The Chamber Daily

Raising Customer Service to an Art Form at the Townsend Hotel

Townsend Resize

 

Written by Marilyn Suttle and Lori Jo Vest

 

We love tapping into the experience of successful customer-focused business leaders. That’s why we sat down with Steven Kalczynski, Managing Director of The Townsend Hotel, a luxury hotel nestled in the upscale shopping district of Birmingham, Michigan. Landing on the list of Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Hotels” is one among many of their noted accomplishments. The hotel attracts a wide variety of distinguished customers, including celebrities shooting film or television, rock stars in town for concerts, or executives attending the town’s high-profile automotive functions. It’s an audience that expects only the best. We asked Steven to share some of his secrets for taking customer service to the highest levels of distinction.

Here are the gems we walked away with:

Put Passion to Work: Steven didn’t originally set his sights on working in the luxury hotel industry. It wasn’t until he took a hotel job while in school for pre-law that he fell in love with the business. That passion drove him to work hard (something he continues to do) as he made his way to the top. “When I look back at my entire career, everything I’ve done I’ve worked extremely hard to do. There have been sacrifices to my personal life, but it’s always benefited by family,” he said.

He came to The Townsend Hotel in 2012 after working in some of the world’s top luxury hotels in Mumbai, Shanghai, and Doha, to name a few. Upon coming to The Townsend Hotel as a leader, he knew that his new team was watching to find out, “What’s he all about?” He set a goal to develop trust with customers, the community and his staff.

Set the Tone : Steven referred to the old adage, “The fish stinks from the head.” He believes leadership requires more than simply standing at the high-level overview point, focusing on budgets and strategic initiatives. One of the first tasks he took on, as managing director was to address an old metal parking garage door, which had been the focus of guest complaints over the years. When it opened during the early morning hours, as it did frequently, guests in rooms nearby would get woken up by the loud clanking noises it made. Steven had it covered it with black sound-deadening fabric and resolved the issue. This simple and swift action set the tone for his strong relationship with the hotel’s 220 employees.

Make Consistency Key: Employees of the Townsend Hotel are extraordinary with customers for several reasons. They follow the standards defined by Forbes Travel Guide, the bible of the industry for consistent excellence. In addition to training on the standards, employees are given twenty basic tenets to focus on, in order to be successful in their position. Provided in the form of a glossy pocket-size booklet, it spells out specific behaviors, like “Thank the guest and remember to ask, ‘Is there anything else I may assist you with?” and “Know your role in an emergency situation.” But it doesn’t stop there. The Townsend team is trained on how each of the twenty basics makes a difference for their customers. Reinforcement of the basics leads to consistent positive experiences.

Be Accessible: Encouraging an open door policy, Steven welcomes staff to talk with him, human resources, or whoever else on the management team can assist. To help hesitant employees feel more comfortable, he takes a light approach, sometimes joking, “You’re coming in to see the great and powerful wizard of Oz? How dare you!” Putting staff at ease with a bit of humor makes a difference.

Track and Respond to Feedback: “Within our systems, we have all kinds of ways of collecting guest feedback,” Steven said. “We have log books that track details of the good, the bad, the ugly, and I email it to all our employees. It’s not to throw anyone under the bus, but to share perceptions.” If a problem repeats itself, solutions are sought out to prevent it from happening again.

Compliments from customers are shared, along with “guest opportunities,” those things that need attention. (We love how this phrase suggests a resourceful way of seeing trouble areas.)

Employees also get periodic evaluations. “It’s a dialog,” Steven explained, “Yes, the paper has to be filled out, but we also sit down to a one-on-one conversation. I ask, ‘What can I do to support you?’ and share, ‘Here’s what you can do to support us.’ It’s about team building and communication.”

Stay in the Loop: Every day at 9am sharp, there’s a morning briefing. The staff is told what happened the day before, what’s happening today, and what’s planned for the next few days. Keeping staff in the loop helps them prepare to handle sensitive situations, gear up for big events, and be more tuned into what it’ll take to make the day a good one. When employees are empowered with daily briefings, clear expectations and encouraging leadership, they stick around.

Inspire a Desire for Retention: About one hundred employees have been working at the Townsend Hotel for ten years or longer, another reason for their exceptional service. When we asked how he approaches employee retention Steven told us, “If you look at all the surveys done on this industry, money is not the biggest motivator. Hotels don’t have the highest paying positions. We treat people well. We’re supportive.”

Steven has a respectful view of everyone’s significance to serving customers. “There are those who support customers, and there are those who support those who support customers,” he said.

Managers receive emails from Steven about things related to leadership, as well as a simple “quote of the day.” A small quote can send a big message. Steven gets a positive response, sometimes getting an email saying, “I really like that one.” It’s a daily communication that connects and aligns.

Connect to your Community: It’s exciting to see Detroit, Michigan on the rise. “As Detroit has been rising, all boats are rising,” Steven said while we sat in a quiet corner of The Townsend’s restaurant, The Rugby Grill. We love taking clients here because it’s a buzz with senior-level executives, professional athletes and top-name entertainers who come for power breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

To stay connected to the growing community, Steven attends local events, meets new people regularly, and uses social media to build and strengthen relationships within the community – reaching out on LinkedIn, responding to customer reviews with utmost care, and engaging people on Twitter and Facebook. We first met Steven when he volunteered his time to be a fellow panelist for a local business event focused on creating world-class customer service at Lawrence Technological University.

Community connection helps create loyal customers. It’s common for Steven to be stopped in the lobby by a happy customer who says, “I’ve been coming here for a long time and I have to tell you that what you’re doing is incredible. All the people on staff know my name, and they take care of things right away!”

Change with the Times: One of the experiences we enjoy happens as you approach the hotel. Two impeccable staff members greet you as they open the doors for you. In that instance, you can’t help but feel like a welcome guest.

Years ago, they wore tuxedos. It was quite impressive. The problem is, times have changed. What worked well then has come to feel a bit dated and out of sync with current trends. Keeping their finger on the pulse of what customers find appealing, the staff evolved to have a modern luxury feel to appeal to today’s customer preferences.

The Townsend Hotel has continuously set the standard for quality and service, with spacious rooms and suites, fine dining and exceptional amenities. The property’s 150 rooms and suites feature Egyptian cotton sheets, custom Italian-made duvet covers, and marble baths with deep soaking tubs and quality spa products.

By next January, the hotel will be 100% renovated. Steven is excited by the many ways the value has been enhanced by the changes, “We’re always looking for better ways to make it easier for our guests.” A couple examples of the improvements are – having one switch by the bed that can turn off everything, and extra outlets by the bed for all devices, like cell phones, tablets, and laptops. “We’re taking action on strategic things that make the difference,” he said.

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