ALL ABOARD! Interviews are complete. New employees are hired. Orientations are scheduled. Training is about to begin. How does your organization view and define the training experience before it takes place or before it leaves the station? Who are your lead engines and how will they fuel the service attitudes and disposition that will be a lasting foundation for new employees? What criteria and guidelines should be used for trainers and those who teach the examples that will be translated into real results for guests? To ensure training gets on and stays on the right track, keep the following guidelines in mind... READ MORE

In this economic environment, hotel owners and managers alike are doing all they can to ensure that their hotel is profitable. The structure of the Incentive Fee is a key element to aligning the interests of the hotel owner and the hotel manager. Does the Incentive Fee structure get what it is intended to incentivize? This article delves into the various ways that Incentive Fees can be calculated to incentivize the manger to be fiscally responsible and to reward the owner for taking the financial risk of developing and owning the hotel - and in turn increases the bottom line for both parties. READ MORE

Oh.. what a feeling! Whether this expression comes from Irene Cara in Flashdance, Bad Boys Blue, Van Morrison, Solomon Burke, The Everly Brothers or Crowbar, the concept of” Feelings” and how they move people in all facets of life is really something to sing about! Joy! Excitement! Anger! Anxiety! Confusion, Clarity? Feelings? What role do these and other feelings play in the world of hospitality? Better yet, what are the emotions of service that cause those feelings and what kinds of emotion does service, good, bad or indifferent, cause in guests? READ MORE

Chances are you're swimming in the reams and reams of customer feedback data you have amassed. Adding to the data set is the hospitality industry's newfound recognition of the importance of social media and online customer feedback. But, few companies have figured out how to systematically analyze information shared through social media channels, distill true guests insight, and determine the optimal actions based on this feedback. READ MORE

Daily digital deals have exploded in popularity, and the online space once only occupied by Living Social and Groupon has gotten crowded with the arrival of Facebook Deals and Google Offers. These sites and others use collective consumer buying power to offer deep discounts to hotel guests. But given the mournful margin on these hotel flash sales, does this suggest engagement at any cost? This article looks at hotel guest expectations relative to online deals, shares forecasts for web coupon growth for 2011, and delivers digital insights from hoteliers just like you. READ MORE

With Conferences & Events revenues accounting for a significant portion of a hotels financial performance, an increasing number of companies are starting to focus on these activities to support their facility's bottom lines. However, with the rise in prominence of Conferences & Events, there are a number of key issues that savvy revenue managers should consider, including: what are the key issues needing to be addressed when trying to optimize conference & events space and more importantly how will the role of the revenue manager look in the future? READ MORE

Given the importance of generating unsighted and organic revenue in this continued challenging economy, I will identify the myths and reveal the corresponding truths in a "Top Ten" list-giving you the edge and insight you will need to intelligently approach business prospects. Based on almost twenty-five years of hands-on experience in the field of sales and lead generation, my compilation of myths and subsequent truths will be helpful as you continue to grow your respective pipelines to meet your revenue commitments. READ MORE

As an organization that values the feedback of its members and advisory boards in developing exciting new trade show features, HSMAI is on the forefront of the conference industry in order to fuel sales, inspire marketing and optimize revenue for its partners. HSMAI President and CEO Robert Gilbert provides insights into current trends that are being observed at trade shows, including increased pressure on exhibitors to demonstrate ROI, the challenge of attracting attendees who are time impoverished and securing their attention at expo booths, as well as dealing with the increasing costs of exhibiting and producing a trade show. READ MORE

Have you ever wondered what causes a guest to leave a negative online review about one of your hotels? Are these people just trying to get revenge, or do they have another motivation? For the hotel manager that works around the clock to make guests happy, a negative online review can be disappointing. What if you could anticipate exactly what causes negative online reviews, and how this affects your reputation? As an analyst for ReviewPro, I have access to one of the world's largest databases of online customer opinion, looking over 90 million pieces of guest feedback related to hotels. Common themes have emerged that provide insight into why someone leaves a negative review online. READ MORE

It's not a good feeling to be unappreciated -- especially if you are a hotel owner struggling to keep up with fees imposed by the franchise company. Steve Belmonte, Owner and CEO of Centerstone Hotels, discusses the importance of being part of a franchise in which mutual appreciation exists between franchisors and their franchisees. The end result will be a hotel full of guests that show their appreciation via continued loyalty. Because franchising represents about 60 percent of the hospitality industry and contributes billions of dollars in annual U.S. revenues, creating a solid franchisor/franchisee relationship is critical to the overall good of hospitality and travel. READ MORE

The idea of making money with social media is like an abstract dream. Everybody talks about it but nobody is doing anything about it. Applications such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are low cost ways of reaching people and clients. No matter where someone is they can be reached with social media. A sales team that is integrated with social media has a huge advantage over teams that rely on outdated forms of media to communicate and build relationships. READ MORE

