Imagine you’re part of a hotel housekeeping team, the unsung heroes who make sure everything sparkles and guests feel at home. Now, let’s talk about those labels you see on cleaning products – Safer Choice and Design for Environment. They’re not just fancy stickers; they’re a sometimes overlooked handshake between the EPA and eco-friendly products.

The Safer Choice label is your buddy, telling you, “This product is cool for both you and the planet.” It’s the EPA giving you a nod for picking something that’s safe and does the job well. You’ll see it on a bunch of different products, perfect for tackling everything from stained carpets to smudged mirrors.

This is a label that frequents the aisles at your local super market and tends to be much better known. A note in cleaning trivia, the Safer Choice Program was originally named Design for Environment. Not to be confused with the now pesticide specific label below.

Next there’s the DfE label, which is a bit more niche. It’s for those special products that go toe-to-toe with germs and come out on top, antimicrobial products that meet FIFRA standards and beyond. If it’s got the DfE label, you know it’s passed some serious tests to be kind to the environment while still kicking those germs to the curb.

This label doesn’t quite make it to the “front of the shelf” in Hospitality as often as it should. In history it was felt the sustainable or low toxicity disinfectants were not strong enough fast enough. This may have been true, and in response you have seen the EPA continually invest to attract more Manufactures. With that growth you can now find effective pathogen killers that won’t break the bank, irritate skin, or test the finishes on your Hotel furniture.

But here’s the thing – these labels aren’t just about being green. They’re about making choices that are better for your guests and the housekeeping teams health. When you choose products with these labels, you’re not just cleaning; you’re caring. You’re saying, “I want the best for my guests and the world around me.”

So, next time you’re stocking up a wipe dispenser or housekeeping cart, keep an eye out for Design for Environment. Whether you’re freshening up a suite or prepping a conference room, these labels are your guide to making choices that feel good, do good, and keep those guest reviews glowing. And that’s a win for everyone – guests, the planet, and your peace of mind.

Sources: EPA Safer Choice Program Website – https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice

St. Louis, MO — April 22, 2024 — In a strategic move to elevate customer satisfaction and improve the Hospitality Industry experience, Wexford Labs has unveiled its Customer Scorecard Program. This program aims to gather valuable insights directly from Hospitality customers who have purchased Wexford Labs disinfecting products through Guest Supply.

How Does the Customer Scorecard Program Work? Customers are invited to participate in the program by completing a brief Scorecard for their Property. Participants will answer a set of five (5) questions, providing crucial feedback on their experience with Wexford Labs products. As a token of appreciation, customers who complete the Customer Scorecard will receive a 4 Free Bottles of Wexford Labs’ CleanCide RTU ready-to-use spray and a Canister of Purefexion Wipes.

CleanCide RTU: Wexford’s CleanCide Ready-to-Use Spray has earned recognition from the EPA’s Safer Choice Design for Environment Program. This rigorous program highlights the product’s commitment to health, safety, and environmental sustainability. The CleanCide RTU spray delivers powerful disinfection while minimizing its impact on the environment. It’s the responsible choice for effective disinfecting.

Expanding the Safer Choice Portfolio Alongside CleanCide RTU, Wexford Labs proudly offers Purefexion Disinfecting Wipes, another product part of the EPA Safer Choice DfE Program. These wipes combine quick access with Eco-consciousness.

Eligibility and Participation Properties that have purchased Wexford Labs products through Guest Supply are eligible for the Free Product Kit. Each property can claim (4) Free 1 Quart Bottles of CleanCide and (1) Free Canister of Purefexion Wipes upon completing the Customer Scorecard once.

Take the Survey Ready to share your insights? Access the Wexford Labs Customer Scorecard Survey here.

Wexford Labs remains committed to excellence, innovation, and the well-being of our valued customers. For media inquiries or further information, please contact our Channel Management Group, James Supply.

About Wexford Labs: Wexford Labs is a trusted name in disinfection solutions, serving diverse industries including Hospitality, Healthcare, and Commercial Facilities for over 45 years. Their mission is to create safer, healthier environments through cutting-edge products and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction.

Contact Hospitality Press Office: James Supply Phone: (732) 924-3800 Email: wexford@jamessupply.com Website: www.wexfordlabs.com or www.jamessupply.com/wexford .

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation. All product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Our first Holiday season in full swing gives us the perfect opportunity to show how James Supply does promotions. We know everyone likes to save a few bucks, but nothing feels better than…GIVING BACK. Our team got together with a few local organizations that make a big impact and you can help us make sure they have the disinfecting supplies they need for this Family Friendly Holiday!

