What happens when guests enter a restaurant and before they even decide what they want, they see the word "NO" implying the message "you can't have that" before they even ask? How do policies like "No substitutions" and "No exceptions" affect both guests and employees in service delivery? Many guests have nutrition, health and diet issues as well and don't want to feel 'punished' for having particular needs or requests. What options do hoteliers and restaurant managers have or should they have when guests want to switch a side dish or request a substitution? How can employees be trained to manage exceptions with exceptional service? Read "No Substitutions, No Exceptions, No Service!" to explore concrete ways to substitute the word "Yes" in these service scenarios. READ MORE

Fancy places, high prices and then the record scratches. It's a mystery! It's amazing how hard a team will work, how many dollars they will spend to create services and amenities, then they scrimp on the one item or miss the one key point of contact and the service impression unravels. Many times, no one understands or knows why it happens. What service no-no's take away all of the hard work? How can hoteliers learn to trace and track service mysteries? Hospitality leaders need to go above and beyond to solve any potential service faux pas. READ MORE

It sounded good. It looked good. But did it really end up being good? Misleading hospitality messages turn potentially loyal guests into untrusting souls and those who won't come back. And since one bad story usually gets retold 10-20 times, each time with a bit more horror and drama (we all love to exaggerate and tell the bad stories), the long term impact and deterrent marketing can be powerfully disturbing. As the Halloween season winds down, make sure using disguises is not a year round event relative to service delivery. Consider evaluating if your messages simply lure guests in or if they really deliver what the message promised. When hotels or other organizations promise hospitality on a variety of levels and the guest signs on, excuses and problems are not an option. READ MORE

On January 20, 2009 our country witnessed a transition in power as Barack Obama took the Oath of Office and pledged bold action and change as President of the United States during a time of fiscal crises. As President Obama shared his remarks and vision, the country seemed revitalized through his commitment. Hoteliers and hospitality leaders can use this momentum as an opportunity to revitalize their commitment and inaugurate positive changes in service into their respective worlds of guest expectations. What are the top five things your hospitality business could change now and how would you go about it? READ MORE

A man sitting in a restaurant was waiting for his soup appetizer. When it arrived, the man noticed a fly in his soup. He summoned the waiter and asked, "Waiter, what is this fly doing in my soup?" The waiter calmly replied, "Why, I believe he is doing the back stroke sir." While this joke has been told many times to amuse patrons everywhere, the unappealing prospect of scenarios like this really happening is far from amusing. As summer kicks into full swing, hot weather strikes, the bugs come out, attitudes relax, food seems sloppier and dirt makes bold appearances. Cleanliness is next to Godliness and so it goes in service too. Making sure clean is clear and constant for guests is a critical facet of service excellence. When places, people or things are not clean, the organization hosting those "unclean" environments makes a statement that they do not care and that there are other priorities which take precedence. READ MORE

What happens when the sun sets, the shifts change and the service settles down? Grumpy, tired and impatient guests may need extra reassurance, empathy and problem solving when the unexpected takes place. Are the least service-oriented employees or those on the third shift, thinking they don't have much guest interaction when in fact, they may have the most INTENSE guest exposure? Why would managers consider having those less trained or less focused on service just because there are fewer guest interactions during the late shift? To ensure late night service excellence is real and not just a dream, read about nightshift examples and strategies to ensure hospitality excellence is on duty 24 hours a day. READ MORE

"Beep, Beep.could you move your dishes out of the way!" My tablemates and I were flabbergasted. Had our waitress really said that? Managers of this restaurant had pulled out almost all the stops to make this a VIP experience. The stop they missed was training their staff on the importance of each touchpoint, each point of contact and how making sure every moment of the experience would be remembered in a positive way. Read this article to learn how to avoid traumatic touchpoints and how to identify touchpoint opportunities which will make service exceptional. READ MORE

Do you work hard for your guests, or do you make your guests work hard for you? Working hard to be a guest, or a customer, is not what most guests sign up for, especially those that are loyal. It can take years to get loyal guests, and only seconds to lose them. Loyal guests love to come back, when they feel loved too. They also spend more, are less price sensitive and enjoy telling others about their favorite spots. Wooing repeat and referral guests are part of a hotel's easiest and most profitable business strategies. It can cost up to 8-10 times more to get a new customer or guest, versus keeping and nurturing the ones you have. Why are the faithful so often treated so unfaithfully? READ MORE

Healthcare is on everybody's minds these days. Politicians, business leaders and everyday folks are scrambling to find the best solutions to care for everyone, to ensure all get the medical services they need. Most everyone agrees that health care is a basic human need. Service, good service, the desire to be treated nicely, is a basic human need too. Just as healthcare is getting Presidential priority, so should service care be the priority of any hospitality leader. READ MORE

As the hotel industry struggles to keep its proverbial head above the deep recession waters, the matter of effective revenue management becomes more critical than ever. Hoteliers want to know, in such a depressed climate, what revenue management strategies will work most successfully? Well, you asked for it, and you've got it. This article outlines the new revenue management model and the steps that every hotelier needs to take right now (and we do mean, right now!) to survive and thrive during the recession. READ MORE

In a multi-cultural environment problems can occur when differences in hierarchy, status and protocol lead to poor communication and misunderstanding. Every society has numerous nuances that would make it irresponsible to suggest a uniform approach to understanding any country's social/business customs or etiquette. Yet, having a set of loose guidelines can assist in bettering awareness and avoiding offence. In this essay I outline five essential practices that meet the growing demand for multi-cultural awareness within the hospitality industry. READ MORE

Until a hotel is properly furnished, it's only an empty building. Responsible purchasing - guided by the designer's creativity, the owner's preferences, and the franchisers standards - brings a property alive and gives it soul. But how should you select your purchasing partner? And how can you be sure to get the quality products you demand, the 'within budget' costs you require, and the follow-up service you expect? This article provides some suggestions for finding a firm you can trust - and that can help you avoid purchasing mistakes which can be expensive, time-consuming, embarrassing, and perhaps even have legal implications. READ MORE

Processing payments is a huge expense, but there are three key things you can do to gain control of that expense. First, identify the "junk" fees many card processors charge so you can protect against them and save money. Next, learn how to better understand your statements, and ask your processor, accountant or a competing processor to explain any fees you don't understand. Finally, select a payments processor who will become a partner that can help you navigate the complexities of card processing and control the associated costs. READ MORE

The hotel industry is experiencing a severe down turn. Many hotel loans are in monetary default. A significant number of hotels are not even able to pay operating expenses, let alone service debt. What should the borrower do when the loan goes into default? This article explores strategies for dealing with lenders in this most difficult economic climate. READ MORE

We have all heard it, and quite frankly said it, 2009 was a challenging year. The good news is we have all made it to 2010, but what now? While there are many signs that the economy is beginning to stabilize and move forward, we still have not seen an influx of capital into the market. There are certainly no new build projects, and a select few renovation projects that are moving forward in the current economy. With everyone still waiting to renovate and the industry is off to a slow start to the next cycle in the process, we ask ourselves - why not renovate now? READ MORE