JEAN ASATO OF GUEST SERVICES AT THE WAIKIKI BEACH MARRIOTT
RESORT & SPA IS BEST OF THE BEST IN THE STATE OF HAWAII The 2006 Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year winner shares her tips on
building customer loyalty
WAIKIKI, OAHU – February 12, 2007 – At the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
(www.marriottwaikiki.com), Guest Relations Supervisor Jean Asato embodies
graciousness, after all, it’s the meaning of her first name. In a statewide Hawaii
Hotel & Lodging Association contest, 23-year hospitality veteran Jean beat out 30
other hopefuls vying for the title and recognition.
“Jean best exemplifies the meaning and spirit of aloha,” said Gerald
Nakashima, director of rooms at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. “The
lasting friendships and strong bonds in which she has nurtured the past 20 years
between herself and guests or associates are immeasurable. It’s no wonder that
repeat customers ask for the genuinely kind and considerate Jean.”
Aimed to please, Jean’s day is spent almost every hour trying to create a
memorable vacation experience for guests. Whether it’s arranging a hula dance
lesson, a flower-lei making session, a Hawaiian quilt-making class or a surf
lesson off Kuhio Beach, the best stretch of Waikiki Beach fronting the resort hotel,
Jean delivers service with a smile.
“For Jean, she regards our guests as part of the ohana or family,” said
Chris Tatum, general manager at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. “She’s
also a quick study when dealing with guest concerns. At Marriott, we
continually provide associates like Jean with training programs designed to
provide great customer service.”
“It is all part of our company’s philosophy that’s instilled in our
associates,” said Tatum. “Marriott International, Inc., a leading worldwide
hospitality company, is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2007. On May 27, 1927
company founder J.W. Marriott said, ‘If you take care of your associates, they
will take care of your customers.’”
“I am happy to have a job I love and what makes it special is meeting and
making new friends from all over the world,” said Jean.
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About Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa boasts the best stretch of Waikiki Beach. The resort hotel is located
across from exciting, and newly restored, Kuhio Beach and is in the pulse of Waikiki. The hotel offers
1,310 refurbished guest rooms and suites with a private lanai providing a spectacular view of world-famous
Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach; Kuhio Beach Grill, featuring the best in Pacific Rim cuisine; Sansei
Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar and d.k Steak House; Arancino di Mare Italian Restaurant; Restaurant
Run, contemporary sushi bar; Moana Terrace, offering live Hawaiian entertainment nightly; Seattle’s Best
Coffee; Paul Brown’s Spa Olakino * Salon; Faith Riding Company Surf School; two freshwater, heated,
swimming pools; 10-person whirlpool; 24-hour fitness facility; business center with 24-hour Internet
access; high-speed and wireless Internet access throughout the resort’s guest rooms and public spaces;
shops and boutiques; and Hawaiian cultural activities.
The hotel is located within walking distance from the International Marketplace, Waikiki
Aquarium, Honolulu Zoo, Diamond Head, Kapiolani Park and Kuhio Beach, which was recently renourished
and rejuvenated with 10,000 cubic yards of sand pumped from waters off Waikiki.
About Marriott International, Inc.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 2,800 lodging properties in
the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott,
JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons by Marriott
Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments;
provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is
headquartered in Washington, D.C., and had approximately 151,000 employees at 2006 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging
industry’s most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE®. The company is also a 2006 U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner. In fiscal year 2006, Marriott International reported sales
from continuing operations of $12.2 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at
www.marriott.com.
For More Information, Contact:
Sumithra Balraj, Senior Account Executive, or
Franklin Clay, Account Executive
McNeil Wilson Communications
1001 Bishop Street, Pauahi Tower, Suite 950
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 531-0244
Fax: (808) 521-7163
E-mail: sbalraj@mcneilwilson.com or fclay@mcneilwilson.com
Jean Asato’s Tips on Building Customer Loyalty
Always smile. A smile says a thousand words and a pleasant smile can
make anyone feel welcomed to their “home away from home.”
Share the Hawaiian culture. The resort offers hula lessons, fresh flower
or ribbon lei-making, Hawaiian quilting and other activities. Interacting
with the craft instructors creates a hands-on and memorable learning of
our rich Hawaiian culture and heritage.
Use Hawaiian words when interacting with guests. Aloha and mahalo
may seem like everyday words to us, but guests inquire about the
definitions and start using the words themselves. The learning experience
this creates is something they can look back on fondly.
Personalize attention to your guests. Guests really appreciate when you
remember their favorite foods, drinks, attractions, etc. It’s special touches
like this that really amaze and impress them.
Pay special attention to guests’ sentimental occasions. Guests really
appreciate any simple gestures that let them know you remembered their
birthday or anniversaries.
Spend quality time with your guests. Utilizing your own time to spend
with guests during a meal or just conversation forms special bonds with
them that you can’t accomplish during normal working hours.
Provide unique guest gifts. Small keepsakes that are made in Hawaii
help guests remember their stay.
Turn a difficult situation into a positive one. There are always going to
be difficult situations with some guests, but use ingenuity and a positive
attitude to make the best of the situation. This will help keep the guest
coming back to your hotel, but more importantly, it will keep Hawaii as
one of their favorite destinations.
