The Power of Loyalty

It has been a busy few months for me this summer and I find it crazy that 2015 is flying by at a breakneck speed.  We had one of our long term Front Desk agents leave to move back across the pond to the UK, so her position of Loyalty Champion opened up.  I had expressed an interest in having a role with the Loyalty Program at the hotel and subsequently in April this year the position was offered to me.

I think it is essential to firstly define what Loyalty is and more importantly why it is so critical to the Hotel industry.  To be loyal is to be faithful to another person, cause or organization for a variety of reasons. You can be loyal to a particular supermarket chain because perhaps they offer some of the lowest prices and most consistent price matching plans. Perhaps you are loyal to a loved one or a friend because you have developed a connection with that person that is bound in concrete.  Within a hotel perhaps you are loyal to a hotel brand for the consistency in low rates it provides. However things can get more detailed than that. Perhaps you are loyal to a hotel property because Joe at the Front Desk always brightens your day with his efficiency and courteous service.

Here are a few interesting statistics on consumer loyalty:

·         28% of consumers are loyal to their providers and brands (Accenture)

·         Top 3 customer frustrations: failure to quickly resolve an issue, lengthy hold times, and interacting with representatives who cannot provide a solution (Accenture)

·          “Fully engaged” customers (those with a strong attachment to the brand, or brand ambassadors) deliver a 23% premium over the average customer in share of wallet, profitability and revenue (Cap Gemini) 

·         “Actively disengaged” customers (those who have negative feelings towards the brand, or spread negative word-of-mouth) represent a 13% discount in share of wallet, profitability and revenue (Cap Gemini)

It’s quite clear to see the importance of loyalty from some of the above statistics. To be loyal to a brand you have to trust that they are delivering on the key factors that make your stay special to you. If a brand is consistent in the delivery of these factors or services, then chances are high they will return. So you could say that the great product that drives 77% of loyalty for millennials and the brand recognition and trust which drives 69% of loyalty actually go hand in hand (NewsCred). One cannot exist without the other.

In my role as Loyalty Champion for IHG Rewards Club, I have two focuses. One is to drive member enrollment at our property. Why is enrollment important? Well primarily due to the fact guest loyalty can be easily swayed. Interestingly the potential revenue up for grabs due to changes in consumer spending and switching among brands and providers is $1.6 trillion, a 29% increase from 2010 (Accenture).  There is intense competition between the various hotel loyalty programs to sway these guests between brands.  For this reason it is essential to keep those member enrollments consistently high to account for the lost members over the course of the year.

My second focus is in regards to member recognition. Member retention begins with proper recognition. The IHG Rewards Program has taken strong steps over the past couple of years to switch the focus from a traditional reward based loyalty program to a “relationship” based program. More on that later… Relationships don’t work if you can’t get the greeting right. When that rewards member walks in the door and approaches the desk it makes a huge difference when you look them in the eye and not only thank them for their stay but you also recognize them as a member and subsequently a part of the IHG global family.  

Member recognition is essential because it is terrific indicator of how well a hotel property is doing with its member engagement. Guests have an opportunity when they receive their satisfaction surveys following their stay to not only identify if they were recognized as members but for the higher membership levels we even ask if there membership levels were correctly identified. These numbers are tracked and goals are set and taken very seriously due to the direct impact our members have on our properties. 

Above I mentioned the old school traditional rewards program where you get points for each dollar spent at a hotel. I also mentioned that IHG Rewards is pushing towards a “relationship” based rewards program. Now this doesn’t mean that they are no longer offering points to our guests. This is still a major component of the program and probably THE key benefit of membership. By focusing on relationship building, IHG is taking concerted steps to ensure they are rewarding guests and members who are truly loyal to the brand.  This includes ensuring that emails and communications sent to members are personalized and customized to fit member preferences. The more preferences we can capture, the more personalized the interaction and therefore the better the stay.

In the few months now that I’ve been in this role, I have to say it is right up my alley. There is a strong focus on guest satisfaction and more so with our members and return guests. I feel I have an important role to play to ensure that not only are we continuing to build enrollments and keep our recognition scores high, but as we go into an extremely busy renovation period over the next few months, keeping our regulars coming back and keeping them happy will be the challenge. 