The last thing any hotel needs are satisfied but underperforming employees. Employee satisfaction might be a byproduct of engagement, but engagement is more about employees working toward a hotel's goals, and the overall company's health. Successful hotels know that the key to an engaged workforce is a shared alignment, and a collaborative “we're in this together” culture. Engagement is defined as the unlocking of employee potential to drive. It's all about building a mutual commitment between management and employees. When done successfully, it results in the capture of discretionary effort of your staff - the “secret sauce” of business success. To look at it another way - satisfied employees care about what they get - engaged employees care about what they give. READ MORE

There are countless ways to describe the meaning of hospitality - the very foundation of our industry. When one considers taking the definition of hospitality and adding that to design as an approach for interior design, architecture and development, good things can happen. It is not just the ability to provide an aesthetic environment that appeals to visitors, quality products that stand the test of time, meeting furniture, fixtures and equipment ("FF&E") and construction budgets. Hospitality design is about the feeling the spaces evoke, the emotionality the interiors create for the guests and the comfort level the surroundings provide. READ MORE

In pricing and revenue management, hedging your bets with a tried-and-true process may actually be riskier than taking a chance on something different. It sounds counterintuitive, but the fact is that the conservative route to pricing practices is costing big hospitality firms millions in revenue, risking their future viability. Over the past few decades most hotel chains have adopted some form of automated revenue management (RM) system. But there are still some medium and large chains that have not. Worse yet, as some of these chains churned through acquisitions and ownership changes, their RM systems were abandoned or shut down. During the last decade's brand consolidations, industry realignment and ownership changes, business intelligence (BI) tools were growing in maturity and sophistication. READ MORE

Running a hospitality business today is much more complicated and requires more resources than in the past. When talking about this topic, the feedback from senior managers of international hotel chains is always the same: "Everything changed... The clients changed, as did their satisfaction threshold." Due to the Internet, social media and the low cost phenomenon, the customer of today is more informed, travels more, and as a consequence, he is much more demanding. He looks for excellence, for sophistication, for unique emotions and experiences, but... he doesn't lose sight of his wallet. READ MORE

A trend is defined as "a current general direction" or "a gradual change or development that produces a particular result". Hmmm - do we want to follow or lead? Here is a hint - we've seen some financial trends lately that no one wanted to follow. We have also seen trends come and go in the hospitality industry and some have been very expensive and fleeting, others have had a great return and are enduring. If you are looking for the latest and greatest trend to add to your spa to garner a media flash, stop here. With over 22 years in the very young, dynamic and constantly evolving Spa Industry, I have seen spa trends come and go. This article will examine enduring trends, evolving trends and fleeting trends and discuss how to identify trends that are enduring with a positive impact for years to come. READ MORE

In 2010, the hospitality industry regained the number one spot as the top industry suffering from data breaches, accounting for 40 percent of reported incidents. As cybercriminals shift their attention to small hotels and restaurants in an effort to "play it safe," the situation could conceivably become even more dire if hoteliers don't proactively protect their businesses. It's time that hoteliers confront this reality, implement effective data security measures and take the target off their backs. With the right technology and security policies, it's easier than you might think. READ MORE

In this article, Tom O'Rourke, President and CEO of O'Rourke Hospitality Marketing, discusses the importance of informing your guests that you have a hotel app available and explaining how they will benefit from using it. The more guests that download your app, the more successful your mobile strategy will be. The article lists 11 valuable tips on easy and cost-effective ways to promote your app and increase downloads. It also addresses the question of how many downloads a hotel should expect to receive. READ MORE

Municipalities throughout the U.S. are on the proverbial financial ropes and that is not good news for prospective hotel developers. Taxpayers are realizing public long term debt obligations will be harder to meet and this will create new pressure on politicians. We will discuss how we got here, where it is headed, and best practice strategies hoteliers can use to obtain financial incentives in future public-private partnerships. READ MORE

Training comes in many forms. The method of training is dependent upon the trainer. Successful trainers know how to perform to get results from their material and stimulate the student to want to know more. The goal of all trainings is to provide further education in the field of expertise which will deliver knowledge for both the student and the customer. The return is a satisfied professional of services, a profitable business and a new dedicated customer. READ MORE

Just how do you maintain that balance between freedom and control, and still get the job done to the standard you expect? On the one hand you can't afford to supervise your team the whole time, but on the other you are concerned that if you don't, they'll be things that get missed. Have you ever noticed when you are away for a day or two, or even a few hours, your team seem to be able to solve their own problems? Conversely abdicating responsibility and leaving your team totally to their own devices can be equally daunting and inherent with risks. So just how do you strike the balance? READ MORE

Renovation projects are successful only when a host of elements come together. The processes and systems that companies develop over time to improve their overall operating performance are often times referred to as Best Practices. Whether you think the term 'Best Practices' is a fad or not, successful companies are often that because they do certain things very well. We have been in the business of owning, operating and renovating hotels for over 40 years and the following is our list of best practices when it comes to successfully renovating hotel properties in an operating property. READ MORE

