Housekeeper Dives into Dumpster to Save the Day
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Frances Moad
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Housekeeper Dives into Dumpster to Save the Day
Covington, KY…November 13, 2003… How far would you go for someone you don’t even know? Would you dive into a dumpster and sort through bags of garbage for them? Not many people would, except of course Barbara “Pepper” Groves. When looking for a hotel with top-notch hospitality service, make sure to keep in mind Comfort Suites Newport.
A couple months ago, a guest staying at the Comfort Suites Newport thought she might have thrown her airline tickets into the garbage. She was in town on business and was suppose to be leaving for California the next morning. Housekeeper Pepper Groves saved the day by actually diving into the dumpster to retrieve the airline tickets for the guest. After sorting through bags upon bags of rotten garbage, Pepper found the airline tickets. The guest was in tears when Pepper arose from the piles of trash with her tickets in hand. Needless to say, the guest has now become a regular at Comfort Suites Newport.
On Friday, November 14, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau will present Barbara “Pepper” Groves with the Bureau Hero Award for October. The goal of the Bureau Hero Award launched in August by the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau, is to strengthen the relationship between the Bureau and hotels, while providing incentive to hospitality employees to provide even better service.
As part of the program, line employees in hotels such as housekeepers, front desk staff, restaurant workers and other non-salary positions are eligible to win. Employers simply nominate them with a form provided by the Bureau monthly. Bureau staff nominate the top choice or choices based upon the criterion of employees that go above and beyond the hotel’s expectations. Winners receive a certificate of recognition and a lapel pin and are automatically entered in a pool of candidates with an overall winner announced next March at the Bureau’s annual meeting.
Marie Fuehner, Director of Convention Services for the Bureau, says the hotels have
been very excited about
the program in its early stages. “They take a great
deal of pride in seeing their employees nominated. The hospitality industry
has a large degree of turnover. Anything we can do to recognize outstanding
efforts by hotel staff can help those properties stem attrition and create a better
work environment,
which ultimately benefits customers as well.”