Crowne Plaza Wilmington North’s WOW Program Helps to Earn IHG Service Award and High Guest Ratings
Industry: Travel & Leisure
Crowne Plaza Wilmington North, which was honored with IHG's Year Over Year Improvement Award, is surprising and pleasing guests with its WOW Program.
Wilmington, DE (PRUnderground) March 8th, 2017
Crowne Plaza Wilmington North (CPWN), which is ranked #1 in TripAdvisor’s customer reviews of hotels in its market, is a recent recipient of the InterContinental Hotel Group’s Year Over Year Improvement Award based on its consistently rising “Guest Love” scores. The hotel has also boosted its internal guest satisfaction scores by almost 20% over the past year. Both achievements are attributable to the hotel’s unique WOW Program.
“The WOW Program has been the secret weapon behind our ability to create memorable stays for our guests,” says Crowne Plaza Wilmington North Director of Sales Julie Shaw. “The WOWs the we devise are based on our team’s ability to learn and understand our guests’ unique needs, and then provide them with an extra special something that puts huge smiles on their faces.”
CPWN’s WOW Program began in October ‘16 as a suggestion from Real Hospitality Group, which manages the property. Staffers initially shared a variety of bonuses with guests, including room upgrades and coupons for drinks and breakfast. When they saw the enthusiastic responses that these perks made possible, the entire team decided to get more creative – and more personal – with their WOWs.
WOWs that staffers at CPWN have presented to guests include:
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A dinner and a heart-shaped bamboo plant for guests who donated unique antique toys in their original packaging to the hotel’s Toys for Tots drive
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At 4:00 AM, cleaning the snow off of a car, and warming the car up, for a guest from the South who wasn’t used to winter weather
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Wrapping of a holiday gift by a hotel sales exec with excellent wrapping skills for a guest who was late for a black tie company event
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Coloring books, crayons, iced tea, a movie pass, and popcorn for an energetic youngster who had driven 11 hours with his very tired mom from Georgia (mom was extremely grateful)
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A recent WOW was shared with the family of Philip McCauley, a guest from Wayland, MA. Mr. McCauley’s group was visiting the Wilmington area – and booked to stay at the Crowne Plaza – to attend the funeral of a family member. The morning that he and his wife were planning to fly in, their plans were delayed: their daughter, who lives in New Jersey, was going into labor. The McCauleys diverted their route to be present at the birth of their grandchild. Upon their arrival at the CPWN a day later, the McCauleys were presented with a baby gift from the hotel’s management, as well as a sympathy card that was signed by the staff. “During our family’s stay at the Crowne Plaza the entire staff was not only efficient but also kind and attentive to all of our needs,” says Mr. McCauley. “To us, this kind of exemplary professionalism is unheard of in the [hotel] industry.” “I’ve been a Director of Sales at other Wilmington hotel properties, but the level of customer service that the Crowne Plaza Wilmington North team provides, thanks to the WOW Program, is unsurpassed in the market,” says Shaw. “Whether our guests are here on vacation or are doing business in downtown Wilmington, Chester, Marcus Hook, or Philadelphia, they’re all are surprised by our random acts of kindness, and our entire staff loves making these wonderful WOW moments happen.” *** About Real Hospitality Group Real Hospitality Group (RHG) is headquartered in Ocean City, MD with a regional office in Midtown Manhattan. The Real Hospitality Group portfolio includes 76 hotel properties with an inventory of more than 9,659 rooms in gateway cities that include New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and locations in Syracuse, Newark, Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, DE, Montauk, New York, and Ocean City, MD. The company is a recognized service provider for Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt, Wyndham, IHG, and the Choice Hotels brands, as well as established diverse collection of independent and lifestyle hotels. RHG focuses on total service property management, revenue performance, guest experience and business development for investors in the lodging sector. |
About Crowne Plaza Wilmington North
Located near the Philadelphia International Airport, Crowne Plaza Wilmington North is in Claymont, DE, just north of Wilmington. Our hotel, which is ranked #1 in TripAdvisor’s customer reviews of hotels in the market, is in a perfect location for business and leisure travelers with the amenities to please both. With over 190 comfortable rooms and suits, a top rated restaurant, complimentary WiFi, a sparkling outdoor pool, and a health and fitness center, you’ll find whole new ways to relax and recharge when you stay at our hotel.
