Professional Association of Innkeepers Int'l

When I first came to PAII, I wrote a short article for the newsletter describing my background, why I had applied for the CEO position, and what I hoped to accomplish while here. Three and a half years later, as I finish up my time with PAII, after thousands of e-mail exchanges, hundreds of phone conversations, scores of letters, and dozens of trips, I'd like to share with you some of the words that come to mind when I think of innkeeping.

History: This industry is characterized by both its relative youth (the growth of B&Bs didn't really kick in until the 1980s) and also by its ancient tradition (inns have been serving travelers for millennia). For me, this has meant a profound respect for the pioneering innkeepers—and vendors—who worked so hard to create a successful B&B marketplace in North America. But I find it easy to celebrate our continuing influx of aspiring and new innkeepers who continue to change and improve the industry with their new ideas and enthusiasm. Both have made working for PAII a joy.

Diversity: I don't have to explain to innkeepers that one of the major characteristics of B&Bs is that they are unique. In fact, we like to tell the press here at the PAII office that our inns are as varied as the personalities of the people who own and operate them. That's a good thing, but I hope this industry never confuses "unique" with "good" or with "better." You can celebrate diversity while still striving to improve.

Simplicity: The curse of innkeeping is that the perception of the traveling public is that running a B&B is a pretty simple proposition: clean sheets on the beds, hot coffee and pancakes, and you're ready to put out your shingle. The truth is that it's gotten a whole lot more complicated in today's competitive world. Yet, I am amazed by how many innkeepers think they've learned all there is to know about being a professional innkeeper once they've done it for a handful of years. The truly great innkeepers I've met understand that staying at the top of your game requires a commitment to continuing education. They are the ones who put the word "professional" alongside "innkeeping." (They put the PAII logo there too!)

Generosity: Great innkeepers exude hospitality. That spirit of generosity frequently extends well past their properties to include their communities, their competitors, and their associations, including PAII. PAII could not exist without the generosity of all the volunteers who are on our board and committees, people who write articles, and who help out at the convention. In fact, I suspect that most of the associations in the B&B world might not exist without their volunteers. My hope for this industry is that its spirit of volunteerism won't preclude the investment in people and projects that will be necessary to help take innkeeping to the next level. Volunteers will always have a place, but the help of paid professionals has a place too. PAII members have already recognized the value of a paid staff at a national association, and I salute you for your commitment.

Opportunity: Obviously, being an innkeeper has been a career opportunity for thousands of innkeepers. But I see lots of other opportunities ahead for B&Bs, including more weddings, more culinary travelers, more ethnic and generational diversity, and more business travel. That means there is also opportunity for PAII to deliver more research, more marketing, and more education to help our members take advantage of these opportunities.

As I say goodbye to you all, I'd like to leave you with one thought: Be kind. Be kind to your vendors because they are often your most valuable asset after your guests. Be kind to your state tourism employees because their job is to bring dollars that benefit the whole state, and you'll get your share if you work with them and not against them. Be kind to other innkeepers, especially the ones who disagree with you. The industry is too small to have turf wars. Be kind to your various associations by supporting them even when they disappoint you. If you don't, they'll be gone when you most need them. Most of all, be kind to yourselves because being kind to so many others (after being kind to guests all day!) is draining.

2007 Sponsors for the PAII Convention & Trade Show
Special thanks to these generous companies for their support!

2007 PAII Convention & Trade Show:
Success Stories
March 26th–29th in Myrtle Beach, SC

You've heard the stories and seen the quotes: "My business is up 60% over last year because of ideas from the PAII Convention!" and "My revenue increased $37,000 in the first six months after the PAII Convention!" You could have your own success story after the 2007 PAII Convention in Myrtle Beach by following these steps.

1. Before you leave for Myrtle Beach, spend some serious time setting concrete goals for what you want to get out of the convention. For instance, "Find three ways to attract new guests to the inn. Shop the trade show for a new web designer to update our website. Reinvigorate my enthusiasm for innkeeping. Bring home three new recipes for breakfast main dishes." The rest of these steps will help you create a plan for achieving your stated goals.

