SCEPTRE's Alaska Pipeline Grows - Customer service, reservation distribution expertise and referral business supports company's continued strength and success in Alaskan market
DENVER—SCEPTRE, a SWAN Inc. solution that provides global-distribution system representation, private-label voice reservations and consulting services, has experienced steady growth of its pipeline of hotels in Alaska, particularly in the Seward, Fairbanks and Anchorage areas. SCEPTRE attributes its growth to a strong customer-service commitment and its Web-based application service provider model.
"Hoteliers today recognize that they need assistance in identifying the appropriate channels for reservations distribution to capture the best rates and increase revenues," said Mark Ozawa, SCEPTRE Vice President. "They are excited about the channel-management services and distribution expertise we provide to each client, such as our ability to track results of the hotel's electronic-distribution strategy and make improvements on a constant basis."
As growth and momentum continue nationwide, 2002 will be a healthy year for SCEPTRE, Ozawa said, noting that growth in the Alaska market is key.
Royal reference
Ariel Sieverts, assistant general manager for the independent Hotel Edgewater in Seward, said her property had been looking for a new reservation distribution provider for some time. Management of the Princess Hotel adjacent to the Hotel Edgewater gave SCEPTRE a glowing recommendation.
"Our friends at the Princess next door had nothing but wonderful things to say about SCEPTRE," Sieverts said. "Our previous provider was an absolute nightmare. They were massively unorganized and therefore gave us no reservations. To make matters worse, we were scolded each time we tried to make changes to our own inventory and rates."
Since switching to SCEPTRE in January, Sieverts said reservations volume has increased by 100 percent. She said SCEPTRE has booked more room nights in two months than their previous provider booked in an entire year.
"Even more amazing to us than the reports and business tracking capabilities SCEPTRE provides is the customer service attention and flexibility our account manager Peggy Lee offers," Sieverts said. "She bent over backwards to get our Web site updated and works with us to keep the information current and accurate."
SCEPTRE's reach to the global-distribution channels also impressed the Hotel Edgewater. Sieverts said the hotel was lucky to receive a reservation from companies such as Travelocity in the past. Now these alternative channels are providing the majority of bookings, she said.
Good news travels fast and far
The Pikes Waterfront Lodge in Fairbanks also received a referral to SCEPTRE from its local Princess Hotel. General Manager Randi Carnahan said after an exhaustive search for a new reservations provider, SCEPTRE beat the competition hands down.
"We wanted to associate ourselves with a reservations company that not only increased our booking volume but that provided superior customer service as an extension of our management team," Carnahan said. "We found that team spirit in SCEPTRE's Peggy Lee. Although we don't require much assistance because the system is so easy and flexible, we know the SCEPTRE team is there for us when we need them."
In addition to convenience, Carnahan said SCEPTRE's rates are reasonable for a small, independent property. Fees quoted from other providers, she said, were "out of the ballpark."
Ozawa said SCEPTRE helps hotels select the specific services that fit their needs and their budgets. Independent hotels will enjoy the same resources and opportunities as the big chains, without compromising their independence or paying large royalties, he said.
"Our goal is to help each hotel increase the number of reservations produced for the client through the various distribution channels at the lowest possible cost," Ozawa said.
Cruising along
Princess Alaska Lodges, Seattle, Wash., operates five hotels in Alaska as an extension of its Princess Cruise Line operation. The Fairbanks Princess, Kenai Princess, McKinley Princess, Denali Princess and Copper River properties all are SCEPTRE customers - and fans.
"Eighty-five percent of our room nights are generated from Princess land tours as part of a cruise package," said Robert Morgenstern, Princess manager of asset marketing and the company's SCEPTRE administrator. "Only the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge and the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge are opened year round, so we rely heavily on SCEPTRE to help us fill rooms during the winter season and generate business from other markets."
Morgenstern said of all the vendors that the Princess organization deals with, SCEPTRE outshines them all due to its "superior customer service and user-friendly technology platform."
"Simply put, SCEPTRE is better than all the rest," he said. "We will recommend SCEPTRE to anyone looking for new GDS representation."
Ozawa said referrals from existing customers are key to SCEPTRE's growth and success.
"Referrals are a great reflection on the terrific team we have at SCEPTRE and their ability to help their clients achieve tangible results," Ozawa said. "Our customers appreciate the expertise we provide. They are often too busy managing their daily operations to spend time watching and analyzing the various distribution channels. We collaborate with our clients to determine the most appropriate distribution strategy for their particular property based on their market, business needs and marketing strategy."
Sceptre's focus also is different from the other distribution companies, Ozawa said.
"For Sceptre, our primary point of difference is the consultative and strategic expertise we provide on a daily basis," he said, noting that most of SCEPTRE's competitors work with a very high ratio of hotels to client managers - as high as 300 hotels per customer service manager. "For these companies, the customer service manager's role is to answer the phone if the client has a problem. SCEPTRE works with a 50 to 1 ratio, taking the customer service commitment to a higher level."
The Dimond Center Hotel in Anchorage, owned by the Seldovia Native Association Inc., also is a new SCEPTRE customer. The hotel was referred to SCEPTRE by Richfield Hospitality Services, the property's management company and SCEPTRE's sister company under the SWAN umbrella. When a hotel hires SCEPTRE, Ozawa said, they not only hire a skill set deep in reservations management, but they hire the entire skill set of SWAN Inc., a convergence company that combines the resources of Richfield (hotel management) and SHIELD (on-line risk management and insurance) with SCEPTRE.
About SCEPTRE
Since 1987, SCEPTRE has helped chains, management companies and independent hotels and resorts increase their sales and profits through GDS representation, private-label voice reservations and consulting services. SCEPTRE provides electronic distribution power and expertise previously reserved for branded or franchised hotels, with state-of-the-art reservations technology and a strong commitment to customer service and support.
Headquartered in Denver, the company has approximately 2,000 employees and will operate initially in the United States, offering extensive services to the U.S. operations, followed by global operations, of Millennium Hotels & Resorts. Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc, a UK-based company, is an investor in SWAN. Hong Kong-based City e-Solutions Limited (CES) is majority owner.