Hilton Anaheim Gains Guest Service Advantage with Tech Install
The 1,572-room Hilton Anaheim hotel, located next to the Anaheim Convention Center and within steps of the Disneyland Resort, streamlines its guest service operations, eliminates inefficiencies and raises guest satisfaction scores in the Guest Services department by 10 points with the help of GoConcierge, the lodging industry's leading guest service operations system. The transition to GoConcierge is providing the hotel with a competitive advantage, something every hotel is looking for in this challenging economy.
At the busy hotel, it is always a challenge to keep up with guest requests. It is not unusual for the Guest Services team to handle hundreds of calls a day, all day long, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Prior to implementing Web-based GoConcierge last year, the process of handling requests was entirely manual and paper based.
"This often resulted in concierges scrambling to confirm reservations, or double booking to ensure that our guests' needs were fulfilled," says Ryan Paterson, guest services manager at the hotel.
"We used log books and there was no efficient tracking system," adds Sarah Monks, director of guest services. "It was time consuming and if someone forgot to write something down, there was no backup."
Work processes transformed
What GoConcierge has done is transformed how the entire guest services team does its work, weeding out inefficiencies while providing the means to elevate the overall level of guest service. In fact, Paterson says, since putting GoConcierge to work for them, the guest services department has experienced a 10 point jump in guest satisfaction based on surveys provided to guests.
GoConcierge.net has streamlined the guest task tracking process at the hotel. Instead of using paper-based processes, guest service personnel, including the executive lounge concierge and bell desk coordinators, use GoConcierge's online Guest Task Calendar to log and track guest requests and other tasks. With just a few clicks, these can be entered and located. The calendar is color coded, which makes it easy to highlight open, pending and closed tasks.
"We use GoConcierge to track transportation requests, tours, restaurant bookings, spa services, wheelchair rentals, doggie daycare•the list goes on," Paterson says. "It allows us to run our entire Guest Services operation from one screen. It includes links to sites we use most often and gives us the ability to leave notes for one another regarding pending requests."
Because a history of each guest's request is stored in GoConcierge, it is easy to generate itineraries. These can be printed or e-mailed in a matter of seconds along with a personalized confirmation letter on stationery that includes the hotel's logo. Point-to-point directions and maps can also be generated easily.
"The customized letters and e-mails are a huge hit, providing personalized confirmation of all bookings to in-house guests and pre-arrivals alike," says Paterson, adding that GoConcierge is also used to track amenities and packages sent and received within the hotel.
User-friendly features
A customized location database within GoConcierge enables the guest services team to quickly identify area restaurants and attractions. Reports available within GoConcierge show guest service managers the volume of reservations made for the property's Mix Restaurant and for other establishments outside the hotel. Paterson says GoConcierge provides an at-a-glance view of how much activity each team member is tracking.
"It has made our lives a lot easier," he says. "GoConcierge is incredibly easy to learn and enhances our ability to provide over-the-top personalized service consistently, allowing us to build guest loyalty."
"Being able to provide such a high level of service is important in this hyper competitive hotel environment," Isrow says. "In the battle for guest loyalty, the Hilton Anaheim is winning, thanks not only to GoConcierge, but also to the dedicated Guest Services team at the hotel."
At the busy hotel, it is always a challenge to keep up with guest requests. It is not unusual for the Guest Services team to handle hundreds of calls a day, all day long, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Prior to implementing Web-based GoConcierge last year, the process of handling requests was entirely manual and paper based.
"This often resulted in concierges scrambling to confirm reservations, or double booking to ensure that our guests' needs were fulfilled," says Ryan Paterson, guest services manager at the hotel.
"We used log books and there was no efficient tracking system," adds Sarah Monks, director of guest services. "It was time consuming and if someone forgot to write something down, there was no backup."
Work processes transformed
What GoConcierge has done is transformed how the entire guest services team does its work, weeding out inefficiencies while providing the means to elevate the overall level of guest service. In fact, Paterson says, since putting GoConcierge to work for them, the guest services department has experienced a 10 point jump in guest satisfaction based on surveys provided to guests.
GoConcierge.net has streamlined the guest task tracking process at the hotel. Instead of using paper-based processes, guest service personnel, including the executive lounge concierge and bell desk coordinators, use GoConcierge's online Guest Task Calendar to log and track guest requests and other tasks. With just a few clicks, these can be entered and located. The calendar is color coded, which makes it easy to highlight open, pending and closed tasks.
"We use GoConcierge to track transportation requests, tours, restaurant bookings, spa services, wheelchair rentals, doggie daycare•the list goes on," Paterson says. "It allows us to run our entire Guest Services operation from one screen. It includes links to sites we use most often and gives us the ability to leave notes for one another regarding pending requests."
Because a history of each guest's request is stored in GoConcierge, it is easy to generate itineraries. These can be printed or e-mailed in a matter of seconds along with a personalized confirmation letter on stationery that includes the hotel's logo. Point-to-point directions and maps can also be generated easily.
"The customized letters and e-mails are a huge hit, providing personalized confirmation of all bookings to in-house guests and pre-arrivals alike," says Paterson, adding that GoConcierge is also used to track amenities and packages sent and received within the hotel.
User-friendly features
A customized location database within GoConcierge enables the guest services team to quickly identify area restaurants and attractions. Reports available within GoConcierge show guest service managers the volume of reservations made for the property's Mix Restaurant and for other establishments outside the hotel. Paterson says GoConcierge provides an at-a-glance view of how much activity each team member is tracking.
"It has made our lives a lot easier," he says. "GoConcierge is incredibly easy to learn and enhances our ability to provide over-the-top personalized service consistently, allowing us to build guest loyalty."
"Being able to provide such a high level of service is important in this hyper competitive hotel environment," Isrow says. "In the battle for guest loyalty, the Hilton Anaheim is winning, thanks not only to GoConcierge, but also to the dedicated Guest Services team at the hotel."