A well-known resort on India's west coast, the Vivanta by Taj—Holiday Village conducted a methodical program to upgrade its operations, based on improving the customer service experience. The resort's managers used a seven-step process to identify and test service innovations.
Communication was a strong part of this plan. For instance, the resort started making sure that complaints were communicated directly to managers, and high-level managers consulted personally with guests to ensure personal service. Among the specific operating changes, the resort changed its check-in policies, reorganized its breakfast offerings, and instituted a new photograph-based approach to room preparation. As a result, guest satisfaction scores increased by 20 percent, and the resort's revenue per available room substantially exceeded its market "fair share," as compared to competitors.
Taj Hotels, Resorts, and Palaces is a senior partner of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research. The resort's program is explained in detail by researchers Aveek Sengupta and Chekitan Dev in the upcoming February 2011 issue of the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.
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