What's In a Name? - Developing That Guest Connection

The competitive nature of the modern day hotel industry requires the front line staff to place even more emphasis on creating memorable first experiences for their guests. Nothing leaves a more lasting impression on a guest’s psyche than creating an experience that is personal to them. After all, they are spending their hard earned money at your property and subsequently expect value for their stay.

Firstly it is an important note to remember that while the first experience is the key, it is just as important to maintain the same personalized service throughout the guest stay. All that excellent work to create a top notch first experience can get thrown out the window with a lack of caring or attention to detail later on in the stay. In fact the guest is more likely to remember a slip in the service standards if his first experience was great.

For this entry I want to focus more on the concept of “personalized” guest service. The importance of identifying a guest by name is huge when looking to create an impact. Most guests will sub consciously recognize that they are just one of many guests checking in. Therefore when they are identified by name, it makes them feel like more than just a number.

So what if it is a first interaction. Again there is nothing wrong with introducing yourself by name and also identifying the department you work in and then politely asking for the guest’s name. Most guests appreciate you taking the effort to get to know them and it simply adds to the experience.

How else can you personalize a guest experience?  Here I find that creating opportunities to communicate with guests is critical. The more opportunities we have with our guests, the more we learn about who they are, why they are staying with us and more importantly what major factors will encourage them to return in the future. The more we learn, the easier it is to apply this information to take an ordinary guest experience and tailor it to them. It is important that a strong culture of communication between departments is created as every front line staff member could have a communication opportunity with a guest. Whether it is the front desk, the doorman or even the housekeepers, there is a chance for everyone to contribute.

I must make a side note here that as important as it is to create a personalized guest experience, we live in a world where sincerity or a lack thereof can be recognized quite easily. It is important that we are creating these personalized guest experiences because we truly do care for our guests. Nobody likes to be patronized so make it count because you truly want to. After all, it is why we work in this industry…is it not?

I’d like to close out this entry by relaying a story that really made me smile and proved to me what sort of impact the power of a name can have on an interaction. I had checked a guest in probably late September or early October and we had a nice little discussion about babies. Zahra had just been born and this particular guest had a little boy who was just a little older and we started chatting about this magical time in a person’s life. Well in early January this same guest came up to the desk again and would you believe it; not only did she remember my name but she remembered that I had a brand new baby girl as well as that her name was Zahra. The power of a name can work both ways folks.

Till next time

The Big "Three Two"

As I turn 32 in what has probably been the most iconic year of my life, I've been trying to think of one word that describes what I am feeling right now. No matter what road of thinking I go down, they all lead to the same word; Gratitude.

Sometimes, I find that when you are young there is an air of invincibility that seems to hover over you like a grey cloud overhead. More often than not, this cloud will pass you over and you grow older and wiser through the years. Other times you may go through experiences that teach you about the vulnerability of life. Some who are not so lucky find out the hard way that those grey clouds can quickly develop into storms of pain and suffering.

My baby girl Zahra did not come into this world easily. I will save you most of the gory details of that 19 hour ordeal however what I will say is that never have I been more proud of anyone in my entire life than my wife Lauren. What she went through, what any woman goes through is beyond the realm of any man's understanding. I will never know truly what she felt through those hours...the pain, the frustration, the anger, the exhaustion, the PAIN and then the joy. I can list these emotions among many others and I shared in many of them with her, but what SHE felt and SHE went through, I will never know; nor do I have the right to. Lauren you are my world and my life and first and foremost before everything I am grateful to have you as my partner.

Zahra was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. They used forceps to help remove her and she wasn't breathing when she came out. I will never forget the team of 9 medical professionals who were working on her in the delivery room, doing every thing they could to get this little girl to breathe. For two and a half minutes she didn't breathe and I know this exactly because it was one man's job to simply count the amount of time that had elapsed between the birth and the first breath. 30 seconds....1 minute...1 minute 30 seconds....2 minutes....2 minutes 30 seconds.....the room moved in slow motion. Then.....that first cry. Relief! Tears! Joy! Without the magnificent team working on Zahra we most likely would have lost her. To everyone who spent any amount of time helping Zahra through those first few days and especially to those 9 nurses and medical professionals, Lauren and I are both extremely grateful.

