As sustainable hospitality matures as a business discipline, hotel executives are increasingly called upon to evaluate, document and justify investments in sustainability and assess whether they add value to bottomline. This requires mastering the “3Ms” of sustainability: Measurement, Management and Monetization. This article explores some of the challenges hotel executives face in these three domains, and makes recommendations about the talents, tools and training needed to address them. READ MORE

All hoteliers—no matter what size their properties are—have high-traffic areas. From the moment a guest walks onto the property, to the moment he or she leaves, high-traffic areas can impact a guest's experience. Since high-traffic areas are the most densely populated parts of the property, it's important to have a well-designed landscaping plan to keep those areas property crisp, clean, and safe. READ MORE

[R]Evolution of Customer Service for Hotel Software Products - Hotels increasingly rely on Software as a Service (SaaS) products as their primary technologies for running operations, sales and catering, and revenue management functions. This reliance on industry-specific software solutions has given rise to a new set of concerns, specifically around how to retain hospitality talent in the face of high turnover rates. How do hotels ensure the sustainability of the business know-how and processes built around their software? More importantly, how do they ensure business continuity and brand consistency for key system users such as revenue managers? READ MORE

Water conservation has long been a key sustainability mandate for businesses. It is clear all businesses must do their part to reduce water consumption, not only for sustainability and the greater good but also for the good of their local communities and the longevity of their businesses. READ MORE

The awkward feeling we all have in the pits of our stomachs that something is fundamentally wrong with the way we run our planet is slowly moving up to our brains and increasingly we're realizing that we all need to become part of the solution, instead of continuing to contribute to the problems of an unsustainable world. Welcome to Anthropocene; this oil-fired age where mankind has, during the last 150 years or so, initiated unstoppable systemic changes, changes which are already affecting us. Weather catastrophes as a result of climate change are on the increase; rates of cancer are higher than ever before and let's not forget the negative effects on our collective reproductive ability, caused by the uncontrolled spread of hormone-disrupting and persistent chemicals. READ MORE

Initially suspected to be a passing fad, the sustainability movement now appears to be firmly entrenched in our customers' expectations and is increasingly embedded in hospitality management. Since this is a highly visible element of business today, the question that hospitality programs have is how can we better prepare our students to meet the hospitality industry's needs for future managers who can meet the need to provide sustainable business operations and service? READ MORE

Every hotel on the planet has an energy story. A hotel's energy story is what anyone who cares about things related to energy use can observe by looking at that hotel's use of energy, and its attitude to energy related issues. Hotel decision-makers have a choice - they can ignore the hotel's energy story and hope for the best, or they can manage it. READ MORE

It is no big secret that 'going green' and sustainable practices within the hotel and lodging industry are slowly becoming more appealing and are now often a determining factor for travelers when they are selecting accommodation. In this day and age, acquiring a reputation for being an eradicator of the environment can truly be your demise. Hotels operating with green initiatives in place are on the right track and can undoubtedly have an advantage over their competitors. There are great social and economic benefits to be gained by implementing green initiatives, as well as the obvious benefits to the environment. These green programs, when applied and practiced correctly can be mutually beneficial and quite lucrative. READ MORE

A major cause of poorly perceived service is the difference between what a firm promises about a service, and what it actually delivers. To avoid broken promises companies must manage all communications to customers, so that inflated promises do not lead to overly high expectations. With hospitality examples from all over the world, this article discusses four strategies that are effective in managing service promises: creating effective services advertising; coordinating external communication; making realistic promises; and offering service guarantees. READ MORE

It's frustrating not being able to control what people say about your property. In the past, damage was minimal. One disgruntled guest could impact only a handful of people. Today, one disgruntled guest can ruin your business. All it takes is one viral video showing bedbugs at your property, and your business is forever harmed. It's important to go online and check up on your reputation, to see what people are saying. It may be tricky to know where to begin. Here is my list of the most important places where you need to make sure your reputation is positive. READ MORE

As independent hotel owner, operator, founder of InnDependent Boutique Collection and entrepreneur, Pamela Barnhill aims to stimulate dialogue about independent hotels. While independents - which by nature have more personality and distinctiveness than corporate hotels - represent half of the world's lodging stock, Barnhill believes they are underserved. IBC and its corporate sibling, InnSuites Hospitality Trust, aim to expand the branding of independents through marketing and trademark services. In this column, Barnhill shows us why striking the balance between rapidly changing, ever more affordable lodging technology and the human touch that still counts so much is key to an independent hotel's success. That balance is within reach. READ MORE

Consistently high occupancy rates, rave reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor, and guests who make a pilgrimage to your property year after year. What is their secret? Interestingly, this highly rated destination isn't a hotel or a city that's known to attract tourists en masse. Believe it or not, it's an animal sanctuary in Kanab—a small town in a remote corner of Southwest Utah. READ MORE

If you are evaluating how a mobile app or mobile website can add value to your hotel, there is more to consider than just how it looks or the features that it contains. For a mobile solution to truly be successful, it must be easily integrated into your existing systems, readily adopted by your guests, supported by your staff and built for future innovation. This guide will outline the considerations you should explore as part of your decision-making process. READ MORE

Revenue Management as a discipline is becoming more exciting everyday. The world is changing at a pace never seen before, driven by technology. In a recent conversation, Benedict Cummins, Publisher of HotelExecutive, and Bhanu Chopra, CEO and founder of RateGain, discussed how revenue managers can leverage these opportunities and make more revenue, consistently. READ MORE

When I get on my soapbox advocating delighting guests, the question I always get from managers is how do I build that culture? How do I get my staff to go above and beyond the call of duty. To see what others don't see. To do without being told. Every manager knows to hire for attitude not for aptitude, and then reinforce the appitude. But that is often easier said than done. In this article, you'll see that the answer lies beyond reading a lot of “how to” books and articles about empowering employees, giving them a purpose, not rules, and tapping into their creativity. It lies in finding and hiring the round peg for your hotel's square hole. READ MORE