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Brook Hotel Felixstowe. 13 brands worldwide Over 4100 hotels worldwide Over 250 hotels in the UK ‘Individually owned & operated’. Brand standards & criteria Brand standards Lifts if more than 2 floors Key card door locking Directional signage Credit cards accepted Express check out
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13 brands worldwide • Over 4100 hotels worldwide • Over 250 hotels in the UK • ‘Individually owned & operated’
Brand standards & criteria • Brand standards • Lifts if more than 2 floors • Key card door locking • Directional signage • Credit cards accepted • Express check out • Luggage assistance
Staff • Name badges at all times • No jeans • No trainers • May not smoke, eat or drink in front of customers
Bedrooms • Drinking water • Branded pens and pads • Hanging space & 8 coat hangers per room • Compliant guest directories • Correct amount of branding throughout bedrooms • Alarm clocks with lit displays • Correct amount of plug sockets • Correct lighting • Double locking • TV’s over 33” • Shower heads of a certain size
Others…. • 3 types of pastry available for breakfast • Discreet, female friendly check in • Guest computer must be available • Pillow protectors • 2 chairs per room • Black out blinds / adequate lighting • Aesthetics review yearly with auditors checking progress
Audit • Audit carried out once per year (unless failed) • Must pass with at least at least 800 points for cleanliness, brand standards, guest rooms, public areas • From 2020 – Voice of the customer will have a direct impact on the overall score – harder to pass • 2 days notice of audit • If failed – reinspection within 6 months with no warning • Followed by probation if not passed again • Fail again after a pass – probation or out
What does this mean for us? • Brand backing • Support – cluster manager / revenue manager / sales managers / helpdesk • Staff incentives for reward programme • Staff / friend and family discounts • Conference • Cluster meetings • Rates & promotions made online by Best Western • Costs – yearly fee per bedroom. 5% of every room booking. • Call centre in Milan
Medallia • ALL reviews featured • Surveys sent to any booking with an email address • Score of 9 / 10 promoter, passive 7 / 8, detractor 1-6 • Net promoter score calculated • Fall below the line – 36.4 – probation / out
About us…. • Owned by Muralee Govindasamy for 18 years • We also have: BrookHotelNorwich
25 bedrooms • Carvery open 5 days per week, bar food available 7 days
August / September 2018…… • Current Hotel Manager here for 12 years • General Manager of Norwich had been appointed as Operations Director • Hotel very much on the decline • Worst financial year since the hotel had been bought – with Brook Norwich supporting • A bored Helen is on Facebook…..
Lack of care and attention to detail – dirty bedrooms. Ivy growing through the windows. • No money spent and manager had stopped asking • Staff social club • Lack of weddings / functions & business in general • Lack of room sales • Corners cut anywhere possible • Weddings in diary with first name only • Best Western Audit failed on my second interview day.
Staff given a one strike policy – have replaced the entire workforce probably 3 times over! • Bedrooms cleaned to a high standard – room revenue increased massively • Standards introduced • Re audited 2 weeks after start date and passed
Due to no money being spent for such a long time…. • Both ovens broke down in December • Internet & Wi Fi went down the same weekend for the whole weekend • Hot water and heating boiler went in January • New fuse boards needed • Air con units broken in main bar / no fans in bedrooms
Now….. • Basic staff level has evened out • Rooms have the highest performing revenue that the hotel has ever known – with rooms sold and rate increases • Public events have a waiting list • Decrease in complaints & better handling procedure • Investment plan for the future in place • 3 members of staff receiving accolades from BW • Carvery numbers rising • Forecasted to make 1 million for the first time.
Next…. • Refurbishment of reception area with new carpet, new desk cladding & paint • New restaurant chairs • Refurbishment of 10 bedrooms • Orwell room – knocking through into owners office • New wedding packages & wedding fairs • Focus on Christmas
Upcoming events: • Sunday lunch with Santa • Breakfast with Santa • Family Easter Egg hunts • Family Halloween party • Feeding the homeless & lonely at Christmas time
How can you help? • Book direct • Tell the hotel directly if you have an issue instead of going to straight to social media & give good feedback too! • Don’t threaten with social media! • Tell your friends • Favour smaller, independent hotels instead of big chains