Kiawah: Dedicated Service

First impressions last — nowhere more so than in the hospitality industry.

This motto helped drive The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island's recruitment and training methods when readying to open a hotel with lofty aspirations and expectations.

"We simply wanted The Sanctuary to be the best and left no stone unturned in reaching that goal," says Vikram Sood, hotel manager.

Adhering to this policy — and reaching the goal — meant hiring the right people for the right jobs. While The Sanctuary promoted some existing resort staff that had shown the aptitude for delivering superior service, the search for qualified management candidates stretched far and wide.

With more than 14 years of management experience at some of America's finest resorts and hotels, Sood joined The Sanctuary from The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Hawaii, where he was executive assistant manager. He began his career with Four Season Hotels & Resorts and has worked with several of that company's award-winning properties. He also worked at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, and the L'Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa in Del Mar, California.

"I was attracted to work at The Sanctuary because of the company's commitment to quality and service," says Sood, who oversees daily operations.

Vijay Singh was appointed as The Sanctuary's food and beverage director, and came to Kiawah after 10 successful years with The Ritz-Carlton Company. With years of experience managing Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Food and Beverage operations, Singh has overseen the opening of several Ritz-Carlton hotels, developed training programs to meet and maintain the coveted "Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award" and increased customer and employee satisfaction.

To assist the hiring process, The Sanctuary utilized a method called the Predictive Index System (PI). PI is a unique, in-house management tool that since 1955 has been helping executives throughout the world develop their leaders and strengthen their organizations. PI identifies workplace strengths and provides a clear picture of applicants and employees compared to the requirements of the job. This is an in-house tool for organizations where managers are trained to interpret, analyze and apply the results.

During the pre-opening phase, The Sanctuary also worked with Horst Schulze, the former CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Schulze and his new company, West Paces Hotel Group, advised The Sanctuary team in several service related areas.

"We reached this unique agreement with West Paces because we realized that Horst and his organization brought a wealth of experience in opening luxury hotels and resorts," says Sood. "We wanted our guests to experience the highest possible level of service from the day that we opened our doors."

And indeed they did. From day one, guests have frequently commented upon the superior level of service.

This type of recognition is a result of the hotel's extensive orientation and training program. New employees undergo a rigorous two-day orientation program, during which they are exposed to their immediate surroundings and The Sanctuary's high expectation level. Following, they spend two weeks in a non-guest interaction training program where they learn company philosophical and technical ideals. They then begin working with guests, but are evaluated again after 30 days to ensure the employee is constantly adhering to the service standards values set forth by the company.

"Our training program is extensive," says Sood. "However, what makes it different is that we empower our staff to make the guest experience the right one. We encourage our employees to make decisions that enhance people's stay at The Sanctuary. It's the difference between meeting a guest's expectations and exceeding them."

Visit The Sanctuary online.

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