The online presence of hospitality brands has grown exponentially in the past few years, which has made comparison shopping easier, but customer loyalty more difficult to achieve. Websites are often the first experience consumers have with a hotel brand and become a frequent interaction point for return customers. Thus, the website experience can serve as a strategic tool for gathering information about customers' perceptions based on their overall experience with the brand. Learn best practices and innovative techniques for what to do and what to avoid when using online customer experiences to build your brand. READ MORE

With hotel occupancy on the rise in 2012, it's important for hotels to deliver stand-out customer service and experiences. In the hospitality industry we understand that guests are often outside of their comfort zone, looking for a place to call home. To satisfy these desires, we at Affinia Hotels have gone back to the basics with customer service to engage in a way that makes guests feel like family, not customers. We launched Tender Loving ComfortSM (TLC) in 2011 to hone in on service, increase engagement and encourage feedback to better enhance the guest experience. It's a unique effort that goes beyond traditional customer service to ultimately enrich the guests experience at every interaction. Here's how to get started on your own unique customer-service program. READ MORE

For decades, technology and the Internet were “changing” the world. At Noble House Hotels & Resorts we believe it has already changed. Social media has entirely transformed the way we live, through relationships, business, consumption, communication, and most importantly to us - decision making in travel and customer service. READ MORE

In this article, hospitality veteran Fred Cerrone profiles five aspects of his company's unique culture that have helped Hotel Equities, the firm he founded, achieve award-winning guest satisfaction scores at many of the properties they manage. As a prime example, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Vero Beach recently earned the 2011 brand's Chairman's Award for maintaining the brand's top guest satisfaction score. Brenda Celano, an outstanding general manager who rose through the company's ranks, led the hotel's team of associates. They lived the culture and used their training to find ways to serve their guests and achieve success. READ MORE

Are your hotel leave policies up-to-date? Several changes have occurred since 2008 when the U.S. Department of Labor issued modifications to its Family Medical Leave Act rules to provide leave associated with military service. These changes include DOL's 2010 administrative interpretation clarifying the definition of in loco parentis, which affects employees who are not parents but have assumed parental responsibilities. Recently, on February 16, 2012, DOL issued additional proposed FMLA rules covering qualifying exigency leave, flight crew FMLA eligibility, and expanding military caregiver leave. These changes warrant a brief synopsis and review to ensure your policies are up-to-date. READ MORE

If hoteliers want growth, they can no longer rest on their laurels and depend on traditional established customer bases. They must look to expand into new markets. Broadening international customer bases is one way to do this, and it can be easier than some think. Harnessing technology is one way to work smarter, not harder, in order to attract a new global customer base and keep them coming back. READ MORE

It's been called an internet bar, a technology lounge, and a business club - but regardless of the name, it's the new hotel lobby and at many properties it is the most exciting, most glamorous space in the entire building. It's where guests stay connected with other people by sharing food, beverages, and conversation. It's also where people stay connected through technology, using their smart phones, tablets, and laptop computers - or using the special business and travel assistance systems made available by the hotel. So what's driving this trend - and how should savvy hoteliers respond properly? My column provides some of the answers. READ MORE

The social location space is shifting rapidly and bursting with innovation. Right now, it's less important for a hotel marketer to know which social location app will lead, and more important to design a social location strategy that compliments the objectives of your loyalty program. In this article I review social media darlings foursquare and Yelp check-ins, and talk to Starwood Hotels and Resorts to learn how social location marketing is reinventing how they cultivate brand fans. READ MORE

Many independent hotel managers are unhappy with the amount of business generated by the websites. This should come as no surprise as only 14% pursue a structured online strategy. Yet, embracing e-commerce is the best opportunity for independent hotels in the downturn of 2009/10 as online bookings continue to grow and travelers show a healthy appetite for booking directly at the hotel's official website. This article tackles the issue of how independent hotels should create a structured online strategy to ensure e-commerce success for their official websites. READ MORE

With all the greening tools and programs that are now available, both property managers and guests are having a harder time discriminating what is really environmentally preferable. To help remedy this, an important principle to consider is: how significant is an activity in reducing the environmental impacts of my property and service? If the reduction is minimal, you might want to look at your operations a little more deeply in some of the areas we present in this article. For each operational aspect listed, we've tried to highlight some of the current trends and tools that are available that are easy to implement, as well as a few that might take a bit more effort. Starting small and working towards achieving the more complex will make your property and services not only more environmentally responsible, but also more efficient, reliable, and enjoyable for clients as well. Is there anything better for your property and brand than that? READ MORE

The IT or technology team is not always on the front line of attention when it comes to Guest Service skills. Their roles and guest demand for technology services has increased and is going up and yet, guest service may not be a priority in this department. How can these team members be better prepared for making the service excellence difference? READ MORE

The focus on quality customer service is greater in hospitality than any other industry. Poor customer service is often overlooked in a restaurant with a star chef or a creative theme. Department stores thrive despite spotty performance by associates. But hotels have no choice but to engage the guest, make them feel special. READ MORE

In recent years a shift in balance has taken place that has empowered the customer. Nowhere is this shift more evident than in the hotel industry. With new technologies service recovery has become more critical than ever. Customers can offer online reviews through various social media sites that can reach hundreds or even thousands of potential customers and never even complain to the firm. In this paper several managerial recommendations are offered. READ MORE

The guest experience drives your income engine. What your team does and says impacts how your guests feel and helps your guests decide where to spend their money. All hospitality leaders have the responsibility to define a service culture that transcends cliche and borders amazing. Embracing five critical concepts will result in an engaged team that delivers impeccable service in all the right spots. Creating that team and that culture is not easy, but the payoff is big. READ MORE

Today hotels are spending time and money upgrading guest rooms and operations but rarely consider the same technology advancements for their communications architecture. Software advancements, coupled with the latest and greatest low-cost devices including smartphones and tablets, can improve workflow, strengthen guest relations and save hotels money in the process. Whether these applications are leveraged as a service using a cloud-based offering or housed on-site, they are sure to extend the scope and functionality of existing communication architectures and help provide competitive advantages that are critical to guest loyalty and profitability. READ MORE