Dolce Offers Tips On Brand Development, Deployment

ST. PAUL DE VENCE— After owning and operating independent hotels for years, Dolce International recently decided to re-flag its properties with the Dolce name, creating a common theme amongst the company’s 20 hotels as a top destination for small conference meetings, said Andy Dolce, chairman/CEO of Dolce International during the Unisys conference, which was held here March 13-15. Dolce noted that his company hit an impasse several years back “where we either had to sell the company or grow the company.” He added that he decided to develop a Dolce brand and expand it throughout its distribution, and to do so, he realized “we had to control the assets. We were too small to demand that as just an operator.” So the company bought four of its own properties. Now it owns eight. Having created a significant presence in the Northeast and Texas, the company decided to expand into Europe to better serve its guests traveling both domestically and internationally. Dolce stated that with the help of investor George Soros, the brand was able to leverage $250 million in equity to develop properties throughout Europe. With three Dolce properties currently open in continent, the brand is planning further expansion included a new property in Frankfurt, Germany scheduled to open this April. The most challenging aspect of expansion was brand development, stated Jo Ann Swahn, svp/marketing for Dolce. Every Dolce property now features not only the company’s name on its signage but also its motto, “a conference destination.” The brand’s specialization on small group meetings is also emphasized its slogan, “Focus. Learn. Succeed.” “Our goal is to be the global leader in learning through meetings and leisure business,” said Dolce, noting that’s an unusual aim for a hotel company. “But that’s what happens at our conference facilities- learning.” Before the company could drive the brand to public, it first had to convince its properties and employees. One new implementation at the hotel level, was the addition of new “Dolce-labeled” employee t-shirts, and new paychecks issued with the Dolce name. The company has also begun launching annual corporate initiatives to drive home the point that the employees are working for a brand, not a just a property. “Before these were independent hotels, and they didn’t see themselves as Dolce. We had to make sure we delivered on our brand promise,” said Swahn, adding that the Dolce promise is nothing short of perfect. “We promise a perfect environment to learn, focus and succeed through our standard, products, and services,” she stated. Dolce has also developed standard conference amenities throughout its properties. The physical hotels all look unique to their local environment, “the consistency is in the meetings,” she said. Through common conference tables, chairs, technology, and collateral pieces, Dolce is creating a common brand standards to expand the unified message of its properties- small groups.