$8$:$45$

Cases Ramada Demo...

self$-$directed efforts for personal development by employees. $"$We had had grandiose ideas of awarding big$-$ticket items like airline tickets to the vacation of a lifetime, but after listening to employees, we substituted certificates for shoes at FootLocker, lunch at Macaroni Grill, and free tanks of gas. We literally have hundreds of reward partners in the Personal Best program," reveals Pigsley, "all related to the way our $31,000$ employees spend their personal time."In the latest D$.$ K$.$ Shifflet service ratings, Ramada's scores in the $8-10$ range $($good to exceptional$)$ were up $30\mathrm{.}5$ percent, and its scores in the $1-4$ range $($unacceptable to poor$)$ were down $24$ percent.Employees are cashing in exceptional service points for a growing number of rewards each year.Personal Best is no longer just a human resources program but an overall strategic planning initiative. Employees' stories of exceptional customer service are prominently reflected in Ramada's advertising, and RFS has committed $$8$ million over the past three years to sharing these stories."Ramada's Personal Best hospitality advertising campaign $($winner of the travel industry's most prestigious advertising award: HSMAI's Best of Show$)$ is a reflection of our commitment to the employee of Ramada franchises," says Steve Belmonte, president and CEO of RFS$,$ Inc. One spot's closing line, $"$At Ramada, we throw ourselves into our work," sums up the effort that Ramada is placing on customer satisfaction $$ an effort that won it the $1999$ American Express "Best Practice" award.