Yes I Can!, the service culture that has built service excellence within The Rezidor Hotel Group, has been proven to successfully contribute to a proactive, creative service performance and to higher guest satisfaction.

This link has been established by research carried out by Rezidor and the highly respected École Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. 74 Radisson SAS and Park Inn hotels in 28 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 462 General Managers and department heads, 2,397 employees and 2,465 supervisors participated in a collection of data which were combined with guest satisfaction data from the company wide Customer Satisfaction Survey reports as carried out by a 3rd party.

"It was the largest background research we've ever done around Yes I Can!," comments Beathe-Jeanette Lunde, Senior Vice President People Development & Radisson SAS Franchise Operations of Rezidor. "The empirical data backs up our unique service approach and proves that Yes I Can! works – it's not just another service concept, it is a way of life and a vision."

The Lausanne study especially shows that Yes I Can! has an impact on company climate: It creates an ambience that encourages proactive behaviour. Neither experienced nor new employees do their job in a purely reactive way relying on standard procedures, but take initiative, anticipate guest needs and increase guest satisfaction – with positive effects on the all important bottom line as well.

"Exceptional service quality therefore depends on knowledge, skills, abilities, motivation, empowerment and dedication of all employees", says Beathe-Jeanette Lunde. "Rezidor is one of the few companies in our industry which has taken its service philosophy to new heights; we are very proud of the Lausanne results and will further develop Yes I Can!."

Yes I Can! was launched in 1995 and has been regularly updated and expanded since then – featuring services such as the "100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee", "Yes I Can! Sell, Sell" including dedicated toolboxes, activity calendars and training. The latest training module was implemented at the beginning of 2008 under the title "Yes I Can! The H.E.A.R.T. of Radisson SAS" – underlining the approach that it all comes from the heart and being the abbreviation for Host, Engaged, Always, Responsibility and Teamwork.

Rezidor has developed the new programme in cooperation with Carlson Hotels Worldwide, owner of the Rezidor brands Radisson SAS, Park Inn, Country Inn and The Regent. Together, both companies have by now trained more than 50,000 employees worldwide in the new module.