We made it pretty simple, for every five (5) Case Packs of Wexford Labs products we sell until January 31st, we will donate a (1) Case Pack of CleanCide 80-Count Disinfecting Wipes to one of our partner Organizations.

Better yet if there are five (5) Case Packs purchased on a SINGLE Order, we will give you the option of donating to a local organization in your community!

• Pop.Earth – Charity for Autism
• Social Behavioral Learning Solutions – Supporting the Educational Journey
• MOZAIC – A part of ARC the nations largest provider of services to the special needs community.

Check out the details of James Supply’s “Case Pack Give Back” Promotion > Here

Source:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-autism-solvents-idUKKCN1UB2IH

https://oem.bmj.com/content/76/9/644

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-0625-x

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/prevention/Pages/Cleaners-Sanitizers-Disinfectants.aspx

Women’s Voice For Earth – Cleaning with Pesticides? Quit the Quats!

CDC – Knowledge and Practices Regarding Safe Household Cleaning and Disinfection for COVID-19 Prevention — United States, May 2020

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it’s winners for the 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award. Among which you will find Wexford Labs, winning for the second time and being recognized as a leader in safer disinfecting products.

That means if you are looking for EFFECTIVE disinfectants that offer a more human and environment friendly formula, look no further. Your search for the best disinfecting fit within Hospitality and Foodservice is Wexford Labs. Along with their EPA List N and EPA Designed for Environment Certification, their CleanCide and Thymo-Cide RTU are NSF certified, solidifying their position as the perfect HoReCa one-step cleaning solution.

The time is now for more efficient and safer disinfecting products in Hospitality and Foodservice.

Read the Press Release from the EPA here.

Skip straight to Wexford Labs on the list here.

View Wexford Labs products here.

The “Channel” is an interesting place to work, no matter which industry you might call on. You are still approached with similar challenges. Whether it be finding yourself as some sort of large north barge, breaking ice to the point of exhaustion or how to hit your numbers with half the resources of the next brand…it can be an up hill battle (and the hill is definitely a bit oily).

As a Channel Manager you are tasked with steering Resellers, Distributors, and Marketing initiatives, effectively “owned” your patch. So it is no surprise there can be a fast rate of turnover with a HIGH rate of burn outs. Coming through a few Channels (Retail, B2B Technology, and Hospitality/Foodservice), getting to know people almost becomes a joke in itself sometimes.

You will find many that don’t really look to invest in you until you have been around for a while (how do you do that when they don’t want to engage, right?), and that in itself can make the role beyond challenging.

Don’t worry, we got you though, after doing our own grind over the years we have some thoughts to share on how to be “the resource”, no one can refuse. Maybe or maybe not the last one is the most important, but it doesn’t happen without the first 4 so…what does that matter?

5 Ways (Top is so presumptuous) to be the Channel Account Manager no one saw coming:

1. Do more prospecting that you should, always.

Before you can be the “Deal Maker” you have to be the “Deal Finder”, this role requires dedication and with that a fine line between business and personal. If you walk that line well, you can keep your ears open for Opportunities everywhere. Be IN your market, that means stay educated about not only what your Distributor’s or Reseller’s End-Users are doing (good start though) but understanding what that End-User Vertical is doing in in other best practices. Being a SOURCE is the first step to being a RESOURCE.

2. Build actual relationships, invest in people.

No, this doesn’t mean getting the best deals on bottle service (we know it’s a skill), although “Gary’s” story is touching after a few glasses, he likely won’t remember that “bonding” moment in the morning. It won’t turn to deals and your budget won’t recoup as fast as that veteran AM. What you need here is to let your guard down a bit, drop any facade, keep professional, and just be yourself. Not everyone may LOVE you, but people will see they are getting to know the REAL you. In an environment where that tends to be rare, it will be refreshing. Just don’t treat the office like it is your house…it’s not (no matter how much you “decorate” your cubicle), but who is in an office now anyway? (We will cover Zoom habits at a later date)

3. When you see a challenge or “problem” be proactive, and communicate PRIVATELY.

Being proactive beyond things that are “Paying at the moment” just doesn’t happen enough, being helpful on the job and paying attention doesn’t stop when the phone hangs up or your current engagement ends. In addition, don’t be “that guy” introducing Operations or other issues, without talking to the people directly responsible for them. Giving the team and the company the opportunity to overcome challenges, together, it is the life blood of longevity in our eyes. Throwing people under the bus…well just gets messy.

