Gearing up for Canton Fair

Profile | Andrew Rogers

One of China's most popular business events will take place in a few days when the Canton Fair opens on Oct 15 and attracts thousands of businessmen from all over the world. The city is readying itself to host these travelers, and so is The Ritz-Carlton Guangzhou.

The luxury brand's Guangzhou hotel became a luxurious "home" for more than 7,000 international business travelers during the fair's autumn session last year, according to Andrew Rogers, its general manager.

"Many people regard The Ritz-Carlton as a luxurious hotel brand because of its beautiful hardware. But this is just what gets you into the game," Rogers says in an exclusive interview with China Daily in the hotel's Club Lounge.

The classical European furnishing of this relaxing place for Club Level guests is spiced up with Chinese elements such as paintings of official robes during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and chess pieces styled as terracotta figures.

"What separates a good hotel and a great hotel is the service. People come back to our hotel because of the unique, memorable and personal experiences our ladies and gentlemen have created for them," Rogers says.

The Ritz-Carlton calls its staff ladies and gentlemen and they focus on what their guests, who are also addressed as ladies and gentlemen, need. They are always on the lookout for ways to make each individual guest feel special.

The stories on how the staff creates these special experiences are called "wow stories". The Ritz-Carlton in Guangzhou has written countless wow stories since it opened five years ago.

One of the general manager's favorite stories happened last fall during the Canton Fair.

The guest called the operator and asked for more mangosteens. But there were no more mangosteens in the hotel and the hotel supplier said that the fruit was sold out. So the operator went to the market to buy some the next day, which was her day off, and presented them to the guest in the room with a handwritten note.

"It is a simple story that shows a lot of care. If it happened in another hotel, the operator might have simply replied 'sold out'. But our operator did not only answer the phone but also really did something about it. Even on her day off, she still found a way to make it happen," Rogers says.

There are more wow stories.

Staff meticulously searched a restaurant near the Canton Fair's convention center until they found the passport a guest had lost there.

A client from Dallas, US who attended Canton Fair in April last year was surprised to find his favorite iced tea in his room every time he came back from the fair late at night.

Another guest also received a pleasant surprise from his housekeeper - a bookmark put inside a book by his bedside.

"Many guests are surprised that our ladies and gentlemen are able to find out what they need before they ask for it," Rogers says. "That's because our staff always focus on customers. And we empower our ladies and gentlemen with $2,000 to deal with every single incident. They don't need to go through procedures like reporting to a supervisor in advance. We want them to be proactive to solve guests' problems."

Located in Pearl River New City, The Ritz-Carlton provides striking views of the Pearl River, and is surrounded by the city's new landmarks including the Canton Tower.

"What's nice about our location is that it's close enough to Canton Fair but also makes you feel far away enough so that you can relax after a long day at the fair," Rogers says.

xujingxi@chinadaily.com.cn