Engineers are the "fix it" squads who make things tick, click and stick to ensure that a property operates smoothly and without inconvenience to the guest. In fact, engineers don't just do their jobs: they provide some of the most intimate moments with guests - fixing things in their rooms and around the property usually surrounded by guests. What service skills could and should they have in addition to fixing things? READ MORE

Social media has quickly become the topic that is keeping some marketers on edge. While some marketers have a full understanding of the capabilities and reach of social efforts, others are still in the information gathering phase and quietly asking themselves if social efforts are really important to their brand. Dozens of questions continue to perplex marketers and brands even as the wave of social media participation continues to evolve. As a juncture is approached, marketers are reaching a point of saturation in social programs which could soon force them to join forces within their segmented social programs. READ MORE

As hotel development in North America slowly regains impetus, Jim Holthouser, global head of Embassy Suites and full service brands, Hilton Worldwide, and William Fortier, senior vice president, development, Americas, Hilton Worldwide, examine how the Embassy Suites Design Option III prototype and the Kit of Parts approach have sustained brand viability through the economic downturn and continue to support developers as the industry rebuilds. While site selection is a key component to success in the hotel industry, in-depth understanding of the marketplace and a flexible approach to design are equally vital. READ MORE

In the beginning of the year, we talked about the importance of investing in Marketing and Public Relations, since these areas are key in order to build up a property's message and enhance its brand. Of course, many businesses continue to scale back, and have even eliminated PR and Marketing efforts entirely. In most cases, that decision turned out to be unwise. In a Social Media, SEO-era, your hotel's name must be out on the Internet. Period. Hotel online reputation is one of the reasons why PR and Marketing are no longer budgets that are considered "optional." READ MORE

Even for an industry that is as TV-centric as travel, digital integration is crucial to success. Direct response TV is the best driver for sending customers online to book immediately or to gather needed customer data. On the surface, using DRTV to drive online reservation looks like a simple task. But it's not. There are a lot of considerations a DRTV advertiser needs to make when integrating online data capture and reservations with a successful TV spot. We've identified the top ten, and they go for beyond the simple listing of a URL. Meshing DRTV with online booking will help the travel industry achieve its full digital potential. READ MORE

Most hotel management agreements contain a "performance test" that gives the Owner of the hotel an option to terminate the management agreement if the Operator fails to achieve one or more financial benchmarks in the operation of the hotel. Many of these performance tests were negotiated under very different economic conditions than prevail today. Given the new reality that prevails in the hotel industry, Owners, Asset Managers and Operators should be reviewing the performance tests in their existing management agreements to determine if it is time for renegotiation. This article explains the components of a typical performance test in a management agreement and recommends areas for examination and negotiation. READ MORE

Providing a good experience for your guests should always be the goal of your hotel's entire staff, not only for your visitors' comfort but also to build brand loyalty. There are just a few easy steps you and your staff can use to turn current sales into future ones. For example, teach your team to foster good relationships with guests during every encounter, whether it's providing them with the tools to offer sightseeing tips or empowering them to resolve conflicts as they arise. By practicing these and the other simple tips outlined in my article, your staff will create positive experiences for your guests and will facilitate a profitable relationship for your hotel. READ MORE

In today's ultra-networked world, you are only as good as your reputation. Your guests are telling your story, and no amount of PR or advertising can stop this. It doesn't matter how much you embrace social media: you cannot afford to ignore reputation management. Reputation management for hotels often focuses on reviews written by guests on sites such as TripAdvisor, but also involves monitoring other websites and networks. In this article, we address some of your top questions on this topic, and include some thoughts from Brian Payea, trade relations manager at TripAdvisor. READ MORE

With this summer's tourist season come and gone, it is time for all hoteliers to review the efficiency of their operations and determine if their staffing needs were properly met to ensure that the tourists of today will be satisfied customers of tomorrow. Scores of proprietors are looking for temporary staff to assist with the daily operations throughout the busy vacation season, and luckily for employers, a program offered by the U.S. Department of State, The Summer Work Travel Program, offers students abroad the option to travel and work abroad. And because their visas and related immigration processes are predominately handled by an intermediary sponsor agency, hospitality companies bear little to no cost. READ MORE

Customer service is an essential element of room service; it is what gets counted at the end of a stay and added on the comment cards left in the room on the desk. It's good business practice to assure the service guests receive is exceptional. When people with disabilities travel, it is difficult enough finding a venue which is accommodating and accessible, but when a hotel is located and the individual accepts the accommodations they also want to be assured their service will be what was promised. READ MORE

Communication is critical in determining how to better serve customers and it serves as a tool to retain customers. It determines what a customer needs in terms of service to enable them to receive the quality of service the hotel/motel can deliver while they are guests. It begins once reservations are made in the initial phone call and the scheduling of a room assignment. The person servicing the phone call has to be able to listen to the potential guest and determine what their unique needs may be. Once a person mentions they have a disability and requires specific accommodations, the reservationists' job is to communicate in such a way as to identify the individuals' unique needs. READ MORE

Adults with disabilities travel often and enjoy staying in hotels/motels which cater to their unique and specific needs. They are seeking exceptional customer service as all guests hope to acquire. These questions on how to assist should be no different on how to address the concerns of any other guest intent on having a comfortable and memorable stay. People with disabilities desire the same products and service as other persons and deserve to be treated as viable consumers. READ MORE

Every person who patronizes a hotel is looking for exceptional customer service and deserves accommodations when needed. Often there may be some questions in guest services on how to appropriately offer dignified services to patrons, who may have unique needs. Those needs are individualized and should be taken into account when preparing your services accordingly. Let me start by telling you a story which will shed some light on how to approach the issue in a practical way. READ MORE

It is thought to be a normal human behavior to be kind, sensitive, caring, and helpful, which is what we have all learned in grade school. However, since there are such a multitude of different people in this country with all types of behaviors and attitudes, it's difficult to become accustomed to all of them. What's even worse is when people of differences have disabilities. There are an estimated 54 million people living in this country with a disability, and unfortunately this number will rise daily, as people experience all types of things which cause them to be diagnosed with having a disability; whether it's through accident, injury, disease or birth. READ MORE

It is human nature to desire to feel secure in the world we live in. This motivational factor has been born in all living beings for centuries; which has become a hierarchy of needs adapted by Abraham Maslow in the 1940's - 1950's. His theory determined Human Beings motivational need for safety was high on his Hierarchy of Needs (Abraham Maslow, 1970). People want to feel safe and secure in their existence and want no reluctance in obtaining it. This factor is a major issue for people with disabilities, especially when they venture out of their comfort zone-home. The thought of staying in a hotel or motel with more than 10 or more floors can make one apprehensive who use adaptive equipment for mobility. READ MORE