Clarion Hotels: Contiuous improvement of the way we take care of our guests

Improvement is a question of attitude. And in the highly competitive industry of hotel accomodation, attitude is a matter of survival. This insight led Clarion Hotels to begin working systematically with capturing and implementing the ideas and comments from customers and employees.

- Since we started working with System C2, we have seen gains in almost all areas: increasingly satisfied customers, greater employee engagement, increased profitability and stronger brand, says Katalin Paldeak who is group director at the Clarion Hotel Scandinavia.

In 2010, the 18 Clarion Hotels conducted 11 000 improvements across the Nordic countries. This equals over 10 implemented improvements per person per year. Clarion Hotel Stockholm, with 100 employees completed more than 30 improvements per person per year, which is a world class achievement.

Clarion's method is a combination of idea coaches, brainstorming and System C2 as a support tool. The system collects all customer-related matters. This includes comments, complaints and praise from guests, or suggestions from employees on how to make guests happier. Then, at staff meetings solutions are developed and ideas formed to solve each specific problem.

- For a hotel customers details are of utmost importance. The hotel industry is an experience industry, and every little improvement can pose a positive contribution to the individual customers' experience. This is what ultimately makes all the difference, says Katalin Paldeak.

- We strive to get a high and consistent level of quality in all our hotels. We want to take advantage of the creativity of all our employees. The improvement work will be an integral part of everyday life. Continuous improvement is a means to achieve our vision. And we will achieve it!

Results of the improvement work at the Clarion Hotel
 39 000 implemented improvements in the last five years = average of 8 completed improvements / employee
 5 MSEK/year in implemented savings proposals
 Highest brand loyalty in the Choice Group (tot 170 hotels)
 Best Swedish hotel chain in 2010 - Grand Travel Award
 Alan G. Robinson Award in 2010 - an award for best improvements