Dallas | UniFocus, a global pioneer in the hospitality industry for performance, workforce management and feedback solutions, announced a partnership with The Heathman Hotel to utilize the firm's business intelligence tools to upgrade the overall guest experience in their Portland, Oregon and Kirkland, Washington locations. In addition, The Heathman Hotel in Kirkland will be utilizing UniFocus' feedback solution for meeting planners to ensure that they remain a top venue choice for events and meetings.

Today hospitality organizations such as The Heathman are utilizing a more advanced survey approach that includes a mystery evaluation process that creates actionable, meaningful knowledge. Feedback outcomes are collected from guests and meeting planners utilizing GUESTScope™ and MEETINGScope™ then analytically juxtaposed against SERVICEScope® mystery evaluations to compare standards with actual perceptions.

"We are excited about our partnership with UniFocus and consider the relationship a smart investment in our guests and meeting planners," said Les Utley, General Manager for the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland. "Our credo at the Heathman Hotel is that service is still an art when it comes to treating our visitors like royalty. With UniFocus' survey analytics and mystery evaluation system, now we have the science to ensure they always get that unforgettable experience."

The Heathman Hotel, known for its personal concierge service, always surveys their guests to find out if their experience at The Heathman Hotel was "Dazzling," "Average" or "Fizzling."

"There is no better time than now to make an investment in your guests, meeting planners and associates," said Mark Heymann, President and CEO of UniFocus. "When market conditions soften, that's the time when you want to treat your visitors as royalty, provide memorable experiences and up the 'wow' factor. Our survey analytics and mystery evaluation system help hospitality organizations achieve exactly this kind of outcome."

UniFocus developed its feedback technologies for guests, staff and meeting planners so that each component can be utilized separately and benchmarked or used together as an integrated business intelligence solution. A unique mystery evaluation process provides additional clarity into how service standards relate to employee attitudes and guest satisfaction, examining various aspects of service delivery such as knowledge or communication.

"We're very pleased about our partnership with The Heathman Hotel and look forward to working with them to get more 'dazzled' responses from their guests and meeting planners," continued Heymann. "It is vital to connect service standards to perceptions and create customers who return and recommend to others."

In addition to UniFocus' integrated business intelligence tools, hoteliers may also augment feedback analytics with the company's performance analysis and action-tracking technologies.

About The Heathman Hotel in Kirkland | Opened in 2007 and located downtown Kirkland, Washington, the 91-room luxury hotel includes the 5,000-square-foot Penterra Spa, 3,000 square feet of meeting space, a 2,077-square-foot ballroom, and personal concierge for customized service.
The Heathman Hotel, Restaurant and Spa-Kirkland recently received the AAA Travel Guide's Four Diamond Award after being open for just one year. The prestigious award is given to a select group of hotels and restaurants based on standards of comfort, cleanliness, and hospitality. The Heathman Hotel in Kirkland is a sister hotel to The Heathman Hotel in Portland. For more information, please visit www.heathmankirkland.com or call 800.551.0011 for reservations.

About The Heathman Hotel in Portland | Built in 1927 and located in the heart of Portland's cultural district, this 150-room luxury hotel maintains strong partnerships with local arts and culture organizations. An independently owned property, The Heathman Hotel is a member of the Carino Collection and Historic Hotels of America. 2007 marked the 23rd consecutive year that The Heathman received the prestigious Four Diamond distinction from AAA, one of only 19 hotels in the US to achieve this distinction. Additionally, the Hotel has been recognized for overall excellence on Travel+Leisure's Readers' Poll World's Best Awards: Top 100 Hotels, Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List and on Travel+Leisure's World's Best Hotels list from 2002 through 2008. Please visit http://www.heathmanhotel.com or call 800.551.0011 for reservations.

About UniFocus | Based in Dallas, UniFocus serves hospitality, casino and resort operations in the U.S. and overseas. UniFocus offers full-service operational analysis, management and staff training, financial and labor management applications, as well as staff, meeting planner and guest satisfaction measurement programs, along with a unique mystery evaluation system that can link service standard attainment to guest and employee perceptions. The resulting database allows UniFocus to uniquely correlate and benchmark each client's performance to their particular competitive markets. Enhanced reporting capabilities allow hospitality executives to have a "total picture" overview of their operations, set strategic actions and gain asset value.

UniFocus is a Preferred Partner of The Leading Hotels of the World®, a member of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), a member of the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International (ACCED-I), a Microsoft® Certified Partner, an affinity partner of the International Association of Conference Centers, a business partner of the International Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, and an allied member