BridgeStreet Worldwide Announces 2005 BridgeCare Award Winner
ARLINGTON, VA, July 11, 2006. BridgeStreet Worldwide announced the winner of its 2005 BridgeCare Award, which recognizes those associates who best exemplify the company's "Whatever It Takes," customer-focused operating philosophy. Four quarterly finalists, known as BridgeStars, received prizes and company-wide recognition. Heather Linton, BridgeStreet accommodations coordinator in Columbus, Ohio, was named grand prize winner.
"The BridgeCare Awards program breeds the kind of commitment to exceptional customer service that has become synonymous with the BridgeStreet name," said Lee Curtis, BridgeStreet president. "It is our way of recognizing the extraordinary efforts of our associates and thanking them in a tangible way. This program has been instrumental in helping us create a corporate culture of dedication, based on a passion for excellence and a willingness to do 'whatever it takes' to be the corporate housing provider of choice worldwide. We have an incredible group of associates who are totally focused on creating a positive and memorable experience for each and every BridgeStreet guest. Their can-do attitude comes back to us tenfold in the form of strong guest loyalty."
BridgeStreet's 2005 grand prize winner, Heather Linton, in the Columbus, Ohio, office, exhibited that passion for excellence when she learned that a BridgeStreet guest was running in a local marathon without a family nearby to cheer him on. Heather made it her business to make sure the guest got the appropriate encouragement and recognition for his participation. She personally created several signs and a banner that she and some co-workers took to the race and held up to inspire him as he ran by. The guest remarked later that he had been extremely surprised and delighted by their interest.
As part of the BridgeCare recognition program, a special prize patrol, led by BridgeStreet President Lee Curtis, paid a surprise visit to Linton's office, during which Curtis presented her with a giant check as a symbol of the winner's monetary award. The prize package includes a free week's stay at any hotel managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, BridgeStreet's parent company, roundtrip airfare and a week's paid vacation. Additionally, a postcard describing Linton's BridgeCare story was mailed to every BridgeStreet employee.
"Public recognition is an essential part of the program," Curtis said. "It's always nice to be appreciated-ask any guest! Heather makes all her guests feel special, on a daily basis, and we value that kind of dedication. The BridgeCare program allows us to reward our associates in innovative ways that build a deeper culture of exceptional service for our guests."
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