ORLANDO, Fla. – What can hotel managers do to prepare for their first or next unscheduled AAA inspection? “Since there are no secrets about how AAA inspections are conducted, planning ahead is within grasp of all hoteliers,” says Michael Petrone, AAA’s director of Inspections & Diamond Ratings.
Petrone shared six straightforward strategies gathered from the seasoned experts who conduct on-site evaluations on a daily basis across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
#AAAInspector 55 – Review the published AAA Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines for Lodgings to understand the difference between Approval Requirements and Diamond Rating Guidelines. You won’t pass inspection without meeting the minimum Approval Requirements, and you won’t get a Diamond Rating without passing inspection.
#AAAInspector 591 – Be sure your staff knows how to respond when a AAA inspector arrives. Be engaged and available. Join the inspector on a walk through of your parking lot and public areas, and provide access to standard guest rooms within 20 minutes of arrival. Observe your environment and service experience from an outsider’s perspective.
#AAAInspector 24 – Take advantage of opportunities to discuss your evaluation results with the inspector. If your property is already AAA Diamond Rated, review your last inspection report well in advance of your next visit to ensure any warnings and areas of concern are resolved.
#AAAInspector 31—Pay close attention to your property’s cleanliness and condition. A clean, well maintained environment is AAA members’ top requirement. Properties that don’t meet this key requirement won’t pass inspection and can be disaffiliated immediately without warning.
#AAAInspector 555 – If you operate a luxury property and seek a Five Diamond Rating, make sure you have both the physical attributes and amenities typical of that level and an established service culture that offers guests a high level of personalized services and experiences.
#AAAInspector 46 – Review all customer feedback. AAA’s Member Relations department tracks member comments and investigates each complaint thoroughly, contacting properties as needed to resolve any issue. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to interact with and rebuild trust with AAA members. Properties with unresolved or too many complaints may be disaffilated from our program.
Hotels that pass inspection are designated as AAA Inspected & Approved and receive a Diamond Rating that reflects the kind of experience offered. Because our two-part evaluation process eliminates substandard properties from consideration, this puts you among a select group of hotels we recommend for our 58 million AAA/CAA members.
For details on your free listing in AAA’s digital and print travel information products and optional marketing programs to increase your visibility and direct bookings, visit AAA.biz/Approved.
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