Cooking up a Customer Service Culture Continued
Pulse : Given that you have to hire for seasonality and there ’ s lots of competition in your area , how do you deal with that ? MM : The first thing we looked at was employee retention . We know one area important to everyone is benefits . We really focused on what we call our YOUplay benefits . For example , we can go and stay in Tucson at a great rate and it ’ s not only just for us , but for our friends and family , too . We also allow full use of the property and talk about that during the interview process .
When we bring candidates in , they get a tour . They see the gym , they see they get to do the classes and lectures , just like our guests . And that is really eye opening for some people . Also , we get 60 percent off most services , which is really amazing . So not only do we have great health benefits , we also have access to the other Canyon Ranch properties as well as our own . That really helps to tell the story of why you should work here . their story again . So , we empower those departments on the front lines to make the decision when somebody is really upset . Let ’ s fix it right there . Don ’ t let them leave unhappy .
Another thing we stress is , here at the Ranch , we have many arrivals and many departures . You arrive at the gate . Then the bellman greets you , then your third arrival is at the front desk . Then at the locker room , for each service , class , lecture and so on . And then when you depart , you could stay here until five o ’ clock . So , you depart your room at noon . Then you depart from the front desk , and then you depart from the locker room . Every arrival and departure makes an impression .
Pulse : What do you think makes an arrival experience special for a guest ? MM : People love to feel like we ’ ve been waiting for them . And that we have open communication if something goes
Pulse : How do you think this appeals to this generation who seem to value culture almost more than financial compensation ? MM : When people see they could work out at an amazing gym and after their shift , go for steam and sauna , or enjoy the pool , that is really enticing .
We also love to promote from within . We have some pretty amazing success stories . We have a wellness guide who is now our spa director . We ’ ve had estheticians who started in the locker room . Someone in our corporate office started here in reservations and worked her way up .
Ingredient # 3 : The Right Stuff
Pulse : How do you approach the face-to-face soft skills around customer service to give young people a start in the industry ? MM : Foremost , it ’ s giving them the tools to succeed and training them properly . It ’ s having resources available so
they feel empowered to be able to make decisions , and having leaders always around to swoop in and help them when they need it .
We have a great onboarding process with Discovery Day where they get to spend the whole day with HR , going to different departments . Once they start with their department , training can be four to six weeks before they are even alone on the phone or at the desk . The last thing an upset guest wants is to have to tell
42 PULSE n JUNE 2024