June 05, 2008 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [Lon: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms, announced today that it has received the 2007 American Association of Training & Development (ASTD) Excellence in Practice Award for the company's People Notice program developed for Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts.
The company received the award in the Managing Change category that was announced at the ASTD International Conference & Exposition, Monday, June 2, in San Diego. IHG was one of only 12 winners from 97 total entries that presented proven practices that deliver measurable results for the company. The ASTD Awards program recognizes exemplary practices in workplace learning and performance.
People Notice is a comprehensive change management and training initiative. The premise of the program, which has numerous interrelated components, is that each member of the target audience - franchisees, hotel managers and hotel employees - embodies the brand in each and every encounter they have with the hotel's guests, and these guests notice the difference that each individual makes.
"The People Notice program was developed by human resources and brand management working closely together to help our company achieve its overall mission of becoming one of the best companies in the world," said Dan Sweiger, director, Guest Experience - Worldwide Brand Management, IHG. "The program was conceived to bring about a sea change in the way employees at Holiday Inn hotels view themselves in relation to their customers, stimulating awareness of the direct role they play in their hotels and the brand's overall success."
In only two years since implementation, People Notice has brought about significant improvement in the Holiday Inn brand's performance and customer service levels. The brand's year-over-year Overall Customer Satisfaction scores climbed 5 percent, surpassing brands in its competitive set.
"The success of People Notice would not be possible if it were not for the implementation team behind the program," said Lynne Zappone, vice president, Talent Development & Learning, the Americas, IHG. "The People Notice Service Culture team contributed greatly to the program's success by working tirelessly to implement it and provide the necessary on-going coaching that benefits our guests, franchisees and employees across the Holiday Inn brand."
The People Notice initiative was implemented at every company-managed and franchised Holiday Inn hotel in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, and a version was introduced to properties in Mexico. IHG has taken the best practices from the People Notice program and is currently implementing them in Holiday Inn hotels and IHG's other brands around the world.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 590,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.
IHG pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus. IHG is the first major hotel group to have measured the environmental and carbon footprints of hotels that operate under our brands globally and is in the process of setting reduction targets.
With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG needs to recruit around 150,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media
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