|
Situation:
More and more people suffer from backache more or less frequently. Many business travellers in particular are affected. However, this serious problem is still all too rarely considered in the planning and furnishing of hotel rooms. For the most part, the hotel industry fails to offer anything suitable along these lines, with the main focus being placed on ambiance, design and expediency. This is detrimental to the health and well-being of the guests. Furthermore, the hotel trade is also ignoring new market chances.
An initial press campaign by the AGR e.V. (Campaign for Healthier Backs) which drew attention to this negative situation and even brandmarked the branch has aroused great interest in the press. This was followed by publications with a circulation of more than 6 million. A further press mailing triggered another 6 million-plus publications. The results of both PR campaigns has generated great interest among readers, as evidenced by numerous reader reactions and enquiries.
Goal:
To achieve a clear improvement in the current negative situation by introducing back-friendly room furnishings, with more quality going over and beyond pure ambiance aspects, in the interests of the guests and their health.
Benefit for hotels with "back-friendly" room furnishings:
- The hotel receives a corresponding certificate (valuable praise from neutral experts)
- The certificate opens up new possibilities for the hotel's own PR and advertising campaigns
- The certificate permits a unique, explicit image
- The certificate offers a new, distinctive USP
- The certificate offers new ways of becoming successfully distinguished from the competition
- The certificate boosts turnover, sales and proceeds at the same time
- The certificate is a valuable instrument for customer loyalty
- The certificate is a valuable instrument for attracting customers, acting as a "sales aid"
Active support is provided for the commitment shown by the hotels in dealing with this issue by:
- Comprehensive AGR PR activities. As a basic principle, successful PR work is highly effective.
- Presentation of the issue in the AGR Newsletter (publication for the medical profession with a circulation of approx. 40,000 p.a.).
- Presentation of the issue in the AGR patient guide books "rückenSignale" [back signals] (with a circulation of approx. 1.5 million p.a.).
- On request, interested/potential guests receive a corresponding list of hotels from the AGR e.V.
- The topic is featured in detail on the AGR website where participating hotels are presented, specially commended and named individually.
- AGR actively informs hotel guidebooks and booking service companies about the certified hotels
AGR publications, stating the circulation
In addition, participating hotels can organise special offers exclusively for AGR sponsors (doctors/therapists) with free communication through the AGR.
The AGR Hotel Seal of Approval: for the hotelier a worthwhile investment in a new room category!
A pleasant, restorative night's sleep is right up at the top of the list for hotel guests. A study by the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach reveals that a good night's sleep is associated with both physical and mental well-being. 89% of survey respondents see sleep as being synonymous with recuperation, 78% with health, 62% with switching off stress and 56% with vitality (IfD survey 7039).
Reiner Schümer, Dr. Hübotter Grundstücks-GmbH, Bremen,
Reiner Schümer
Managing Director for the owner of two certified comfort hotels
www.oste-hotel.de; www.weserschloesschen.de: "A few years ago, in cooperation with the AGR e.V. (Campaign for Healthier Backs), we equipped the five largest rooms of our 47-bed 3-star superior hotel with new, back-friendly bed systems, ergonomic desk chairs, standing desks, a shoe butler, small pillows and wall phones. Thanks to the subsequent certification as "back-friendly hotel" and the new room features, including a free broadband wi-fi network, we were then able to launch the new category of a "business room". The surcharge of about 15% compared to normal rooms was immediately accepted by our guests, particularly business travellers, who clearly appreciated the added value this entailed. We could see that room utilisation levels of 50% would make the additional investment pay off at the latest in the third year of operation. We had been planning to purchase new mattresses anyway, and the necessary overall investment was only €2,000 to €2,500 per room. We have used the special USP of being the "first back-friendly hotel in the region" for new, clearly effective marketing activities, gaining new customers and also achieving clear further improvements in customer satisfaction (customer loyalty). Medium-sized companies in particular will find that certification as a "back-friendly hotel" is especially worthwhile for desirable price differentiation between the room categories along lines that are easy for customers to understand, with an extremely positive impact on turnover and proceeds. In higher hotel categories, back-friendly furnishings should be a standard feature in junior suites for example."
Costs:
Audit for fulfilment of the AGR criteria (minimum standards) for initial certification (one-off) €432 plus statutory VAT.
Annual audit for compliance with the AGR criteria (minimum standards) €285 plus statutory VAT.
The costs for fulfilling the minimum standards (compulsory level) amount to about €1,000 - €1,500 + VAT per room.
Your personal contact for hotel certification:
 Georg Stingel, Managing Director
Phone: + 49 (0) 4284/926 99 93 or
Mobile: + 49 (0) 163/571 73 72.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
We look forward to receiving your call/enquiry.
Around 80% of the German population suffer from backache more or less frequently. Many business travellers in particular are affected. However, this serious problem is still all too rarely considered in the planning and furnishing of hotel rooms. For the most part, the hotel industry fails to offer anything suitable along these lines, with the main focus being placed on ambiance, design and expediency. This is detrimental to the health and well-being of the guests. Furthermore, the hotel trade is also ignoring new market chances.
|
Information for hoteliers
