San Francisco Marriott Adds GoConcierge

System Has Immediate, Positive Impact on Guest Experience

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. October 14, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, September 9, 2008. At the high-traffic San Francisco Marriott, located just one block from the busy Moscone Convention Center, it takes a team of 14 concierges to keep up with the demands of the thousands of guests who pass through the 1,498-room property each day. Thanks to Web-based GoConcierge, however, managing daily tasks is a snap. GoConcierge, which is produced by Los Angeles-based GoConcierge.net, is the lodging industry's leading guest service operations system.

GoConcierge's Guest Task Calendar, area business database, mapping, itinerary, letters and directions features allow the hotel's concierges-in the lobby and at the concierge level-to efficiently manage their daily tasks. According to Jason Boyer, assistant front office manager at the property, GoConcierge is a tremendous improvement when compared to the manual, paper-based system that was in place prior to implementing GoConcierge in February this year.

"We were using log books to track transactions," Boyer says. "We found ourselves doing double entries-for the customer and for the log book. It was difficult to make the time to enter every reservation. It was also difficult to retrieve information. We had to go from page to page and it was sometimes difficult to decipher handwriting. The handwritten information we gave to guests was less than professional. We needed something to take us to another level and GoConcierge has been able to do that for us."

Faster & More Efficient Service

Prior to implementing GoConcierge, there was often a line of 15 people waiting for assistance, and that was with three or four concierges on duty. With the same number of associates and GoConcierge, Boyer says they never see more than three or four people waiting in line."

"That is due to the efficiencies GoConcierge provides," he says. "Business travelers, including convention goers, are demanding guests and always in a hurry," says Adam Isrow, Executive Vice President of GoConcierge.net. "It is rewarding to see that GoConcierge has had such a positive, immediate impact at a hotel as busy as the San Francisco Marriott."

Concierges at the hotel use GoConcierge's online Guest Task Calendar to log and track guest requests and other tasks. With just a few clicks, these can be entered and located. The calendar is color coded, which makes it easy to highlight open, pending and closed tasks. Because a history of each guest's request is stored in GoConcierge, it is easy to generate itineraries. These can be printed or e-mailed in a matter of seconds along with a personalized confirmation letter on stationery that includes the hotel's logo. Point-to-point directions and maps also can be generated easily. This is important because guests often ask for directions to Napa Valley, or for walking directions.

"To be able to make a reservation and print a confirmation in a matter of seconds is important," Boyer says.

A customized location database within GoConcierge enables the hotel's concierges to quickly identify area restaurants and attractions. Comments can easily be added to each location's profile. Links on the GoConcierge screen take users to websites such as Super Shuttle and Open Table, and to documents that can be printed or e-mailed to guests immediately.

"With the thousands of restaurants in San Francisco, and the constant opening and closing of restaurants, our associates can feel confident that the information is timely and accurate," Boyer says.

Staff Communication Improves

Having a common view of daily tasks has helped to unify the concierge team. "Our associate satisfaction levels have increased dramatically because of the ability to communicate more effectively," Boyer says. "It has been an incredibly efficient tool to help us do our jobs better," adds Adelia Cott, a concierge at the hotel. "A lot of our guests are conference goers and business people. They have high expectations for technology, especially here in San Francisco. They expect us to be online and to provide fast service."

"I have been a fan of GoConcierge for a long time," says Dan Callahan, concierge at the San Francisco Marriott and a Les Clefs d'Or member. "The feature that really struck me was the way it improved communication at the desk. It did so to the benefit of our guests. No guest request falls through the cracks. It is also environmentally beneficial because we use less paper. Guest service is faster and friendlier. Everything about it makes us and our guests happier."

From a management standpoint, Boyer says GoConcierge helps him with his scheduling. GoConcierge reports provide a comprehensive update of staff activity and productivity and help him justify staffing levels.

Boyer, who says GoConcierge is user-friendly and easy to learn, is currently reviewing how it can be utilized in other hotel departments. "We are very excited about its growth potential, and highly recommend it to any other hotel interested in elevating the guest experience."

"Like our hundreds of other hotel customers, the San Francisco Marriott is benefiting from GoConcierge by adding efficiencies to operations, improving staff communication, and enhancing the guest experience," GoConcierge.net's Isrow says. "We are proud to know that GoConcierge has made such an important difference."