Charging Four Figures by Rethinking the Guest Journey
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 24, 2023
Why 2023 Is the Year of Wellness for Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | April 12, 2023
Guest Experience
For Young Affluents, The Experience Really Is ‘Everything’
Matt Ferebee | May 25, 2023
By Matt Ferebee The world of leisure travel continues to change, particularly as it relates to younger affluent travelers. Raised on the internet and fed a steady stream of content via social media, these younger guests are seeking out travel that delivers what they have become so accustomed to online and on social: relevant content that is as immediate as it is immersive. In the context of hotels and resorts, that ‘content’ includes everything destination-related that a guest experiences before, during and after their stay. This desire to be surrounded by a more integrated, memorable experience is not, of course, a new expectation ...
Sometimes Customers Are Just Having a Bad Day
Shep Hyken | May 25, 2023
By Shep Hyken You’ve probably experienced this. No matter how hard you try to please some customers, they aren’t happy. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, it’s reality. And speaking of reality, no matter how good you are at creating an amazing customer experience, the customer’s perception counts. Their perception is their reality. I once went to an amazing restaurant – at least, I was told it was amazing. That evening, I had a bad cold. The people I was with raved about the food. However, I didn’t have the same experience. It had nothing to do with the food. It had to do with how I was feeling. When custo...
Charging Four Figures by Rethinking the Guest Journey
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 24, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky A broad prediction the two of us have for the rest of the rest of the decade is that luxury travel will boom, with many hotels easily surpassing four figures in their nightly rates. Hardly an outlier in this prediction, what many hoteliers may be taking for granted is the psychological expectations that occur when you cross this chasm. That is, with great rates come great responsibility. What you may be forgetting in this ‘rate inflation’ environment is that the luxury traveler is equally, if not more, savvy than the regular consumer. They know what they want and have plenty of options for other hotels s...
Best Practices for Hotel & Resort Operators in Pool Season 2023
Tracee Nalewak | May 24, 2023
By Tracee Nalewak With the arrival of warmer weather and summer fast approaching, hospitality operators are gearing up for another pool season. This year, technology is at the forefront of driving booking revenue and taking operational efficiency to the next level. Modern technology platforms (such as hospitality’s newest technology category – the Property Experience Management System or PXMS) are providing brand new capabilities that unlock new strategies and approaches to filling the pool with satisfied guests. Here are four best practices being utilized by the top pools in 2023: 1. Automate inventory yielding One of the bes...
Amadeus Hospitality’s Ecosystem Approach to Deliver Personalized Journeys in New Era of Travel
Amadeus | May 23, 2023
Research finds travelers today expect personalized, flexible, and sustainable journeys as new data shows the sector continuing to rebound New report explores how the industry will be able to deliver on these traveler expectations through the Amadeus ecosystem approach, combining content across hotels, mobility, and travel insurance Traveler expectations have changed over the past four years – the hospitality industry of 2023 is not that of 2019. These expectations are catalysts for change as today, personalization tops the agenda, with consumers seeking customizable offers when it comes to booking travel. Flexible and sustainable jo...
Customer Service Is Like Dating
Shep Hyken | May 18, 2023
By Shep Hyken I like the title of this article, but perhaps a more appropriate title might be: Customer Service Is Like Being Married. The buying cycle for a customer typically includes a little research, talking to a salesperson, making the purchase, and whatever happens after the sale. This can include follow-up from the salesperson, dealing with customer service for a problem, or any interaction you have with the company or brand after the sale is made. Many companies spend a lot of money and expend tremendous effort to get you in the door or to their website. They entice you with marketing messages, advertising, and anythi...
Out With the Old, In With the New
Neil Schubert | May 17, 2023
By Neil Schubert The way guests are choosing to communicate with hotels is changing, but the fundamental importance of one-to-one engagement remains the same Remember the days of NCR cash registers and metal keys with slots behind the desk? It still brings a smile to my face, just like an old episode of Gunsmoke. It was a time when communication with guests was face-to-face. Like many of my industry colleagues, it was the personal interactions with people while working at the front desk that got me hooked on the hotel business. In the good ‘ole days, people were generally friendly and excited about traveling. The was no pre-arriv...