In the ever-changing world of social media, what you post becomes your voice and your brand. Since TripAdvisor and Facebook puts you in the spotlight, why not give the audience something positive and exciting to talk about? Times have changed, but people haven't. They still want to do business with those they like. Don't be remembered for the negative response or scenario that happened on one of your bad days. It's time to use your voice in a positive way to bring enthusiasm to your property. READ MORE

Is your hotel one of the many subject to seasonal demand? Whether it's summertime in Vail or hurricane season in Miami, not many hotels are lucky enough to experience a yearlong boom in business. Staffing needs can vary wildly from high to low season and luckily, the H-2B visa was designed with exactly that in mind. The H-2B visa is a non-agricultural worker's visa meant to fill an employer's need on a temporary basis, defined as either a one-time, seasonal, peak-load, or intermittent need. Lucky for those in the hotel industry, qualifying positions include food servers, front desk workers, housekeepers, line cooks, ski lift operators and others, as long as you can clearly demonstrate that the need is seasonal or otherwise temporary in nature. READ MORE

The comp set, or the Smith Travel Research Competitive Set analysis, is often used by hoteliers as the benchmark for their pricing or marketing strategy. But savvy hoteliers know that in today's marketplace, the comp set is no longer a robust or thorough marketing or revenue management measure. Hotels that successfully market outside their comp set can expand their potential customer base, avoid a 'following' marketing and pricing scheme, improve the reach of their brand by exploring new markets, and position themselves to better compete in this challenging environment. READ MORE

Social media marketing is one of the newest, most exciting marketing trends out there and its potential for revenue generation and brand development is enticingly high. But there is a caveat: like any marketing tactic, ad-hoc implementation will only achieve limited results at best. For a social media program to achieve a noticeable level of success, it has to work with your overall marketing strategy, not against it and certainly not as an afterthought. So here's how you can get the most out of your social media strategy. READ MORE

In today's market, hoteliers are more concerned about their marketing programs drawing in new guests than about developing a brand or laying the groundwork for a successful 2013.  Fortunately, positioning your hotel for future success and accomplishing your short-term marketing goals are not mutually exclusive concepts.  There are several ways to market your hotel for future success without compromising the pressing needs of today.  In this article, I will examine these tactics so that you can get started sowing the seeds for your property's future success. READ MORE

Ever wondered how Apple products became so popular overnight? How their sales were able to go from zero to millions in no time? Apple is the ultimate product brand and they have been successful because they have been able to develop a strong, desirable brand image. Although hotels are offering a much different product, there is a huge opportunity for hotels to use branding to increase their occupancy rates and their ADR. This article examines strategies to develop and maintain a strong, occupancy-driven hotel brand. READ MORE

Ask any event or meeting planner, or any sales and catering department, and they can tell you: events are big business.  But if hotels are only considering the revenue growth opportunities that events offer, they are missing out on a valuable opportunity.  Events of any size allow hotels to market their core services as well as their event capabilities to a captive audience of attendees, both through marketing and public relations campaigns.  This article examines the importance of event marketing (and public relations!) as an integrated part of a hotel's marketing plan. READ MORE

Your switchboard people are very important associates. It's not that all team members are not important, it's just that your telephone answerers are your first impression―to guests, to prospective guests, and the world. Their tone of voice, volume, and general demeanor set the tone for future interactions with your other employees in your hotel and even indirectly influence your occupancy rates. More times than I can count, I have given up waiting for the switchboard to respond to my calls to hotels to arrange reservations. READ MORE

Managing electronic channels effectively has never been so important. Do hotels need direct connects? The term “direct connect” implies that the demand touch point will have a direct electronic connection into a hotel's inventory and rates, either through the central reservation system (CRS) or the property management system (PMS). However, given the volume and variety of demand touch points in today's market, a strategy of exclusively direct connects is not only expensive, but also incredibly inefficient. READ MORE

Today, it is common practice for hotels to implement fees and surcharges to guests' bills in order to increase revenues.  While such strategies have proven to be effective, they also have a tendency, if not implemented through smart tactics, to be met with guest revolt.  In order to avoid losing guests, hoteliers must find ways to introduce them in a way that will make them more palatable to guests. This article will examine several common types of fees/surcharges and will provide tactical recommendations on how to introduce them to guests without causing upset or losing out on future bookings. READ MORE

The sale of a hotel is a long process, but there may be no more important element of the sale than getting to know your potential buyer. As the person who will be taking over your life's work, you need to identify if your potential buyer is the right choice. This critical decision can ultimately impact your personal and financial life down the road. While it may seem to be a tough task, many of your concerns can be eased with five simple questions. These questions will help you weed out potential buyers who may be "kicking the tires" but not truly serious about buying your business, or who don't have the financial means to complete a deal. READ MORE