Message from Paul

Welcome to our brand new first edition of the Birdcage Gazette. We hope to bring you some interesting information about the hotel and the exciting initiatives and changes achieved/underway to date and also to share some of our success stories with you.

We had a slower start to the year  than  normal  but June and July have proven to be very successful with occupancies that have exceeded any other months in  the hotel's  history.  The remainder of the year also looks strong with continued high occupancies where we will see the Food and Beverage team becoming very busy until December. 

We have created some great connections with our customers and I receive some excellent feedback particularly  in relation to the friendliness and expertise of our associates. We are also trying  to improve the internal connections with fellow team members hence the recent introduction of the new DECT phones system using SGR +. This will help us improve problem resolution efficiency and ultimately give us a stronger GSI score. I am also enjoying my time with the members of the association connection team and I think  we are starting to see some great progress with the voice of the internal customer.

Starvoice has now been completed so I look forward to reading your feedback on what the hotel is doing well and what areas  we can improve upon.

Finally, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for the commitment you have shown to the hotel. I am confident that you will continue to deliver the level of service and professionalism we are renowned for that continues to  bring our guests back year after year.

With warmest regards

Paul

Inside This Issue

Message from Paul

What our Customers are saying

Housekeeping

Food and Beverages

Moët & Chandon Etoile

Awards Party

Human Resources

Nigel’s Top Tips

Chef Sarah’s recipe choice

OI Pit Stop

Award Winners

Notice Board

Check Out for Children

Re-discover Sheraton

October 2011October 2011

The Birdcage Gazette

shared

life is betterWHEN

Here’s whatour costumers are sayin

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Appreciation Week – London Bus Tour

Last year saw the implementation of the eagerly awaited DECT phone systems. This will enable the Hotel to improve better communication and response time with our guests.

As a result of feedback from his department, Marin had initiated and successfully ordered for the Park Lane Hotel to be supplied with 25 new linen ‘skips’. In July 2011 the feedback suggested the previous skips may have caused damage to Linen and resulted in unnecessary reordering.

This quarter the Housekeeping Department will be trailing the upright and cylinder Dyson to potentially replace old Henry Hoovers.

Housekeeping Updates

London Restaurant Festival – Every weekday we offer up a reduced a la carte menu for lunch. Choose 2 courses for £10.00 or 3 courses for £15.00 and glass of house wine for £5. The menu is available from 12am to 2.30pm Monday to Friday for your enjoyment

Did you know that….

….Every 10 minutes a cup of tea or coffeeis served in Palm Court ....16247 cups from January to June ….that Afternoon tea increased with 21.02% vs. 2010….one bartender on average makes 67 cocktails a day

During the months of September to November our head pastry chef has created a unique Autumn afternoon tea. Soak up this season with a glass of Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose champagne accompagned with our unique autumnal savouries Also we are offering 15% off to our SPG members on cold drinks in Palm court..

let’s see what’s NE

W

Cold continental breakfast now available in Bracewells - £18.00 per person

Full English buffet - £25.00 per person

In Room Dining

New Uniform

New Chafing Dishes

New 100 sets of Tea coffee Facility to comply with our standards. GSI: 7.4. Well done to Hemant and his team.

Bracewells

Food & Beverages Updates

New Uniform

The Park Lane

in th

e new

s

Some of fashion’s biggest names graced in Moët & Chandon Etoile Awards Party at London’s Park Lane Hotel.Kate Moss, 37, joined by photographer Mario Testino, looked elegant in a long white gown but had stiff competition from a sleek Sienna Miller, 29, who braved dark plum lips.But we wonder how Sienna felt when her best friend, designer Matthew Williamson arrived hand-in-hand with model actress Poppy Delevigne?Rising star Ellie Goulding, 24, upped her glamour stakes with an on-trend fur and huge satin bow, but it was Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 24, who really turned heads in her double-split dress.Peaches Geldof, 22, stuck out from the crowd in a tight-fitting red number and dare we say it, she actually looked nice!

Some of fashion’s biggest names graced in Moët & Chandon Etoile Awards Party at London’s Park Lane Hotel.Kate Moss, 37, joined by photographer Mario Testino, looked elegant in a long white gown but had stiff competition from a sleek Sienna Miller, 29, who braved dark plum lips.But we wonder how Sienna felt when her best friend, designer Matthew Williamson arrived hand-in-hand with model actress Poppy Delevigne?Rising star Ellie Goulding, 24, upped her glamour stakes with an on-trend fur and huge satin bow, but it was Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 24, who really turned heads in her double-split dress.Peaches Geldof, 22, stuck out from the crowd in a tight-fitting red number and dare we say it, she actually looked nice!