2. Before the excitement of being on-site at the convention sets in, consider which workshops would be most beneficial to you and help you to achieve your goals. Are there aspects of your inn that you have wanted to change or update? What is your biggest challenge at the inn? Internet marketing is ever-changing—which areas do you need to focus on? Would your staff be more productive if you used consistent motivational methods?

You get the idea. You can always change your mind on-site, but it really helps to have your own customized and prioritized agenda before you arrive. The workshop schedule can be found at www.paiiconvention.org.

3. Create a system for recording the ideas that apply to your inn and your situation. Innkeepers tell us that they go back to their inn with as many as 100 ideas—some small, some grand, some in between. Bring a notebook with specific pages that each reflect one of your goals, for instance. However you choose to do it, recording ideas that apply to you is essential. There will be way too many to remember!

4. Consider the supplies and services that are an integral part of running your inn and keeping your guests happy. Is it time to upgrade your linens? Do you need to look for a vendor that offers better pricing or lower minimum quantities? Is it time to shop for more competitive insurance rates? The PAII Trade Show is the best place to find vendors who really want to work with inns and who understand your unique needs. Many of them offer show specials. See the entire list of vendors at
www.paiiconvention.org.

Be prepared to actually place orders if you find something you know you want to purchase. Many exhibitors offer show specials, and each time you spend $250 on the trade show floor, the exhibitor will give you an entry into a drawing for a $1,000 cash prize. The drawing for the cash prize is Thursday morning during the general session and you do not need to be present to win.

5. Take advantage of the expertise of the other innkeepers and the vendors at the convention. They may have an answer to the very challenge you've been grappling with. Resolve to be open to talking to anyone and everyone—in a workshop or gathering, at the cocktail party, during the receptions, at a meal. A little small talk is natural, but get into the meat of what you have in common as soon as possible for the most meaningful exchange. You may make a life-long friend.

6. To get any return on your investment, this final suggestion is absolutely the most essential: You must implement some of the ideas you brought back to the inn! Prioritize your list of ideas in terms of importance to your business and ease of implementation. Many innkeepers do this on the way home, before they get caught back up in their day-to-day routine. Tackle some of the items that will increase your bottom line first so that you can see immediate results. Create a timeline for implementation that takes into consideration your busy season to prevent frustration from feeling like you have to do them all at once. You have a full year to implement your ideas before the next convention-where you will get a whole new batch of ideas!

Enjoy the convention, take this time to let someone else pour your coffee and serve you, and be sure to let us know about your success stories!

Guest Tracking the Old Fashioned Way
by Abigail Van Every, Hummingbird Inn B&B (Branson, MO)

The royal treatment: being treated like you're somebody special; feeling completely at home. These are a couple of the things that our guests have constantly commented on since we opened in October 2005, and what has helped to keep bringing them back to us again and again. Our secret? Guest tracking!

Would you believe that we rely very heavily on our guest tracking and we have never bought a guest tracking computer program? We rely entirely on a paper trail. Though we are now making an Excel spreadsheet of our past guests, we do not have any plans to "upgrade" to a computer for our guest tracking (Partly because two-thirds of our staff is over 50 and they are perfectly happy to never go near a computer except to dust it!).

We have created a "guest information card" out of 4 x 6 index cards. We design and print them "in-house" on our little "all-in-one" machine. They include blanks for all of your "normal" required information (Name, Phone Number, Address, Date of Stay, etc.). We were also able to add blanks for other things like Occasion, Arrival Time, Allergies, Coffee Drinkers, How Referred, and so on. Each one of these items allows us to learn more about our guests. Not that we are being nosey, but the more information we have about them, the more we can make them feel at home.