4. Ask peers, vendor associates, and daily contacts; “How can I make our days easier?”

This is a big one for us, being self-aware is great, but having a better awareness of those in your environment is the secret. This doesn’t mean you have to be everyone’s best friend, it’s actually more of an operational efficiency purpose. Everyone (we mean everyone) around you plays a significant part in the machine that is your organization. On or off your immediate team, showing a small passion for what others do to support will go a very VERY long way. No need to be overly curious or micro-manage your peers, show actual interest in the challenging part of what they do. If you aren’t sure what those are…start there!

5. Don’t ask for deals…really ever.

OK, this MIGHT be a little bit of an overstatement, but it really is true and if you play your cards right…you don’t have to ask for deals. If you are bringing Opps to the table and covering the other ground discussed, the deals come. Don’t get confused, this isn’t the same as “asking for the deal” or “closing”, this is simply don’t run up on “Tom” and ask him what he has for you today after talking to him 3 times. You should be too busy helping them find Opps that there isn’t time to even ask this question.

A few days in the week at the gym doesn’t hurt to keep the energy going either

Most of all enjoy the environment and the people in it, you will find common ground with many you would never expect. You even stand a chance at making a life long bond here and there, and that’s the real payout.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day Weekend as responsibly as possible, forgive us we spent our Monday grilling.

This weeks HPT is here though and we will start with Cambria Napa Valle,. it looks like Choice Hotels is moving this brand along swiftly, with their second opening in “Wine Country”. The Cambria Napa Valley is a very central location for everything quintessential to the area, so Wine…Food…and more Wine. With Choice gaining traction in the upscale Hospitality market, this location makes perfect sense. Stylish and utilizing regionally inspired designs is always a good move, and this property looks to tell the Napa Valley story in good taste.

The stand our property for us though, is the Guild House, sitting within the walls of the New Century Guild. This innovative and influential group of women spearheaded women’s labor rights, now named the New Century Trust, they started in 1882 and is one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations. This Philadelphia property has been repurposed with the emotion of the movement left in tact. Every suite in the property pays homage to specific influential women and those that walked the halls before us, this is a property to visit if in the area.

With many of the suites dedicated to powerful women, it will be difficult to not get lost in the story of your surroundings.

You will find a bit more history in the re-making at the Hotel Kinsley in Kingston, New York. New York could be know for its small quiet down if it didn’t have the biggest bustling one, but the old capital of New York is looking for a turn around. We find the Hotel Kinsley delivers with warm earthy materials and a sophisticated taste befitting its allure.

Fairfield by Marriott (Montrose, Colorado) – Building Stage

Scheduled:

• Unknown

Rooms:

• 90 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Lamont Companies

Source Link:

• https://www.montrosepress.com/

Guild House (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Grand Opening

Rooms:

• 12 Rooms

Design Group(s):

• Rohe Creative

Source Link:

• https://www.phillymag.com/

Curio Hotel by Hilton ( McLemore Cove, Georgia)- Building Phase

Scheduled:

• 2023

Rooms:

• 245 Room

Development Group(s):

• New South Construction
• GenTech Construction

Architectual Group(s):

• Tinker Ma

Operating Group:

• Valor Hospitality

Source Link:

• https://www.timesfreepress.com/

Moxy Hotel by Marriott (Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York) – Building Phase

Scheduled For:

• 2022

Rooms:

• 216 Rooms

Operating Group:

• Marriott

Development Group(s):

• Stonehill Taylor
• Lightstone

Source Link:

• https://www.brownstoner.com

With 45 years in safer cleaning formulation and manufacturing, Wexford Labs understands how important education is at all levels of facility management. This Wexford Labs E-Book is an introduction into how a property can go beyond clean, and offer a safer environment for children, seniors, higher-risk patrons, and their general guest population.

Many cleaning products today contain higher toxicity and possibly harmful ingredients, that are not needed to efficiently disinfect surfaces. Stemming from Wexford Labs’ deep history in the Healthcare & Education industry, they are focused on high-power disinfecting products with the lowest levels of toxicity to humans and the environment.

The Path to Smarter, Safer Disinfection is part of a continuous effort in education on not only better cleaning practices, but making more informed decisions on the disinfectants in your environment. The myths that safer cleaning products are more expensive, less powerful, or in some way “come up short” compared to major market presence brands, are just that.

With the first few Hospitality Project Trackers in the books and, unfortunately, Summers end getting closer and closer…we thought it was time for a HPT Special Edition. The HPT: Hot Hotel Summer Edition is a bit more robust than our other releases, featuring 20 notable properties Grand Opening, Re-Opening, or Renovating in the Hotel Pipeline. Well…without further ado we bring to you the Hot Hotel Summer Twenty!

