The importance of loyalty in the hotel sector can't be underestimated in the current competitive environment, in which hoteliers operate. Every operator understands that it is cheaper to attract repeat business - than it is to bring in new business. And it stands to reason that a satisfied guest is much more likely to come back if they leave a happy customer. But an increasing body of research is also pointing to the many additional benefits of creating loyal customers, including allowing a hotel to price more aggressively as well as enjoy higher ancillary spend from returning customers. READ MORE

In 2013, hotel companies will invest millions in analytics projects which, according to recent statistics, will likely fail. Before you budget a single penny for analytics software and services, you should invest in building a solid foundation for analytics success. Your people are the pillars that will support success in creating a solid data-driven culture. Spend on these five C's to reap rewards from analytics. READ MORE

I wonder if you are being as selective as you should be when choosing employees who are going to be representing your brand. I suspect that for many of you, the answer is probably no. I say this because there are only a handful of hotel brands that stand above the rest in terms of service, and not all of these brands are five star hotels. Delivering the finest experience should be the number one goal of every executive and team of managers. You have to hire the absolute best to achieve this noble goal. But in order to do so, you must have a culture that treats employees as well as you treat your guests. READ MORE

When a guest suffers from acute pain in the neck, shoulder or hip, they usually want to receive a treatment with an effective technique that makes this pain go away instantly. They want to be pain free forever, because pain is a negative side effect and counterproductive to homeostasis. This is not what instant gratification is - this is instant pain relief. Regardless of the type of Treatment the client receives, they need to follow through on the post treatment advice given by the therapist, such as a possible extensive rehabilitation program, stretching regimen of the muscles and/or other health related programs to ensure that the pain does not come back. A Spa or Wellness Center is not and should not be a place for instant gratification. It is a place of healing, prevention, health improvement and/or recovery from any previous illness or injury. It should also be a place where people feel good, happy, joyful and most of all relaxed and stress-free. READ MORE

Social media allows anyone with an internet connection (web based or mobile) to interact with others in a personal or anonymous fashion and to engage in a non-threatening way. For consumers with different abilities, the benefits are even more profound since it offers them opportunities for participation. As the internet has morphed from an informational only resource to a more conversational style of interaction; the growth in social media interaction has become a tidal wave. Consumers can now enjoy the benefits that come from engaging with goods and services providers as well as socializing, enjoying entertainment or even working from a remote location or at home. READ MORE

In a recent announcement, Google talked about a major change to their algorithm known as the “freshness” update, which will seek current AND relevant information to be displayed in high-volume search queries. How does this affect my hotel and the lodging industry? Fifty to seventy percent of hotel visitors and website bookings originate as leads from major search engines, like Google and Bing. Because hotel websites are content rich, as opposed to 'new rich'(meaning they are not regularly updated with new content), hotel Web sites are generally lacking in the content that Google is on the hunt for. So, what can your hotel do to make sure that your property ranks on the first page of search results? We've compiled eight copywriting tips that will ensure your place at the top. READ MORE

Disruptive incidents can have a significant impact on organizations and communities. Effective measures can be instituted to prevent or mitigate the effects of disruptive incidents. With respect to hotel facilities and supporting offices that may be located on or off the main hotel property, disruptive incidents can directly affect employees and impact entire hotel operations at both the macro and micro level. Well-prepared employees, those who know how to implement on-site and family emergency plans, will be the first and continued responders who will help protect life, property, reputation, profit and facilitate a more rapid return to normal operations. READ MORE

In the past year, state and federal entities conducted over 500 inspections of hotel establishments within the United States for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Many of those inspections were initiated by referrals from other governmental entities and from employee complaints. In some cases, establishments were issued citations for safety violations. Since employers are not provided prior notice of onsite OSHA inspections of their workplace, it is important to be prepared and to ensure establishments are in compliance with OSHA standards. READ MORE

Who sets your company's Corporate Responsibility agenda? I ask because too often Corporate Responsibility teams make the mistake of allowing their agenda to be determined externally, their activities driven only by stakeholders. Naturally, the views of stakeholders are important to all elements of an organization's businesses. But while it's a rare company indeed that would permit stakeholders to govern what it should focus on, it's not unusual to see CR teams running this way today and that way tomorrow, reacting whenever a pressure group applies the heat over its latest singular concern. READ MORE

Alcohol beverage attorney Elizabeth DeConti outlines the basic legal issues any hotel or restaurant should watch for when planning an alcohol promotion on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media site. The article addresses intellectual property awareness, planning alcohol promotions across state lines, conversation with legal age consumers, and how to promote responsible service while advertising alcohol beverages. Hoteliers and restaurateurs will know the correct areas of legal focus after reading this article. READ MORE

What is the top thing that every hotelier wants? If you guessed “more bookings” you are correct. What if I told you that one of the best ways to get more bookings is to buy some banner ads? You might be thinking that banners are useless since nobody clicks on them anymore. But what you might not know is that banner ads actually produce tons of bookings. It turns out the people who do NOT click your banner still visit your hotel website directly a few days or a few weeks later to book! READ MORE

Hoteliers fear that the cost of distribution is soaring beyond what is realistic for their economy. They are trying to move towards direct sales diminishing the proportion of bookings coming from OTAs. While OTAs were the life-blood of the industry during the past decade is it realistic for hotels to turn their backs on third party online sales? Hotels need to realise that third parties have always been around and will be here to stay, but the way they sell needs to become more dynamic, they need the tools to asses how and where to sell to increase productivity from the channels that bring them the revenue they need without surrendering to quick easy sales. READ MORE