For example: When we ask what the occasion is for their stay with us, I might just be told that it's for an anniversary. Or instead, I might find out that they have adopted three children in 5 years and haven't had a moment for each other since. Both instances have happened and, in both, I can make our guests more comfortable and at home by my response. For the anniversary, I ask, "How many years?" and then congratulate them and talk it up a little. For the adopting family, I ask, "How old are the kids? Boys or girls? Names?" and so on; just as if I were an old friend that fell out of touch. So, now they feel comfortable with me over the phone. I feel comfortable calling them by their first names. And all this information also comes in handy when introducing them to our other guests at breakfast. Is that it? Nope!

Now that I have all of this information, I have to (drum roll please…) WRITE IT DOWN! It is common for a single reservation to take 20 minutes to over half an hour on the phone. When I'm finished, I have children's names, special circumstances, and any other information written in little notes all over their card. Usually I have to take the time to re-write everything on a new card (no one else can read my writing). Now, am I done? Nope.

Before we file the card in "date of stay" order, we let all the other employees who have direct contact with our guests know that we took another reservation. (That "new guest" excitement from when we first opened hasn't worn off, yet.) If there is any special information we have gleaned from taking the reservation (e.g., food allergies, occupation, he has a broken leg…), we share that information. Every morning we check our calendar and our card file for guests checking in that day. Even if they booked 2 or 3 months in advance and the one who took the reservation isn't here, the information on the card will explain everything and should jog a memory of being told about them.
With all our guest information in one place, we did find ourselves running back and forth from the office to the kitchen every morning to see who was eating in the dining room, who was getting breakfast served in their room, and who had special requests. We solved that by making a simple "daily" page. We pre-print the page with sections for Breakfast, Special Packages, Check-ins, and Rooms to Clean. Then we fill in what needs to be done for each up-coming day and make special notes if any one has food allergies or other needs. Then we post it in the kitchen. This has proven most effective.

Because of all of this "cheap" guest tracking, we not only can call them by their first names when they walk in the door, but we have developed a "Never Say No" policy; not that we always say "Yes." But by making our guests more comfortable with us and becoming "friends" from the start, if they make an unreasonable request, we can perhaps find a middle ground with them instead of just saying "No."

Also, because of the organization that our guest tracking system provides, we have been able to offer many "extra" amenities to our guests. They might ask for things to which we are now able to say "Yes" for an extra fee. Even if they decide they don't want to pay for the extra service (e.g., rose petals, breakfast in bed, chocolate covered cherries) we do not say "No." Guests seem to feel better if they are given choice. The secret seems to be to price these amenities so that you feel it's worth your time. They don't have to be cheap.

Guest tracking doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to work...Not just for you, but for your guests too!

Author Abigail Van Every—and "everyone else at the Hummingbird Inn B&B" as contributors to this article—can be found implementing their inexpensive and very effective guest tracking system in Branson, Missouri (www.bransonhummingbirdinn.com). P.O. Box 2022, Branson, Mo 65615, Toll Free: 866.550.4148, Local: 417.334.5900, E-mail: info@bransonhummingbirdinn.com.

The message from the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) begins with "Food safety is non-negotiable." And they are absolutely correct! Our obligation as innkeepers to keep our guests safe is in no way limited to well-lit stairways, working fire extinguishers, and functioning locks on doors. We are also obligated legally and professionally to do our utmost to ensure that the food we serve our guests is safe. Costs of a foodborne illness to your property can include: loss of customers and sales, lowered employee morale, loss of reputation, lawsuits, and increased insurance premiums.

Training and knowledge are keys to creating and maintaining a kitchen that serves safe food. ServSafe (www.servsafeonline.org) is a program developed by the NRAEF and industry professionals. It has been taught, in various evolving forms, for more than three decades. Previously, food safety classes had been limited to those taught by city, county, or state health departments as part of their licensing and food handling permit programs. The quality and strength of those programs varied wildly and the industry needed a standardized program which could be recognized and accepted by different jurisdictions. ServSafe is recognized by more jurisdictions than any other manager food safety training and certification program. NRAEF has partnered with state restaurant associations and major foodservice suppliers to hold the certification classes. Your local community college may also offer the class. There are more than 8,000 certified instructors nationwide. Your state restaurant association may be the easiest way to find the class nearest to you. You may also be able to find a class through the ServSafe website class locator.

