With this summer's tourist season come and gone, it is time for all hoteliers to review the efficiency of their operations and determine if their staffing needs were properly met to ensure that the tourists of today will be satisfied customers of tomorrow. Scores of proprietors are looking for temporary staff to assist with the daily operations throughout the busy vacation season, and luckily for employers, a program offered by the U.S. Department of State, The Summer Work Travel Program, offers students abroad the option to travel and work abroad. And because their visas and related immigration processes are predominately handled by an intermediary sponsor agency, hospitality companies bear little to no cost. READ MORE

Customer service is an essential element of room service; it is what gets counted at the end of a stay and added on the comment cards left in the room on the desk. It's good business practice to assure the service guests receive is exceptional. When people with disabilities travel, it is difficult enough finding a venue which is accommodating and accessible, but when a hotel is located and the individual accepts the accommodations they also want to be assured their service will be what was promised. READ MORE

Communication is critical in determining how to better serve customers and it serves as a tool to retain customers. It determines what a customer needs in terms of service to enable them to receive the quality of service the hotel/motel can deliver while they are guests. It begins once reservations are made in the initial phone call and the scheduling of a room assignment. The person servicing the phone call has to be able to listen to the potential guest and determine what their unique needs may be. Once a person mentions they have a disability and requires specific accommodations, the reservationists' job is to communicate in such a way as to identify the individuals' unique needs. READ MORE

Adults with disabilities travel often and enjoy staying in hotels/motels which cater to their unique and specific needs. They are seeking exceptional customer service as all guests hope to acquire. These questions on how to assist should be no different on how to address the concerns of any other guest intent on having a comfortable and memorable stay. People with disabilities desire the same products and service as other persons and deserve to be treated as viable consumers. READ MORE

Every person who patronizes a hotel is looking for exceptional customer service and deserves accommodations when needed. Often there may be some questions in guest services on how to appropriately offer dignified services to patrons, who may have unique needs. Those needs are individualized and should be taken into account when preparing your services accordingly. Let me start by telling you a story which will shed some light on how to approach the issue in a practical way. READ MORE

It is thought to be a normal human behavior to be kind, sensitive, caring, and helpful, which is what we have all learned in grade school. However, since there are such a multitude of different people in this country with all types of behaviors and attitudes, it's difficult to become accustomed to all of them. What's even worse is when people of differences have disabilities. There are an estimated 54 million people living in this country with a disability, and unfortunately this number will rise daily, as people experience all types of things which cause them to be diagnosed with having a disability; whether it's through accident, injury, disease or birth. READ MORE

It is human nature to desire to feel secure in the world we live in. This motivational factor has been born in all living beings for centuries; which has become a hierarchy of needs adapted by Abraham Maslow in the 1940's - 1950's. His theory determined Human Beings motivational need for safety was high on his Hierarchy of Needs (Abraham Maslow, 1970). People want to feel safe and secure in their existence and want no reluctance in obtaining it. This factor is a major issue for people with disabilities, especially when they venture out of their comfort zone-home. The thought of staying in a hotel or motel with more than 10 or more floors can make one apprehensive who use adaptive equipment for mobility. READ MORE

Cleaning is important not only from the point of hygiene but also from the point of safety, security and complying with legislation. Hygiene is an important issue to all kinds of accommodation seekers irrespective of whatkind of accommodation they seek. When the accommodation provider continues to ignore hygiene that will meet guest expectations, no guest is going to return back. Key to any successful cleaning programme is the employee should learn about the brand's core value for which they are working. Accommodation providers should conduct regular audit on hygiene and keep staff well trained on what to look on their daily rounds. READ MORE

The slow, but steady, rebound of the economy has lead to cautious optimism about the immediate future of the commercial real estate market as assets begin to trade again. Lenders are beginning to get back into commercial real estate lending and have been conservative with terms depending on the overall financial strength of the owner and industry experience. Institutional investors have a distinct advantage over private investors as far as access to capital through both the debt market and private equity offerings. Some are even buying mortgage loans as a way to gain control of an asset. READ MORE

As a whole, the pantry program should be a simple to supply, simple to manage effort that adds thousands of dollars to your bottom line each month. The frustrations that GM's and Management Companies run into happen to every group that I work with. They are typically easy to resolve issues that are conquered with a clear plan, some core sales data, and the realization that the revenue opportunity that the Pantry presents is worth the upfront planning and effort. READ MORE

I recently had to give a prediction for the future of IT in the next five years to Computerworld magazine for their list of premier leaders in IT. They asked me to offer my boldest, most out-on-a-limb prediction. Mine was that the traditional IT department operating in a specific industry will cease to exist as IT will continue to migrate towards the community model. If you work for a major hotel company in an IT position, the nature of your job will change, period. READ MORE

When hotel executives think of smartphone and other mobile technology, guest self-service applications are most likely to come to mind. After all, consumers increasingly use mobile applications to check in and check out, order room service, schedule wake-up calls, make restaurant reservations,request luggage pick-up and confirm car rentals. It offers the ultimate in convenience, ease-of-use and efficiency. Yet, this same technology can also be employed by hotel staff to boost productivity and streamline operations. READ MORE

From the kiosk at the limited-service, select-service hotels, and extended-stay properties to the full scale “shopping centers” at the convention and resort hotels, retail operations are a critical component of the hospitality industry. Clearly, retail operations can be beneficial to the bottom line, but savvy hotel owners look beyond percentage rent and thoroughly analyze how the retail offerings at their hospitality product enhance the entire programmatic experience, and the competitive market position of their hotel. READ MORE

Supporting employees through sexual misconduct in guest service positions is an often over-looked and very important part of keeping the ambiance and integrity of any hotel spa facility high. Encouraging spa and hotel management with ideas on responsibly and positively training employees to handle sexual misconduct appropriately. Let's explore training guest service receptionists to identify potential sexual misconduct, as well as the definition of sexual misconduct by law, and what options are available for counseling therapists, separating the "sex industry from luxury spa". READ MORE

Protecting your guests' cardholder data beyond the Payment Card Industry requirements is critical. To provide additional protection and combat the threats to your hotel and guests, select a security provider with a solution that gives you the very best protection available. There are many options, but one that employs end-to-end encryption, does not charge "junk" fees and utilizes both software and hardware offers the best, most comprehensive protection. READ MORE