Recessionary economies historically lead to the demise of small businesses faced with competing against industry giants. Hospitality isn't immune. The recent downturn has affected everyone, but independent hotels are faced with potentially making already lean budgets even leaner. As major brands trim a portion of a budget to adapt, the independent is often faced with eliminating key business building operations altogether. In the down market, when demand reaches historically low levels, how does the independent hotel cope? The answer is to refocus and invest - in revenue management, distribution, rate structures and strategies, travel agent programs, marketing programs, online strategies, corporate travel programs.securing and building core business to ensure they obtain their fair share of the market. READ MORE

Historical pricing, excessive reliance on comp set analysis, 'push' marketing tactics and a reluctance to embrace new media, are all part of the outdated business model still being clung to by many hoteliers across the globe. If anything positive has come out of the current economy, it has been to show the lodging industry how ineffective these strategies are compared to more forward-thinking, efficient models being used by leading properties worldwide. These initiatives are available and ready for your hotel to implement - all that's needed is a willingness to look beyond the tried and easy methods and to embrace the newest tools available. READ MORE

Pretty soon they'll be everywhere you look. From subway stations, to public buildings, to restaurants, and no, we're not talking about soon-to-be-spring breakers populating those locales. We're talking about the “always-on” technology that people of all demographics and backgrounds use to interact with their surroundings. We're talking about the growing technological partnership between ever-smarter mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) and the expanding power and reach of the interactive digital sign. The question is where does this mobile march go next? For out-of-the-box hotel executives and revenue managers, mobile is marching right into their hotel lobbies, bringing with them an exciting new source of revenue, guest engagement, and loyalty. READ MORE

There are diverse issues in human resources and this discussion will address just a few. As we move forward we see new issues in our industry for the sustainability of businesses and its employees. Sustainability, while typically aligned with the environment and or green issues also should focus on people and the employment of local populations to help sustain a community by making a profit. As an industry we need to identify our pools of talent that will be tapped for qualified leadership, management and line workers in an industry that still requires people to provide quality products and services. READ MORE

In today's market where rewarding staff with salary increases and bonuses may be difficult to come by, the use of recognition and non-monetary rewards to drive engagement is no longer just an optional or nice thing to do. Hotel leaders are seeing the return on investment of non-monetary reward programs through increased guest satisfaction ratings and loyalty. Nonfinancial rewards, such as a sincere thank-you note and a flexible work schedule, can cost you little to nothing, yet they can produce results that money could never buy. READ MORE

Experience tells us that the best way to make things happen in organizations is to drive them from top to bottom... think sales, service, quality, safety. Intuitively, the same should be true for retention. Who is held accountable for service? Are the same leaders held accountable when your employee who gets the most positive guest comments leaves? READ MORE

They are 70 million strong, but often ignored. They are Gen Y (those born after 1978) and they're about to change everything you think you know about doing business. This latest group to hit the workforce requires a different style of management. They are also seeking a different type of relationship with brands they choose to affiliate with. The sooner you connect with Gen Y, the more profitable you'll be, as this generation isn't going away anytime soon. READ MORE

The hospitality industry plays a vital economic role in local communities throughout the world. Travel and tourism is one of the world's largest industries, generating US$6 trillion or 9% of global GDP and supporting 260 million jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Many of those jobs are created by the hotel sector, giving our industry a tremendous opportunity to help local communities prosper. But why is creating local economic opportunities so important? And how should hotel companies go about driving local economic growth in a way that has long term benefits - both to the communities in question and to businesses themselves? READ MORE

The guests that rent rooms in our hotels have an expectation that the proprietor has done some form of due diligence in screening the employees who have access to their valued possessions left in a hotel room. It really does not matter to them that you may provide an in room safe, install expensive door hardware and have appropriate window stops if you have not taken the time to investigate the employees that you grant access to their personal and often treasured possessions. The hospitality industry is sometimes fragile and susceptible to large revenue losses as a result of a single negative event such as theft of valuables of a guest who just happens to be with a large convention group. Word travels quickly with these groups and meeting planners can be quite adept at researching these issues when deciding on a hotel for their convention. READ MORE

As an industry, the hotel sector has become good at proactively chasing bad business. Every time you turn around it seems that there is another opportunity to dump inventory at drastically reduced rates. Recent economic pressures made it even more tempting to unload distressed inventory through channels some hoteliers may never have considered four years ago. As demand recovers though, hoteliers now have an opportunity to change their mentality and cultivate high value segments and improve revenue performance. However, in order to properly target the right guest and attract them to the hotel at the right price, it is vital that a hotel's revenue management and marketing departments collaborate and work closely together. READ MORE

The fact that hotel revenue management is becoming more sophisticated, encompassing more functions and respect, is a given. So, too, is the prevalence and importance of online competition. But the impact of online data availability and increased competition on the qualifications of the revenue manager can be overlooked. The skills, courses, training and focus of the revenue manager of tomorrow will be markedly different than those of yesterday. Understanding the kinds of analytic, leadership, communication skills that revenue managers will need in an ever-changing, increasingly web-centric world will help hoteliers find a competitive edge in today's - and tomorrow's - economy. READ MORE

The last year has proved to be one of the most challenging sales environments in decades, not only for hotels and resorts but for all industries. In such a competitive environment, it is those organizations that can develop (or retain) a strong brand identity and reputation that will perform most strongly, ensuring not only their survival but setting themselves to benefit most from the resulting upturn. Strong brands will secure guest loyalty, and with existing customers up to 7 times more profitable to deal with than new customers this is vital in efficiently utilizing the organization's resources and keeping costs down. Here's a few ideas for developing your brand and its reputation. READ MORE

In difficult economic times, especially in this current downturn that hotel owners find themselves in, investing much needed cash or securing financing for Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment ("FF&E") refurbishments becomes a sensitive topic. Hotel brands require owners to follow brand standards and comply with often strict property improvement plans and timelines. The guest as well has high expectations and often seeks to get more and pay less. This puts a lot of pressure on owners and it becomes critical to make the right decisions for the operation in regard to renovations. It is a fine line between guest expectations and the operation's balance sheet. In the end you cannot put off a renovation, but you can make smart decisions in regard to value for your money, or in other words, return on investment. READ MORE

Organizations must actively motivate their high performers to stay on their teams in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Money talks; but research increasingly shows that financial incentives alone are not the most effective in today's workplace. This article reveals hidden nuances in monetary rewards and identifies a modern incentive paradigm that is evolving and which better fulfills the extrinsic and intrinsic motivators that staff have at all levels of employment. READ MORE

Employee loyalty is inextricably linked to consumer loyalty. Just as companies develop distinct brand propositions and segmentation strategies to attract and engage their most valued customers, it is critical to think similarly when attracting, retaining, and motivating talent. With this in mind, it is clear that hotel customers are researching and making purchasing decisions very differently today. This dynamic has led to a profound shift in thinking among marketers. Recognizing a clear connection between front-line employees and a customers' experience with the brand, business leaders are increasingly applying marketing best practices to their employee loyalty and engagement strategies. READ MORE