White Lodging Services Corporation is a fully integrated, owner, developer and manager of premium brand hotels – a recognized leader that consistently delivers superior leading brand hotel experiences and premium returns on investment among mid-to-large scale hotels across the country. Their portfolio includes 120 properties and 16 brands, with plans to open 18 additional properties in 2008. They are also a star Avendra customer -- with savings and performance to match.

“We went through a rigorous process to ensure Avendra was our best choice,” says David Sibley, president and CEO of the hospitality management division. Responsible for operating results of all hotels in the management portfolio, Dave was very involved in the initiative to increase profitability through purchasing strategies.

Why did White Lodging decide to partner with Avendra on purchasing after nine months of research? Dave cites two reasons:

• Tremendous Buying Power. “We are pretty large, but we couldn’t match the ‘favored nation’ status of Avendra’s $3 billion-plus annual spend.  Everybody said they had the best prices, but in the end it was Avendra, by a significant margin.”
• Services & Support. White Lodging wanted more than a vendor relationship, Dave explains. “Anyone who has been involved in a purchasing overhaul knows it’s a long process. You want someone to help implement the change and help ensure the savings are realized.”

Opportunities To Save
White Lodging credits Avendra with jump-starting implementation by doing their homework and making very effective presentations in regional meetings. From there, White Lodging became a star implementer with more than 80 percent Avendra compliance, measured in months, which boosts their results.

White Lodging has improved in the food & beverage category by 4 points over the prior year, with a good portion attributable to Avendra, according to Dave. And the advantages add up.  Recent “wins” include savings on cell phones, toner cartridges, landscaping services and elevator maintenance – all offering double digit savings through Avendra programs.

But it’s not all about costs. “What I appreciate most is Avendra’s attitude,” summarizes Dave.  “They don’t push, but they are always looking for opportunities to help us improve. I always tell people, the secret is commitment. We’re putting in our share, but Avendra goes the extra mile to make it work.”