No matter how small your inn, at least one person in your establishment should have the manager's level of certification. If you have a chef, they may be the one who should have it; On many properties, it should be YOU! It is important to have a good relationship with someone in either your state restaurant association or your local health department who can tell you what is required in your jurisdiction. For example, ServSafe Certification is good for 5 years, although here in Utah the certification is only valid for two years. Typically, it is a day-long class, with about 25 attendees. If you are in an area with enough inns, you might be able to organize a class of your own. Classes are also available online.

The Sanitation Challenge (including "Providing Safe Food," "The Microworld," "Contamination," "Food Allergens," "Foodborne Illness," and "The Safe Foodhandler").

The Flow of Food Through the Operation (including "Purchasing and Receiving"; "Storage, Preparation, and Service").

Sanitary Facilities and Pest Management (including information re keeping your facility sanitary, pest management, as well as "Food Safety Regulations and Standards" and "Employee Food Safety Training").

The program also covers food service fundamentals such as "First In, First Out" (FIFO), which is a principle of food rotation. It will also introduce many of you to the "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point" (HACCP): This system of analyzing your food service is based on the idea that if significant biological, chemical, or physical hazards are identified at specific points within a product's flow through an operation, they can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels.

So now you are contemplating spending an entire day on these subjects. Sounds fun, right? Not really! But this knowledge is vital and essential to the health and welfare of your guests and your operation. I will tell you from personal experience, you will be amazed by the quantity of information you learn, and you will be a better innkeeper for it. NRAEF has gone to great lengths to make this course both effective and absorbing. The graphics help you to remember key essentials and practical application sections will enable you to recognize familiar situations you might see at your inn. You can look at sections of the new edition by clicking here. Take the online tour and you will see a selection of three sections and can get a feel for the way this resource teaches effectively. This course also gives you the tools to take the knowledge back to your property and effectively share it with your staff. There is no way to take this issue lightly and ensure the continued prosperity of your business. Remember the spinach contamination problem last year? One thing you would learn from this course is that the problem only applied to fresh, raw spinach. So you could have continued to serve your signature Eggs Florentine (made with cooked spinach) to your guests with confidence, and be equipped to reassure them as well.

Many thanks to Virginia Petrancosta and Kari Dabrowski of NRAEF (www.nraef.org) for their help with this article.

Question:
A young couple is staying with you, and you happen to hear a fight between them: The guy was talking about spilling wine. When they stepped out later that night, you went into the room to assess the damage done. You were expecting a simple stain on a sheet, but found large stains on two sheets, the sham, the coverlet, two robes, and three towels—essentially damage amounting to about $600. Normally, you do your best to get out wine stains, and if you can't, you simply chalk it up to the cost of doing business. This seems extreme to you, however. What do you do?

Answer: Post what you would do in the "Question of the Month" thread on the Member Forum and your response will be included in next month's issue of innkeeping. Also, do you have a nut-picker, a loud-snorer, or another scenario you'd like to ask other innkeepers "What do you do?" If so, please post your scenario in the "Question of the Month" thread on the Member Forum and your question will be included in a future issue of innkeeping!

Q&A Last Month
Question:
Your inn specializes in romantic getaways. As a result of this business niche, your septic system has become overwhelmed with an inordinate amount of condoms. You need to find a delicate way to urge your guests not to flush their latex contraceptives down your inn's toilets. What do you do?

