Worldwide standards and quality assessment audit agreed by UK and North American serviced apartment trade associations.
LONDON/INDIANAPOLIS – The first ever global accreditation programme, developed by the UK’s Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), is on track to roll out worldwide following an innovative collaboration with US-based Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA).
The programme – known as the International Serviced Apartment Accreditation Programme (ISAAP) – has grown out of the accreditation system that was originally developed and adopted by the ASAP and its members. The programme has received significant support and interest from around the world and makes its world debut in North America with assessments taking place in five strategic locations across the USA and Canada.
“The ISAAP programme, which embraces guest opinion, internet review mechanisms and detailed physical assessment, launches at a time when the serviced apartment industry is growing at 14% in the past year alone, with 750,000 apartments world-wide. North America is a major driver for innovation in our industry, so we are excited to roll out the programme there,” explained James Foice, ASAP & ISAAP’s Managing Director.
New York, San Francisco and Dallas in the USA and Toronto and Calgary in Canada have been selected as primary locations for the initiative’s pilot assessments, conducted by assessors from the UK. The collaboration across North America is just the beginning of ASAP’s developing relationships worldwide, with more European organisations coming on board soon.
CHPA Chief Executive Officer, Mary Ann Passi, CAE, said: “Collaborating with ASAP and their UK-based assessors to launch this pilot programme ensures that quality standards are consistent. The results will help build CHPA’s assessment capability while helping members differentiate their companies based on service and quality of their guests’ experiences. This pilot programme begins connecting the industry globally to ensure that clients and guests are best served.”
By introducing CHPA’s membership to the pilot programme, the opportunity for growth of the programme on a global level is exponentially greater. This collaboration shows the scalability on a global level, which will facilitate worldwide adherence to quality standards and guest experience expectations.
“This is testament to the robust systems established by the ASAP and adopted by over 80% of the membership and we’re delighted that CHPA, recognised as innovators in our industry, have agreed to collaborate with us on implementing this major accreditation pilot programme in North America and Canada. We are now looking actively for other international partners to assist in the global roll out over the next 18 months,” said Foice.
The ISAAP is based in the UK and will be launched formally in the summer of 2015.
Photo caption: Parties to the new collaboration between CHPA & ASAP (from left to right): James Foice, ASAP & ISAAP’s Managing Director; Mary Ann Passi, Chief Executive Officer, CHPA; Samantha Elliott, Chair, CHPA; Don James, Deputy Chairman ASAP.
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