"The Peabody Orlando Succeeds Through Service Excellence." The management of The Peabody Orlando, an upscale hotel, credits much of the hotel's astonishing customer service to "Pareto Sessions." Vilfredo Pareto, a 19th century efficiency expert, advocated frequent troubleshooting sessions with employees as the best possible way to cure any business performance problem. The hotel's employees are trained to provide simple, yet impressive, actions that make customer service memorable to guests. THE SUPERVISOR'S GUIDE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE & RETENTION, August 9, 1999, pp. 1,5. And, "How To Attain Service Excellence," insert to THE SUPERVISOR'S GUIDE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE & RETENTION, August 9, 1999, pp. 1-2.

"Study: Agents Need To Become ŒConvenience Providers.'" TRAVEL WEEKLY, August 16, 1999, p. 24.

"Buyers Diving To New Depths At The Negotiating Table." IBM, the nation's largest travel buyer, is addressing next year's RFPs in a different manner. Instead of only requesting bids from national hotel chains, their travel manager will also be requesting quotes from the top three hotel management companies. Other companies are applying similar strategies. BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS, August 2, 1999, pp. 17,19.

"Consolidation By Buyers Extends Reach To Upscale." A softening of hotel demand in some markets, combined with corporations, continual focus on cutting travel costs, is renewing the trend toward consolidation of preferred hotel suppliers. Some companies are even negotiating with the upper-tier properties used by top management, a segment that traditionally hasn't been managed at many companies. BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS, August 2, 1999, pp. 20-21,24.

"Ask The Editor." This column answers a question on tips for remembering customer names. THE SUPERVISOR'S GUIDE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE & RETENTION, August 9, 1999, p. 4.

"Is Your Web Site Missing Out On The B-To-B E-Commerce Boom?" Here are four ways to cater to your business-to-business customers. THE MARKETING REPORT, August 16, 1999, p. 5.

"Small Businesses Are Big Business: Are You Overlooking The Obvious?" Small businesses represent nearly 98% of all companies. Collectively, they generate a third of the gross national product. Different channels and service levels can make them worth your while. THE MARKETING REPORT, August 16, 1999, p. 6.