With improved benefits and guest-friendly rules, hotel loyalty programs are increasingly becoming one of the primary reasons for selecting a particular hotel. Loyalty programs now rank fourth among reasons why consumers select a hotel (the top three reasons are "Location", "Price", and "Past Experience"). Across the industry loyalty program membership is on the rise and the percentage of "Elite" members in these hotel programs rose sharply in 2011 (up 5%). This is good news for hotels because members of these programs are more likely to recommend the hotel, spend more per room, and are less sensitive to price increases compared to non-member guests. READ MORE

Earlier this year, American Express conducted a survey exploring attitudes and preferences toward customer service. The survey revealed seven in ten Americans (70%) are willing to spend an average of 13% more with companies they believe provide excellent customer service. Even so, the same survey indicated that six in ten Americans (60%) believe businesses haven't increased their focus on providing good customer service. Among this group, 26% think companies are actually paying less attention to service. Consider these three truths about exceptional customer service.. READ MORE

The Front Desk is your front line for guest services. Most hotels do a very good job training their front desk people to be cordial. They understand the opportunity... and the liability. At one time or another, we have all experienced walking into a hotel and receiving a luke-warm reception from the person behind the counter. When that happens, in my brain, I hear the words, “Oh boy, I'm in for a mediocre guest experience here―at best”. In addition, not surprisingly, that less-than-optimum experience usually happens. READ MORE

Understanding the new rules of the crisis management game is important to protecting your hotel's reputation. While the real time that social networks offer these days can be horrific when a crisis hits, at least you will be prepared to face the worst. With a crisis plan in place and a great team behind you, your business will be ready to tackle any questionable social media post… Read my story READ MORE

Hotel owners looking to sell their business often make a few common mistakes, ranging from not properly preparing for the sale to not offering seller financing. However, in a competitive marketplace there is not much room for error. These tips will guide you on increasing your chances of having a successful sale by paying attention to details that are often overlooked. READ MORE

A hotel stay doesn't begin when guests walk into your property - it begins with the design scheme and the purchase of FF&E elements. Working closely with your interior designer and your FF&E supplier, your objective should be to turn a "hotel stay" into a "hotel experience." So what are some practical yet economical ideas for enhancing the look of your hotel? This article provides some tips for achieving your objective effectively as you keep one eye on design and the other eye on the bottom line. I hope you find these suggestions helpful. Let me know your thoughts and if I can answer any questions. READ MORE

If your hotel is moving towards being green, it is undoubtedly addressing each of the 3Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle. Since I am not even close to being an engineer, how to implement these Rs best left to these experts. I want to put the spotlight on being green by looking at the most important element in your hotel's existence - marketing to current and potential guests. Aside from the long-term ROI of going green, being a green hotel is a positioning tool for the brand. Research by the American Marketing Association shows that the primary reason for any business to go green is to generation good Public Relations; the second reason is to reach specific target markets. And in this ecologically conscious business environment, both reasons are critical to your hotel. READ MORE

While seemingly unimportant, those pesky one-pagers known as the “Form I-9” that all employers are required to complete for new hires can be the source of significant liability. In fiscal year 2010, ICE agents recovered penalties of $6.9 million from businesses, criminally charged nearly 200 business owners and managers with immigration violations, and conducted more than 2,000 compliance audits of employer-prepared I-9 work eligibility forms. READ MORE

A line of travelers gliding effortlessly through the city scape on SegwayR PTs might invoke scenes from a 20th century sci-fi movie. Less commonplace might be an amputee among them using a seat that has been retrofitted onto the device. Something of a novelty still, SegwayR PTs have been at the hub of activity in the disability rights realm. These and other power-driven mobility devices have the United States government requiring lodging establishments to permit individuals with mobility disabilities using them in any areas of these facilities. READ MORE

Water conservation is an important practice to adopt in today's uneasy economy as it is a cost control and a way to enhance efficiency for a hotel property. In an industry that thrives on recreating the home experience away from home, hotels have much to gain by employing water conservation practices. Guests enjoy unwinding from a long business day in a warm shower and relaxing by a pool surrounded by beautiful landscapes. But these amenities can result in significant water costs for a hotel. Fortunately in today's energy efficient world, there are effective ways to decrease water consumption that will result in significant cost savings. READ MORE

The formal practice and profession of revenue management continues to be one of change and evolution. Keeping up with advances in technology, changes in marketing and increasing numbers and types of distribution channels requires more flexibility than ever before. Amid these developments, the online travel agency (OTA) has forever changed the rules of revenue management, affecting areas ranging from communications to rate parity. Here, Christian Koestler of Lixto, Inc., outlines some of the significant ways OTAs are impacting revenue management today, and what managers can look forward to in the future. READ MORE

United States immigration laws provide ample opportunities for American businesspersons to thrive despite current economic conditions. Specifically, the Immigration and Nationality Act's (INA) EB-5 program allows foreign investors to funnel their resources into local business projects in exchange for visas. Notably, the hospitality industry has achieved unprecedented success from EB-5's attractive provisions, with its latest projects largely funded by millions in foreign capital. As a result, hotel and resort owners are strongly encouraged to visit their local regional centers and take advantage of the laundry list of opportunities still available to market to overseas investors. READ MORE

