That’s why Lissette S. Landestoy, director of purchasing, was happy to weigh in on Rio Mar’s decision to become an Avendra customer in 2004. A veteran of the Caribbean resort business, she had seen Avendra’s impact before.

“Providing a luxury experience on an island requires extra time, extra cost, extra vigilance in purchasing,” she explains. At Rio Mar, Lissette has seen Avendra’s buying power at work on everything from fresh produce, to glassware, to logo’d souvenirs. “Today, our policy is to use Avendra for everything we can.”

Island Time
Pre-Avendra, purchasing for Rio Mar was a slow and cumbersome process. Phone calls determined if suppliers even did business offshore. Then there was a wait for catalogs, proposals, samples, etc. Re-orders required long lead times and constant follow-up. The challenge of where to store quantities of items until the next ship arrived was ongoing.

Today, Rio Mar enjoys a greatly expanded selection of product and overall better consistency, particularly in the food & beverage category. Commodities are flown in daily to a distribution center on the island.

Avendra’s leverage has also led to prequalified vendors flying to Puerto Rico to develop better relationships with Lissette and her property. “It’s a level of service I never could have gotten any other way,” she concludes.

Lissette also values quarterly updates from her Avendra support team, who help identify opportunities for future savings. “With Avendra managing so many of my day-to-day tasks I’m able to concentrate on strategy and larger issues. They definitely understand what’s important to me.”

For more information  about Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort, visit www.wyndhamriomar.com.