Mobil and the American Automobile Association - Research Paper Example

A Criticism of the RACV Star Rating Introduction to RACV and the Royal Star Rating The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, or RACV, started in December of 1903 through the efforts of a group of motorists who decided to band together to promote the interests of motor vehicle owners and enthusiasts (AAA Tourism, 2003). Its primary goal was the welfare and information of the motoring public on diverse issues such as safety, auto information, and leisure. The club then grew in scope to ultimately include domestic tourism and travel. The RACV implements the Star Rating system which is governed by AAA Tourism, or the AAAT, a national tourism body composed of Australian motoring organizations. AAAT provides ratings for over 11,000 accommodation establishments all over Australia. (AAA Tourism 2004) They claim that 95 percent of Australian consumers consider this rating before making accommodation arrangements. Subjectivity of Ratings Vallen and Vallen (2001) observe that ratings and audits for hotels can be a subjective business. He points out that in some countries where the rating systems are handled by the government, there is a great possibility that bribery, politics, and trade association bickering will affect the rating of an establishment. The Star Rating system RACV endorses is handled, not by the government, but by a private enterprise - the AAA Tourism group. This is much akin to the system adopted by the Americans - who use ratings from enterprises such as the American Automobile Association and Mobil. This has the effect of avoiding the political influence of a governmental rating system. The auditing for AAA Tourism's ratings is done by local assessors. Vallen and Vallen further note that local assessors have a tendency to be subjective in their ratings. They observed that these assessors usually award full points for the mere presence of amenities and not the quality of such. In comparison, the guidelines stipulated by the AAAT have a rigid point system that relies heavily on the quality of existing amenities. From observation it may be said that these guidelines serve to mitigate such biases. Scope and Locality of AAAT's Goals The AAAT and RACV have among their goals the promotion of domestic tourism in Australia. The Star Ratings were implemented to underpin this activity (AAAT 2003). No Anonymous Assessments One point in the assessment process of AAAT that raises questions is the fact that assessors are required by system to make their visits announced (AAAT 2003). Other rating firms will conduct their assessments anonymously. This is, presumably, to capture the natural atmosphere and typical quality a hotel offers on any given day. The question with planned visits is that the hotel management is given the opportunity to prepare what may be considered as a contrived sense of quality. On the other hand this type of assessment also encourages establishments to constantly improve their facilities by fixed iterations since they are well aware of the schedules of assessment and may well prepare for these ahead of time. Point System A curiosity in the Star Rating system is the presence of what is called a marginal rating scheme. If the points awarded to an establishment during assessment falls within a predefined 'gray area' then the establishment is awarded that rating. If the establishment is unable to move upwards from this gray area, their rating is adjusted down. This scheme appears to allow a certain sense of leniency. Furthermore, it also seems to serve as an impetus to improve on existing quality to maintain the desired star rating. The criteria for assessing Star Ratings are quite straightforward. Points ranging from 250 to 1000 are awarded for the set criteria. These criteria are grouped into two categories: Core Business guidelines and Industry guidelines. Included in the Core Business guidelines are the common criteria for hotel assessment such as bedroom accommodation, bathroom, maintenance issues, and general amenities. The size of the establishment does not necessarily mean a greater rating. Under the AAAT Star Rating system, a five-star rating can be given both to the 6-storey Hilton Melbourne Airport and to the 55-storey Sofitel Melbourne. This shows an increased emphasis on quality and not quantity. Interestingly, what does garner more rating points is the 'floor space.' Generating this space does not necessarily mean one must have large areas. Clever architects can create the perception of size through ingenious use of mirrors and furniture placing (Vallen & Vallen 2001). Some consultants also advocate the generation of this false space to increase rating points (Beall, J., Roberts, L., & Jago, L. 2005). The bed size for rooms is a different matter. The AAAT Star Rating states that although King/Queen sized beds are not mandatory, they are desirable. They are also expected of larger and higher rated hotels (AAAT 2003). Such is the case for Langham Hotel Melbourne which features 300 king-sized beds that furnish 387 rooms including 12 suites. This only goes to show the importance of the bed in a hotel industry. In fact, the AAAT considers the bed to be among the foremost guidelines in rating a hotel (AAAT 2003 p.10). Guest Arrival One important category lacking from the Core Guideline criteria set by the AAAT is the evaluation of the Guest Arrival procedures each establishment offers. Vallen and Vallen (2001) show that the Guest Arrival process is truly an integral part of the hotel experience. It is even important enough that a substantial amount of emphasis is given it in ratings systems such as Mobil and the American Automobile Association. The Star Rating system does not have this criterion in their Core Business guidelines. Continuous Change To the AAAT's credit, it has adopted a system that is constantly evolving. In their own words their system is "constantly under review. As the standards of the hospitality industry continually improve and consumer needs and expectations change, the assessment scheme is reviewed to reflect those changes. The contribution made by operators and associations from all sectors has been and will continue to be an integral factor in the evolution of one of the most recognized STAR rating schemes in the world. AAA Tourism acknowledges the recommendation and feedback of the Australian tourism accommodation industry." (AAAT 2003, p.8) List of References AAA Tourism 2003, Hotel Guidelines, AAA Tourism Pty Ltd, Adobe PDF, October 10, 2005 AAA Tourism 2004, Australian Star Ratings Go International, AAA Tourism Pty Ltd, Adobe PDF, http://www.aaatourism.com.au/pdf/Australia's%20STAR%20Ratings%20Go%20International.pdf Beall, J., Roberts, L., & Jago, L. 2005, Motel Makeover Guide: Renovating 3 - 4 Star Motels, Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Adobe PDF, October 12, 2005. RACV 2005, Club Benefits, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, October 10, 2005, Available at http://club.racv.com.au/racvcentre/join/benefits.cfm Vallen, G.K. & Vallen, J.J. 2001, Check-In: Check-Out, 7th ed, Prentice Hall, Chicago, Ill. Read More