Answers:
Rose Marie Ray
from InnFocusMeetings.com in Seminole, FL (www.innfocusmeetings.com)
I do not think that there is any way you can request guests to not flush condoms down the toilet. I think it is a small thing. I would look at the size of the septic tank and take appropriate measures to have it cleaned out more frequently. In addition to appearing like a really odd innkeeper, you would create a health hazard if you put a special trash can in the room, and it would be a real invasion of privacy to the guest and hardship on whomever does the housekeeping. Imagine how a couple would feel if they could not be discrete about their lovemaking. I personally would be very embarrassed to think someone would be watching over personal hygiene and would never return to the inn.

John & Malinda Anderson
from Maplevale Farm Bed and Breakfast in Oxford, OH (www.maplevale.com )
Condoms, facial tissue, and tampons will stop up a septic tank no matter what size of the tank. We put a very discrete tent card in the bath room and it works. (Sondra Keene, Aspiring Innkeeper from Bristol, NH, asks, "I have never heard of a tent card; what is it?" Darlene Johnston from Ash Street Inn in Manchester, NH (www.ashstreetinn.com) offers, "Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. Open the fold slightly and stand it on the table. Voila, a tent card!")

Dottie Musser
from Bradford Place Inn & Gardens in Sonora, CA (www.bradfordplaceinn.com)
I know of some innkeepers who were almost through a weekend of hosting a girls night out when the septic system failed. (They are in the mountains.) Hubby innkeeper opens the lid to the septic tank and out pops a huge mountain of soaking wet toilet paper. They were not happy....They are now former innkeepers. (True story.)

Daniel & Vicky Klein
from Scofield House LLC in Sturgeon Bay, WI (www.scofieldhouse.com)
I agree with John and Malinda that a tactfully worded tent card, discreetly placed in the bathroom, is a good idea: A simple reminder requesting that certain items not be flushed. I think that the actual wording of the request can be determined by the individual innkeeper.

Sallie Cwik
from Old Brick Inn in St. Michaels, MD (www.oldbrickinn.com)
Our tent card simply says: "Please do not flush anything except toilet paper. Place other personal items in the trash can. Thank You."

Jan
from Stone House Inn and Spa in Macungie, PA (www.stonehouseinnandspa.com)
I do not feel there is anything wrong with "gently" educating guests on the delicate nature of septic systems. I have stayed at well over 100 inns over the years, and I have seen various signs in guest bathrooms requesting special care to only flush toilet tissue. I have never taken offense to this signage. Some folks that have never had a septic system are simply unaware of how they work and the importance of "toilet tissue only." I have seen signs that say, "Please do not put anything other than toilet tissue (or paper) into our antique plumbing." Sallie's wording is great, too. I always thought the signs that were either done in calligraphy or neatly on the computer and framed in a lovely frame to match the decor of the guest room to be very tasteful. (Sometimes the request was made on a sign in conjunction with an explanation of the request/option for conservation of towel usage.) I have always put sanitary bags in a lovely little basket in the toilet area. I get them from Greenwich Bay Amenities. They are fairly heavy duty plastic with a decent size opening to dispose of all types of personal items. There are lots of nice covered receptacles you can purchase today, and line with a plastic bag, to make people more comfortable about placing these items in the trash. Housekeeping doesn't need to touch anything other than the plastic can liner.

Website Makeover: PAII.org
We’ve been looking at innkeeper websites the past two issues, and this month we’re going to focus on the PAII website. More dynamic features? Different organization? What would you like to see change on the PAII website? We're undergoing a website overhaul in 2007 and are interested in hearing from you! It's crucial for us to hear from innkeeping professionals—what you like, look for, need, and want—during this process of improving this important resource: your professional organization's website.

If you'd like to see the evolution of www.paii.org, here are several manifestations of our website:

Thank you in advance for input on our website. The more innkeeping voices we hear, the better we can serve the professional innkeeping community. If you'd like to share the evolution of your own website with us, please drop a line to stacey@paii.org, and you'll be given a short questionnaire to fill out and you'll be in the next issue of innkeeping....It's that simple!