That incredible feeling that Lauren and I shared in moments after Zahra started breathing was quite simply the single greatest most indescribable moment of our lives. It was just perfect. It lasted all of about 30 seconds. The tension returned with a vengeance as Lauren now had to deliver the placenta which once she did unleashed a torrent of blood that gushed from her like a burst water pipe. I had no idea what I was feeling, I was numb. I feel that in that moment as I looked into my wife's eyes, I saw a deeper meaning to everything. Its hard to explain and even now as I type this I feel that I am not doing this moment justice. It was as though within her eyes I could see through to her soul and as I willed her to fight through the pain of the Doctor stitching her up, I swear I could see the life leaving her eyes. I'm not sure how long it took but I don't think it was very long. She lost a litre of blood in about 2 minutes they said. The human body holds approximately 5 litres in total. Every second counted but finally it ended. Finally it was over. She made it. To the doctor who delivered my baby and then saved my wife's life, I am grateful.

We spent five days at Credit Valley Hospital. It was five days of incredible care. From the nurse who helped me hold my baby for the first time while my wife was out of commission recovering from her own scare, to the nurse who checked us out five days later and EVERYBODY in between. We are so grateful. You were all blessings!

To my parents who gave me the courage and strength to be there for my wife even in the darkest hours and who taught me the values of Love, Patience, Understanding and most importantly Compromise. I will be forever grateful.

To my mother in law for spending every minute of those 19 hours with us in that room. God only knows what she had to go through seeing her daughter in such pain. Sandra you have been the rock that has held us together through fourteen years and it was only fitting that you were there in that defining moment. We are forever grateful.

So as I turn 32, I truly think the right word must be gratitude. I am grateful that with the grace of God, I was able to live another year and I am even more grateful that I get to do that with my courageous and beautiful wife and the new apple of our eye, Zahra.

Till Next Time....



p.s    Please know that despite the fact that I have not listed many names and experiences here that have every right to be included, I have not forgotten. To everyone in my life who makes life worth living EVERY SINGLE DAY....I am forever grateful.

Jobless - What my Search Taught Me

At the beginning of October 2013, I was in my comfort zone. Steady job with an employer I considered family. Working Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm with lots of time to see family, make plans on the weekend and live a comfortable life.

Despite my level of comfort with my life at that time, somewhere deep inside I was restless. I didn't know it at the time, but now looking back I think maybe I chose not to know it. I had been working the role of Extended Stay Sales Representative for over three years and despite improving my numbers year over year, 2013 had been a tough year. The hotel had taken a different direction in a push to improve the Average Rates and that had made achieving the lofty targets laid out for me a little more difficult. Subsequently I found myself missing my monthly targets consistently which severely affected my motivation level. The hotel had compensated for these higher targets by expanding my job parameters to include non-extended stay smaller corporate accounts. This gave me something concrete to work towards and I will always be grateful for that diversification from which I learnt a lot those last few months.

So when the hammer fell on Halloween 2013 (Oct 31st), I wasn't too surprised. To be fair, the situation was handled wonderfully well. I had never been in such a position before and I feel that all the powers that be at One King treated me with the same utmost respect that I had given the hotel for the previous six years.

Being the positive person that I am, I immediately consulted with Lauren, family and friends and came to the conclusion that this was a necessary change and an opportunity to turn my direction back towards hotel operations and specifically the Front Desk. After taking a couple of weeks to lay some groundwork for my job search I dove into it with the eagerness and anticipation of bigger and better things to come.

Fast Forward to June 2014 and I was still jobless. It was not an easy experience to say the least. I thought that with my educational background and varied experience at One King, it would have been a walk in the park. What it turned out to be was a up and down journey with lots of hours spent alone with just my thoughts. I came to several realizations:

1.   My Education Didn't Carry The Weight I Thought It Did

The five years I spent at George Brown College obtaining my Hospitality Operations Degree were five of the best years of my life. The thing is, most employers while taking it into consideration, cared more about what practical experience I had under my belt versus how many text books I had read. Therefore with Front Desk being my priority in the job hunt, my lack of previous Front Desk experience hurt me.

