PARIS — Accor, the world's leading international hotel operator, unveils its ambitions for the Mercure brand. Mercure is the midscale hotel leader with more than 700 hotels worldwide, and its new positioning focuses on four lines of action: an entirely modernized offer that meets new guest expectations; accelerated expansion, mostly through franchises, with a target of 1,000 hotels within five years; a global quality guarantee; and a brand new visual identity. The brand unveils its vision of midscale hotels and its answers to new guest expectations in this segment. It introduces its new approach to guest welcome, revisited cuisine concepts, dedicated offer for business customers on the move, robust commitment to quality and more refurbishments. Yann Caillère, CEO of Accor, said: “Mercure is essential for the group's expansion particularly driven through franchises and managed hotels. “The brand is now opening a new page in its history. Thanks to the work carried out in partnership with our franchisees and to its powerful distribution, Mercure is increasing its attraction for hoteliers and guests alike and injecting new impetus, modernity and innovation into midscale hotels.” Mercure, a strong brand, buoyed by expansion through franchises and reinforced distribution An average of one opening a week and a target of 1,000 hotels in five years. Mercure is the world's second largest hotel chain in its segment with 732 hotels in 50 countries. The brand is enjoying sustained expansion with an average of one opening per week and over 15,000 new rooms between 2011 and 2012. Mercure alone accounted for 21 percent of rooms opened by Accor in 2012. Network growth (over 75 percent through franchises and management contracts) is mostly achieved by converting existing hotels and focuses on reinforcing Mercure's leadership position in its key markets France (232 hotels), Germany (112 hotels) and the United Kingdom (73 hotels), expanding in Brazil (64 hotels) and Australia (63 hotels) and setting up in two new countries every year. In 2012, Mercure established footholds in Russia and South Korea. In 2013, it will launch its first establishments in Turkey and Sweden. Mercure plans to open a total of 53 new hotels in 2013. “To meet our objective of 1,000 hotels within five years, we will expand mostly through franchises. Independent hoteliers make up 70 percent of the midscale hotel segment. They are looking for sector expertise, particularly to handle the hotel digital revolution. Mercure places relations with franchisees at the heart of its brand governance and that makes it a benchmark franchisor,” explains Christophe Alaux, Chief Operating Officer Mercure & MGallery Europe. Mercure's strength also lies in the power of its loyalty and distribution system and in the development of multi-channel digital devices (mobile application, Facebook page and websites in nine languages and 26 local versions). Online booking represents 30 percent of the brand's turnover. Extensive refurbishment across the network The Dedicaces renovation concept launched in 2011 in France, continues to be rolled out at a sustained pace. Thanks to this concept, the brand stepped up refurbishment in France, where 70% of the network has now been renovated. In the second half of 2013, the concept will be extended in Germany and the United Kingdom. Dédicaces is unique in the hotel industry and enables bespoke room refurbishment that is 30% cheaper and completed in record time. Mercure Dedicaces room renovation program provides customized, high quality, modern rooms at a considerably reduced cost thanks to a large-scale renovation process carried out twice as fast. “This is further proof of Mercure's progress in combining continuous product improvement, lean management processes, and plug-and-play best practices from certain industries,” said Alaux. A worldwide quality of service guarantee Mercure has made a strong commitment and now guarantees the same high quality of service across its network. By end 2014, the Mercure Quality Guarantee will be deployed across the entire network. This one-of-a-kind approach is based on 96 shared quality guidelines and ensures that the guest experience is consistent in all Mercure hotels. The Mercure Quality Guarantee focuses on hotelier service and responsiveness. It notably includes a dedicated phone line, with the same number (2424) for the entire Mercure network that customers can dial around the clock. This hotline fosters interaction with staff and stimulates responsiveness. A new approach to hospitality that focuses on customer welcome, business on the move and F&B concepts “Midscale hotels are caught between rapidly modernizing economy hotels on the one hand and the upscale hotel experience on the other. The growing demand for a more authentic, friendly and diverse offer in this segment is an opportunity for Mercure. “Mercure is abandoning the practical, logical, best-value-for-money model and adopting a much more ‘emotional' approach to that fosters ‘harmony between places and people,'” said Frédéric Fontaine, Senior Vice President Marketing Mercure and MGallery. Mercure reinvents the guest welcome experience The traditionally practical and impersonal reception area is transformed into a friendly, social space. Mercure has worked for seven months on redesigning the lobby with design agency W&Cie and the result is a concept that is unprecedented in midscale hotels.The reception desk, which formed a barrier between the teams and the guests, is replaced with an approach based on friendlier, easier interaction. The receptionist is now a “host” who invites customers to the “host table” or to one of the comfortable lobby spaces that “feel like home” and include the bar and the restaurant. The use of digital tablets enables rapid check-in and fosters dialogue, interaction and friendliness between the hotelier and the guest. This concept, which has been successfully implemented at the Mercure London Bridge since April, will be rolled out in five other hotels by the end of 2013. EasyWORK by Mercure: a unique service for business people Mercure has developed EasyWORK, a solution for business people on the move that offers dedicated and modular work spaces complete with a light meal service, equipment and Internet access. EasyWORK, which was tested in France at the Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon, attracts both guests staying at the hotel as well as visitors, and will be available in a series of Mercure hotels located close to stations, airports and major regional and national business hubs. — SG
