Process Performance and Quality at Starwood Hotels & Resorts

The work of Starwood's Six Sigma Black Belts centers on the creation of the Sheraton Service Promise program. This program was developed in response to low guest satisfaction scores dealing with problem resolution during a guest's stay. Black Belts applied the Six Sigma DMAIC model (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) to devise the best solution (Krajewski, Ritzman & Malhotra, 2011, pp.215):

 Define - three key factors are needed in problem resolution: speed, empathy, and efficiency

 Measure - call logs were established to track speed, empathy of associate handling the call, and efficiency of the staff charged with fixing the problem.

 Analyze - Pareto charts and other techniques were used for the analysis of 15-minute resolution standard.

 Improve - specific processes that affected performance: telephone operators' handling of requests, procedures for determining who to call, engineering workloads, and so on.

 Control and monitoring - 12 to 18 months tracking, with monthly feedback to the manager or department head responsible for the improvement of the Sheraton Service Promise program.

Top-Down Commitment:

The Six Sigma initiative is supported from the top of the organization down. At Starwood, processes and programs are driven by the work of its team of Six Sigma experts, called Black Belts. Implementation of such a program is expensive, with well-paid managers deployed throughout United States and Canada, and internal training programs for Black Belts. There is also a commitment throughout all brands, which indicates top-down commitment as well.

Measurement Systems:

Every customer is given a Guest Satisfaction Survey containing questions about their overall experience at the hotel. Sheraton Service Promise program was designed to give guests a single point of contact for reporting any problems. Call logs at each hotel track every guest's incident, which relates to the speed of response and efficiency. Tracking continues for 12 to 18 months, with monthly feedback to the manager or department head responsible for the improvement of the Sheraton Service Promise program.

Tough Goal Setting:

All three key factors must be met in order for the guests to be satisfied and the Sheraton Service Promise fulfilled. Internal benchmarking is done against other properties in the system, with results - including service levels and financial performance - posted on the company's intranet so other properties can use the experience to improve their own operations.

Education:

Education is provided to both employees and guests. The Six Sigma team discovered that the proper processes for handling problems were in place, but that