The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is a standard by which all other hotels are compared. Its success in creating wonderful customer encounters is legendary. For the people who work there, customer service is a calling, not a job. Their investment and engagement in the “mystique” of the Ritz-Carlton experience creates a global reputation of excellence.

The foundation of that success is an outstanding corporate culture that is guided by what the Ritz calls its “Gold Standards,” the values and philosophy by which its employees operate. These standards are part of a comprehensive training process for every employee. Moreover, they are reinforced on a daily basis. You may be familiar with one of the standards—the Ritz’s often-quoted motto “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” 

Another aspect of the Gold Standard at the Ritz-Carlton is know as Service Values: I Am Proud To Be Ritz-Carlton. They continually reinforce the pride of being a part of the team delivering an outstanding experience for their customers. 

At the start of every single shift, seven days a week, at every Ritz-Carlton hotel, every staff member attends a 15-minute team meeting known as the daily lineup. The agenda covers three key areas: 

      1. Updates from corporate headquarters.

      2. Updates on the local hotel’s daily events and issues to note.

      3. Review and refresher on one of the 12 service values.

Think about that for a moment. Every single day, every single employee gets the same message reinforced: Our service values and our Gold Standard are your top priority. The Ritz-Carlton, like every great company, embeds what it wants employees to exemplify in the very fabric of the corporate culture.

It got me thinking about Michigan and what our Gold Standard could be. Imagine the possibilities we could create with a shared set of Service Values to drive our prosperous future. Consider the possibilities we would generate if together we reinforced a corporate culture that represents our highest aspirations for our future. 

So, here’s my list of some possible Gold Standard service values for Michigan:  

Service Values: I am proud to be Michigan

1. Building strong relationships and partnerships across industries, communities and neighborhoods that connect us all as Michigan advocates. 

2. Responding to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of those who can contribute to our successful future.

3. Creating unique, memorable and personal experiences for visitors to our great state (visit michigan.org for ideas on Pure Michigan experiences).

4. Encouraging every citizen to understand his or her role in achieving success for our future and demonstrating The Michigan Advantage.

5. Seeking opportunities to innovate and improve the Michigan experience.

6. Owning problems and working together to resolve those obstacles that are holding us back. 

7. Creating an environment of teamwork and servant leadership so the needs of our peers and partners are met.

8. Finding opportunities to continuously grow and consciously opting to learn from our past and improve.

9. Involving our front line team members in the planning of the work that they will drive to create Michigan’s bright future.

10. Statewide pride in our shared heritage, who we are and where we choose to live, work and play.

11. Commiting to buy Michigan products and services not just because it’s the right thing to do for our state, but because Michigan-made means it’s the best in the world.

12. Taking responsibility day-by-day, issue-by-issue, person-by-person for what we can become if we believe in our own greatness.

I am proud to be Michigan and I believe you are, too. If we focus our time and discussions on achieving our own Gold Standards for success, rather than listening to the latest “doom and gloom” stories, we will create the future in which we want to live. .

		Bob Metzger is program director for Michigan’s Next Great Companies at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. To find more information on the Ritz-Carlton’s Gold Standard, visit corporate.ritzcarlton.com and select “About Us.”