Trade up

TradeWinds Island Resorts President Keith Overton discovered a disturbing trend in the last year: The nationally known hotel had slipped in online reviews, social media rankings and customer comment cards.

More than a source of pride, Overton, president at St. Pete Beach-based TradeWinds, says the skid could be the start of an unacceptable slide into mediocrity. Overton and other TradeWinds executives trace the issues to a substantial fall-off in the employee base. “I don't think we've maintained enough quality employees to deliver the luxury experience,” says Overton.

At a resort such as TradeWinds, which carries a storied history — and average daily room rates that have jumped 20% in the last three years — the problems, says Overton, require an aggressive approach. The core of that strategy lies in an overhaul of both how the company attracts employees and its pay structure. It also includes a marketing campaign to lure good employees from competing resorts to work at TradeWinds. All told, the program will cost TradeWinds at least $2.5 million in marketing and salaries.