PAII People:
Member Kudos, New Members, & New Vendors

Member Kudos
Congratulations to the Avalon Hotel on Catalina Island (www.theavalonhotel.com) which was recently named one of the Best Hidden Gems in the United States by TripAdvisor in its 2006 Travelers' Choice Awards. TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards are selected based on the reviews and opinions of the millions of travelers from around the world who use the website. "We're proud of this award," said Kathleen Gosselin, one of the Avalon Hotel's owners. "But what we're really proud of is the fact that we're giving our guests experiences that are worth raving about." The Avalon is consistently ranked as one of the top three hotels in the state by TripAdvisor and is among the top ten in the United States. It was one of only three hotels in California to be named in TripAdvisor's top ten Best Hidden Gems.

Kudos to the following PAII members who have referred new members and will receive 2 free months membership as part of our Member-Get-A-Member campaign. Many thanks for your support!

Eric Adams of the Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association (PTLA)
referred Robin & Sean Adams of the Milestone Inn in Harrisburg, PA

Ellen Grinsfelder of the Inn at Cedar Falls in Logan, OH
referred James & Erika Decker who are Aspiring Innkeepers in Lewis Center, OH

Congratulations to our aspiring innkeepers who have purchased an inn and are now official innkeepers. All the best in your new venture!

Scott & Melanie Schaffer
Selinsgrove Inn in Selinsgrove, PA

Juliet Pruden
Six Chimneys & A Dream in Hebron, NH

Alline Anderson
Rutledge, MO

Kim Canseco
Del Rio, TX

James Decker
Lewis Center, OH

Jeane Derebey
Gig Harbor, WA

Philip Dynia
New Orleans, LA

Selena Einwechter
Raleigh, NC

Ruby E. Gold
South Fallsburg, N.Y

James Gunther
San Francisco, CA

Deborah Higgins
Zeeland, MI

Neil Irvine
Pembroke Pines, FL

Loch Jones
Rancho Mirage, CA

Jane McNeill
Fair Haven, NJ

Bill Miller
Saint Louis, MO

Patti Moran
Pinnacle, NC

Jeff & Sheli Posnack
Nashville, TN

Lorin Pratt
Tallahassee, FL

David & Kim Simpson
Duluth, GA

Bill & Kristine Stumpf
Vermilion, OH

Bernadette Williams
Cleveland Heights, OH

New Vendor Members
Arbonne International
Marianna Leman
131 Portside Ave., #105
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
321-693-2087
321-256-9191
www.marianna.myarbonne.com

Aromatherapy spa packages, without having a spa, to increase your inn's revenue, pamper your guests and offer residual income.

Chris Clemans & Co., Inc., Realtors
Frank Felicetti and/or Louise Scherer
frank@chrisclemans.com, louise@chrisclemans.com
1159 Washington Street
Cape May, NJ 08204
609-884-3332
capemay@chrisclemans.com
www.chrisclemans.com

Your Bed and Breakfast specialists in Historic Cape May. Former Innkeeper Agents will assist and advise you in finding the perfect Inn.

Christina's World
Christina Mallouk
27 Woodcreek Court
Deer Park, NY 11729
631-242-9664
buytrim@aol.com
www.christinasworld.com

Exquisite and affordable glass ornaments; each mouth-blown and hand painted in Europe. Let Christina create a souvenir ball of your property: 10% discount for PAII members if ordered by April 1st (minimum opening order of $200).

EBSCO Reception Room Subscription Services
Chris Ogden
PO Box 830460
Birmingham, AL 35283
800-527-5901
errss@ebsco.com
www.ebscomags.com

EBSCO offers a great selection of magazines for your Bed and Breakfast. Great discounts for PAII members. Check out our selection and special pricing.

InnSpired Management, Inc.
Michael Horton
304 Alta Circle
Hendersonville NC 28739
828-329-5543
info@innspiredinns.com
www.innspiredinns.com

INNSpired Management is a sales and consulting team specializing in Bed and Breakfast and Country Inns with 57 years of combined experience in the hospitality industry. Our 11 years experience owning, operating, and selling Bed & Breakfast Inns, gives us knowledge and insight about he challenges and joys of successful Bed and Breakfast or Country Inn ownership.