19th SeptemberPark Lane Hotel

Moët & Chandon Etoile Awards Party

2nd Commis Chef Kitchen

journ

ey

Human Resources Updates

Welcome Aboard to

THE

Rasa LeonovaiteGuest Service Agent

Front Office

2nd Commis Chef Kitchen

Raymond Alexander William Karungaire

Apprentice ChefKitchen

Zoltan VarkonyiEvening Porter

Concierge

Eve Seemann-Derbak2nd Commis Chef

Kitchen

Krisztian HerczigSous Chef

Kitchen

Joseph ManDemi Chef De Partie

Kitchen

Tessa Preston-GannonApprentice Pastry Chef

Kitchen

Ildiko Kretz

Guest Service AgentFront Office

Kevin Bridy Davide Ababe

Guest Service AgentFront Office

Welcome to Sheraton!

Promotions

Fabian MoraPromoted to Junior Head Waiter

C&B

Domenico VinciPromoted toAssistant Manager

Palm Court

Caitlyn Emmanuel Promoted to Demi Chef De Partie

Kitchen

Mandeep SinghPromoted to Junior Head Waiter

Palm Court

Ana AlvesPromoted to Shift Leader

Front Office

John OnatePromoted toAssistant Manager

Citrus

Rosie HallPromoted to 2nd Commis Chef

Kitchen

Jonathon AlexanderPromoted to Junior Sous Chef

Kitchen

A touch of Paris in London. This is a delightful and quite phenomenal little speakeasy bang in the middle of Chinatown. Brickwork, dimly lit lights and plush oriental fabrics adorn the place.

Great quality cocktails are to be had. The cocktails aren't cheap but they're extremely decent indeed - these lads know their liquids. A less-bitter twist on the negroni uses lavender - infused gin; the Rag Time is a heady collective of Rittenhouse 100 rye, Peychaud's bitters, Aperol and absinthe. Rare vintage gins and vodkas, served in classic cocktails for £150, offer a bling imbibing experience.

13a Gerard Street, Chinatown W1. http://www.chinatownecc.com/ 

Nigel’s Top Tips

My current favorite restaurant. From the delectable apothecary cocktails downstairs at Nick Strangeway's inspired Mark's Bar to the wonderful seasonal, sustainable and organic British food served at street level in the restaurant. With artwork from Britains art bratpack, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Matt Collishaw & the late Angus Fairhusrt it's nearly a gallery in its own right. An added bonus is that the regionally sourced ingredients and cooking techniques used are simply superb. My favorite dishes include the line caught Whole Torbay Sole, the Blythburgh Pork Crackling with Gooseberry Sauce and the beautiful Veal Chop cooked in Sage Butter with a bit of Lovage on the side.

Undoubtedly my favourite museum in London. The V&A is truly the worlds greatest mueseum of art and design. It house some of the finest of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, ironwork, jewellry, furniture, medieval objects, sculpture, prints and printmaking, drawings and photographs in the world. I get lost in there for hours but enjoy every minute of it. My favourite room is the Plaster Room from the Victorian era of navigation, trade and travel. Plaster of Paris moulds of some of the most interesting and important monuments throughout the world were brought back for the ever inquisitive local Victorians. They are still only display for us today in all their splendour. Frighteningly real to look at. For those with children, until the 22nd August and exhibition called "Make it: Clay" is on. Adults and kids alike can make their own clay and ceramic creations for as little as £7.50 with the help of famous pottery artist Phobe Cummings.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road,

South Kensington. http://www.vam.ac.uk/

Hix Soho - 70 Brewer Street, Soho W1.

Tel: 020 7292 3518

www.hixsoho.co.uk

Winner Jennifer Kim – RevenueRunner Up Dennis Reid – Housekeeping

WinnerDimitri Gaucher

– Marketing Runner Up

Catherine Luetolf – Front Office

Winner Charlotte Martin – Front OfficeRunner UpMandeep Singh - Palm Court

Winner Florian Suhsmann –

KitchenRunner Up

Gillian Clark – Switchboard

Richard Denham Concierge Department

Summer 2011 Connections – Award Winners

Sally Kwan - Palm Court“Sally has been a great support to the Palm Court team. Everyday she goes out of her way to set-up Palm Court so service is ready for the afternoon tea.” Maria Federico (Kika) - Bracewells“Maria takes full ownership and responsibility of the buffet, making sure we have everything ordered and always has everything in place and organised.”Winston Dixon - Stewarding“Has recently been responsible for managing the staff rota. He always ensures that equipment is locked and stored properly after each banqueting function.”Paula Lopez - In Room Dinning“Very flexible with all shifts. Always has a smile on her face and ready to help her fellow colleagues.”Marfy Rudzy - Banqueting“Marfy has fitted in amazingly, making a name for himself not only in Banqueting but in Citrus. He is regularly receiving praise and complements from internal and external guests.”Francesca Consolo - Citrus“Great at customer service, consistent and always willing to help. Reviewed in TopTable as one of the best waitress.” Steffen Hoffmann - Kitchen“Steffen is able to cover all areas of the kitchen and demonstrates very good teaching skills. He is calm and explains the tasks in detais to the junior chefs. He is a good team player and will always help in a situation.”

