performance in these areas very carefully. We use “traffic lights.” If in our guest evaluations, 90% of our guests tell us that we have highly exceeded or exceeded their expectations, then we have a green light. If it is 80%, it is a yellow light – and anything below 80% is red. Quite tough (as our employees tell us) but it works. And I am proud to say that most of the traffic lights in all of our hotels are green and have been green for a while. So once we have covered the basics, we move on.
The Greatest Staff in the World
It is always a pleasure to read in guest evaluations and TripAdvisor postings how much our guests enjoyed their stay because of the warmth and friendliness of our staff. We have the philosophy that if we treat our staff well and they are happy, they will treat our guests well and they will be happy. About three years ago, when we saw the first signs of the financial crisis, we started to heavily invest in our staff through training sessions (we do a lot of 7 Habits by Franklin Covey), benefits programs and exchanges with other Cayuga Hotels. It has worked. Turnover is low and our “clima laboral,” an employee satisfaction questionnaire, is applied at the hotels each year. The goal is 90% as well. I just got the one from Harmony this week and we made it. 90%!
Experience – Learn – Connect – Relax
We have been creating experiences for our guests for years. We encourage them to learn, help them to connect with our staff and the locals and culture. I think that is the secret to success. I read a trend report today about the future of travel in 2011. This caught my attention. “FABAB (friends and business associates bragging) is still a potent part of the vacation destination experience. But travelers no longer wish to tell their friends that they stayed at the most expensive resort while dining in the most expensive restaurants. What is different is that FABAB now involves unique experiences and a sense of pride based on acquiring excellent value. It is not a price equation. It is a benefits equation.”
Learn more about the “Experience – Learn – Connect – Relax” concept here.
http://www.cayugaonline.com/experience.html
I would be happy to hear your feedback on this blog post. Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you have any ideas or suggestions? We know we have to get better and never stand still. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
~Han Pfister, president, Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality
