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 Cendant Hotel Group Announces Quality Assurance
Initiative; +GX or Positive Guest Experience

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PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Nov. 30, 2004) � Cendant Corporation�s Hotel Group today announced a two-part initiative to refocus its quality assurance evaluation process more closely on guest priorities as identified in a recent J.D. Power and Associates independent guest satisfaction study.

The first part of the initiative, called +GX or Positive Guest Experience, will provide every franchisee and manager with real-time access to guest satisfaction survey scores in addition to customized digital quality assurance evaluation and improvement plans.

The survey is based on research by J.D. Power and Associates, a marketing information services firm based in Westlake Village, Calif., that shows consumers consider quality of service to be at least as important as cleanliness and property condition when choosing accommodations.

As a result of the research, the survey focuses on 10 key �quality drivers� that include the hotel guest�s overall experience, the guest�s intent to return, the guest�s intent to recommend the hotel to a friend or family member and guest room cleanliness. Guests are asked to rate each area on a scale of one to 10. 

�One of the most valuable features of the guest satisfaction survey system is the ability to generate a collective focus for franchisees, management and staff on the 10 quality drivers that ultimately generate a positive guest experience for our guests,� said Rich Johnson, Hotel Group senior director of quality assurance.  �The initiative also provides a significant opportunity to let our guests know that we truly care about their experience and are focused on their satisfaction.�

Johnson said Cendant�s lodging franchisees and managers are �extremely pleased with the guidance and opportunity the +GX system will provide,� adding that they understand how �real-time information will keep everyone focused on the guest experience.�

After guests complete the survey, the +GX system will create customized reports showing the hotel�s strengths and opportunities for improvement.  A �rapid response� feature will allow the franchisee to respond to the guest immediately via e-mail. Franchisees will be able to view survey results on their brand�s Intranet portal.

�This greatly increases the chances of retaining a potentially lost source of revenue,� Johnson said.

In the second part of the initiative, Cendant Hotel Group will introduce new inspection software called QA Logic that field-based quality assurance representatives will use to develop customized action plans for hotel improvement.  Franchisees will be able to view evaluation results and suggested solutions on their brand�s Intranet portal.  The suggested solutions are made using the industry�s most up-to-date products and solutions. 

�The QA Logic system allows the hotel�s ownership, management and the corporate team to view the latest quality evaluations and work together to develop proper and time-sensitive solutions,� Johnson said.  �QA Logic matches improvement opportunities with the most current products, information and services in the industry.�

The full launch of the +GX and QA Logic initiatives will be introduced to all Cendant franchisees in early 2005.

With approximately 90,000 employees, New York City-based Cendant Corporation (NYSE:CD) is primarily a provider of travel and residential real estate services to businesses and consumers in more than 100 countries.  Cendant�s Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, N.J., is the world�s largest lodging franchisor with 6,331 hotels representing 507,603 rooms on five continents under the Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Travelodge®, Howard Johnson®, Knights Inn®, Wingate Inn® and AmeriHost Inn® brands.  All hotels are individually owned and operated under franchise agreements with Cendant subsidiaries.


 
 
Contact:
 Jennifer Zimmerman
Manager, Communications
Cendant Corporation, Hotel Group
(973) 496-0750
[email protected]
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Also See: Cendant�s Hotel Group Consolidates Brand Leadership, Increases Field Support Staff / June 2004
Anthony Berger Named Chief Operating Officer Cendant's Hotel Group; Other Appointments Made to Improve Franchisee and Company Value / April 2004
Cendant Hotel Group Goes to the Web to Disseminate Franchise Information / November 2004
Market Metrix Announces Third Quarter 2004 Hospitality Index Results; Four Seasons, Midwest Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Take Top Industry Categories / November 2004


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