Case Study
Purpose
Starwood, known for Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis, and W Hotels, embarked on a global revitalization of their many properties. The challenge, as with many hotel chains, was that explosive growth during the previous decade created a multitude of different cultures, standards, and results. For the Starwood Corporation, this complex initiative encompassed more than 125,000 employees across more than 1200 hotels around the world.
Process
As part of a long-term strategy that included re-branded marketing and operational updates, we at World Class Benchmarking provided a comprehensive series of transformation training programs to reflect the newly clarified brands and the related recommitment to world-class guest service.
Payoff
As part of this international roll-out, World Class Benchmarking designed, developed, and delivered the training that resulted, in less than a year, according to Starwood executives, in “a staggering success” in participant evaluation results, with “thousands of guest testimonials about significant improvements in the guest experience”.
These initial results reflect only the early stages of a fully-realized cultural transformation. Every indicator shows dramatic improvements in the commonly accepted measures that define world-class success: leadership evaluations, employee excellence metrics, guest satisfaction and intent to return and refer, and initial improvements in operational improvements/savings with revenue trending stronger.
Note: Starwood Hotels is now a part of the Marriott brand. We feel that the years spent improving Starwood’s brand made them a perfect fit for becoming part of this larger family of hotels and resorts.
