The Orchid Group is investing £100k a year in a new scheme designed to ensure that the hospitality offered in its food led businesses is the very best in the industry.
Since the company was founded in 2006, offering exceptional hospitality has always been at the heart of Orchid’s long term strategy. As measures to address the UK’s financial problems hit consumer spending power, and ahead of the VAT increase in January 2011, Orchid will, now more than ever, focus on exceeding customer expectation.
The ‘Exceptional Hospitality Scheme’ starts in August across Orchid’s Contemporary Carvery, Modern British Premium and The Living Room businesses. Customer experience specialist Retail Eyes has worked closely with Orchid to put together the scheme which will consist of 2 structured visits per month, aimed at looking at customer engagement rather than a standard mystery guest approach; and a facility whereby any customer can directly feedback their experience to Orchid’s senior management.
Full real-time reporting for each business, via text alerts and email, will enable Orchid to immediately reward exemplary service. Any employees who are singled out will receive a £50 high street voucher and a personal thank you from a member of Orchid’s board. Where visits identify areas for improvement, effective training will be put in place quickly.
Simon Dodd, Commercial Director said: “Our passion for exceptional hospitality has always been at the heart of Orchid’s long term strategy, but we know if we don’t attract and nurture the best people, this promise will be broken. As such by investing over £100k in the Retail Eyes scheme shows our commitment to creating a leading hospitality company.
He adds, “For us, value for money is about delivering the whole package. It’s not just selling at the right price, it’s about ensuring customer satisfaction is exceeded each and every time - delivering exceptional hospitality is the key to that. We already expect a great deal of our people, and now we’re asking them to go that extra mile.”
“The fact that we will be driving home our customer promise of ‘exceptional hospitality’ will raise the bar even further. Customers will be encouraged to leave feedback online after spending time in Orchid’s pubs, with rewards and incentives on offer for doing so.”
Simon ends: “We’re opening up a new route for hearing feedback from our customers, and their comments on service and experience will enable us to reward staff who deliver exemplary service, and if we don’t deliver the experience our customers deserve, they’ll soon let us know about it.”
