Going the extra mile — without the extra work

At The Ritz-Carlton Montreal, excellence is a tradition.

Opening its doors in 1912 as the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in North America, it set a new standard for luxury accommodations in Canada. Known for its blend of historic elegance and modern amenities, the hotel has hosted numerous celebrities and dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill.

As Louis-Phillipe (LP), Director of Rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Montreal, told us, however, even the finest establishments need to find ways to elevate their service. When staff were spending so much of their time delivering newspapers and magazines that it took their focus away from other opportunities to delight guests, LP knew there had to be a better way.

By partnering with PressReader, The Ritz-Carlton Montreal transformed its approach to guest satisfaction, creating a more efficient and sustainable experience for both guests and staff.  Here’s how:

The Ritz-Carlton Montreal faced significant inefficiencies in handling print media for guests. LP outlined the labor-intensive process:

1. Guests’ preferences: Recording guests’ choices for newspapers and magazines, including preferred languages.
2. Sorting & tagging: Staff sorted materials, bagged them, and tagged items for delivery to specific rooms.
3. Room delivery: Bellmen delivered newspapers to up to 129 rooms at guest-specified times.
4. Waste management: Staff collected discarded papers and paid recycling costs based on weight.
5. Cost monitoring: Staff tracked and managed costs for subscription maintenance and renewals.

This process had some major negative impacts:

• High costs: Expenses included subscriptions, bellmen commissions, and recycling fees.
• Time drain: Staff spent significant time on print media logistics, detracting from their ability to enhance other aspects of the guest experience.

The hotel sought a streamlined solution to save time, reduce costs, and delight its diverse clientele with an effortless way to access their preferred news.

With PressReader, guests enjoy instant access to a global library of high-quality newspapers and magazines in their preferred languages — right on their own devices.

No accounts, passwords or hassle: PressReader delivers a seamless reading experience, perfectly aligned with luxury service standards.

PressReader seamlessly integrates into any luxury hotel’s offerings, meeting—and exceeding—the expectations of a discerning international clientele.

Guests have access to thousands of publications from around the world, ensuring something for everyone.

By transitioning to PressReader, you empower your staff to shift its focus from tedious tasks to delivering unforgettable moments.

• Improved guest satisfaction through tailored, convenient access to global content.
• Streamlined operations, allowing staff to focus on personalized service.
• A significant reduction in environmental impact through the elimination of physical newspapers.

Going digital eliminated the need for Ritz-Carlton Montreal staff to source, purchase, distribute and recycle print newspapers.

Reclaiming an hour per day allowed staff to focus on meaningful guest interactions and revenue-generating activities.

Switching to PressReader reduced paper waste and eliminated the logistics of physical newspaper delivery.

This aligned with The Ritz-Carlton’s sustainability initiatives and commitment to environmental responsibility.

PressReader is now an indispensable part of The Ritz-Carlton Montreal’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability — helping redefine luxury in the digital age.