With such a list, we will stick to the high notes, and perhaps the highest note in this bunch is the new Virgin Hotel New Orleans. We really shouldn’t have to say much, just take a look for yourself. Posh has never been so posh and Austin Powers must have a penthouse in this tower. Great design and food are gracing this property.

The Godfrey Hotel in Hollywood pulls a similar vibe to the West Coast and gives a cheeky energy in the sun.

Wrapping up the posh list is the Alsace LA, almost dangerously different in all the right places.

Last but not least, nature vacations in the Catskills are back! Callicoon Hills brings some of the most enduring East Coast summers of memory into a modern world.

Alsace LA (Los Angeles California) – Grand Opening

Scheduled:

• September 2021

Rooms:

• 48 Rooms

Design Group(s):

• Home Studios (Brooklyn)

Source Link:

• https://www.travelandleisure.com/

New Whitefish Boutique Hotel (Whitefish, Montana) – Planning

Scheduled:

• 2023

Rooms:

• 40 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Averill Hospitality

Source Link:

• https://flatheadbeacon.com/

Four Points by Sheraton Flushing (Flushing, New York) – Grand Opening

Scheduled:

• Now

Rooms:

• 210 Rooms + 100 Luxury Condos

Management Group:

• Real Hospitality Group

Development Group(s):

• Century Development Group

Source Link:

• https://www.prnewswire.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Woodside Queens (Woodside, New York) – Grand Opening

Scheduled:

• Now

Rooms:

• 135 Rooms

Management Group:

• Real Hospitality Group

Development Group(s):

• Century Development Group

Source Link:

• https://www.prnewswire.com

Hotel Indigo (Las Colinas, Texas) –  Under Construction

Scheduled:

• Unknown (2022)

Rooms:

• 150 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Type Six Design & Development
• Shreem Capital

Source Link:

• https://www.dallasnews.com/

Callicoon Hills (Callicoon Center, New York) – Grand Re-Opening

Scheduled For:

• June 2021 (Now)

Rooms:

• 65 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Implied Hotel Group

Source Link:

• https://hvmag.com/

Avid Hotel Auburn (Auburn, Alabama) – Grand Opening

Scheduled For:

• Now

Rooms:

• 79 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Paragon Hotel Company

Source Link:

• https://www.al.com/

Tapestry Collection by Hilton (Montgomery, Ohio) – Planning

Scheduled For:

• May 2024

Rooms:

• 118 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Montgomery Quarter

Source Link:

• https://www.cincinnati.com/

Westin Palo Alto (Palo Alto, California) – Grand Re-Opening

Scheduled For:

• Now

Rooms:

• 184 Rooms

Management Group:

• Pacific Hotel Management

Source Link:

• https://www.hospitalitynet.org/

Westin Tempe (Tempe, Arizona) – Grand Opening

Scheduled For:

• Now

Rooms:

• 290 Rooms

Management Group:

• Crescent Hotels & Resorts

Source Link:

• https://www.hotelmanagement.net/

It looks like Marriott has been very busy, and they are doing it in style with two new “W” properties in Philadelphia and Nashville leading the way. The luxury brand is a trend setter and the almost $200 Million development of W Nashville sets the bar pretty high.

FireKeepers Casino and Hotel is keeping the fire going with a 206 room expansion and some daredevil displays to get people excited, in FireKeepers fashion. New Orleans sees the addition of a Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences, “pure elegance” may be the best way to describe this project. Inspired by Chef Todd English, The English opens in Las Vegas bearing a restaurant by the culinary master called “The Pepper Club”.

The English Hotel (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Building Phase

Scheduled:

• This Year (2021)

Rooms:

• 74 Rooms

Development Group(s):

• Z Life Co.

Source Link:

• https://www.reviewjournal.com/

Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Grand Opening

Schedule:

• Now

Rooms:

• 341 Rooms /  92 Full-Service Residences

Design Group(s):

• Bill Rooney Studio

Source Link:

• https://finance.yahoo.com/

FireKeepers Casino & Hotel (Battle Creek, Missouri) – Expansion Opening

Schedule:

• Now

Rooms:

• 203 Room Expansion

Source Link:

• https://wwmt.com/

Courtyard by Marriott (Nanaimo, British Columbia) – Under Construction

Scheduled For:

• Q2 2022

Rooms:

• 172 Rooms

Hotel Operator:

• Hotel Equities Inc

Development Group(s):

• • PEG Companies
  • Petroglyph Development Group
  • Nexii

Source Link:

• https://finance.yahoo.com/