Understanding how to anticipate, interpret and deliver guest needs and desires in an ever more complex world of choices and communication channels will require humans who can subjectively jump in to any situation to deliver and exceed expectations. And, while guests may want to skip many of the transactional steps like check in and reservations in favor of doing it themselves or using new technology, they will not want to skip getting their needs met or even figured out which well-trained humans can do. READ MORE

One of the most common misconceptions employers have is that an employee can be paid a salary merely because of their position or title within the company. Many well-intentioned employers latch on to this misconception and end up paying salaries to "managers," "administrative assistants," or other employees with lofty titles even though the law dictates otherwise. Of course, this can lead to very expensive misclassification lawsuits. This article explores a specific sub-set of exemptions, the "white collar" exemptions, and explains how they are applied. It will also describe what a well-written job description looks like and why it is essential to avoiding and defending against employee lawsuits. READ MORE

Hotels exist within a broad ecosystem, interacting with external entities such as government organizations, star rating systems, destination marketing organizations, academic institutions, research and advisory firms, and owners and investors - to including internal functions and technologies in the areas of guest services and operations, HR and staffing, sales, marketing, loyalty and distribution and revenue strategy. This ecosystem has always been very interconnected, but now these connections are accelerating and deepening for a number of reasons - from consumers' use of mobile and social technologies, to the Internet of Things, to technology companies sharing data more freely through APIs. As the capacity for connections increases, we will continue to see that these connections create value. The hotels and brands that recognize this will make further interconnectivity a priority for their technology programs, and this interconnectivity will ultimately give them the edge through efficiency and innovation. Competitive advantage rarely comes from one technology or department or program - but instead assembling a collection of the best tools, technologies and data sets - and making them all work together seamlessly. READ MORE

Sometimes I can't help but worry - is the hotel salesperson becoming obsolete? When I started out in the hotel business in the mid 80's, Sales was the job everyone wanted. Sales Managers got free dry-cleaning, worked Monday through Friday, spent their time taking clients out to lunch, and were even allowed to drink wine (with clients only!). It looked like a great life, and as a front desk clerk working the 3-11 every Friday and Saturday night, dressed in a polyester uniform while checking guests in and out for eight hours daily, it was definitely a job I aspired to have. READ MORE

The truth is that good public relations and social media come from the same place: relevant, insightful and actionable content. What does that really mean though? Simply put, both are about talking WITH people, not at them. Think about the best conversations you've had in your life. Chances are that you were talking with someone that listened to you and also offered something worth your time. It was likely about something that mattered to you, that you were curious about, or that benefited you in some way. You probably learned something from the conversation, whether about the topic itself, the people influencing the topic, or the person with whom you were having the conversation. READ MORE