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| I stayed at a hotel recently where the owner was commenting that he
was having trouble building repeat business in a highly competitive market.
He had an 80-room national limited-service franchise with a $57 ADR at
53% in 1995. Above-average decor in the guest rooms greeted the guest.
His occupancy should have been much higher.
However, at the complimentary continental breakfast, the owner demanded
that the manager cut all costs.
We trust your hotel breakfast is served fresh, at the appropriate temperature, meeting and/or exceeding all franchise requirements to meet the competition while building repeat room business. How Much to Offer Offering free food to your hotel guests began as, and sometimes remains, a game of one-upsmanship - I can do better than you. I can take care of my guests, and keep them coming back, because I give them free coffee in the Lobby 24 hours a day! The hotel next door said, "I will give them coffee and a donut," and at the next corner, the hotel's management added orange juice; and the beat goes on--and on to a full hot breakfast to order (Embassy Suites, among others). Bradbury Inns of Atlanta offers a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, toast, oatmeal/grits, pancakes/Eggo waffles, cereals, Danish, fruit, juice, coffee--all without a full production kitchen. Now Homewood Suites is offering two soups (a clear and a cream) each evening, along with serve-yourself draft beer and wine (where permitted by law). Cookies--we've got hot, fresh-from-the-oven cookies. Not only can Doubletree Hotels offer free cookies at the front desk from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., now you can too. Bake your own in your equipment, using your grandmother's favorite recipe, or call Otis Spunkmeyer (800/938-1900 in San Leandro, CA) for the oven (about the size of a large microwave) and the ready-to-use cookie dough. In theory, this dough helps you make more dough through repeat business, and it works! I know of a hotel at an interstate interchange, visible from the highway, only once you get off the interstate you cannot see the hotel, and by zoning no signs are permitted to direct you to the property. As a way of building business, the property markets large, fresh, hot, morning muffins in orange, blueberry, bran, and chocolate, and cookies in the evening of chocolate chip and raisin oatmeal. They use billboards, AAA Tour Books, AARP magazines, local radio and television (remember, they could not buy or rent the expensive signs). Their reputation and occupancy are excellent; the manager and sales personnel take muffins along on morning sales calls, and cookies in the afternoon. Recently, a competitive hotel on the corner added free half pints of cold milk to their cookie program--and the one-upsmanship beat goes on. Whether you offer cold continental breakfast/full hot breakfast; beer and wine/cocktails to order; fresh hot muffins/soup du jour--first meet the requirements of your franchise, and then exceed your competition through the best products and service that are cost effective. Remember--whatever you offer, you are offering it to increase occupancy and happy guests. |
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Also See:
What is Your Hotel’s Market Share and Market Penetration? A Clean Hotel Will Lead to More Business Back to IHC Main Index |