Case Summary: Four Seasons Goes to Paris? – Entering a foreign market Basic facts about Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a Canadian international luxury hotel management company. Between 1996 and 2000 they increased revenues and margins by about 20% and 10% respectively. Their revenue per room was about 30% higher than that of their competitors. Four Seasons generally operates, but does not own, mid-sized luxury hotels and resorts. By 2002, they indisputably became the world 's leading operator of luxury hotels, managing 53 properties in 24 countries. The Four Seasons management structure follows the idea of regional adaption, meaning that each property has a general manager, who is supported by a regional …show more content…
Four interviews were held with every potential employee to get an idea as to whether the candidate could live up to Four Seasons ' philosophy. Therefore, attitude and willingness to adapt to the corporate culture were valued higher than prior experience. Moreover, they also hired staff with prior Four Seasons / U.S. experience to bring American and French culture closer together and reduce prejudice. Cross-Cultural Risks Four Seasons ensures a smooth opening for each new hotel by assigning a special “task force” of experienced Four Seasons managers to help establish norms and train staff. The task force that was put into action for Paris had to stay twice as long as for any other opening (seven to eight weeks rather than three). Responsible for this were the strong differences between the North American and the French culture. For example, French managers would not take the same accountability for decisions and policies as North American managers, they valued human relationships higher than punctuality and performance evaluations turned out to be somewhat difficult, since addressing problems directly was not appreciated in the French culture. As a recognition and evaluation program Four Seasons launched employee-of-the-month and employee-of-the-year programs, as well as an annual evaluation, both uncommon in France, but crucial management tools with Four Seasons. The high expectations for food and beverages in France made it necessary
This paper is designed for exploring the reasons for the success of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Paris (Four Seasons). Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is Canadian based international leading operator of midsized luxury hotels. Four Seasons has enabled guests to maximize the value of their time with providing high-quality and truly personalized service. Four Seasons was able to succeed with their unique strategy of dealing with cultural differences, unique corporate culture, and strategy of human
Learning Goal: This is an online Geography text book, and its goal is to provide an accurate information and build the concept of seasons, and earth rotation.
Four Seasons is a globally renowned hotel company recognized for its luxurious diversity, and emphasis on customized service. The company has 270 core worldwide operating standards that are congruent across all properties. However, along with their globally uniform standards, they do an excellent job of integrating the local culture into each property. For example, a guest will always receive a message on time, have clean room, and enjoy a great meal. But an Italian concierge has his own style and flair, while in Turkey or Egypt, the guest
From the 1970, with the increase in business travel, Four Seasons followed a targeted course of expansion, opening hotels in
Secondly, the customers who use the hotel are diversified. Not as in 1980s or 1990s, so many customers from different countries which have very different culture are coming nowadays. To follow up these different customers’ wants, the company should train employees more intensively and precisely, so I think seven days are too short to do that. For example, managers can add probation time that a senior member works with their juniors for one or two weeks and gives them real-time experiences which is very
How would Paris, employees, and customers receive the new FS administration? Would the values and standards of the company be compatible with those held by French culture? The question was to decide what to keep and what could be changed in their strategy when considering the elements of the French national culture and legal aspects. The advantages that FSH had on its side were experience; they had already been successful in other 23 countries reaching this balance using the diversity-singularity strategy, flexibility, they have shown setting an ever reducing number of standards while increasing focus on their goals, and a strong set of values. The success of the firm could mean entering a highly profitable market, improving the image as a high-level luxury hotel and the reinforcement of confidence for the top management team about how operations were being run. If it were a failure, the company would lose an investment of $125 million, two years of work, and possibly damage their image in a very competitive environment. Two main factors that could conspire against its success were national culture and legal issues. Even though FSH already had some experience through its operations in Canada and the Pierre Hotel in New York City (are we sure about the "French" culture at the hotel in NY? Pg 8 ) in dealing with these elements, the FS George V was a new challenge all together. In dealing with a national culture as
The Club Med (A) case examines the companies core values, innovative goals in providing a complete all-inclusive resort getaway experience for their customers, and competitive advantages and disadvantages the resort company had against others. They pride themselves on being innovators and on customer satisfaction, though they did begin to fall behind in some areas due to new competitors entering their category. Some of the Club Med issues were that they didn’t seem to actively take new threats very seriously, they were heavily catered towards the French/European culture, and how they didn’t have much flexibility in terms of adjusting their services to fit consumer needs better.
Europe is different from North America, and Paris is very different. I did not say difficult. I said different. — A senior Four Seasons manager In 2002, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts was arguably the world’s leading operator of luxury hotels, managing 53 properties in 24 countries and delivering what observers called “consistently exceptional service.” For Four Seasons, that meant providing high-quality, truly personalized service to enable guests to maximize the value of their time, however the guest defined doing so. In 1999, Four Seasons opened the Four Seasons Hotel George V
They upgrading a hotel first upgraded employee facilities. When a survey at London hotel showed dissatisfaction with workers’ areas, installed new floors, lockers, and showers within three months. Four-seasons needed to get it down to the front line: clerks, bell-staff, bartenders, waiters, cooks, housekeepers, and dishwashers, the lowest-paid and in most companies the least-motivated people, but the ones who would make or break a five-star service reputation. Four-seasons needs employees able and willing to respond on their own to whatever comes up, employees who can spot, solve, and even anticipate problems. That means delegating authority as well as responsibility. Four-seasons pay attention on how to treat employees and make them feel confortable when they work in hotel because employees could bring positive attitude towards customers if they in good mood.
This was mainly due to the large number of diversified hotels in the chain across the globe
The Four Seasons Hotel is a leader in the hotel and hospitality industry that specializes in the development and operation of luxury hotels for others (Fourseasonhotel.com, 2009). During the last few years, the Four Seasons Hotel has been awarded the best hotel and one of the most comfortable
importance in enhancing its value through a four pillar strategy and it is this strategy that has
The Four Seasons case explores how to manage the differences between the culture of a country and organizational culture. Four Seasons hotels are world renowned luxury hotels that specialize in blending a local, country specific, image with worldwide customer service practices. The seven common cultural standards that the Four Seasons have created and expect to be implemented all over the world include the following: (1) acting friendly toward and smiling at guests, (2) making eye contact with passers-by to acknowledge their presence, (3) creating a sense of recognition with guests by using their first names naturally but discreetly, (4) using a clear and unpretentious voice, (5) being well informed about the hotel, their
managers to France to lead the changeover of the new hotels. In this writing, regarding the Brunt
Four Seasons Hotels, Inc. is a Canadian international luxury, five star hotels’ company. It possesses about 98 different properties among the world. Canadian businessmen Isadore Sharp was founder of Four Seasons Hotels in 1960. Opening in 1961 the first Four Seasons Motor Hotel had an immediate success, in spite of disreputable location of the hotel (fourseasons.com). It was created like an oasis for business travelers. Mr. Sharp created a climate that was promoting professionalism and attachment of his employees. He built scheduled two stress breaks every day, paid to his employees from front desk twice the average rate, insisting that they are important role in providing the first impression of the hotel.