Lead-UP Academy has officially launched the consulting and training project titled “Standardizing Service Mindset and Behaviors – Creating Customer Experience Excellence”, together with the internal engagement campaign “Happiness Begins from the Heart” dedicated to Paddington Hotel Halong Bayview.

Mr. Pham To Hoai – Director of Solutions at Lead-UP Academy, together with his team, conducted a comprehensive service quality assessment through multi-channel experiential activities at Paddington Hotel Halong Bayview – a large-scale five-star hotel located in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province.

A Comprehensive Assessment of the Customer Experience Journey

In the initial phase of the project, a Mystery Guest experience program was implemented extensively and systematically to evaluate the actual service quality delivered to guests at the hotel.

The assessment was conducted through direct experience of services across all touchpoints throughout the customer journey, including:

• Experiencing online platforms such as Fanpage, Website, and Zalo;
• Interacting and communicating via phone calls and messaging channels;
• Directly experiencing, observing, and evaluating service operations at key operational departments within the hotel, including Front Office; Housekeeping; Food & Beverage (F&B); Kitchen; Laundry; Spa; Engineering; Security; Landscaping, as well as observing and assessing banquet service operations and event activities.

Through this on-site experience and observation, Lead-UP Academy obtained initial insights into the service mindset, service behaviors, and the quality of guest experience across various touchpoints within the hotel.

[Photo: Service observation and evaluation during a banquet event at Hera Grand Ballroom]

Positive Initial Impressions

During the assessment, the Lead-UP team recognized several positive aspects at Paddington:

• The friendly and enthusiastic service attitude of the hotel staff;
• Modern facilities, particularly the hotel’s large-scale conference and banquet venues;
• A luxuriously designed hotel environment, well-suited for hosting large and high-profile events;
• A forward-thinking leadership team that demonstrates openness and a strong commitment to continuously enhancing the hotel’s overall service quality.

These elements provide an important foundation for the hotel to continue advancing to a new stage of development with a distinctive and sustainable service culture.

[Photo: Service observation and evaluation during a banquet event at Mercury Ballroom]

Toward a Distinctive Service Culture for Paddington

Within the framework of the project, Lead-UP Academy will collaborate closely with the hotel’s leadership team to:

• Standardize professional service mindset aligned with hospitality industry standards;
• Develop a set of service principles and behavioral standards that reflect Paddington’s unique identity;
• Standardize the five-senses experience throughout the guest journey;
• Enhance communication skills, service recovery capabilities, and guest consultation skills;
• Strengthen employees’ ability to engage guests, recommend services, and perform cross-selling within the hotel.

In particular, the program draws inspiration from the Japanese service philosophy Omotenashi – a spirit of heartfelt hospitality that emphasizes attentiveness, subtlety, and sincere care for every guest.

Based on this philosophy, Lead-UP Academy and the hotel leadership will co-create a unique “Service Culture from the Heart” for Paddington Hotel Halong Bayview, which will serve as the core foundation for the upcoming consulting, training, and service behavior transformation programs for the hotel’s staff.

A 2.5-Month Partnership Journey Ahead

Over the next two and a half months, Lead-UP Academy will continue working closely with the hotel’s leadership and department heads to:

• Finalize service behavioral standards and the hotel’s distinctive service culture;
• Design practical and action-oriented training programs for employees;
• Standardize and enhance guest experience across every service touchpoint;
• Establish a strong foundation for achieving Customer Experience Excellence.

[Photo: Debrief meeting and commemorative photo with the hotel’s leadership team]

Immediately following the assessment, the consultant held a meeting with the hotel’s leadership team to present a preliminary report on the findings and propose the next steps of the project.

During the meeting, Ms. Dinh Thi Bich Hanh – General Manager of the hotel shared:

"The consultant’s observations, evaluations, and recommendations are highly aligned with the current operational realities at Paddington. We will work closely with Mr. Hoai and the Lead-UP Academy team to implement this project, with the goal of creating positive and breakthrough improvements for Paddington in the coming period."

Following the discussion, both parties agreed to proceed with the project according to the previously agreed implementation plan.

The project aims to support Paddington Hotel Halong Bayview in standardizing service mindset and service behaviors, while continuously improving overall service quality in a comprehensive manner. The program ultimately seeks to enhance guest satisfaction, build customer loyalty, and create exceptional customer experiences. Through this journey, the hotel will gradually establish a distinctive service identity in Ha Long, while contributing to promoting Ha Long Heritage as a memorable destination for visitors.

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