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Five Star Service on a One Star Budget
A job as a doorman at an hotel would appear to be a mundane, unrewarding, mindless occupation; unloading bags, calling cabs, giving directions, parking cars and delivering parcels - all while torturing your feet standing in the rain or the blazing hot sun. There's at least one man who has turned the job into a daily star-studded performance. His name is Ric Angeletti and he works at the Hindley Park Royal in Adelaide, South Australia. Try the fish! Ric thinks he's in show business. When he sees your car or cab pull up, he runs over to your trunk and waves at you through the window with a cheeky grin. Before you've turned off the ignition, he's unloaded your bags and opened your door. 'Park here for now and we'll shift your car later', he says with a wink. 'The parking inspector is my cousin.' 'Had dinner? Try the fish! My other cousin Louie caught it this morning.' He imitates Louie reeling in a big one. Then he adds, 'It dropped off the fish truck.' He's laughing. You're laughing. You're glad you've booked into this hotel already. He has a different packet of mindless, cheerful prattle for everyone, regardless of whether you are the State Premier, the chairman of a major corporation, or a couple of country bumpkin honeymooners. He can hold four conversations at once, manage three couples' bags and hail two cabs all without his feet touching the ground, or breaking his precious smile - all day. He knows every restaurant in town, every employee in the hotel, all the cab drivers in the street, and half the passers-by. He can remember names better than the tax department, and his recall on faces is astounding.
'Get Ric!' After Adelaide lost the Formula I Grand Prix to Melbourne, the Williams motor racing team was asked where they would like to stay in the city, having enjoyed the Park Royal's hospitality for ten years. Their reply was straight from the hip. 'Who cares', they shrugged, as long as Ric Angeletti is there.' Everyone knows him. Everyone is proud of him. His employer told me, 'He's one of a kind. His consistency is the thing that amazes us all the most. If he ever has a bad day, you'd never know it. He's happy all the time. We call him our Hotel Ambassador. He's ours and we tell everyone else, "hands off"! Countless awards Ric has been given countless awards including the keys to the City of Adelaide, and he's been honoured as South Australian of the Year - a title shared with sports stars, scientists and philanthropists. Not bad for being a 'common doorman'. Whether Ric worked at a five star hotel or a moonlit doss house he would take his five star service with him. Why? That's a good question and you'll find the answer in 'Five Star Service on a One Star Budget' as you invest a couple of valuable hours thinking seriously about the level and quality of service you are offering in your business. It doesn't matter whether you are the owner or 'one of the workers' it doesn't matter whether you work in a one-person booth or a major national department store; it doesn't matter whether you have a zillion dollar support budget or you are flat stony broke; it doesn't matter whether your customers are nice or nuts. You'll be challenged to lift your game, rouse yourself, catch a vision, lift your sights and discover that you too can give five star service on a one star budget. Bright Idea: Whether you're the CEO or the janitor - even the doorperson - isn't there a way you can turn your job into an all-singing, all-dancing, star-studded, thrill-a-minute performance?
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The Five Star Man...
When
he recognises me he shouts playful abuse from the doorway. He pities
all the friends I take there for their bad luck in being with me and
has enormous mock compassion for my wife.Privacy policy