Collaboration is vital to hotel success and a critical driver of improved operations and more valuable and meaningful customer experiences. But it won't happen on its own and hotel leaders and HR professionals have an important role to play in engaging and connecting employees in new ways so they can share their knowledge, perspectives, and passion for unlocking the real potential in every guest's visit. READ MORE

Just hearing the words "high-maintenance guest" can cause your blood pressure to rise. High-maintenance people come through your door with a barrage of demands and requests; you or your staff can spend hours trying to please them, keeping you from other guests and distracting you to no end. They can show up just about anywhere, from budget and mid-range to boutique and five-star hotels, and not only expect you to put up with their baggage, but carry it too. Can insecure egomaniacs, prima donnas, hypochondriacs, anxiety-ridden artists, temperamental CFOs, fussy elite athletes, divas, and manic-depressive narcissists be customers you can (and actually want to) keep coming back? READ MORE

Leaders in the hospitality industry need to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. A conscious awareness of the way leaders choose language and how they deliver the words brings about certain affects and effects in people. The way leaders deliver messages is one of the key tactics in reducing stress within the workplace. Stress may improve or impair memory. The improvement or impairment is due to excessive workloads, isolation, lack of communication, and feeling undervalued in professional kitchens. READ MORE

In today's economy, the competition for hotel guests is strong. First impressions are important and a property's curb appeal is one of the first things a guest may notice. Ensuring the property looks its best year round will help draw guests anytime of the year, while quality customer service and generous amenities will encourage guests to return to a property again and again. In the article “Seasonal Color: Effectively keeping color in the landscape year-round,” U.S. Lawns President Ken Hutcheson discusses how to develop a healthy-looking, eye-catching landscape that provides year-round color, setting your property apart from the competition. READ MORE

The development of a number of major trends made 2013 a banner year for green hospitality. New interest in sustainable hotels prompted the debut of three annual green lodging conferences. Realization of the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit has fueled explosive growth of sustainable technology and practices. In this article, we will examine a number of rapidly developing trends that are leading hotel companies to increase their investments in environmental initiatives. READ MORE