Accor Kicks Off U.S. Campaign

<I>Paris </I>- With a new sales structure and IBM as a prototype client, Accor is targeting the North American corporate market with a single contact for all brands and a new property management system under way.

Harnessing its status as Europe's largest-and the world's third-largest-hotel company, Accor last month opened a U.S. office to market and sell five brands that previously had retained their own sales and marketing team in the United States. In addition to those brands-Ibis, Les Jardins de Paris, Mercure, Novotel and Sofitel-the Accor group includes the Etap and Formule 1 brands overseas, and Motel 6 in the United States.

"We are trying to create a corporate image," said Philippe Bertinchamps, managing director for Paris-based Accor Distribution Services.

The 2,400-property hotel group has tapped Novotel North America's director of sales, Steve Baker, to spearhead the U.S. operation, selling Accor properties worldwide to North American travel agent consortia specializing in outbound business travel. As of September, stateside corporations contact Veronique Lapointe in Paris for all brands. Previously, Lapointe had handled only Hotel Sofitel.

Last month the chain also grouped the Ibis, Etap and Formule 1 economy brands-which had competed for locations-under the same management, christening the venture Sphere International.

Accor signed IBM as its first American corporate client last January, granting negotiated rates for the Ibis, Novotel, Sofitel and Mercure brands. "We're stronger if we can offer them a global solution," Bertinchamps said.

While Accor has been talking with other North American corporations, Bertinchamps said, the group isn't ready to forge further deals. The hurdle, he said, is room-night tracking-even for high-tech IBM. For Accor, a co-branded credit card and the integrated property management system will mark the first steps toward tracking room nights.

Launching a co-branded Amex card, called Compliment, in France last month, the group plans to reel in loyal guests by offering points toward gifts.

The co-branded concept is new to France. Accor plans to bring the card to the United States, although no timetable has been set. Compliment also could evolve into a smart card by next year, he said.

A new, linked property management system is on tap for next year as well. A six-month, 40-property test of the IBM-developed Risk 6000 program will roll out to 200 hotels in 1997.

By the beginning of 1997, Accor will celebrate its merger with Carlson Wagonlit.