How would you feel if your hotel was accused of leaking guest data? Well it could happen if you don't hoist data security up the priority list. Not doing so could be very expensive. Carrier IQ in the US and the Leveson Enquiry in the UK are two examples of companies and their employees illegally gathering personal information for financial gain using the medium of the mobile phone. Both were revealed by individuals tirelessly following up clues and publishing their findings, despite pressure being exerted from without. At first sight they may seem far removed from the hotel industry but closer study shows they are not. READ MORE

Inspections and checking for compliance with standards is an ongoing job at every hotel, every day. Think about operations like guestroom status update, property maintenance and repairs, and housekeeping inspections, to name just a few. Now innovative mobile applications (mAPPs) are available to help owners and managers conduct many routine ongoing activities in a faster, smarter way so they can operate their properties more productively and more profitably. These mAPPs are new. They're now. They're WOW - and my column examines how these software programs can help you increase staff efficiency, heighten guest satisfaction, and improve the bottom line. READ MORE

Some lists we love - like those fun rankings of favorite desserts, most popular vacation spots, and highest-earning celebrities. Some lists we hate - like our personal daily “to do” list. As hoteliers, we use lists all the time for everything from tracking room inventory to scheduling maintenance projects to tracking ROI and RevPAR. Now I've created another list for you - the “what's hot and what's not” list. I'm not sure if you'll love it or hate it, but I am sure it can help you as you make FF&E decisions this year. READ MORE

Thousands of hoteliers will face foreclosure or even bankruptcy this year as the sluggish economy has owners falling behind on loan payments. There are no easy solutions, but there are some things you can do to avoid foreclosure or receivership -- or both. My column offers six tips to help anticipate the problem, plan a course of action, and proactively maintain control of your property. We certainly hope you will never have to use these tips, but they are a valuable start to forestalling foreclosure on your property so you can “Keep It.” READ MORE

New mobile devices meant to simplify life also create new challenges for the hospitality industry. For example, the latest must-have mobile device, the iPad, comes with bandwidth requirements that have significantly impacted hotels providing free Wi-Fi. Point of fact: iPad video traffic is more than 600,000 times more data intensive than equivalent text. If a hotel's bandwidth is “hogged” by a few iPad users, the remaining guests will have a poor Internet experience. READ MORE

Do you have a “...just because” culture? If you do, I suspect you work for a hotel that lacks innovation, empowerment, and engagement. I also suspect your hotel's occupancy rate is lower than the market average, your guest satisfaction levels are lower than the industry average, and employee voluntary turnover is higher than your competition. You're also most likely retaining only your marginally engaged employees, which will ultimately lead to marginally engaged guests. I also predict that in due time, your hotel will become a parking lot, or shopping mall. But there is still time for you to transition your hotel from a “...just because” to a “why not” culture. Read on… READ MORE

For an industry that prides itself on customer service, and connecting with guests, ensuring repeat visits; one area that could use some “spit and polish” is in the booming channel of mobile communications. While travelers are increasingly going mobile, hotels have yet to fully embrace the platform's potential. What is the holdup? So sluggish has been the hospitality industry's mobile embrace, in fact, that a recent New York Times article, in addressing the challenges of converting websites to their mobile format, only discussed third-party sites like Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline and Hotels.com. No mention of hotels following a similar path was reported. READ MORE

Do you have a fixed monthly budget for your hotel market or gift shop? If so, what factors are used to determine that monthly amount? And what happens to profitability and the ability to meet your guests' needs when inventory runs out before the next month's budget can be used? How managers define and set the hotel retail inventory budget has an undeniable impact on both retail profitability and overall guest satisfaction, yet many purchasing managers are getting this important revenue source all wrong by treating it like a capital expense and setting a fixed budget that limits profitability and disappoints guests. READ MORE

For most people, even top executives, media interviews can be a stressful thing. Unexpected media interviews can be even scarier. I'm going to give you the tools you need in order to create an efficient plan-of-action for you staff to handle the unexpected media interviews. I'm also going to share with you techniques you can practice and master, so when you're asked to be a spokesperson without warning, you come across as calm, collected, and you get your messages out there. Crises happen and events come up, but I'm going to help you be prepared for the unexpected media interview. READ MORE

There is no question that mobile is the most game changing technology to affect business over the past decade and is the fastest growing technology ever. The tough question is, with all the clutter of "apps" out there, how do you approach your mobile strategy to improve your business and keep your customers happy and engaged. The common mistake businesses make is to take an app they see out in the marketplace and try to adapt it to their business, instead of taking their business and developing a mobile strategy around that. READ MORE

Guests are moving to mobile devices to help manage their day-to-day lives. With mobile migration come new demands and expectations for seamless integration between their Web and mobile experiences. Rather than having information with a separate life on the Web, your guests are looking for an immersive experience independent of the device utilized. The limited number of properties providing this seamless experience is meeting the guests' expectations. We will explore ways to make a successful collaboration between the Internet and mobile devices that will result in an immersive guest experience. READ MORE

To be successful on the mobile web, like anything else, you need a good strategy. You need a strategy that is built from knowledge and insight and guided by measurable goals. In this article, Lucas Cobb from MMGY Global, explores how hospitality marketers can leverage user context along with research and analysis to define the strategic direction of their property's mobile web presence. READ MORE

Once you have an app the next challenge is getting guests to use it. If you do not promote properly you will see that user adoption is lower than expected. Thankfully with a little effort hotel's can dramatically boost their user rates. There are several factors that will encourage guests to use an app. We'll explore the necessary components of an effective multifaceted application marketing plan. From introduction to follow-up the entire user experience must be considered. READ MORE

Hotel guests—past, present and future—are increasingly becoming mobile-ready, and hoteliers have to adequately respond to this growing demand for mobile services. This is the reason why all major hotel brands, travel suppliers and OTAs have mobile Internet initiatives in place, including mobile brand websites, mobile applications (apps), m-CRM and mobile marketing. READ MORE

Selling your hotel can be hard enough without having to worry about hitting that perfect price. With the economy still struggling to recover from the worst recession in history, buyers tend to smell blood in the water - even if your hotel has remained profitable and your local economy is healthy. With that in mind, there are some simple things you can do to ensure your business fetches the best price possible READ MORE