Francine Manilow

All posts tagged Francine Manilow

Corporate Housing – What It’s All About

Posted by manilowsuites on February 3, 2012
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels, Hotels. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Our beautifully appointed apartments are only outmatched by our responsiveness and flexibility.

 

What is corporate housing all about?

32 years ago, Manilow Suites was the first company in the United States to offer short-term housing. My frustration then was to prove to middle management, “no, we are not a rooming house!”

Now the greatest frustration is, “corporate housing can mean so many different things.” I just realized that I am doing very little on our web site to really show the incredible difference. We all talk about the building and apartments, but very little do we talk about the flexibility, responsiveness and quality.

A friend of mine has been an RN in a well-known Chicago area hospital for quite awhile. When I asked “would she be a patient there,” she surprisingly said, “no.” Her reason was that there were not enough doctors and nurses to take care of the number of patients.

Now, I know I am stretching it a bit comparing corporate housing to a hospital, but when a top executive yesterday had trouble hooking up his Mac to our Wi-fi,  a Manilow Suites staff member was in his apartment within the hour. What price do you put on that? Manilow Suites has more staff members per number of apartments so that we can respond better and faster than any competitor.

 

~From the iPad of Francine Manilow~

You’ll always be special to Manilow Suites

Posted by manilowsuites on November 28, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

There is a special lady I would like to tell you about. I’m just sorry I cannot mention her name. Anyway, a little over two years ago she came to Chicago and toured all of the corporate housing companies.

We did not give her any rates other than our average rack rates. Yet, she called a couple weeks later and awarded us the contract to provide the short-term corporate housing for a large company going through a merger. That meant everyone from the CEO to the CFO, numerous senior and executive vice-presidents and so on.

Manilow Suites broke all records on the company’s survey.  Out of over 100 employees, we had a 100% “yes, I would recommend Manilow Suites.”  We also had other record breaking results never before attained by a vendor.

This lady is not special because she selected Manilow Suites, she is special because she trusted us.

She gave us the freedom to provide the corporate housing our way and asked us the “how’s.” And for that, we thank you. You will always be a special lady to us.

http://www.manilowsuites.com

~From the iPad of Francine Manilow~

Manilow Suites: The Real Thing

Posted by manilowsuites on November 7, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

Beautifully furnished apartment at Grand Plaza

Two ladies were talking about how concerned they were renting a house on Captiva Island for themselves and their fellow sorority sisters this past weekend. They rented the house using the internet and the pictures looked great. Ah, was the real thing going to look like those great pictures? This was going to be a very exciting time as they were all graduates from Bradley University in Peoria and all were turning 40 this year.

Just in case they were met with bitter disappointment, what was their recourse? None!

Many corporate housing companies show pictures of model apartments on their web sites but in some cases, that’s not what you find when you open the door to this dream apartment or house.  What can you do before hand to avoid a potential disappointment or disaster?

First, ask for pictures of the apartment or pictures of apartments similar to what they are renting to you. Tell them if it does not meet their promises or expectations, what options will you have?  What type of satisfaction guarantee do they have, if any. If they will not offer you anything, I suggest you find a different source.

Manilow Suites is one of few corporate housing companies that offers a satisfaction guarantee!

~From the iPad of Francine Manilow~

Advertising in Corporate Housing: Times Have Changed

Posted by manilowsuites on October 21, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Elegant corporate housing at 215 West

I have been looking at a few corporate housing companies’ websites, and there are things I found that are very troubling…

Have times changed!  “Truth in advertising” really meant something when I first started this business. Now, on the internet you can make any claim and get away with it. I was just looking at some of the corporate housing companies’ web-sites and a few of their claims made me laugh. A couple of them even copied ideas I implemented long ago, and of course this is the sincerest form of flattery. But others are fooling people, and that gets me mad.

Let me continue to give you, from 32 years of experience in corporate housing, some tips on what to be aware of.  Today, there are virtual companies. They claim they have temporary housing in X cities. Not true! They use local companies–and are looking, in many cases, for the cheapest rate so they can mark it up higher. Virtual companies are fine if their main concern is to find the very best to meet your needs. They will do the shopping for you.

Check back in a week for more on corporate housing!

http://manilowsuites.com/specials.html

~From the keyboard of Francine Manilow~

Nothing Stops a True Entrepreneur

Posted by manilowsuites on September 14, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Watching the installation of the new NAWBO officers brought back so many memories of my first NAWBO meeting well over 20 years ago.

I laughed at the thought of the expression commonly used today, “bumps in the road.” Ours were not bumps, they were road blocks! And you know what? No matter how small or large those blocks were, we fought them all.

You see, no matter what our backgrounds, we were all women business owners large and small. We knew we had that one common denominator that brought us together in the first place. We were and we are far more powerful as a group than as one.  And look what we have accomplished in those ensuring years!

I formed my first company in 1965. As a woman trying to get into the world of business, it was a joke. No one took me seriously, and there weren’t any organizations for assistance.

If you are a true blue entrepreneur, nothing stops you. You just press on with vigor and optimism. Ever so slowly doors began to open, and more women started businesses.  Today, the largest groups of women opening up their own businesses are women of color. Fabulous! We all stand together to open the doors wider for the women of today and for future generations.

NAWBO has been there through it all, and we should step back at times and think about what once was and how fortunate we all are to build and develop our respective businesses. And lastly, we should continue uniting as women business owners to make good things happen!

~From the pen of Francine Manilow~

Price: All things are not equal

Posted by manilowsuites on September 7, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Fabulous location and amenities--unbeatable value!

