Hotel guest satisfaction has hit a record high, according to the J.D. Power 2015 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. But we can never become too comfortable. Continuing to grow satisfaction levels will give your property a distinct advantage over others. And, while embracing the latest technology trends offers new opportunities to improve guest satisfaction, it also presents a few challenges. Guests are accustomed to a very mobile world and have more ways than ever to select where they will stay. The manner in which guests assess, select and experience their lodging is changing almost as quickly as technology is advancing. What technologies are you leveraging to serve your guests? READ MORE

Social media influencers are changing the way hotels and hotel brands are promoting themselves in the digital era. In years past, hoteliers could simply consult a short list of available options to promote their products through paid advertising media. Moving beyond the local newspaper, a GDS terminal sign-in message could offer a “point of sale” purchase that directly targeted travel influencers. At the same time, paid consumer advertising meant print space in Conde Nast Traveler or The New York Times travel section. Advertisers could tally the number of impressions the publication declared through the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) that supported their advertising line rates. READ MORE

In 1888, George Eastman introduced the world to the first Kodak camera. Eastman's patented box and roll camera revolutionized photography by providing individuals the ability to capture everyday moments with relative ease. Fast forward to 2010, when Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom co-founded the modern version of the Kodak camera - Instagram. Within a week of launching, the app drew in 100,000 users. Two years later, Krieger and Systrom sold it to Facebook for $1 billion. READ MORE

Nearly half of US consumers use social media to get customer service and 1/3 would rather use social media than make a phone call. Those numbers are likely to keep growing. If you handle social media queries right, you can grow your base of potential customers and strengthen relationships with existing ones. On the other hand, if you handle it badly, your mishandling can ricochet around the world in an instant. So how the heck should you manage this beautiful but dangerous wild animal we call social media customer service? This article takes you through the basics of what you need to know. READ MORE

Word of mouth is nothing new. Consumers have always shared their opinions with their family and friends. Brands, on the other hand, have always known that word-of-mouth has a powerful influence on business results, as consumers trust friends over advertising. With the rise of social media on the Internet, consumers can now share their opinions with a much larger audience, amplifying its impact and multiplying it by 100x or more. The rise of Social Media has brought massive changes to the hospitality industry, as we are witnessing the emergence of an empowered consumer that makes decisions based on other user's opinions. READ MORE