Message from the Chairman

Message from Rodeway Owners Association Chairman, Dinu Patel

Welcome to the new Rodeway Owners Association newsletter. We’ve had several changes to our Board in the past year, created a new Region and have also added a new Executive Director, Neil Bhakta. Together, we are committed to providing you with more information and updates on the association, the Rodeway Inn® brand and our relationship with Choice Hotels. Moving forward, we plan to publish the newsletter quarterly with updates on the association’s activities, programs at Choice and opportunities to work together.

In this issue, you’ll find information on our upcoming Fall Regional Meetings, updates on Choice’s new case management fees, information on Reputation Management services and more.

Your Rodeway Owners Association board is your voice to Choice Hotels. We need to hear from you. We meet with Choice leadership each month for updates on both company and industry issues impacting our brand. During these meetings, we also want to share what’s on your mind. Please reach out to your Regional Director at any time to share your insights or concerns.

We’re all in business together and we all have the same goal—to maximize profit. When you made the decision to franchise your hotel as a Rodeway Inn with Choice Hotels, you entered into a mutually beneficial relationship. You look to Choice to provide reservations and global distribution services, training for your employees, and resources to help you optimize your rates and tools to help manage your hotel. But are you taking advantage of these resources? We are all stronger when we work together and if you’re not using these resources, you’re not getting the most from your relationship.

Our industry has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. Internet bookings are the most common form of reservations, guests rely on reviews and feedback from each other before they book a room and the Online Travel Agencies have continued to grow. These are only a few of the things that have changed the way we manage our hotels and that you need to consider every day. Do you know how much of your business is coming from the OTAs and from Choice’s direct channels? You need to analyze the data and use the tools that are available to you to make adjustments. You need to make sure you are responding to guest reviews and let your guests know that you value their opinion. And you still need to provide hospitality to every guest who comes through your doors.

I hope to see you at the upcoming Fall Regional Meetings. This is another resource that is part of your relationship with Choice and ROA that you should take advantage of. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to engage with your brand, expand your skills and meet your fellow franchisees. We also encourage you to bring another member of your team at no additional cost.

Thank you for being a part of the Rodeway Owners Association.

Dinu Patel
Chairman