Planning for Future Competition Challenges Staff

The Hyatt Regency in Reston, VA is in the heart of Washington DC's high-tech corridor. It's one of the few hotels in an area of mushrooming growth. During the week, corporate and business travelers fill most of the 517 rooms; on weekends, associations and specialty markets hold weekend gatherings, while social events occupy ballroom space.

With little competition in the area, General Manager Dan Amato could count on those reservations and bookings coming in by default. "Anytime you have a hotel with 50-50 week and weekend business - especially in a commercial area - you have a successful hotel." But, "I am someone who likes to anticipate things happening and be ready for them," so he urges his staff to look towards the future, when competition does arrive.

"We know that new hotels are going to be put up within the next few years. So we have a very pro-active attitude towards building on relationships with customers. Our Good Neighbor Project sends out sales and marketing people to meet the businesses that are moving in. They find the right contacts within the businesses - the decision-makers who choose where to hold meetings or where an executive will stay during a transfer. We do what we can to help them get acclimated. This way, they will be comfortable with us and have an on-going relationship when the new hotels are built."

Following up the sale with impeccable service and delivery is the next fundamental in cementing the relationship. To Amato, that means hiring a staff of independent thinkers who work as a team.

"That's what this business really is - getting the staff to do the job and provide the best service to the customer. You have to keep the lines of communication open and create an overall sense of pride and teamwork. You utilize all departments to band together to do tasks. I look for people who can see the bigger picture, because one event has ramifications on 15 different departments.

Amato is very involved in the hiring process. He personally interviews every prospective employee after the division manager has recommended them for hiring. "Above all else, I look for personality and attitude. They have to like to work with people, smile, and be sincere. That's the most important thing for the front desk, restaurant servers, housekeeping. Only a few positions in culinary and engineering don't have a lot of interaction with guests."

When hiring for managerial positions, "I want people who are not afraid to challenge me. All of my managers are outspoken, confident, and have something to offer. They have different perspectives and are not afraid to stand up for their opinions."

Management committee meetings see a lot of open dialogue. "It's us challenging each other, even if it's a subject that's not part of our usual responsibilities. The menu design may be run past the Sales Director. The Chief Engineer is asked if we should go after a new business client. It builds teamwork, gives a new perspective, and makes them look at their positions more openly. It's too easy to get locked into your own world."

The staff is expected to take charge of situations, with the guests' comfort and satisfaction the overriding concern. "We want the guests to feel special, as welcome as though they were coming home. Orientation and training stress that. We use the guests' names a lot. It makes people feel special when they are recognized."

It's a philosophy that works with staff, too. "Tell your staff you appreciate them. Be sincere and individualized when you do it. People respond when you take the time to seek them out and tell them face-to-face that you recognize the quality of their work and appreciate it."

As a way of further reinforcing that recognition, Amato keeps a large binder filled with complementary letters from guests and customers in the corporate offices' lobby, where visitors can browse through it. All employees' names are highlighted, and he sends copies of those letters with personal notes to the people named.

In addition to Hyatt's employee recognition program, there's a lot of off-hours team building. "We have get-togethers and go off-site for fun. We might go to the movies or play pool. We've even organized paintball outings and whitewater rafting."

The Hyatt Regency Reston has held a 4 Diamond rating since it opened in 1990. Amato says the difference between a good hotel and a great hotel is "how the hotel lingers in your memory. A great hotel has a standard of excellence."
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