Keybank
Dave Kraft
9 Connemara Drive
Chichester, NH 03258
603-568-5566
603-798-4626
www.keybank.com

Love Letter Linens and Luxuries
Vicki Holmes
151 Hideaway Street
Branson, MO 65616
417-339-2234
vicki@loveletterlinens.com
www.loveletterlinens.com

Romantic bed sheets, exquisite rose/satin trim with matching bath towels monogrammed with romantic sentiments. Personalized with couple's names for wedding, anniversary, honeymoon, romantic getaway.

Wesley A. Fachner, CPA
Wesley A. Fachner
65 W. Hamilton Avenue, Suite 5
Campbell, CA 95008
408-866-2001
Wesley@fachner.com
www.fachner.com

With over 10 years of hospitality industry experience, Wesley A. Fachner, CPA, specializes in providing tax, accounting, and consulting services to Bed & Breakfast owners and management. Allow him to focus on the tax and accounting aspects of your business so you can focus on your guests.

Private Quarters
Donna Enneking
1325 North 24th St, Renton, WA 98056
425 572 0434 hm, 253 709 6741 cell
donnamenneking@aol.com
donna@privatequarters.net

AFFORDABLE, Luxury Bed, Bath, and Spa Products including Cozy Sheets, Robes, Towels, Blankets, Throws, Pillows, etc. PAII Member Kathy Schuerman LOVES our 600 TC Sheets!

Letters to the Editor
Do you have something you'd like to share in the "Letters to the Editor" section of innkeeping?
If so, please e-mail your stories, thoughts, comments, rants, raves, or suggestions to stacey@paii.org.
We look forward to hearing from you!

I took the time to do the [2006 PAII Industry Study] survey. It was lengthy and too time consuming. I am a very busy woman (you may note it's 6:30 a.m. and I've been at this 30 min.) The information requested was inappropriately invasive. Never, ever would I disclose detailed financial information. It is very unprofessional of you to ask. Please register my complaint regarding the nature of your survey. I almost wish I didn't pay my PAII dues as a result of this.

Please do not send me such a survey in the future. Please think about printing my comments anonymously.

First, thanks for taking the time to write us about the survey. We do know how busy innkeepers are, and we appreciate feedback. Since the PAII Industry Study is one of the association’s most requested reports, I’d like to share a bit about the project from our perspective. Participating in the survey is totally voluntary. Last year, nearly 400 innkeepers completed the questionnaire, and this year we are on track to beat that number. Because the survey does, indeed, require a fair bit of time, we provide a free copy of the results to every innkeeper who does participate. We also recognize that the financial information is sensitive, and that’s the reason that the information does not go to PAII but to the Highland Group—a highly respected research firm whose contract includes protecting the confidentiality of the information provided. No individual results are ever released and, in fact, if there are not enough responses in certain categories, no aggregate results are released. Happily we have always gotten a good response and I think the reason is that our innkeepers find the PAII Industry Study to be extremely valuable because it provides detailed breakouts not only of revenue but of expenses, allowing innkeepers to compare their own practices and decisions with those of other inns of similar size, similar rates, similar location.

If you’d like us to have the Highland Group delete your responses we’d be happy to do so. Thanks again for writing.

P.S. If you’d like to participate in the PAII Industry Study survey, click here!

innkeeping is published monthly. Annual subscription is included in the price of membership.

Editorial Staff
Pam Horovitz, Stacey Bleistein, Karen Hudgeons, Jeanine Zeman, Laura Middleton, Valerie Auletto, Liza Simpson

Editorial Suggestions and Contributions
Editorial comments and suggestions are welcomed. In addition, if you have a suggestion for an article or would like to contribute an article for innkeeping, please contact innkeeping’s Editor-in-Chief, Stacey Bleistein, at 856.310.1102 or stacey@paii.org.

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