Speaking with LODGING at AAHOA’s recent meeting in New Orleans, Chris Guimbellot, president & CEO of hihotels by Hospitality International, described the vital role its franchisee-led Advisory Council has played in strengthening policies, launching new initiatives, and driving the success of its five economy brands since it was established in 2023.
Guimbellot said the Advisory Council, which focuses on what he called “operational insights,” is currently made up of owners representing three of hihotels’ five hotel brands as well as himself and an executive from its reservation system vendor Sabre Hospitality Solutions. These members, he said, meet once a quarter via a videoconference to share ideas and feedback. At that time, he said, they discuss new strategies and refinements of existing approaches for addressing issues in the industry and their own properties, seeking to ensure that franchisees maximize existing services before adding new programs.
Noting that its owners are typically attracted to hihotels for its low franchise fees and relatively hands-off approach when it comes to standards, Guimbellot explained, “Feedback from the Advisory Council and franchisees at large suggests that they affiliate with us because they value their independence—for example, not having standards rammed down their throats—while also recognizing the need of the industry to evolve to meet customer expectations.”
It is mainly for this reason, he said, his company encourages, but does not require, franchisees to fall in line with its recommendations, taking an approach opposite that of organizations that penalize or expel franchisees that don’t adhere to burdensome brand dictates. “This basically means rewarding properties that go the extra mile for higher quality and higher customer satisfaction,” he said.
Among programs implemented since the Advisory Council formed two years ago, Guimbellot mentioned three that “have their fingerprints all over them.”
Best of the Best—The most straightforward “nudge” to owners open to making improvements is Best of the Best, a certification program that rewards higher quality and guest satisfaction. According to Guimbellot, properties approved for certification based on their meeting listed criteria after being assessed during an Assurance and Marketing Program (AMP) visit receive special benefits such as: better placement on the hihotels website; additional marketing assistance; and help finding government contracts and opportunities to secure local grants and loans. “We feel this certification provides a good balance between maintaining their individuality, while at the same time, the quality of the brands.”
WhatsApp Group—To streamline messaging, WhatsApp groups, said Guimbellot, have been introduced to more easily enable real-time discussions on promotions, operations, vendor products, and CRS questions. Noting the sometimes-urgent importance of being able to communicate with franchisees, Guimbellot claimed, “This is a less intrusive way of communicating on time-sensitive matters. Further, as communicating with hihotels becomes more familiar via these texts, it also makes franchisees more receptive to our emails.”
HighHub—This portal for education, operations, CRS, and marketing resources, described Guimbellot, can keep franchisees informed and sometimes keep them out of trouble. “It covers everything from how to manage rates and availability in the CRS, certifications, and things like trafficking, ADA compliance, and service animals.”
Reminding that the purpose of the Advisory Council is to “nudge, not force, owners to step up and do more,” Guimbellot considers the initiatives he described and the existence of this body most of all “an opportunity” for hihotel franchisees. “Launching the Advisory Council was another important step in attaining our goal of becoming the best choice for economy hotel franchising. We will be relying on the Council’s input and ideas on hihotels programs and initiatives, as well as ways to maximize franchisees’ ROI potential,” he declared.
