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Lessons from the Field
A Common Sense Approach to Success in the Hospitality Industry |
By Dr. John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE, September 2, 2009 |
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Hotel Common Sense �
"A Baker�s Dozen" of Strategies for Hotel
Human Resource Managers & Directors
By Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA MHS, September 2, 2009
With the ongoing turbulence facing our industry and global economies, the responsibility to find the time to �think� has become even more critical. The regrettable propensity for knee jerk responses is evident if one watches the daily rise and fall of global stock market prices, as companies and industries are substantially devalued for reasons that have little to do with the actual company�s quality or performance. On a localized basis, as much as we want improved processes and product, we need to remember to maintain the foundations of our successes and not accept the negativity of the naysayers. �Quality begins on the inside... and then works its way out.�
This column addresses the very core of all hotels. Without the proper planning and implementation of staffing and service, a hospitality business that interacts with guests 24 hours a day for 365 days a year has little chance for ongoing success. Over the years, this responsibility has had a number of names: personnel, people, staffing, workforce development and human resources. Smaller hotels may not always have staff dedicated only to this activity, but this responsibility remains the same regardless of hotel or staff size. Today�s hospitality HR Management team must be straightforward communicators and able to work under pressure because there always seem to be crises. Those crises might be anything from technology breaches to staffing shortages to accusations that need research, but thriving in a multiple priority environment is often a requirement The primary role of the HR Management team is to lead and support senior management and department heads in all aspects of recruitment, orientation, training and development, employment issues, staff relations, and organizational development. The HR Management team must constantly communicate with all levels of staff to guide the hotel�s commitment to service. At times, this means making the most of staff strengths and developing staff and at other times researching and examining issues or situations carefully. "A Baker�s Dozen" of Strategies for Hotel Human Resource Managers
& Directors
How well do you do compare at your hotel?
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Autographed copies of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD � a COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES can be obtained from THE ROOMS CHRONICLE www.roomschronicle.com and other industry sources. All rights reserved by John Hogan and this column may be included in an upcoming book on hotel management. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication John Hogan, a career hotelier and educator, is frequently invited to participate at franchise meetings, management company and hospitality association industry events. He is a successful senior executive with a record of accomplishment in leading hospitality industry organizations at multiple levels, with demonstrated competencies as a strong leader, relationship builder, problem solver and mentor. He conducts mystery-shopping reviews of quality in operations and marketing, including repositioning of hotels. Expertise and Research Interest
He writes weekly columns for a number of global online services and has published more than 400 articles & columns on the hotel industry. He co-authored (with Howard Feiertag, CHA CMP) LESSONS FROM THE FIELD � a COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES, which is available from [email protected], ROOMS CHRONICLE www.roomschronicle.com and other industry sources. He resides in Phoenix, Arizona and expects to publish in 2009 his 2nd book based on his dissertation � The Top 100 People of All Time Who Most Dramatically Affected the Hotel Industry. Hogan�s professional experience includes over 35 years in hotel operations, food & beverage, sales & marketing, training, management development and asset management on both a single and multi-property basis, including service as Senior Vice President of Operations in a specialty hotel brand for six years. He holds a number of industry certifications (CHA, CHE, MHS, ACI) and is a past recipient of the American Hotel & Lodging Association�s Pearson Award for Excellence in Lodging Journalism, as well as operational and marketing awards from international brands. He has served as President of both city and state hotel associations. John�s background includes teaching college level courses as an adjunct professor at three different colleges and universities over a 20-year period, while managing with Sheraton, Hilton, Omni and independent hotels. He was the principal in an independent training & consulting group for more than 12 years serving associations, management groups, convention & visitors� bureaus, academic institutions and as an expert witness. He joined Best Western International in spring of 2000, where over the next 8 years he created and developed a blended learning system as the Director of Education & Cultural Diversity for the world�s largest hotel chain. He has served on several industry boards that deal with education and/or cultural diversity and as brand liaison to the NAACP and the Asian American Hotel Owners� Association with his long-term involvement in the Certified Hotel Owner program. He has conducted an estimated 3,200 workshops and classes in his career. Service to the Industry and Hospitality Education includes
working with the Educational Institute Certification Commission of the
AH&LA, the Hospitality Industry Diversity Institute, the AH&LA
Multicultural Advisory Council, the Accreditation Commission for Programs
in Hospitality Administration, the Commission for Accreditation on Hospitality
Management Programs, the AH&LA and AAHOA Education and Training Committees,
the Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators (CHRIE), the
International Hotel Show and the Certified Hotel Owner program for the
Asian American Hotel Owners� Association.
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Contact:
Dr. John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE
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