We are living in a native app age. The apps downloaded have become native to our productivity [native apps] leading to have the same impact in today's businesses as websites did in 90's. Surveys have shown that users prefer native apps over mobile apps or websites; according to a survey by Flurry in 2014, “Time spent on a mobile device by the average US consumer has risen to 2 hrs and 42 minutes per day”. As the trends continue, every business is trying to leverage native app technology to their organization's success. READ MORE

The digital customer is not yet fully served by the hotel industry and the opportunity for a hotel to fully leverage mobile to capture this customer has now arrived. In order for a hotel to become truly customer-centric they need to explore how off-property hospitality can address the customer's pain points and enhance the customer's experience by developing engaging mobile apps. In this article we explore how leveraging “Big Data” in a mobile strategy is beneficial but limiting, and why hotels must also leverage the “Small Data” and digital interactions to provide “delight” to customers. READ MORE

What are you doing to tell your hotel's brand story in a way that deepens loyalty with existing guests? Are you leveraging every on-premise touch point? Are you maximizing digital properties in a way that delights the customer throughout every step of the purchase decision? Today, everything can be viewed as a communications channel, and the opportunities are endless to strengthen the bond between customer and brand. Respected marketer, Prentice Howe walks readers through best practices from industry leaders to learn creative tactics in a way that's ownable to your property's brand story. READ MORE

Another year has come and gone, and hoteliers worldwide are already planning for the months and quarters ahead. Renovations, expansions and overall segment growth will continue to fuel the industry and will gain much attention throughout the year, but it will also be crucial to monitor the constant evolution of today's hotel management environment. Change is upon us, and the ways hoteliers operate more efficiently while driving better revenue is the newest frontier. Take revenue management for example: no longer dictated by gut instincts or stagnant spreadsheets, the practice of revenue management—and the technologies driving it—continues to incorporate new strategies for maximum profitability. Not only are hotel operations more tightly integrated with revenue management technology overall, but that technology is extending to other areas within hospitality as well, enabling hoteliers to take a more holistic revenue approach. But these are just some examples of what to look for in revenue management as we begin a new year. Let's explore a few more. READ MORE

Of all the challenges facing hotel management teams, linen loss may sound minor. Yet wasted linen is a tangible problem that affects a hotel's bottom line. Left unchecked, it can waste hotel resources and create crises that leave guests dissatisfied and staff frustrated. If controlled, it can generate savings, both of money and staff time. When we talk about linen loss in hotels, we're talking about the approximately 15 to 20 percent of linen products that are lost or discarded before the end of their useful life. That adds up. At approximately $250 per room for a four par of basic sheets and towels, linen purchases cost the hospitality industry $1.25 billion per year. If we factor in premium items like duvet covers, pillow shams and bath robes, that estimate goes up to $350 per room or $1.75 billion. That means the cost of replacing lost linen is between $50 and $70 per room, or between $2.5 million and $3.5 million industry-wide. READ MORE