Days Inn Strategy Designed to Boost Revenue Performance
Days Inns Worldwide today announced a series of initiatives directed to the single goal of boosting revenue per available room while delivering guest value.
Addressing nearly 2,000 attendees during the brand's biannual conference here today, Days Inn President Joe Kane outlined the key traits that he said comprise the “soul of the brand' and underscore the brand's “sunsational' service commitment.
“As we embrace change and move the brand forward, there are four guiding principles that will help us stay true to the soul of the brand and deliver guest value for price paid,' he said. “Treat guests like family; treat your property like home; communicate; and operate your hotel the way you expect other Days Inn properties to operate.'
Among several initiatives designed to add guest value while boosting franchisees' return on investment, the brand introduced plans for a wireless high-speed Internet service, enhanced breakfast program, new bathroom amenity package and a revamped quality assurance process.
The brand's recently announced Daybreak Breakfast program, designed to ensure a more consistent breakfast experience, was launched this month. Nationally recognized products including Folgers coffee, Kellogg's cereals and Minute Maid juice now are a mandatory part of the complimentary breakfast offerings to Days Inn guests.
Kane said that the program was developed as a result of consumer research that showed a quality continental breakfast “improved value perception and was a minimum guest expectation.'
Dino Pallotta, Days Inn vice president, hotel services, outlined the brand's operations initiatives including a simplified program to help franchisees with yield management. He also told franchisees about a planned revenue enhancement blitz, a new franchisee Intranet portal and new shower amenities, branded under the “SolTerreTM' name.
Days Inns Worldwide is introducing proprietary Days Inn citrus-scented soap and shampoo products with sunflower and grapefruit extracts aimed at conveying a warm, revitalizing guest experience. The brand's “SolTerre Shower Experience' includes a unique “hookless' shower curtain, curved shower rod and a multiaction showerhead that allows guests to adjust water pressure to their personal preference.
Kane said these initiatives aim to take “a giant step toward the consistent quality' needed to “protect brand integrity and improve return on investment for franchisees' while offering guests a flavor of the brand's “sunsational culture.'
In another major move to improve overall system quality, the brand introduced a revamped quality assurance process called “Sunsational +GX,' with more stringent scoring that addresses guest concerns as identified in a recent J.D. Powers and Associates study.
In addition, Days Inn franchisees will gain real-time access to quality assurance reports and a new electronic guest satisfaction survey system. Franchisees also will be given a software program that suggests ways to solve specific deficiencies.
To further improve overall quality and consistency while adding value to its franchisees, the Days Inn brand has hired 27 field-based directors of business development who are focused exclusively on driving performance at the property level. The brand also realigned its regional marketing structure.
Kane also unveiled a key company diversity initiative by introducing a multilingual translation guide designed to help hotel managers communicate more effectively with their Spanish-speaking staff members.
The guide converts hundreds of commonly used hospitality industry terms from English and the Indic Gujarati language, spoken by many of the brand's Asian-American owners and operators, to Spanish.
“As one of the world's largest hotel franchise systems, the Days Inn brand is naturally composed of a very diverse group of franchisees and property staff,' Kane said. “Our convenient new pocket-sized guide can eliminate many misunderstandings and facilitate smoother communication at the property level. This will ultimately benefit both franchisees and guests.'
Celebrating the chain's 35th anniversary and his ninth year with the Days Inn brand, Kane said the 2005 conference theme, “Best Under the Sun' is “extremely appropriate,' saying it continues to build on the “brand's philosophy of value.'
Days Inns Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD), franchises 1,892 hotels representing 156,166 rooms in the United States, Argentina, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, United Kingdom, Uruguay and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Reservations and further information are available at www.daysinn.com or by calling (800) DAYS-INN®.
Date Listed: January 17, 2005
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