Sometimes, despite a considerable investment of time and resources, an hotelier isn't able to find an American worker to fill the position. In that event, hoteliers are not limited to the pool of US workers who do not meet the minimum requirements for the job; they may consider hiring a foreign national. One way to do this is by sponsoring a foreign national for permanent residence through a process called Labor Certification. Once an hotelier is able to obtain Labor Certification, she may sponsor a foreign national for permanent residence; this means the right person for the job will become eligible for a green card. READ MORE

In all of the excitement of the ever-evolving social media platforms and tools, are owners and operators forgetting a critical source of business for their properties? Direct sales, in many cases, has become just another source of social media tactics and sales managers have virtually disappeared from the public. As business owners, can we be complacent with the loss of a discipline that is the most controllable and quantifiable part of a marketing plan? READ MORE

While creating a successful brand can be a challenge for any company or industry, branding in the hospitality industry presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities in an increasingly crowded market place. At Embassy Suites Hotels, we've developed a clear identity for our brand that resonates with our guests. Five key items help us bring the brand to life every day and maintain its integrity. READ MORE

Principles matter! They are a public declaration of a firm's DNA, announcing to the world what an enterprise stands for and how it is wired. They provide much more depth beyond banal platitudes such as "We care about our customers" and "Our employees are our most important asset." Ideally, a firm's principles are conveyed in myriad of actions and behaviors of the leadership team and employees as well as the quality of the products and/or services provided by the firm. READ MORE

Difficult moments, when guests are not at their best or even worse, when accidents take place and all emotions are unpredictable, will happen. Service First Aid can come to the rescue to make those situations in any hospitality environment a little or a lot better. Just as a band aid helps protect and heal a wound, so can service help protect and heal challenging situations and accidents. Managing the risk is worth the effort and may help avoid loss and excess cost. Read this article to LEARN how to diffuse potential upsets before they get out of control and come to the rescue of those inevitable difficult moments . Hoteliers who understand this concept and train their employees to do the same recognize this is a very effective risk management strategy. READ MORE