Service in general will always have a solid base in which we are able, as hospitality professionals to build upon, given the concept of change. What we are exploring below is a look back into the basics of what hospitality service is all about and how general current trends such as technology and volatile hospitality demand trends are currently affecting the industry can still be managed strongly and effectively while keeping into consideration some of the basics that we sometimes forget to execute. READ MORE

Companies who are profiting from social media have one thing in common - they have a plan. They have a social media strategy in place that acts as a roadmap to get them where they want to be. Companies who reported that they are not making any money from social media seem to be focused on the tools - setting up a Facebook page, creating a blog - but they aren't focused on the big picture. We have discovered a few simple steps to get your social media strategy moving - and the first step involves identifying your social media voice. READ MORE

“If hotels can have ridiculous things like butlers, they can certainly have bed bug inspectors,” bemoaned one hotel magazine editor in December, 2010. This might well be the epitaph for butler service in hotels, as it is too commonly practiced: in booming Asia, seemingly one-for-one, butler training programs have gone to the cheapest bidder who, perforce, is obliged to reduce training to well below the irreducible minimum. Against this backdrop, we have to wonder if butlers really are here to stay. I believe they are, but they need a make-over.” READ MORE

Lodging experts have written numerous articles on revenue management aimed at addressing specific tactical issues on pricing, distribution and measuring results for those “inside” the operation. By contrast, this article is intended for the “outsider” - namely individuals closely vested in hotel performance, but not directly involved in daily operations…hotel Owners. While the art and science of revenue management should be left in the hands of the property management and asset management teams, here are some key considerations which may be helpful to hotel owners in evaluating the role and effectiveness of revenue management and understanding the influence it can have on hotel performance and overall asset value. READ MORE

Rate dilution has continually plagued the hotel industry; it provides a temporary fix to increase occupancy and sometimes increases market share. However, it also has the potential to incur long-term damage to a property and its reputation among consumers. When properties take a reactive approach and lower rates without a larger strategy behind that discount, they run the risk of losing loyal customers willing to pay full price - price cannibalization. Hotel management must remain proactive and work collaboratively across property teams to influence the property's rate strategy and avoid the rate dilution war. Following, note several best practices in property revenue management. READ MORE

While rate dilution provides a temporary occupancy fix for properties it has the potential to cause long-term damage to both the property and its reputation among consumers. Hotel management must remain proactive and work collaboratively across property teams to influence a property's rate strategy and avoid the rate dilution war. When management works with all departments that could provide insight, including marketing, operations and sales, teams they can generate a proactive strategy based on in-depth market knowledge. While each hotel does not have an on-site revenue management team, every property does need a proactive, targeted plan. READ MORE

The hotel industry can benefit from the adoption of stock market principles in the area of revenue management. Because of the many similarities between the product sold by hotels and the products traded on various exchanges by financial professionals, many of the same theories and tenets apply. The industry must make some fundamental changes in the perception of its core product, and recognize that as a perishable, uniform item that is subject to the forces of supply and demand and the sale of which is difficult to forecast, rooms are as much like options and commodities as anything else. Once this change in perception occurs, stock market principles will find acceptance among revenue managers, general managers and owners in hotels across the world. READ MORE

"How can I maintain rates in a downward market, and how can I avoid a price war?" is a question that is asked over and over again, and although plenty of answers have been given over the last few years by many people, the industry never ceases to ponder this dilemma. By no means do I claim to know it all, however in my experience there are a couple of simple, and in most cases, obvious things to keep in mind that do help to avoid a price war and that do help to maintain rate levels. READ MORE

Pricing is more than a calculation: it is the process of monetizing your enterprise's value in the marketplace. It also helps you define your profitability, which has an affect on the rest of your hotel reflected in Revpar and GOP. At its core, good pricing strategy will enhance your enterprise's overall marketing and business strategy. READ MORE

Online advertising, social media, email, mobile - there are so many online marketing activities for hoteliers to manage in order to keep pace with travel consumers. One thing that is catching on in the industry is visual merchandising. It's not something that you do in isolation; rather, it fits in with many of the marketing initiatives that you already have underway. But what exactly is involved? How does it help hotels connect better with online travel shoppers and ultimately convert them to guests? What are hotels doing? READ MORE

While every, if not all, hotel and hospitality businesses are thinking about branding, we question the process in which it's done. Branding alone does not get the results the end user needs, whether it's the hotel's team members, the hotel's guests, or owners. We believe in design thinking, which is a somewhat new term in the ever-changing and branding world. Each project is profoundly different but there are some commonalities at the core. This is what we call DNA, which to us stands for Differentiators, Nuances and Attributes. Let's examine the process we take with each project and client and how we deliver the ideal branding experience. READ MORE

As more and more information comes online concerning the diversity of hospitality services available to business travelers, the costs for getting your property in front of this lucrative market is rising as well. In this article I highlight a few innovative software platforms that are catering to the data needs of the savvy but very selective business travelers in both the public and private sector. I will also identify how utilizing these platforms to market your property or chain can help stabilize RevPAR projections and generate accurate data for your property's CSR reporting needs. READ MORE

"Can I get a free upgrade?" Isn't that every hotelier's favorite question? Guests have learned the tricks of the trade and since we have trained them to push us for better deals and more freebies, and we cannot blame them for using these skills! While you may not be able to provide an upgrade to a suite or offer other free extras, you can train your staff to provide suite-like service to guests that will increase customer loyalty and get customers to forget the word "upgrade." READ MORE

As we go into our 26th year, we see that the challenges spas are facing this year may be a bit new, but we really think many of them have been there for a long time and now they are really more visible rather than new. There are numerous dormant issues that the industry has not had to face in "healthy" times. The "wellness" of our industry has deteriorated; some spas have taken precautionary and preventative care and are still doing well. Others have ignored the symptoms and have not set-up a self-care program so they are ill. Unfortunately, some spas are in denial or are paralyzed by the circumstances or have not reacted quickly enough and are, therefore, on their death bed. READ MORE

Competitor rate data should not be about price wars but used to effectively position your product to optimize the value of your offering. Consumers are not just looking for cheaper deals; they want a good deal. Gathering the right business intelligence will help you manage your rates according to market conditions without affecting the value and prevent your rates from damaging important OTA relationships. In this article we explain how you can use pricing data to manage competitors and your contractual obligations to OTAs. READ MORE