Walking Your Talk: Nobody Does it Like The Ritz

The Ritz-Carlton has their messaging down pat.

“We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen,” reads their motto, and I’ve always thought that was just lovely.

Employees of the Ritz carry wallet cards called Credo Cards. On them, the essence of the brand is printed, including the credo, the motto, the three steps of service, the brand’s values, the “sixth Diamond,” and the employee promise. They call all of these elements The Gold Standards and I highly encourage you to go take a look — it is most impressive.

I’ve long used the credo card example to demonstrate to clients what is possible in clarifying what is true about their brand, the promises they make to their audience, and what commitment they make in serving that audience. We work with clients to distill those messages down to a framework not unlike the Ritz’s example. I always think it’s great if we can get an organization to create a credo card of their own.

What’s good about the credo card example?

Consistent messaging throughout an organization means that everyone is on the same page. The experience your customers get is universal. There’s a kind of security in that kind of consistency, and when customers trust your brand, it inspires loyalty.

If you are able to create such strong messages internally, that points to a pretty healthy company with a well-defined set of values and goals.

Does your brand have its messages down pat like this?

I think I need a visit to the Ritz to do more research!