César Ritz — The Inventor of Modern Hospitality
César Ritz — The Inventor of Modern Hospitality
How He Brought Customer Service into the World of Luxury
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César Ritz was born on 23 February 1850 in Niederwald, Goms, Switzerland.
He was the youngest of 13 children. After a short time at a boarding school, he was sent to take part in a sommelier apprenticeship at 15.
While working there as an apprentice wine waiter, the hotel patron told him:
You'll never make anything of yourself in the hotel business. It takes a special knack, a special flair, and it's only right that I tell you the truth—you haven't got it. — Hotel Patron towards Cesar Ritz.
At 17, he left for Paris, and started working in various hotels and restaurants.
Soon enough, he became a restaurant manager at Voisin, a high class restaurant in Paris.
At 27, he was managing both the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne Switzerland and the one in Monte Carlo — at the same time.
By 37, he bought his own hotel, in Cannes.
At 39 he became a hotel manager at Savoy, London, where Guccio Gucci was first exposed to a world of luxury.
In his 40s he opens the infamous Hotel Ritz in Place Vendome, Paris. Many people I have covered eventually visited his hotel, including Coco Chanel, who lived there for 37 years.
His hectic lifestyle eventually caught up with him, and he had to retire. He departed at 68, leaving behind a legacy of high-class and exceptional customer service.
One Lesson from César Ritz
Put your head down — and work.
He started off at the bottom of the food chain. He was the youngest of 13 children in a poor family. He was told he would not amount to anything.
Despite the odds being stacked against him — he went to work.
He believed that success comes from anticipating our needs and providing us with what we desire before we even ask.
In other words — employees remembering our dog’s name. Our favourite dessert. The type of coffee we prefer.
That’s what made him special.
By putting his head down, paying attention to what customers seek, and working tirelessly, Cesar Ritz transformed his name into a synonym of high-class elegance and exceptional customer service.
Until Next Friday,
The Chronicler.
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