“In the end, ‘it’ is ALL about relationships. NEVER heedlessly antagonize. E.g., make one last pass on EVERY email to sand off any raw bits.” -Tom Peters
One of my favorite sayings is that you should “have your radar on and your antennae up” in regard to opportunities. This is a mantra at the Ritz-Carlton and other service-oriented companies that seek to anticipate customer needs, not just react to them.
Above and beyond all the analytic and technical aspects of economic development, it is a relationship-oriented, service-based business. I thought I would share the following twelve service “values” of the Ritz-Carlton, a company known for extraordinary customer service:
- I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life.
- I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
- I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests.
- I understand my role in achieving the Key Success Factors, embracing Community Footprints and creating The Ritz-Carlton Mystique.
- I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience.
- I own and immediately resolve guest problems.
- I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so that the needs of our guests and each other are met.
- I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow.
- I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me.
- I am proud of my professional appearance, language and behavior.
- I protect the privacy and security of our guests, my fellow employees and the company’s confidential information and assets.
- I am responsible for uncompromising levels of cleanliness and creating a safe and accident-free environment.
These values are worth applying and tweaking for your community or business as a test of how you are interacting with your organization and clients.
-Kenny McDonald
One Columbus Update
- Last week, we joined JobsOhio in New York City to meet with location consultants. We also joined state leaders for a legislative breakfast. Thank you to all who joined us.
- Congratulations to One Columbus’s Stephanie Bosco, who represented Columbus in our sister city during the Dresden Half Marathon yesterday. Stephanie was one of five Columbus Athlete Ambassadors chosen to run the 2013 Columbus-Dresden Marathon Exchange.
- This week, the One Columbus team will be in Las Vegas for the CoreNet Global North American Summit, in Chicago for Area Development‘s Women in Economic Development Forum and in Dublin for the 2013 Ohio Economic Development Association’s Annual Summit. We’ll also travel to Atlanta to meet with companies and location consultants.
- Registration is open for the second annual Economic Development 411(ED411). This half-day training session on Dec. 6 is designed to help government officials and business leaders in the Columbus Region gain a greater understanding of economic development. ED411 will culminate with our next Investor Update featuring keynote speaker Bruce Katz, Brookings Institution vice president and co-author of The Metropolitan Revolution.