The Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia, PA
David Benton, Vice President & General Manager

As vice president & general manager at a luxury hotel with top ratings from AAA, Conde Nast and the Official Hotel Guide, David Benton acknowledges his obligation to exceed the line when it comes to standards.

This quality commitment makes it even more impressive that David is a satisfied Avendra customer. “We absolutely were not willing to compromise on quality or service,” he said. “Nor would we give up control of the buying process.”

A smart operator, in 2001 David began looking for a way to increase revenue while also saving on expenses. He found Avendra - which, by negotiating from a $3 billion volume position, offers the lowest pricing available from leading suppliers as well as customer control over purchasing processes.
 
David was convinced that Avendra would allow him to maintain the same high quality standards at the Rittenhouse Hotel while reducing his traditional pricing. Today, his property is saving on “almost everything we purchase...up to 33%!”

More for Less
Avendra is a key to enhancing the guest experience at this landmark luxury hotel, says David, “because whenever we can afford to purchase better quality products and services, we do.”

As an example, David cites an upgrade in the property’s bedding.  An unexpected outcome of the purchase of pillow-top mattresses for the guest rooms was that existing sheets were too small. On an urgent search, the staff found Avendra’s pricing 40% below market - plus, the Avendra specification was for 310-count sheets, a better quality than the hotel had been using. Delivering on a very fast turnaround time, the Avendra concept quickly proved its worth.

Knowledge is Power
Like many new customers, purchasers at the Rittenhouse Hotel were pleased to discover that many of their traditional suppliers and distributors could also be used at Avendra. For the food and beverage program - a key concern due to the Rittenhouse reputation for upscale dining -- the hotel continued its relationship with the same master food distributor, and yet the prices were lower. ”We knew the quality we had to provide to hold our edge,” says David. “Fortunately, Avendra did, too. I would say that Avendra has brought us more leverage and across-the-board product knowledge.”