Drury Inns gets Better Business Bureau award

Since it sprouted from a limited service hotel in Sikeston, Mo., in 1973, Drury Inns Inc. has grown into a regional power in the hotel industry with more than 100 locations in 17 states. Along the way, the St. Louis-based corporation has garnered its share of nation and regional accolades to go with that success. It can now add another award to that portfolio.

The Better Business Bureau recently honored president and chief executive officer Chuck Drury and Drury Inns as its biennial World-Class Customer Satisfaction Award winner. The award is in recognition of the company's worldwide commitment to customer satisfaction.

Michelle Corey, president of the Better Business Bureau, said that the company's novel strategies have resulted in a superb performance in customer satisfaction. That sentiment has been corroborated by Drury Inns' consistent outstanding scores on national quality surveys like the Market Metrix Hospitality Index.

One of those novel strategies is that that Drury hotels operate under the philosophy that they don't have to offer every kind of facility in the industry. Drury hotels don't have ballrooms, conference centers or, for the most part, restaurants. Drury said the company passes on the savings from that limited-service approach on to the customer by offering major price advantages, such as low rates, free hot breakfast, free high-speed Internet access in every room, free cocktails and free snacks.

Drury said all of his hotels will now also be the first in the industry to offer 60 minutes of free long-distance phone service each night for every room.

The Drury company is also vertically integrated. The corporation designs and builds each hotel, produces the furniture and, through a supply arm, provides soap, towels and other small amenities. The company also installs and maintains its own telephone and computer systems.

Drury Inns also doesn't franchise, so all of its outlets are managed by the main office.

"We don't want any confusion in the organization as to who the real customer is," Drury once told the Southeast Missourian.

That approach has resulted in more than just help to the guest's wallet. It has also produced stories of personal touches, like that of a manager of a Drury Inn in Atlanta who helped a family who had checked in seeking refuge from the Florida hurricanes this summer. The manager drove one family member to a store to buy a printer so she could print out an important report for work. Another hotel employee lent the family a vehicle to take on birthday dinner trip.

The winner of the Better Business Bureau award are evaluated by an independent panel of past award winners. These have included Anheuser-Busch, A.G. Edwards and Enterprise Rental Car.

Drury said he was humbled to be mentioned alongside such prominent names.

"The award is a validation that you can grow a successful company and do it the right way so that there is a win for all stakeholders -- customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders," Drury said.

trehagen@semissourian.com

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