2.   Job Hunting Is More Quality Over Quantity

At first my focus was sending out as many resumes as possible. I sent out hundreds and not ONE of them came back for an interview request. My search took place all over the world with applications sent out for jobs internationally as well. The day I started to narrow my search and focus in specifically on organizations I wanted to target, my results improved and I began to get calls for interviews.



3.   Moving Might Not Have Been the Best Thing

In January 2014, we received confirmation that Lauren was pregnant and this immediately led to me reconsidering my thoughts about a move out of Toronto. I came close to obtaining a dream position with a terrific hotel in downtown Vancouver doing three interviews with them. This was in February 2014 and with everything that followed during her pregnancy, I am very glad that I never got that position. I would have moved without her initially and not only would it have been tough for her, I would have been extremely distracted in Vancouver and that could have affected my job performance significantly.


4.   Being Creative About My Job Experience

Now this definitely doesn't mean make up my job experience. As I was going for a Guest Services position at the Front Desk and I didn't have any previous actual Front Desk experience, it was critical that I found ways to connect my work as Extended Stay Sales Representative with the Front Desk. The fact is while my job was mostly Sales related, it was a unique market segment to work as it did involve maintaining strong relationships with my guests as well as working closely with the Front Desk to ensure that my guests were looked after during their stays. Convincing potential employers that my lack of Front Desk experience was not a hindrance and that my sales experience was actually a benefit was the most challenging part of the hunt.

5.   Be Truthful to Yourself

December is not the best time to be job hunting and that lull in the market carries over well into January. It was a tough time to search and I was getting no hits. There was a time from mid January through to the first call I got from that Vancouver hotel where I was asking myself some seriously difficult questions. For the first time in almost seven years I was questioning my abilities, my career choice and my own personal career choices over the past few years. Its extremely easy to fall prey to these darker and more negative thoughts that come when things aren't going the way you'd like. I realized that these conversations I was having with myself were necessary. They were difficult questions and in order to move forward I needed to think about them and answer them truthfully.

6.   Support is There When Needed

This leads me to my sixth and final point. I want to pay my respect and humble appreciation to my family, friends and loved ones who were there for me on the darkest of my days. In the end, that was my journey to take and mine alone. However I can point out multiple meaningful and deep conversations with both my parents that helped me get through those moments. My mother in law for the countless jobs she searched for and sent my way. My friends who were behind me all the way whether to boost my confidence or just simply to make me smile when I needed it. My brother for continuing to inspire me on a daily basis. When I needed to escape, he was there. My wife Lauren's continuous support throughout everything. She backed every decision without blinking and unconditionally loved me in the most negative of days. When Vancouver looked like a possibility she was all for it despite being on the most incredible nine month journey of her own with all the uncertainty it brought.

Finally I'd like to thank my baby girl Zahra. Even though she had not entered into the world as yet, she was my inspiration. I can safely say that being off for the first six to seven months of Lauren's pregnancy and having a chance to support and share with her through those times was the single most rewarding experience of my life until that point. Knowing that my efforts were all going towards creating a future for Zahra gave me the best motivation anyone could ever ask for.

I can't wait to see what that future holds!

Till next time....

To Be Inspired Again

I started writing this blog because I was inspired by the word "Service". I wanted to be able to share my inspiration with others or at the very least create some sort of diary of record that might give my kids some idea of what made their Dad tick.

It all started very well however somewhere very early on this blog fell into obscurity just like every other diary I have ever attempted to start. I just stopped....and didn't think twice about it until two life changing experiences that have occurred over the last year or so.

Firstly my position at One King West Hotel and Residence was made redundant about a year ago bringing to an end for me 6 years at what was my first hotel employer coming out of Hospitality school. It was an amicable ending and I'll write more about that in a future entry (not too distant this time...).  After 9 months of job hunting misery (more on this in a later entry too) I was offered the position of Guest Services Representative at the Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport and my career was in a sense; reset.

Then more recently I was blessed with the birth of my first baby girl when Zahra Jean Shirazie came into the world on September 12th 2014. This was my motivation...she is my motivation. She will forever be my motivation.

The question is why? What connection is there between my career in Hospitality, the birth of my baby girl and an inspiration to write in this blog again?

