A Brief History

Voco was designed to be "Reliably Different". It gives guests the comfort and security of a trusted brand with all the things they expect from a hotel stay... with just enough surprising elements to keep it fun. Dependable, but not boring or stuffy! Luxury with a laid back spirit!

Voco St John's was only the second ever Voco in the UK (and 4th in the world) so we really are trailblazers within the brand!

The idea of a host in a hotel is not new. The idea that Everyone's A Host is a bit more unusual! This is our brand service standard and empowers all of our team to take responsibility for delivering a reliably different stay. A Voco Host is:

Flexible - We’re not stiff and stubborn, we adapt our service to each guest’s need, style and pace.

Empowered - We make our own decisions to help our guests or solve an issue – and, if we spot an opportunity to make a guest’s stay even better, we go for it!

Unscripted - We’re naturally friendly, warm and genuine – we never follow a script! We find out about every guest and put them at ease…when they’re happy, we’re happy!

Knowledgeable - We share useful information and our local knowledge to create more of those moments guests won’t forget. Personal recommendations and tips mean a lot!

Engaging - We’re passionate and show genuine interest in our guests. We truly do want to make every guest’s experience a personal one.

Attentive - We’re always ‘present’. We anticipate what guests might need, or what they might fancy - and we’re always proactive in making sure they have everything they need (and more).

One voco™ team - We’re all one, amazing team! We work together to deliver a seamless experience to every guest, every time.

Everything we do is based on our three Service Behaviours:

• Be Thoughtful

• Be Natural

• Make It Memorable

Be Thoughtful

Our thoughtful personality comes to life through our Hosting style. We’re reliable, professional, organised and efficient – our guests can count on us to deliver all the important things they need and value during their stay. We anticipate what guests might need, and we’re empowered to make decisions and take action to help our guests or to resolve problems before being asked. We’re flexible and adapt to the individual needs, style or pace of each guest - finding the right balance so that we’re there when needed, but know when to step back. Whether guests are visiting us for a weekend away, an important work trip, or to celebrate a special occasion, they can rely on us to deliver the basics brilliantly and consistently – paying attention to the little things that make a big difference!

Be Natural

We’re genuinely friendly and warm in how we speak to guests – charming, relaxed and unstuffy, but always respectful, never over-familiar. We show genuine interest in our guests as individuals – we get to know them personally, building rapport and empathy so we put them at ease. Guests who feel understood and able to influence what matters most to them during their stay, feel more relaxed and comfortable. So we take time to learn what they need and want, and how we can make their stay even better. We love to look after our guests, and are genuinely passionate about our role in helping guests have a memorable stay.

Make It Memorable

Our charming nature runs through all our service moments too! We’re always looking for opportunities to offer touches of thoughtfulness, small gestures and acts of kindness that can make a guest’s day. We give playful nudges to encourage guests to indulge a little, like tempting them to a pastry with their coffee - they deserve a treat! We’re always on hand with helpful local knowledge and insight, with personal recommendations and local tips guests won’t find in their guidebooks. We willingly go the extra mile to surprise and delight guests, creating moments they’ll remember, long after they leave.

All Voco employees must complete Voco Brand Service training within 90 days of employment OR 90 days of updated training being made available. This consists of a facilitated group session within the hotel using voco hotels Brand Orientation and Brand Experience materials

The most current version of these materials can be downloaded at any time via Loyalty Connect (download them each time rather than saving them to the system to ensure you are using the most up to date version at all times).

Comprehensive implementation and sustainment resources can be found in Brand Central.

To download resources, log into IHG Merlin and follow: Brand Central > Voco > Brand Warehouse > Guidelines and Toolkits > Brand In A Box

and

Brand Central > Voco > Brand Warehouse > Guidelines and Toolkits > Service Style and SOPs