hihotels raises the bar for franchisee support with expanded communication suite

ATLANTA – hihotels by Hospitality International, a recognized leader in franchising conversion and new-build hotels for economy lodging, is setting a new standard for communication with the continued expansion of its suite of programs designed to foster open and productive dialogue between the company and its franchisees.

According to Chris Guimbellot, President & CEO of hihotels, “At hihotels, the strength of our brands is rooted in the voices of our franchisees and the relationships we build. We are small enough to listen, yet large enough to deliver – enabling us to focus on individual properties and provide unparalleled industry support.”

The expanding communication suite includes:

1. Advisory Council: Launched in 2023, this forum, which includes franchisees, a vendor, and hihotels director, meets quarterly and gives franchisees a seat at the table in shaping hihotels’ future.
2. hihub: Introduced in December 2023, this digital platform, with a growing user base, serves as an information hub that facilitates continuous communication between franchisees and the hihotels team, offering valuable educational resources to enhance hotel operations.
3. WhatsApp Group: Rolled out in Q1 2024, this real-time messaging platform allows franchisees to contribute to system-wide improvements and build stronger relationships with other franchisees and the hihotels corporate team.
4. Newsletters: INNside Track, a long-standing quarterly newsletter, is designed to keep franchisees informed on industry and marketing trends, company updates, events, and networking opportunities. It’s complemented by An Update from Chris Guimbellot that highlights challenges, opportunities, and new programs. Each communication includes Guimbellot’s phone number and encourages franchisees to reach out to him at any time with questions, concerns, ideas, and feedback.
5. Assurance & Marketing Program (AMP): A trusted initiative with directors who help service properties and provide owners ongoing sales, marketing, and operations support.
6. Regional Conferences: hihotels conducts smaller, regional conferences to nurture personal connections.

Tejal Patel, Owner of Scottish Inns & Suites in Hitchcock, TX, and an Advisory Council member, commended the communication and educational programs, stating, “hihotels demonstrates care for its franchisees, values our opinions, and genuinely seeks our input.”

This comprehensive approach to communication is a contributing factor to hihotels’ strong retention rate and longevity of franchisees in the system. By maintaining open channels at all levels of the organization – including direct access to the CEO – hihotels proves that in the world of hospitality franchising, bigger isn’t always better.

The article hihotels raises the bar for franchisee support with expanded communication suite first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.