How to Break the Rules and Delight Customers
Shep Hyken | May 11, 2023
By Shep Hyken There is a massive benefit to empowering employees to “break the rules” for their customers. And what I mean by “breaking the rules” is to consider what you can do for a customer outside of the norm that doesn’t cost the company money, isn’t illegal or immoral, and won’t hurt “business as usual.” In reality, employees aren’t breaking any rules. They are finding ways to take care of the customer while not breaking the “rules” mentioned above. One of the concepts I cover in my customer service keynote speech is the idea of the “line in the sand.” Many companies train their employees in what ...
Train Your Hospitality Staff to Elicit Kama Muta (Commonly Called That “Warm, Fuzzy” Feeling)
Doug Kennedy | May 11, 2023
By Doug Kennedy It’s something that virtually all humans have experienced in our lives, especially those who work in guest-facing jobs in the hospitality industry when we make an authentic, personalized, and heartfelt connection with another human. For me, it seems to happen more often with strangers, rather than with loved ones we routinely see. It is a mutually experienced feeling, felt across cultures, nationalities and languages. There is even a common gesture that humans around the globe use when the feeling arises, which is raising the right hand and placing it over the heart. Recently while preparing for a conference keynote...
Agilysys Features Next-Era Spa Software at the 2023 ISPA Conference May 9-11
Agilysys | May 10, 2023
– Agilysys Spa Reflects Advances Resulting From Agilysys’ 2022 ResortSuite Acquisition – – Frank Pitsikalis, ISPA Chairman and Agilysys Vice President of Product Strategy, Will Speak On “Pricing Strategies to Maximize Revenue” Panel May 10 – ALPHARETTA, GA — May 10, 2023 — With demand for spa services outpacing resources available to deliver them, it is increasingly vital for spa operators to optimize how they align staff and service reservations to optimize revenue and profit per time booked. Agilysys Spa, a next-era cloud-native spa solution debuting from Agilysys (Nasdaq: AGYS) at the 2023 ISPA Conference at the ...
Creating Memorable Customer Experiences: How to Go the Extra Mile
EHL | May 9, 2023
By Flavien Brand, Dr. Alessandro Inversini, Dr. Matthias Fuchs The importance of customer experience management, a built-in feature In business, customer experience is often presented as a differentiator, something a company chooses to focus on in order to outperform its competitors. Yet, a company will inevitably interact with its customers at some point, and those customers' opinions about these touchpoints will affect their future behavior, including possible repeat purchases and word-of-mouth. Consequently, customer experience is not like an extra feature added to a product to make it more attractive, it is ‘built in’ and repre...
Beachy Riding Wave of Record-Breaking First Quarter
Beachy | May 4, 2023
Hospitality’s award-winning solution provider continues to make fun easy for guests of premiere resorts across the US. Miramar Beach, Fla. (May 4, 2023) – Beachy, a leading provider of next-generation solutions and services for the country’s premiere resorts, announced today that Q1 2023 was the strongest quarter in the company’s history. In the first three months of 2023, and just in time for the spring and summer resort season, Beachy signed a record number of four- and five-star properties to its innovative mobile point-of-sale (POS) and amenity booking solutions. Beachy’s 5G cellular-enabled tablets increase speed of servi...
Five Steps to Acknowledging a Compliment
Shep Hyken | May 4, 2023
By Shep Hyken My very funny friend, Tim Gard, who also happens to be a wonderful keynote speaker, had a great question: “Doesn’t anyone know how to take a compliment?” My response was, “Don’t most people say, ‘Thank you’?” Apparently not. Tim said he observed some friendly behavior from the TSA agents in the security line at his local airport in Portland, Oregon. He decided to compliment the supervisor, who appeared to be confused by the praise. The supervisor asked, “Do you want me to file a complaint?” Tim emphasized this was a compliment, not a complaint, and walked away, shaking his head and th...
