Record keeping did not make OSHA's Top Ten list of most frequently cited violations in 2013, nor in 2012. However, when the proposed record keeping changes go into effect, establishments will have significant incentive to ensure they are complying with OSHA recordkeeping rules and maintaining a safe workplace. Record keeping information provides an important safety and health summary for establishments, alerting them as to potential serious problems and serving as an opportunity to identify potential violations for correction before OSHA arrives and which may lead to other injuries, or worse, fatalities. Soon this information will be available to the public. READ MORE

The OTAs have become entrenched in customer hotel purchasing habits and this can have very harmful long-term effects. Firstly, the commissions they take squeeze a property's margins until it has no choice but to cut services in order to stay in the black. Next, the OTA marketing machines are especially powerful, shifting guests away from hotel brands to the point where consumers are no longer loyal to one particular brand and no longer aware of each brand's unique points of differentiation. This article will address the issue through three broad steps as well as actionable tactics to reengage consumers. READ MORE

The hotel sector has been booming, feeding on the rebound of the global economy. Some asset managers and hotel executives in investment forums claim the industry is peaking. Development pace is strong, funding deals seems to be a problem of the past, rolling out new brands seems to be a growing trend. With more disposable income, more information and faster and cheaper capital flows, the speed of change increases, market cycles are shorter, time to market is cut-throat. There are "new kids on the block", East and West, North and South. Stakes are high. For the army generals (Luxury Hotels), they are higher… READ MORE

Anyone who has worked in the hospitality industry for any period of time would know that - in hotels of all sizes - the Director of Revenue Management and the Director of Sales are often completely at odds with one another. No matter how experienced or knowledgeable, there is generally a confrontational relationship even over the simplest pricing issues. If one says to 'offer a discount', the other says to 'raise the rates'. If one suggests a focus on group sales, the other suggests transient sales instead. No matter what the issue, it is often very difficult to get these two employees to see eye-to-eye (or rate-to-rate) and it can create a huge problem for hotels. READ MORE

The evolution of location based services and applications is changing the way that hoteliers think about revenue management. With apps that will initiate contact with the guest, hoteliers will have the ability to fully customize the guest experience, from the time the guest books a room, to after the guest has checked out. There will be a significant impact on "big data", as hoteliers will have access to their guests' habits before, during and after their stay. Revenue managers will be able to use this data to personalize offers for guests and increase revenue. Overall, it seems that location based services are very much at home in the hospitality industry, and are one new technology that every hotelier needs to keep a close eye on. READ MORE

Revenue management continues to grow in importance across brands and independents, with hotels of all sizes. Strategies for success abound, but who is executing the strategy at the hotel level? Do the frontline staff members understand what must happen to the rate at their property from day to day, even hour to hour, in order to assure financial success? Drew Salapka maintains that you must conduct training with not only the hotel's sales they need in order to be successful team, but also the front desk associates. They must be equipped to understand and work with revenue management. READ MORE

In my last article, I wrote about the importance of diversifying your customer base and how the LGBT market offers great opportunities for hotel operators. However, to be successful in this market, or any market for that matter, it is critical that you know who this market is and what they are looking for. Without this, you will not be able to successfully meet their expectations. READ MORE

Every hotel around the world wants one thing: to sell inventory. Now we know that not all hotels can possibly operate at maximum capacity around the clock, but how can we quantify the costs and benefits while operating at capacity? We all know that maximizing revenue by selling all available rooms is ideal, but analyzing the smaller details can result in the accumulation of thousands of lost dollars. And what are we doing to combat losses generated by last minute cancellations? READ MORE

In any business sector there exists the possibility for unethical behavior. In the hospitality industry, this behavior can consist of overcharging, infringement of guests' property, overbooking, charging for unused services and supplying misleading information in websites and brochures. The elimination of such practices can not only safeguard a businesses reputation, but can also add to its longevity. Scott Nadel has created a company culture based on ethics and self-development. In this article, read about how his innovative strategies are creating a new framework for the workplace in hotel business culture. READ MORE

Hotels are making more decisions with less information, more rapidly than ever before. The difficult truth is that 75% of Groups do not meet their contracted rooms pickup. This fact, coupled with meeting planners consolidating the RFP process with a small number of companies and the proliferation of widely distributed leads via automated platforms makes the group meetings business extremely difficult. There is a solution to the challenges hotels are facing in the group/meeting industry, and the answer may not seem obvious at first. The solution is an ox. READ MORE

Research indicates that a planner's experience with a CSM is one of the main reasons they will rebook with a venue for future events. A well-rounded CSM can help increase the ROI for hotel executives looking to grow their event/meeting business to compete with other surrounding venues in their area. CSMs are extremely valuable resources to planners coming into an area and play a vital role in securing repeat business. READ MORE

The movie “Up in the Air” cast the Hollywood spotlight on the perceived drudgery of business travel. For two hours, the audience watches George Clooney hustle through a faceless airport en route to an equally bland hotel. Happily, this kind of dull corporate travel is becoming much less of the norm, particularly in the meetings and conventions market. Over the past decade, meetings have evolved to incorporate a wide variety of experiences for the attendee. From new technologies that allow for deeper engagement and more meaningful learning, to unique and interesting venues, to room set-ups for enhanced connections and dialogue, today's meeting attendee expects the total experience will be a transformative one. READ MORE

LinkedIn, Tumblr, TripAdvisor, Foursquare… With so many sites to navigate, it is easy to see these new media as a replacement for personal relationships or even as a threat to our industry. But in fact, it is vital that group sales teams view social media as a valuable tool to leverage future opportunities and stay on top of their competition. This is an in-depth look at how the group sales landscape has changed with the arrival of social media and my top tips on what do to (and not to do) to ensure success for your group sales team. READ MORE

What began as a trend in lager cities, the growing popularity of the craft beverage movement is taking the food and beverage industry by storm, increasing by 18 percent from 2012 to 2013. As defined by the Brewers Association, an American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional; has an annual production of six million barrels or less, no more than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or operated by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not a craft brewer and must brew beers using traditional ingredients, such as malt barley. READ MORE

BLINK's philosophy revolves around the power of instinct and first impressions. So, as you might imagine, these are things we hold as sacred. But instinct isn't everything. The other ingredient to making the magic happen in hotel design (besides a great client and a very talented team) is deep, painstaking and exhaustive - not to say exhausting - research into every aspect of the project's location, culture, history and design vernacular, Research and an informed perspective — as well as being open to the flashes of inspiration and accepting that the best ideas can be those which jump into the mind first — are the backdrop against which our design process unfolds. READ MORE