Last week many of you had the pleasure of meeting for the first time Jacques Joie (as in de vivre), a somewhat cranky yet lovable raconteur, willing to share his inimitable style and taste with the intrepid traveler who seeks Hospitality zest and fulfillment. Jacques Joie plans to smooth the vagaries of travel to optimize your experience. He cannot wait to get started on this new life�s calling, but first there are a few administrative details to iron out.

• Credentials:   Yes, he is known in Secaucus, NJ, but would that play in Pretoria, Paree or Paraguay?  What establishes the pedigree, the platform, the passion?  Jacques has decided to let his words, observations and recommendations speak for themselves, rather than surface a CV notably absent of achievement.  He projects what he believes makes sense, has value, and is honest.  His appraisals always emphasize Quality, service and pride.  Yeah, that�s good substance, he beams, much better than the �Talking Heads� on cable.

• Standards:  Jacques knows this is a slippery SOP slope.  He remembers well those many companies for whom he once worked  -  all those deadly Employee Performance  Evaluation Programs, all those definitions, all those nerve wracking performance interviews, guarded responses, high tension � Jacques starts to sweat a bit, as he never had a particularly favorable review.  He thinks he should look elsewhere, perhaps what currently exists in the Hospitality Industry.  This is a far more daunting  proposition, as properties, especially hotels, are rated on everything from room amenities, geography, piano in the lobby, price, swimming pool and the like. What happened to cleanliness, safety, service, attractive and well conditioned facility? And, then, who actually does the rating?  He remembered one story in the WSJ a year ago January (1/15/04, �The Making of a Star�), where a hotelier out West personally rated his own property at the highest level, because he felt the competition across the road with a high rating was quite similar to his. Where is Bo Derek when you need a refresher on perfection, thought Jacques. Some of these rating companies/services do not even visit the properties they review and tout, and, when they do, the review is cursory, at best.  No wonder standards are all over the place and expectations so muddied, Jacques muses.  He knows that he must assess product, service and facility in a quantitative fashion, continually pushing for improvement in the operation.  Whoa.  It would be easier to plateau ratings like the spaghetti Western, �The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly�.  He preens, �Why I even look like Clint!�  (sort of, at least the wizened visage and stubbed cheroot)   But, Jacques has pride, and the Consumer must be served.  Oh, the perils of being a Taste Maker!

• Rating Symbol.  Well, the good ones are already taken:  the star, the check mark, up or down thumb, the jewel, the smiley button.  And, good colors, like gold, silver and platinum already designate certain levels of performance, however questionable.  What�s left?  Not much, which would demonstrate Jacques� acumen, point of view, and élan.  Wait, there actually is a symbol which comforts Jacques � the beret.  It can be jaunty, a fashion statement, and it keeps you warm.  Let�s color it titanium.  He likes the concept.  Now, how to apply that to his reviews of Hospitality Businesses?  He�s got it:

• One Beret = keep your cap on, keep going
• Two Berets = a doff of the hat to average performance
• Three Berets = chapeau tossing excitement 
• Four Berets = an �out of your tete� experience