It is amazing how many people call different housing companies and only ask about the price. “What is your rate for a one bedroom apartment for one month?” My question would be, “What is included for the price?” The differences are incredible, and it’s not the big things but the little things.

If you are going to make something comfortable and convenient, can you see it in a picture?

Recently, I toured a competitor’s apartment, and I discovered they offered salt and pepper shakers without the salt and pepper. No one wants to go out and buy salt, pepper and sugar when they may be staying there for a month or two. These are the little things that make the difference.

Newer, luxury buildings are always more expesnive than the older buildings. They usually have more convenient amenities such as a washer/dryer, and of course it is a more modern  building. Location is very important relative to price.

What is included for the price?  Electricity, maid service, wi-fi, expanded cable (not basic cable), king/queen size bed, local and long distance calls? And what is the quality of the furniture and furnishings in the apartment?  All of this should be considered when inquiring about the price of a corporate apartment.

~From the journal of Francine Manilow~

The Upside of National Corporate Housing Companies

Posted by manilowsuites on August 24, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

Rereading my previous blogs, I felt badly that I did not give you my impression of the upside of national corporate housing companies. There are some excellent corporate housing companies that I have great respect for. Please keep in mind, I am a local company out of Chicago, and I partner with several national companies. I am always looking for consistency in quality and responsiveness when a problem occurs.

From my observations, if you are a large company looking for a bulk of apartments in specific cities, the national companies are perfect for you. You have one point of contact, tracking reports, and they make it easy. In some cities they may even partner with a local company such as Manilow Suites, but that should not even be your concern. What you are interested in is that they do the work for you. Please review with your employees what they thought of the housing.

The Ins & Outs of Corporate Housing

Posted by manilowsuites on August 16, 2011
Posted in: Corporate Housing. Tagged: , , , , . 1 comment

The living room in one of our apartments at Trump Tower.

When I first coined the words, “corporate housing” back in 1980, my definition was to combine the comforts and convenience of luxury apartment living with some of the services and amenities of the finer hotels.

Today, corporate housing can stand for almost anything. Someone who wants to rent their furnished apartment on a month-to-month lease calls it a “corporate apartment.” However, within corporate housing the offerings, regulations, flexibility and quality runs from one extreme to the other.

A number of the larger corporations had one person that was responsible for housing its new employees or consultants, and they were usually in the travel or human resources department. As a multitude of them retired, the major corporations outsourced their jobs to relocation companies. As temporary housing is such a small part of the relocation package, the relo companies hired the national housing companies to provide housing in the U.S. and now on a global scale.

Of course it is much easier to go to one point of contact for your housing needs around the U.S. However, as with any company, there are always two sides to every coin.

Owning a boutique temporary housing company in Chicago–Manilow Suites, I may be a bit bias, but after 31 years of being in the business I have learned and definitely seen a heck of a lot.

The downsides to a national housing company are:

1) Inconsistency of quality and service  2) Paying a higher rate than a local company who may have more to offer  3) Flexibility

This is certainly not true with every national housing company, but I would say it is mora of a rule than an exception. Stay tuned for next week’s blog where I will explain the downsides in detail.

~From the iPad of Francine Manilow~

Renting from the Individual

Posted by manilowsuites on August 3, 2011
Posted in: Chicago, Corporate Housing, Corporate Housing/Hotels, Hotels, International Travel. Tagged: , , , , , . 17 comments

Like almost anything this is a toss-up. The city would probably be paramount in your selection.

My husband and I always rented someone’s
house in Estes Park, CO. People had their own personal belongings in the
dresser and closets but it was rustic, acceptable, and casual up in the
mountains. I felt as if I were staying in a relative’s home.

The big city is a whole different ball game. You never know
what you are going to get. Why take the chance if there is a reputable
corporate housing company in the city?

What can go wrong?

1.The condition of the apartment.

2.Paying for the utilities or setting up the utilities?

3. What if the condo is for sale? Are they going to have prospective customers coming through while you
are there?

4. What if they cancel before you arrive?

5. If the internet goes out, who is around to fix it?

6. What if the condo association does not allow people to occupy an apartment for less than 12 months? Do you have to rent
calendar month to calendar month?

7. Most of all, if you have paid and it does turn out to be a poor choice, what are your options?

Ok, you found a great deal and you want to rent from an
individual. My suggestions:

Find out if it is a condo or a sublet. If it’s a condo, ask
if it is up for sale, if so you want it in writing that the condo will not be
shown while you are renting it. Call the management company to make sure you
can rent the condo for less than one year. Find out all the costs for setting
up the telephone, internet, electricity, and cable or if any of these items are
included in the rent. Get pictures or if you have a friend in that city, have
them check out the apartment first.

Find out whatever you can about the condo owner. Is the
condo in default on assessments?

Never pay more than one month at a time, no security
deposit, and above all, please do not pay in cash!

Please keep in mind that I am only talking about locations
in the big cities, not up in the mountains or in vacation rental areas

~From the Notepad of Francine Manilow~

Manilow Suites is known around the World

Posted by manilowsuites on July 20, 2011
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . 7 comments

An elderly man was sitting next to me on a flight from San
Diego to Chicago. He told me he was from Australia and spent a wonderful month
in Chicago a couple years ago. When I asked him where he stayed, he said with
gusto, “Why I stayed with Mrs. Manilow!”

Before I told him my name, I sheepishly asked, “How were the
accommodations?”  “Great!” he said with excitement.
Relieved to hear the answer, I proudly presented my business card to him.

Word of mouth is still the best marketing technique when trying to acquire the right customer.

In small business, finding your niche is so important because it greatly limits the
amount of valuable resources spent marketing to the wrong customer.

~From the Notepad of Francine Manilow~