I feel that one of the keys to outstanding guest service is the ability to be genuine. Too often have I stayed at hotels and resorts and been greeted with that cookie cutter smile that looks like its been cut and pasted ou
t of the first page of the "Guest Service" manual. Its difficult to trust someone to look after your stay if you don't feel that they genuinely have your best interests at heart.  One of the lessons I learnt from my parents early on in life was to be genuine in my interactions with others. It is a lesson I try to apply to not only every guest who walks through those hotel doors but also with my colleagues, family, friends or even strangers.

Greet your guest with a smile you would give a long lost friend. I actually put myself in the mindset that I know this person walking towards me and I feel this helps. When the guest is talking, take a moment to hear the guest out. Truly listen to what they have to say. If you do it right, chances are higher you will be able to accurately assist the guest precisely with what they require. Don't do it right and chances are they will be right back at your desk with three other issues within the hour.

Is this genuine guest service a trait that can be learnt? Is it one of those things you either have or you don't? I don't know.,..perhaps if it is something that can be learnt, it is a deeper learning. A lesson to be applied to life...Treating others how you would expect to be treated. Or better yet...treat others how you would expect others to treat your mother or father because really there shouldn't be a better bench mark.

It is this approach to my work and my life that I would like Zahra to know and learn from. Be genuine...listen...learn....and you will find yourself halfway to happiness.

till next time...

You know the hotel business can work in diversely fascinating ways. Every now and then you are given the opportunity to experience a moment that can both move and humble you. It is part of the reason I love the work I do.

We have a private tenant who stays in one of the units here at One King West who has a young son who is sick with a life threatening disease. When the time comes for this little boy to go into chemotherapy treatments at the renowned Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, they usually set up base here at hotel until its time for the treatments to begin. He is a bright child; brave in the face of adversity. Intelligent and inquisitive he shows no signs of the terrible sickness that ails him. Instead he takes it head on through the support of his incredible parents.

It pains me to see a child so young afflicted by such stress at an age when he should be out playing with other children. However I am also inspired by this little boy because if he can take on his very serious troubles head on at his age, then I should be able to handle my very minimal issues with no problem at all. It fills me with confidence and hope for the future.

Best of luck little man! I'm sure you're gonna be just fine.


The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the world’s foremost paediatric health-care institutions and is Canada’s leading centre dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care, research and education. They were responsible for diagnosing my brother with his rare genetic condition, Homocystinuria and it was through this diagnosis that Hamza was able to make positive and necessary changes in his life in order to improve his quality of living almost 10 fold in the last 10 years. I will always be grateful.

Richtree - Time for Change?

So I just found out two days ago that the flagship Richtree location at Yonge and Wellington in downtown Toronto would be closing for the next six months. In fact not only are they closing down but the original Movenpick group is returning to the location with their Marche brand. This is an interesting development in a saga that stretches back as far as 1996 when Jorg and Mariann Reichert formed Richtree Inc. in essence splitting their partnership with Movenpick.

I worked for Richtree for over a year as team leader of the Rosti department and consider that year an important stepping stone in my career development. Now while I never had the opportunity to work at the flagship location (I was at Square One in Mississauga), it truly was magnificent. However when looking at the food quality from a customer perspective I find it interesting that Richtree was just never able to maintain the same level of quality as Movenpick Marche had managed to in their 12 years of operation. Even now working down the street as a concierge at One King West, when guests come to me looking for the restaurant, they refer to it as "Marche" and less so as Richtree.

According to a news report by the Toronto Star in March 2009, Movenpick plans to open 10 locations along a variety of brands including their flagship location which will still be at Yonge and Wellington. Other brand varieties include Bistro, Natural Bakery and Marchelino and will each offer a different experience for diners. They are expecting to make up to $30 million dollars a year in sales and are convinced they can lure patrons back to what was a highly successful venture.

The closing of the locations at Brookfield Place will however not affect any of the other Richtree locations currently in place including Square One and the Eaton Center amongst others. This means that Richtree will be in direct competition with Marche for business in Toronto making for a highly interesting situation later this summer. The link for the full article from Taste T.O is pasted below. Stay tuned!!!

Taste T.O. Article