New Castle Hotels & Resorts Expands Partnership with UniFocus for Employee Engagement

Leading Hotel Manager/Developer Selects UniFocus’ STAFFScope™

Dallas—July 8, 2009 — UniFocus, a global pioneer in the hospitality industry for performance, workforce management and feedback solutions, announced New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading third-party manager and hotel ownership and development company, has selected the firm’s STAFFScope survey system for all properties in their portfolio. GUESTScope is already in use throughout New Castle’s independent properties.

“New Castle is a long-standing UniFocus client and we are pleased that they have chosen STAFFScope for their portfolio of upscale properties,” says Mark Heymann, President and CEO of UniFocus. “Employees are your most important asset for driving guest satisfaction and building loyalty, even more so during uncertain economic conditions. And as the only critical touch point, your staff has the greatest influence upon guest perception and, most importantly, whether or not they choose to return and/or recommend to others.”

UniFocus’ STAFFScope employs scientifically designed questions and critical issues analysis to create actionable information, making possible organizational transformation that re-engages your workforce.

“Over the years we have noted a connection between high guest satisfaction scores and how engaged our employees are,” says Gerald P. Chase, president and COO of the Shelton, Conn.-based New Castle. “We have had great success with our comprehensive retention and recognition program; treating staff as active participants is not only good HR policy but also makes great business sense. With UniFocus’ STAFFScope in place we will be able to quantify how well we’re doing and then consistently replicate that success across our entire portfolio of properties.”

“We have one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry, which translates into lower costs for recruitment, skills assessment and training,” says Marian Barbieri, Vice President of Human Resources for New Castle Hotels & Resorts. “Our property management teams know it’s in their best interest to ensure they have an engaged staff. UniFocus’ STAFFScope survey analytics gives us the tools to reinforce our culture of instilling ownership in every team member to create more memorable experiences for our guests.”

“STAFFScope evaluation questions are designed to encourage staff to participate in the survey process, so that you have statistically valid results,” continues Heymann. “Our advanced analytics can then produce intelligence that enables you to make changes that result in higher levels of employee retention. And when utilized together with GUESTScope, your ROI includes the recovery of potential lost revenue by identifying dissatisfied guests most likely to respond to personalized attention—and having an engaged staff that can deliver that kind of focus.”

UniFocus developed its feedback technologies for guests, staff and meeting planners so that each component can be utilized separately and benchmarked or used together as an integrated business intelligence solution. A unique mystery evaluation process provides additional clarity into how service standards relate to employee attitudes and guest satisfaction, examining aspects of service delivery such as knowledge or communication.

In addition to UniFocus’ integrated business intelligence tools, hoteliers may also augment feedback analytics with the company’s performance analysis and action-tracking technologies.

About New Castle

New Castle Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes 31 resorts and hotels the company manages, owns or is developing in the United States and Canada. New Castle will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2010. For more information on New Castle Hotels & Resorts, please contact Gerald P. Chase, president, chief operating officer, at (203) 925-8370, or visit the corporate website at www.newcastlehotels.com.