In this article I will try to explain the recent efforts by local governments to develop green business programs in partnership with resident companies. These programs not only help the communities present a better image of themselves, but can also be a leveraging tool for property owners and managers interested in defining a new niche within local and national markets. I will also provide a few reasons why these programs can benefit the hospitality industry and actions that property managers and owners can take to make these partnerships improve their market position. READ MORE

Online guest feedback is one of the biggest opportunities hotel companies have today for improving product quality and maximizing revenue. Yet too many hotel executives do not have the adequate supporting technology to take advantage of this opportunity. This article will provide some criteria to help you select a tool that fits your needs. READ MORE

In the recent months Google has been trying out new projects and applications at an almost feverish pace. They seem to have made the transition from using names that made no sense in relation to the project (Google Hot Pot) to taking a page from Prince's playbook and going with a symbol that throws wrenches into grammatical structure and HTML code (Google+). You may be asking yourself these questions: what is Google+, what relationship does it have with the Google +1 Button, what are Circles, what is a Hangout, and most importantly, how do I get involved in this? READ MORE

It is important for the public relations and marketing industry to continue moving forward as the world of media and technology changes, updating yesterday's strategies and tactics to ensure that we, as marketing professionals, are most effective at spreading the word for our clients, our companies or our brands. So to help you to update your PR strategies, here are three ways to rethink your outdated hotel marketing and media strategies and become more effective at generating consumer interest and inspiring action (i.e. bookings). READ MORE

Are your employees masters of their crafts? How well do you think they are meeting your standards when you're not around? Developing your employees into true masters of their crafts requires holding them accountable to your hotel's standards. By offering up reinforcement that encourages the right behaviors and providing corrective coaching when your standards aren't being met, you can teach employees how to provide a guest experience that keeps people coming back, and even make your job a little easier. Jesse Boles of FreemanGroup tells you how to make the most of your ongoing training efforts. READ MORE

They're entering our hotels every day! They're not going away! They number in the millions! We're not talking about bedbugs! We're talking about Generation Y, and they're entering your hotels as employees, guests, suppliers, conference attendees, wedding guests, and vendors. And they're not going away. Your hotel's success will be dependent on knowing how to embrace them, communicate with them, hire them, engage them, and recognize and reward them. I use to tell my managers "treat people they way they you want to be treated! The new message is "treat people the way they want to be treated." READ MORE

Buying Groups, also known as Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) have been around for almost a century, and provide value to a number of industries, including Hospitality. The concept behind Buying Groups is laudable - small, independently run businesses can combine their purchasing power to negotiate better discounts traditionally only available to major enterprises. By participating in a Buying Group, businesses can theoretically save on purchasing costs by 'outsourcing' their purchasing capabilities to a Buying Group. READ MORE

How does the ADA community affect your bottom line? Is your property ADA compliant? Beyond compliant, is it actually ADA friendly? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, this demographic (the ADA community) has more than $175 billion in discretionary spending power. The business owners and hospitality properties that recognize the ADA community and their potential revenue contributions, surely have the edge. Such companies are working hard to be not just ADA compliant but truly ADA friendly. They are making a difference, while capturing some of the revenue dollars that affect their bottom line. READ MORE

There is only one chance to make a good first impression. Trite as it may be, creating a good first impression can pave the way to attract business, establish a positive brand, and thwart potential liability. Hotels and other establishments which neglect their parking lots miss out on the opportunity to attract business. Worse yet, they may raise the potential for costly litigation and non-compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act. As we will discuss, ADA compliant parking involves much more than designating a few parking spots as handicap accessible. READ MORE

The success of our relationships determines the success of our business. Studies have shown that one of the bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your team has in you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you. Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness and good ethics. But where do we begin in engaging people to build these relationships, and in creating a climate of understanding and trust? READ MORE

In today's highly competitive hospitality market, a heightened understanding of a guest's preferences and total worth will enhance a guest's experience, maximize revenue and ensure loyalty, while establishing market share for your hotel. While there have been many advances in revenue management throughout the years and market segmentation and channel management strategies have become more targeted in identifying and reaching guests who could add revenue to a hotel, some hoteliers do still not understand the full value of their guests. READ MORE

Social media has become an integral part of the industry's marketing mix to build brands and drive bookings. However, when it comes to using social media for talent recruitment, organizations are still learning this powerful tool. A recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder found that one in four job seekers expect companies to have a presence in social media. Find out what candidates are looking for in social media and how some of the industry's leading companies are using social media to enhance their employment brand and engage employees and candidates on a more personal level. READ MORE

Are you ready for the recovery? With the economy improving in parts of the world and others not far behind, sellers' market for labor will be quickly upon us. Hoteliers will again find themselves struggling to recruit the talent they want and need. To help you with these challenges, we have brought together solutions from around the world that you can implement tomorrow. These proven ideas have worked for others and can certainly work for you―without spending a lot of money. READ MORE