Four Seasons expanded into the French market with a hotel in Paris, taking a global but local approach. They stuck closely to their high service standards while adapting to the local culture and customs. This included preserving French design, cuisine, and housekeeping styles while adopting the standard French work week. A French general manager was chosen to embody both Four Seasons' culture and the local sensibilities, improving reception. Through responsive communication and emphasis on employee satisfaction, Four Seasons was able to successfully enter the demanding French luxury hotel market while staying true to their customer-focused philosophy.

1. Four Seasons Goes to Paris

2. 53 Properties 24 Countries 1 Philosophy 2002 – Four seasons hotel & Resorts: the worlds leading operator of luxury hotels

3. Diversity and Singularity People come first ONE SHOULD TREAT OTHERS THE WAY HE EXPECTS TO BE TREATED = THE GOLDEN RULE

5. 1996-2000: Revenues increased by 22.6%

6. Operating Margins: 58.8% to 67.9%

7. Revenue per room 32% that US competitor, 27% higher than European competitor

8. 2001 Revenues & earnings had dropped (103074-86486)

10. Area Director of Finance

14. Enhancing services: creative differenciation:Example of the Guest Room Evening Service = orientation to detailed attention

15. Intelligent, Anticipatory and Enthusiastic Service

16. No Excuses ->= S-E-R-V-C-E

17. The Seven Four Season “SERVICECulture Standards” SMILE EYE EVERYONE RECOGNITION CLEAN INFORMED VOICE

21. Very professional, not pretentious, detail oriented

22. Interested in people

23. One firm sentiment

25. FOUR SEASONS: MASTERS OF LUXURY HOTEL SERVICES FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS From the ORIGAMI napkins to the PAINT on the WALLS There is NO ESCAPE from the SERVICE FACTOR!!! It is EVERYWHERE and EVERYTHING!

27. High quality, truly personalized service.

28. Maximize value of customers time – According to Grönroos’ Service Marketing Triangle this is a ‘value creation service.’

29. “the distance between the employee and the guest has to be small.”

30. “THE GOLDEN RULE”

31. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

32. Turnover is half of industry average of 55%

33. “Very professional, not pretentious” “Family”

34. Happy employee = happy customer (Fortune top 100 best companies to work for in North America)

35. E.g. Each employee has several uniforms for when they get dirty…keeps dignity

36. PROCESS CONSUMPTION - HIGH-TOUCH SERVICE

37. From the moment of booking ONWARDS – SERVICE

38. No PREBUNDLED PRODUCT! – Must be FLEXIBLE & EMPATHETIC! E.g. concierge taking guest to hospital and staying overnight

41. “each hotel is tailor made” adapted to its national environment – David Crowl, VP sales & marketing Europe, Middle East, and Africa e.g. more restaurants in Asian hotels

42. When waking up in Instanbul hotel you know you are in Turkey

43. SINGULARITY

44. “the process for opening and operating a hotel is the same everywhere.”

45. Standards are universal e.g. clean room, good breakfast….but done with own style

46. 7 SERVICE CULTURE STANDARDS – KEEPING SERVICE INTERNATIONAL!!!

47. Standards create a strong foundation but yet can be locally flexible e.g. do not leave coffee pot on table in France as perceived as lack of service

48. Expected of ALL staff ALL over the world at ALL times

51. Each Hotel Is Tailor made with the following in Mind:

52. Human Resources Golden Rule: One should treat others as they wish to be treated

53. ENTRY STRATEGY IN THE FRENCH MARKETLOCAL APROACHGLOBAL MANAGEMENTSERIOUS SERVICE DEDICATION

54. KEY LOCATION: PARISIAN LANDMARK GEORGES V Heritage of the 8th arrondissement of Paris in the heart of the luxury: architecture art, shopping…Parisian Culture

55. THE PLAN Sticking to the standard opening strategy of the hotel: Global buT local: to an extreme sensitive adaptation. Preserve the soul of the Georges V although rebuild for the international traveler Preserve: French style in design and cuisine Renovations, decoration House-keeping French chef: « culinary coup d’etat » = very new to the four Season’s management choicepolicy but respectfull to the customers expectations of a « serious » french chef, «serious food »! Adapt to the worker unions, and work week standards: The standard work week in the hotel industry in france is actually up to 39 hours, other industries 35h/week, which makes it a chalenge and a competitive attraction for employees

56. REBUILD: French manager whom embodies the Four Seasons culture and standards Serious about golden rule Resulting in better reception from the environment and work-force American style of management The employee of the year TASK-FORCE AMAZING COMUNICATION! Direcrt line= 30 employee group meeting. Manageer’s daily morning meetings Familly experience 3 times a year, hotel opening doors to the employees and their family Unexpectedly open and responsive to the press Generally speaking the american style of management can be perceived as a bit imposing; Allthough it is balanced with smooth adaptation to french workers And the PDCA: design management style of the company is responsive to feed back and openied to managerial improvements

57. Do the Lessons from Four Seasons Going to Paris apply to Luxury Service Firms Entering Markets Other than France ? YES All countries in all service industries: RETAIL INDUSTRY SPA INDUSTRY FASHION INDUSTRY SERVICE INDUSTRY REAL ESTATE SERVICE IS ABOUT PERSONALITY THEREFORE CULTURE AND NEEDS TO BE APROCHED LOCALY