Raising Quality

Quality Schemes

In this topic:

• Quality Schemes
• Accommodation schemes
• Attraction schemes
• Restaurants and pubs

A quality scheme is an independently run assessment scheme that looks at your business and awards you a rating based on the quality of your premises, products, services and customer service - or, in the case of restaurants, just your food. These schemes are also known as quality assurance schemes because they provide the customer with independent assurance that an establishment is at least a certain standard (rather than just having to guess based on what the pictures look like...). There are many benefits to an establishment (see below).

There are two nationally/internationally recognised accommodation quality schemes - one operated by VisitBritain the other by the AA (the RAC no longer provide assessments). Both operate to common standards, meaning it doesn't matter who assesses you, they use the same criteria to award your rating. Both require that you pay fees to be assessed, even if you don't get a rating. They offer a lot of literature and guidance on standards and quality and will also provide a pre-assessment consultation, also for a fee, to advise you on where you would fall in their rating schemes and what improvements you could make to get a higher grade.

There is one nationally recognised attraction quality scheme called VAQAS which is operated by VisitBritain, that aims to provide independent assurance of quality, management support for quality improvements and marketing benefits.

There are no 'official' restaurant or pub schemes but the AA offer a widely accepted assessment scheme for restaurants. The AA Rosette award for restaurants is internationally recognised and standards for awarding rosettes are high. The AA produce guides that are internationally used for both restaurants and pubs. Businesses cannot pay to enter, they can only be listed if they are recommended and/or assessed. A similar process exists for golf courses.

These two aside, there are also other guides, which operate on the similar premise of impartiality: businesses cannot pay to be included, the establishments must be independently assessed and/or recommended by customers. Examples are The Good Pub Guide, published by Random House and including some very detailed descriptions and The Which? Good Restaurant Guide, published by Which? Books. Both are highly regarded by readers and sell very widely - the Good Pub Guide is affectionately known by its readers as the Pub Bible. Michelin also produce internationally renowned guides for hotels and restaurants (the famous/infamous Michelin stars). Again, you cannot pay to enter the guides, you must be assessed anonymously by a Michelin assessor.

Benefits

There are two types of benefit in being involved in a quality assurance scheme: management and marketing. Management benefits involve detailed advice and guidance, including a feedback report from the assessor in VisitBritain and AA assessments on your particular establishment. These can be very helpful in terms of managing your business and

The marketing benefits are also very valuable. Quality assured establishments rate very highly with customers due to the 'confidence factor'. Customers feel that a rating takes the guesswork out of choosing an establishment, and that, at the very least, they will be assured of certain standards of cleanliness, comfort and facilities. Many customers will look for the highest rating they can get in their price bracket, because they know they will get better beds, bathrooms and food or better facilities, service, staff and safety at attractions.

Only assessed properties are promoted by VisitBritain marketing activities, and most of the public sector tourism organisations operate the same policy. Almost all of the 500 Tourist Information Centres will only sell and book quality assessed accommodation.

Assessed establishments get free listings on the www.visitbritain.com site (850,000 unique visitors per month) and www.enjoyengland.com (120,000 unique visitors per month) and, if assessed by the AA, on www.theaa.com (1.5 million visitors per month). Similarly establishments also get free inclusion in VB's guides, and the AA's guides if assessed by the AA. If you are assessed by VisitBritain you can pay to join the AA's Associate Member Scheme to receive similar benefits to those establishments assessed by the AA. There is, of course, nothing to stop you paying to be assessed by both organisations.

Also in this topic:

• Accommodation schemes
• Attraction schemes
• Restaurants and pubs