News for the Hospitality Executive |
Wrinkled Clothing No Longer a Worry
- Omni Hotels'
Loyalty Program Adds Complimentary
Pressing
.
IRVING, Texas, June 10, 2009 - Business travelers often
liken ironing clothes to a painful dental procedure. At the same time,
they readily acknowledge that wrinkled clothing hinders their "A" game.
Now, travelers that stay at any Omni Hotel no longer need to worry about
the wrinkles as a complimentary benefit of the brand's newly enhanced Select
Guest loyalty program.
A recent survey conducted by the luxury hotel brand - which now offers complimentary pressing and shoe shines to its Select Guest loyalty program members - found that some travelers surveyed even said they would rather have their teeth pulled than iron. Conventional wisdom acknowledges that people perform better when they look and feel their best. The survey revealed that nearly a quarter of business travelers stated that they feel so badly about wrinkled clothing that they "might as well have stayed home," and another 59% say wrinkles make them feel "unsettled and not on their 'A' game." "We understand that business travelers find ironing a hassle, yet wearing wrinkled clothing is not an option," said Jeffrey J. Smith, vice president, operations and loyalty services for Omni Hotels. "So, we're taking another step to make travel that much easier for them." It may sound funny, but what seems like a "little perk" means a lot as some surveyed actually purchased new wrinkle-free clothing for a business meeting (46%). "Our guests have been thrilled with this new service, and many are clearly taking advantage of the ways we are making business traveling painless for them," said Mike Magnelli, general manager of the Omni Chicago Hotel. "In just the first few weeks alone, we have pressed nearly twice as many items since offering complimentary pressing to Select Guest members." When it comes to men versus women, males tended to have more extreme feelings about ironing than females. While women clearly find ironing clothing more of a "pain and chore" (71%) than males (57%), women are less likely to avoid it. Men on the other hand take their adverse feelings for ironing a step further claiming that they "hate" it (20%) and are more willing to take actions to avoid it by steaming wrinkles out by hanging cloths near a hot shower (51%) or purchasing new wrinkle free clothes for a business meeting or buying a new shirt while traveling to avoid ironing (51%). The survey also found that a significant number of business travelers also feel strongly about their footwear, as three in ten report traveling with a shoe shine kit. About Select Guest
Survey Methodology
About Omni Hotels
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Contact:
Omni Hotels
. |
Also See: | Just Like the Airlines, Online Check-in Now Available for All Omni Hotel Guests / June 2007 |
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