CREATIVE, energetic staff members can provide better marketing than any advertising agency could offer, says Rydges general manager Tomas Jonsson.
CREATIVE, energetic staff members can provide better marketing than any advertising agency could offer, says Rydges general manager Tomas Jonsson.
The three-year old hotel recently won the best marketed hotel category in the Australian Hotels Association Awards.
Mr Jonsson said all hotel staff – including housekeeping, front line and back office were actively involved in the marketing process.
“All staff members help to generate ideas and creative inspiration,” he said.
“Our job vacancies for the opening teams were advertised with the heading ‘It’s all about attitude’ because we believe
personality and a dedicated work ethos is more important than years of experience.
“Most of our frontline staff are in their twenties and have a vigour and excitement about doing their work.
“This genuineness is obvious to the customer.”
Sales account manager Debbie Reinecke said the sales team had a lot of input when devising sales packages.
Ms Reinecke said the hotel’s marketing stunts were designed to be highly memorable.
“We have ladies’ floors, fishbowls in some rooms, rubber ducks in the baths – it’s the little things that make the difference to a hotel experience,” she said.
“When showing people around the hotel we’ve had our own staff as human models demonstrating the facilities.
“The spa suite had a couple in the spa sipping champagne out of flutes.
“At our Christmas parties, staff dress up according to a theme and entertain our clients in a really theatrical, fun way.
“Last year’s theme was the seventies and this year we’re going to have a Latin-style rumba,” she said.
Mr Jonsson said embracing new technologies, in addition to a prime inner city location, had been a driving force in the hotel’s success.
“We have undertaken to be at the leading edge of information technology and have jumped ahead in the market with
e-business bookings,” he said.
“Our thirty-two hotels around Australia share a guest history database that allows for more personalised customer service.
“If our wait staff in Perth notice you have a liking for a particular brand of wine, Rydges staff in other states can access that information and cater to your tastes accordingly.”
Mr Jonsson said the Rydges hotel group was formed as an alternative to five-star hotels while being much slicker than three-star establishments.
“We decided to offer an alternative rather than have a head-on collision with five-star competition,” he said.
“The CBD restaurant is a modern, stylish variation on
fine dining, and our whole approach is to emphasise such differences.”
The three-year old hotel recently won the best marketed hotel category in the Australian Hotels Association Awards.
Mr Jonsson said all hotel staff – including housekeeping, front line and back office were actively involved in the marketing process.
“All staff members help to generate ideas and creative inspiration,” he said.
“Our job vacancies for the opening teams were advertised with the heading ‘It’s all about attitude’ because we believe
personality and a dedicated work ethos is more important than years of experience.
“Most of our frontline staff are in their twenties and have a vigour and excitement about doing their work.
“This genuineness is obvious to the customer.”
Sales account manager Debbie Reinecke said the sales team had a lot of input when devising sales packages.
Ms Reinecke said the hotel’s marketing stunts were designed to be highly memorable.
“We have ladies’ floors, fishbowls in some rooms, rubber ducks in the baths – it’s the little things that make the difference to a hotel experience,” she said.
“When showing people around the hotel we’ve had our own staff as human models demonstrating the facilities.
“The spa suite had a couple in the spa sipping champagne out of flutes.
“At our Christmas parties, staff dress up according to a theme and entertain our clients in a really theatrical, fun way.
“Last year’s theme was the seventies and this year we’re going to have a Latin-style rumba,” she said.
Mr Jonsson said embracing new technologies, in addition to a prime inner city location, had been a driving force in the hotel’s success.
“We have undertaken to be at the leading edge of information technology and have jumped ahead in the market with
e-business bookings,” he said.
“Our thirty-two hotels around Australia share a guest history database that allows for more personalised customer service.
“If our wait staff in Perth notice you have a liking for a particular brand of wine, Rydges staff in other states can access that information and cater to your tastes accordingly.”
Mr Jonsson said the Rydges hotel group was formed as an alternative to five-star hotels while being much slicker than three-star establishments.
“We decided to offer an alternative rather than have a head-on collision with five-star competition,” he said.
“The CBD restaurant is a modern, stylish variation on
fine dining, and our whole approach is to emphasise such differences.”
