Litmus Test for Our Company Vision

Welcome to my blog which we have developed to ensure we communicate well and on many different levels within Langham Hospitality Group.  I initially want to highlight our vision as a company, why this is so important and why we chose Know our Guests and Build Great Memories.

 

I have somewhat of a ‘litmus’ test when it comes to visions or missions for companies, and it goes like the following in my mind:

#1 - Our vision has to be a singular thought that everyone in our company can understand and contribute towards. It cannot be about profit, or market share, or nebulous things like being the "preferred choice for all stakeholders" etc. In other words, it has to be a relatively simple thought that can also be very powerful.

#2 – It's a vision that everyone can understand and potentially be able to support in their day to day activities.

#3 - If we were successful with implementing this vision (or one thought), and if everyone contributed and excelled in this area, would most other objectives in our company ‘take care of themselves?’

#4 - A great vision has to be focused on our customers or what we are doing for our customers.

So this is why, as a team, some years ago, we came up with Know our Guests – Build Great Memories.

I honestly believe that if we did the best job in the industry in relation to understanding what our guests need, their desires and wants and were able to deliver this in a subtle and elegant way, this would make us stand out from the pack.

It is about anticipation but it is also about being proactive in our approach and inspiring our teams who will, in turn, inspire our guests with our attention to detail. Moreover, we really need all departments to be considering how they can deliver our vision. Not only front of house teams but also those at back of house.

Please consider who your customers are and ask yourself "how can I know my guest/customer better and build great memories with them?"

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments on this matter, and many more to follow.