By David M. Brudney, ISHC, May 2005 Ever wonder who cuts the barber�s hair? Or how about who cooks
when the chef dines out? And to whom does the dentist turn when the
dentist needs dental work?
Well then, why is it that so many owners, operators and senior management of hotels and resorts are either reluctant to or never think of asking trusted professional consultants for recommendations when help and/or second opinions are in order? High quality, availability of professional consultants today I continue to be amazed at the high quality and availability of professional consulting today. The hospitality industry now features some extraordinary individuals offering customized consulting services in disciplines as far ranging as business valuation to technology, tourism destination development to management outsourcing, financial analysis to sales and marketing. Yet so many owners, operators and senior management never ask these
client-tested, easily accessible, professional consultants who would they
recommend.
To be sure, I know professional consultants today whose opinions are
always sought, whose work plates are always full. Most of these professional
consultants render services that are absolutely critical to the task at
hand and only a few do well.
Reasons why consultants are not asked Based upon my 27 year consulting practice, here are some reasons for why I think professional consultants are not asked for recommendations by clients and prospects:
�I know I can buy expertise by the pound,
One resource where owners, asset managers and senior management can go to for assistance recommendations is the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (www.ishc.com). ISHC is a global professional society of 170 members in 16 countries, each of whom is a leading consultant in the hospitality industry. ISHC members have expertise in more than 30 different specialty areas and collectively have experience with more than 50 hotel companies and nearly 100 brands and countless numbers of independent hotels worldwide. ISHC member clients include domestic and international, public and private hotel owners and investors, many leading financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, food and beverage service firms, airlines, cruise lines, time share and vacation ownership companies, universities, state, national and international convention, hospitality travel and tourism bureaus. Best of all, we communicate with one another electronically and face-to-face at our annual conference, we share information, timely articles, trends, significant new projects and even partner together on joint projects. I can�t count the times that I have recommended an ISHC member to a client, prospect or colleague. And the good work that those members have done in those instances have helped add more credibility and value to my own practice. We all need to know who to turn to for advice and recommendations. No one has all the answers and no one has all of the contacts. Qualified professional consultants are out there today performing services of great value. Potential clients should not overlook them as a valuable resource. Basically, we are all in this together: owner, lender, asset manager, operator, management company and consultant. We can all do a better job, make better decisions, if we are open to ideas, opinions, expertise from a multitude of sources. Professional consultants need to be one of those sources. In the end, doesn�t that help us do a better job of developing and operating successful hotels and taking care of our guests? Isn�t that what we�re in business for? © copyright 2005
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David M. Brudney, ISHC, Principal
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Clients
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Also See | Larry May: The Passing Of Another Hotel Soldier / David Brudney ISHC / April 2005 |
Hotel Owners: Better, Worse or About the Same? / David Brudney ISHC / December 2004 | |
Let�s Put Bush and Kerry Through the RFP Process / October 2004 | |
Bev Kordsmeier, Hyatt Sales� First Lady / April 2004 | |
Message to Hotel Sales Associates: �It�s Not You!�/ January 2004 | |
What Innkeepers Want Every Christmas? Fill Those Empty Rooms / December 2003 | |
Uncertain Times Call for Return to Backyard Basics / April 2003 | |
Time to �Group Up�? Maybe, Maybe Not / May 2002 | |
America�s Front Desk Fights Back! / January 2002 | |
Front Desk Fails To Catch America�s Hospitality Spirit / David Brudney ISHC / November 2001 | |
A Very Good Time For That Sales Audit / David Brudney ISHC / Sept 2001 | |
More Theater, Less Zombies / David Brudney ISHC / Dec 2000 | |
It�s The Experience, Stupid! / David Brudney ISHC / Nov 2000 |
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