NORTHWEST SUITES & HOUSING SERVICES EXPANDS TO BAY AREA
Joint
Venture with SuiteAmerica Tests Service Model in Preparation for National Roll-Out
January 27, 2003 - Redmond, WA - Northwest Suites & Housing Services has entered into a joint operating agreement with SuiteAmerica in the Bay Area to offer a selection of housing services to help relocating executives make seamless and trouble-free moves at prices that make good sense for their employers," President Dave Caple announced today.
Northwest Suites now provides area and candidate tours, rental assistance, settling-in services, and furniture rental to SuiteAmerica clients in the Bay Area. These services are in addition to temporary corporate housing.
"We are the first company in the Bay Area to offer this combination of corporate housing and housing services," he said. "We are functioning immediately as a revenue generating entity in the Bay Area as we test our service model for possible expansion nationally," he said.
"This could be a big deal," Caple added. "It has the potential to demonstrate that our service model can be duplicated anywhere in the world. Our success hinges on the economy. When all is said and done, this will be significant. Anytime you can tell customers that you are functioning in multiple markets, it lends credibility to your offering.
"We expect the housing services side of the business in the Bay Area to mirror or exceed what we are achieving in the Puget Sound region, especially if the Bay Area market returns to its days of prior glory for relocation," Caple said. Corporate housing accounts for XX% of revenues for Northwest Suites and Housing Services in the Puget Sound region. Northwest Suites launched these services in the Puget Sound region in June of 2002. They continue to gather strength as 2003 unfolds.
Caple reports that demand for corporate housing is escalating as organizations such as Microsoft, Amgen, and Nokia accelerate their staffing plans for the Northwest and the Bay Area with the start of a new year.
"The win for the client resulting from this venture is one point of contact for all of their relocation needs," Caple explained. "For example, if a client needs corporate housing, we can supply it through our expanded array of housing alternatives here and in the Bay Area. If a client's budget doesn't allow for that, we can offer rental finding and furniture rental as an alternative that fits perfectly within the assigned budget range."
Caple said that at some later point, Northwest Suites will add real estate brokerage and property management to its service offerings here and through its association with SuiteAmerica in the Bay Area. For the short-term, however, the entities will closely monitor the results of the association and make plans to expand the service offerings as it makes sense throughout California, including the Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego markets.
The housing services division of Northwest Suites came online for Northwest Suites & Housing Services in June of 2002 as a result of a merger with Corporate Rentals Inc., a five-year-old housing services company run by Jonathan Fink, a housing services industry veteran with 10 years of experience. Jonathan Fink serves as director of housing services for Northwest Suites & Housing Services, and he has been instrumental in arranging and securing the deal with SuiteAmerica, Caple said.
"If the events of September 11 taught us anything in the context of our business, it is that diversity in our service offerings is good," Caple said. "When the hospitality industry came to a halt, we had to develop new ways to be of service to negotiate that tough period for our business. Launching a housing services division was a timely and strategic move for our company to make, and clients continue to respond favorably to our offerings."
Headquartered in Redmond, Washington and launched in 1988, Northwest Suites & Housing Services Inc. serves as a preferred corporate housing provider to Microsoft, Amazon, Washington Mutual, and others. High profile, seasonal clients such as the Seattle Mariners, the Seattle Storm, the Seattle Seahawks, and The Village Theatre also entrust their interim housing needs exclusively to Northwest Suites & Housing Services.
Northwest Suites & Housing Services provides "All the Comforts of Home™" in the Northwest and around the world by offering thousands of unique housing selections that blend the comforts of living at home with the amenities and services clients need to make their stays comfortable, productive, and rewarding, all at a price that makes good business sense. Northwest Suites & Housing Services also provides furniture rental and purchase, full time rental assistance, and international settling-in services. Visit www.northwestsuites.com to learn more.
SuiteAmerica started in 1990, formerly known as California Suites. It is the largest, fastest growing independently owned corporate housing company in the United States. SuiteAmerica has offices on both the East and West Coast to accommodate the corporate housing needs of clients across the US. SuiteAmerica's cornerstone to success is dedication to service. SuiteAmerica continues to grow and develop, using new cutting edge technology in invoicing and online services. To learn more, visit www.suiteamerica.com.
Northwest Suites & Housing Services and Suite America are members of the Corporate Housing Alliance.
Contact: Karen Bruhn, 425.836.9828, k.bruhn@verizon.net