If most hotels are using similar game plans to achieve high levels of service, why aren't service levels the same from hotel to hotel, property to property? Jesse Boles of FreemanGroup uses football as a metaphor as he discusses the reasons why some service teams perform better than others. The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't win more Super Bowl games than any other team by simply telling their players to play better; they gave them specific standards that enabled them to achieve better outcomes than their competitors. With the right standards and solid leadership, your service staff can do the same thing. READ MORE

When surveyed, over 90 percent of U.S. travelers said they would choose a green, environmentally conscious hotel over a non-sustainable, non-green hotel if it was comparable in price. With the current abuzz about sustainability, the environment, and waste management, it is important for hotels to understand the many benefits that come from going green. Hotels must consider the cost, as well as their location, staff, and customers when choosing which green programs to implement. Although there are many costly ways to be environmentally friendly, such as solar panels, there are also many easy, non-costly ways your hotel can work towards becoming greener, such as a towel exchange program, a ride share program, and composting left over food. READ MORE

To paraphrase an old advertising tagline, green has come a long way, baby! Today, green - and all its derivatives - has come to symbolize a movement. A movement of sustainability, of being eco-friendly, and of being environmentally aware. A movement that has grown out of our emergent realization that we have to take better care of Mother Earth if she is going to take care of us. A movement that, at its core, represents the capacity to endure. And a movement that impacts every hotel and every guest they serve. In this article, you'll learn that, in addition to the 3 traditional Rs of Greening efforts - reduce, reuse and recycle - Greening has a forth "R", reputation - of your hotel's property and, indirectly, of your guests. READ MORE

Now more than ever, most hoteliers are searching for demand generators and are relying on direct sales to impact revenues to fill the significant void left by the ailing economy. Depending on the type of property i.e. transient vs. group-based, direct sales could be responsible for as much as 50%-90% of the occupancy. But many times, the sales person or sales leader is at a loss as to find new prospects. This article will address some key tactics for uncovering sales prospects and in maintaining consistent systems and procedures to produce quality information for current and future prospecting. Implementing new tactics, combined with a motivated sales department will ensure that the sales organization is fully productive in accomplishing their roles of generating business. READ MORE

Our travel choices are shaped by today's lifestyles, fashions, and economy. At home, we're used to upscale amenities and technological conveniences - and we don't want to give them up when we're on the road. That's why today, there's more to hotel design than just coordinating wall colors and furniture. The goal of every hotelier and interior designer is to create space which is practical yet appealing... intimate yet dramatic... elegant yet everyday. READ MORE