If you’ve ever stayed at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, you know that when it comes to customer service, the Ritz gets it right. All the employees, from the bellboys to the waiters, make you feel welcome. And special
So what does this have to do with public relations? All.
Think about it. If you’ve had a most enjoyable stay at a Ritz-Carlton, you’ll tell your family and friends about it. Some might call this word of mouth marketing or buzz marketing. I call it brilliant public relations.
Conversely, if you’ve had a less-than-satisfying experience, chances are you’ll tell others about it, too. The buzz went wrong.
That’s why the Ritz makes sure you’re welcomed with open arms. Each employee greets you with a smile and a “Good morning”, “Good afternoon” or “Good evening”.
As William Aruda points out on the MarketingProfs.com site: “Every employee gets it. They just get it, and they can consistently deliver on it. That’s what makes the Ritz-Carlton brand synonymous with extreme customer service, and that It’s what turns customers into evangelists.”
Amen.
So what can other companies learn from the Ritz? They can incorporate customer service best practices into their employee training. They need to rethink how they think about public relations.
At its most basic level, public relations isn’t about a fancy press kit or how many mentions your company gets in the media. It’s about customer service, plain and simple. That’s why it’s called public relations. A company that can relate well to its customers understands the importance of public relations.
Maybe “PR” really stands for “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”