Holiday Inn beefs up its commitment to superior room service

Holiday Inn employees must take an online exam consisting of 25 relevant questions and SCORE 75 PERCENT OR HIGHER to be certified. Room Service Right … On Time was introduced over a threemonth period with regional training seminars.

any folks first learned about Holiday Inn’s commitment to quality and efficient room service courtesy of the chain’s TV ads featuring Mark, the lovable 30-something slacker. Despite still living at home, he desperately covets hotel quality amenities, including restaurant-quality room service, and, thus, one of America’s iconic quotes: “What do you think this is, a Holiday Inn?”

Sue Morgan, VP franchise F&B, InterContinental Hotels Group, would probably concur with the lovable loser’s parents and cackling grandma that such guest service is available only at the hotel. But exceptional room service at Holiday Inn is no laughing matter (although smiling is highly encouraged). Fast forward to Holiday Inn’s newest guest-focused initiative —Room Service Right … On Time; Your Order, Your Way, Your Call.

SIMPLE GOALS
Holiday Inn has a few simple goals for its new room service initiative. According to Morgan, it’s “to deliver outstanding service to the guest by serving what’s supposed to be hot, hot, what’s supposed to be cold, cold, and to serve it quickly and courteously. Room Service Right … On Time,” adds Morgan, “is the brand standard for Holiday Inn. It’s the hallmark of our brand and all Holiday Inn’s must have it.”

In 2004, Holiday Inn began to strengthen its room service focus by implementing an online certification program that must be passed by all Holiday Inn employees who serve room service as well as at least two managers at each property. Morgan notes this mandates that over 7,000 Holiday Inn employees must know the process that includes key components such as:

Taking the order.
Repeating an order back to the guest.
Quoting time of delivery.
Obtaining permission to enter the room.
Using an approved heat retention device.
Reviewing an order with the guest.
Informing the guest of gratuity.
Retrieving the tray.

Holiday Inn employees must take an online exam consisting of 25 relevant questions and score 75 percent or higher to be certified. “We introduced Room Service Right …On Time with regional training seminars over a three-month period,” Morgan says. “Any property displaying a [Holiday Inn] green sign was required to participate in the training.” In addition to essential knowledge about the aforementioned key components, the seminars also provided a forum for Q & A as well as engaging participants in situational role playing to address a myriad of situations, times, guest personalities, etc.

Gary Swanson, Holiday Inn’s senior food & beverage strategist, adds that to maintain quality and momentum, Holiday Inn has also implemented a thorough audit process to randomly evaluate properties throughout the system.

According to Swanson, this secret-shopper audit approach involves both Holiday Inn’s field team and outside F&B consultants. The audit process is similar for each individual evaluating the hotel’s execution of standard. Requests for room service are called in at various times. Professional courtesy, response time, clarity, food quality and temperature, billing, and other factors are evaluated, and physical audit points are assigned to specific procedures.

Swanson notes that, like the certification, a minimum score of 75 percent must be attained to meet Holiday Inn’s expectations. “With (both) mystery shops and certification,” Swanson says, “it [room service] is more top-of-mind awareness, and they are executing standards much better.” Swanson says the most important individual evaluating the process is the guest, and, thus, guest review surveys include questions regarding room service, especially regarding food temperature and the time involved between placing and receiving one’s order.

SERVING THE BRAND
Room service Right … On Time also provides Holiday Inn guests with many of the branded menu options dining guests have become familiar with, including Best-4-Breakfast® featuring Best-4-Value™, Cinnamon Supreme French Toast™, Low-Carb Inspirations™, and Skillet Inspirations™.

Room service menus and door hangers, akin to the restaurants, also highlight nationally recognized brands including Quaker, Folgers, Tropicana, V8, Egg Beaters, Dannon, and others. According to Swanson, hotels are required to offer room service during the hours of restaurant operation. “Hotels are required to offer breakfast three hours per day and dinner three hours per day,” says Swanson. “Lunch is optional (on-property restaurants), but if offered, the hotel is required to offer subsequent room service.”

Though not a consumer brand recognized by most guests, one key brand contributing to Holiday Inn’s Room Service Right … On Time initiative is the implementation of the Reddy Hot™ Service System, a system that keeps hot food hot while it’s being delivered to the guest’s room. The Reddy Hot™ system consists of up to four parts, including the Reddy Hot disk, which is heated in the oven. There is also an optional multi-purpose induction unit, which can also heat the disk. Both oven and induction units let the disk retain heat for over an hour and are used beneath the plate to keep food hot. The Reddy Hot Handler works as an under-liner between tray and disk and can also serve as a carrier. Plus, the Reddy Hot Hat covers the plate lid—and is mandatory for orders that travel outside. For most food writers, exposure to superior food service often stimulates the palate like a Pavlovian puppy and while banging out the last few sentences of this article, the appeal for quality room service is more than I can bear. Calling down to my wife from my office, I politely ask if she might bring me a sandwich and a glass of skim milk. She replies to my request for quick and cordial room service as one might guess: “What do you think this is, a Holiday Inn?”

Win Davis is a writer for the hospitality industry and communication consultant. He often orders room service while banging out stories on his laptop just before deadline. His most recent book, Reach for the Stars Without Losing Your Balance, is available at Amazon.com, Win- Formation.com and select retail outlets.