Starting fresh with Quality Beginnings™ : New breakfast concept latest initiative designed to breathe new life into Quality

Hotel & Motel Management, Nov 20, 2000

Since 1995, Quality has been working to reinvent and reinvigorate the 60-year-old brand that started it all for Choice Hotels International. Now, near the end of its revitalization campaign, Quality is ready for a new beginning. Quality Beginnings is a revolutionary breakfast concept that will be rolled out in all new Quality Inn, Quality Inn & Suites and Quality Suites properties in 2001.

Pete Jordan, vice president of brand management for Quality, said Quality Beginnings will enable Quality franchisees to capture market share from their competitors by providing a service that travelers want but that few mid-market brands offer. Those brands that do offer food and beverage service usually don't do it very well, Jordan said. "One of the things that's difficult about food, is that if it isn't perfect, you upset people. People are very picky about what they eat and how it's presented," he said.

To ensure Quality Beginnings meets those high expectations, Quality has teamed with Kraft's Food Services Division to create a turnkey process that franchisees can easily implement and that provides a variety of choices for today's travelers.

Quality Beginnings will include a hot buffet, "good for you" offerings, cold breakfasts and "grab-and-go" breakfasts. Included on the menu are Kraft products such as Oscar Mayer[R] meats; Philadelphia[R] Cream Cheese; Tang[R]; Post[R] cereals; General Foods International Coffees[R] and Maxwell House[R] coffee; and Breyers[R] yogurt.

Franchisees will receive training, a feasibility site visit, cabinetry, amenities (uniforms, merchandising, trade dress), small wares and equipment. Kraft will assist the properties in designing the breakfast layout, preparation space and kitchen layout; choosing a color scheme; and assisting in the ordering process. "We have tried to cover all the bases to make it as easy as possible," said Sally Rotondo, director of brand management for Quality.

Jordan is confident that once franchisees see the quick turnaround in investment and the positive effect on room and occupancy rates, conversions will come quickly. "We're telling franchisees if they stop selling eggs and include breakfast in their room rate, they will steal business. The numbers, the cost and simplicity of doing this is very streamlined," said Jordan, who expects franchisees will see a return on their investment in a mere eight months.

Quality has done extensive testing at four beta sites across the United States, and Quality Beginnings received rave reviews. Jordan said one guest went to the front desk after eating breakfast, put $10 on the counter and said for what he just ate he didn't pay enough for his room. "That's exactly what we're trying to accomplish. We have to have something for guests that they don't expect. We know we have a winner," Jordan said.

Back to basics

Quality Beginnings is the latest initiative in Quality's five-year plan to re-establish itself in the market. In 1995, 340 domestic properties were in the Quality system - down from 385 in 1990.

"We found out from a consumer standpoint that people recognized the brand and the logo because it was highly visible; but from one property to another you didn't know what you were going to get. We had a vision to change that," he said.

With a long road ahead of it, Quality's management team knew it would need its franchisees' input and support. Quality convened leadership conferences where they met with franchisees and adopted a credo to improve guest comfort, safety and service within the brand. Jordan said everything since has been done with those values and its franchisees' success in mind.

Let's get started

With a strategy in place, Quality began to reinvent the brand with the introduction in 1996 of free local telephone calls, in-room Maxwell House coffee and a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

Demand for the free calls and coffee came from consumers; but the franchisees wanted to implement the guarantee, which already was in place in the Comfort and Sleep brands.

"The franchisees really adopted a spirit of commitment instead of compliance," Jordan said.

One standard that has paid off is the Quality Sleeper by Serta[TM], which has become the backbone of Quality's dedication to guest comfort. Jordan said the bed sets the brand apart from its competitors. "Serta doesn't sell it to anyone else in the world, and we're proud of that. Our licensees can say 'That's our bed,' '' Jordan said. Introduced in the Executive Room in 1997, it became standard for all rooms in 1998.

Rotondo said despite the many changes Quality asked its franchisees to implement, most were easily adopted. "The initiatives in the early years went well, because the licensees were committed to them," she said.

A recurring theme throughout Quality's improvements, Jordan said, was the need to live up to its name, which is why Quality chose well-known brands to help accomplish its goals.

"We lined up with Maxwell House because it's the No. 1 coffee in America. Everyone knows it. We knew if we served it, the fit with Quality would be good and would add credibility. We chose Serta because of their name, knowing they are highly recognized in homes and in people's minds," Jordan said.