F & B – Quarterly Award Winners

Arrival ProcessHosted by George Kalogirou | Guests: Paola Push (CLH) & Mariya Valerio (SPT)  What they did – The team role-played as different types of guests arriving at the hotel. They played an irate SPG Platinum guest requesting an upgrade and a business traveller with a daughter who was allocated to the only available room on the smoking floor! This uncovered many interesting discussions and a lot of areas of the arrival process which could be enhanced and improved upon.     What OI activities have been considered?•Spaghetti diagram to optimise signage throughout all the hotel and increase efficiency in the arrival process.•DMAIC—Standardise the room setup to ensure the best possible first impression.•iDMAIC—Decrease queuing time•DMAIC—Improve associate & Guests knowledge about the hotel facilities & upsell on Check-In•Waste Walk—Increase tidiness of corridors(In-Room Dining & Housekeeping)  

Guest LoyaltyHosted by Nicolas Monaglio | Guests: Antoni Von Planta (SHH), Ingrida Petkeviciene (SPT) & Fabio Borro (SPT) What they did – The team watched a SPG video to understand what are guest expectations from the programme. They then uncovered the issues that the hotel faces by reviewing the feedback from GSI. They did a show round of the hotel and a review of the concern areas for the guests.

What OI activities have been considered?•Transfer Regional SPG Gold & Platinum Project Best practices •Quick Hit — Increase repeat stays of non-SPG guests•DMAIC — Optimise Park Lane specific SPG benefits  

OI Pit Stop at The Park Lane26th September

Conference & Banqueting Hosted by Fabien Mora | Guests: Barbara Pavoncello (SPT), Nina Peuser (SSH) & Sharu Saravanan (SHH) What they did: The team visited the Hilton for a show round and an insight into their C & B choices. A very unprofessional site inspection gave the team ideas on areas on what the C & B team could improve on. The team also visited all the C & B spaces available at the Park Lane and focused on communication with other teams, feedback, training and advertisement.  What OI activities have been considered?•Creation of a QCD board •Quick Hit—Increase in-house advertising of C&B facilities •Quick Hit—Create a feedback channel from guest to C&B Operations team•Quick Hit—Increase Site inspections capabilities

Notice Board

On the 28th July 2011 The Star Woodcocks played against the Four Seasons.

Unfortunately we lost by 21-8 by the final inning.On the 18th September 2011 The Starwood Hotels football

team reached the quarter final but narrowly lost to the Lancaster London.

The Hotel & CateringFootball Challenge Cup 2011!

SCAN MEUse the QR

scanner on your smart phone to detect the code

The Park Lane Hotel was built between the years of 1924 and 1927 by Sir Bracewell Smith with the backing of a syndicate of Yorkshire businessmen, For some 13 years it was known as ‘The Birdcage’ – so named by Londoners as it was nothing more than a steel frame, started before the First World War but abandoned due to lack of finance. CONGRATULATIONS to Elaine Shovlin for winning the competition of naming our newsletter

Why‘The Birdcage

Gazette’?

Belong

Feel

Friendly

Relax

Share

Understand

Value

Care

Connect

Team

Laughter

Experience

Trust

Comfort

Together

Rediscover Sheraton

1) What are The Sheraton Core Values ________________ ________________ ________________

2) What are The Sheraton Human Truths

We need to be ________________

We want to ________________

We long to feel________________

We crave a little more ________________over our lives

We dream of ________________ 

3) Understanding the Guest

Use the following percentages to complete the below sentences

72% 39%64% 62%

_____% Comfortable with who they are _____% Social & Outgoing _____% Like to visit new places

 _____% Independent 

4)Solutions that Connect:

Service recovery Steps

 Complete the missing

step: 

Listen Generously Recognise Emotions

 ___________________

Resolve the IssueAdd Comfort

Thank the GuestOffer Further

Assistantance

TheLeader in Me

Associate Excellence

?

Loyalty & Long TermProfitability

5) Find all the

words from the

list inside the

Wordsearch

letters grid. The

words may be

hidden

horizontally or

vertically

Do you know the answers? Please send completed sheet to Joe in HR for a chance to win a MYSTERY PRIZE!

Name: ……………………… Department ………………........