HCN Solves Room Service Problem; Proves It in Thousands of Hotel Rooms
The Hotel Communication Network (HCN) | May 3, 2023
Innovative tablet-based DineIN program is a profitable way to outsource a hotel’s room service operation with guests ordering from local restaurants and vetted drivers safely delivering orders to guests; See DineIN at HITEC in Booth 1237 Ottawa, Ontario — May 3, 2023 — Hotel Communication Network (HCN) has developed a NEW program that is turning traditional room service operations from a loss leader to a profit center. Rather than placing more stress on limited staff or requiring guests to use a mobile app delivery service such as DoorDash or Uber Eats that requires them to meet drivers in the lobby, HCN has developed an alternative ...
Act Like an Owner – Revisited!
Shep Hyken | April 27, 2023
By Shep Hyken One of my favorite concepts to cover in my customer service keynote speeches is to act like an owner. I originally wrote about this in 2011 and shared the story of an 18-year-old server at a pizza restaurant who took so much pride in his work that the guests thought he owned the restaurant. In preparing for an upcoming speech, I worked with Anthony Demangone, CMO of the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions. We discussed the ownership concept and how everyone can act like an owner or leader. Anyone can be “that person” everyone admires and wants to emulate. He shared the remarkable story of Ric...
Hoteliers Are Leveraging 3D Maps From UrVenue to Advance Hospitality Commerce
UrVenue | April 25, 2023
By showcasing venue spaces in intuitive and engaging ways, operators can drive sales through higher-value bookings and ultimately boost guest satisfaction; Visit UrVenue at HITEC Toronto in Booth 2401 LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 25, 2023 — UrVenue, pioneer of hospitality’s first property experience management system (PXMS), has developed a 3D mapping feature to enable discriminating guests to visualize unique experiences before they book. UrVenue’s 3D Maps help venue operators showcase bookable locations (unspecified locations, by section, or by individual inventory such as a cabana or chaise lounge) in virtual detail to drive additional ...
You Too Can Be As Good As Amazon…Maybe!
Shep Hyken | April 20, 2023
By Shep Hyken For a number of years, I’ve preached that our customers no longer compare us just to our direct competitors, but instead to the brands they enjoy doing business with the most. In other words, the ones that provide the best customer service and experience. In many of my customer service and CX keynote speeches, I’ll ask the audience to shout out the companies they love doing business with. Without fail, someone – usually many people – mentions Amazon. Amazon has educated its customer as to what a great experience looks like. It meets and exceeds consumer expectations, and now customers want, hope, and expect ev...
Customers Give Hotels ‘5 Stars’ As Guest Satisfaction With the Industry Surges, ACSI Data Show
ACSI | April 18, 2023
ANN ARBOR, Mich.--Good news for the travel industry: Not only are folks giving in to wanderlust again, but they’re enjoying all the accommodations along the way. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Travel Study 2022-2023, satisfaction across all four industries measured — airlines, hotels, car rentals, and online travel agencies — is up. The outlook is especially cozy for hotels. “After two years of decline, a sweeping surge in guest satisfaction with hotels could signal that the industry is moving past the pandemic,” says Forrest Morgeson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Michigan Stat...
Customer Service Is a Team Sport
Shep Hyken | April 13, 2023
By Shep Hyken The other day I was having breakfast with 11 of my friends. The server came over, introduced herself, and said, “I’ll be taking care of you.” She took our orders, and a few minutes later, a different server dropped off three of our meals. Then, two more servers brought a few more meals a moment later, and another server showed up just after that with the rest of our meals. It wasn’t until after all the meals were served that our original server came over to ask if everything tasted great. Was it this server’s job to simply take our orders and let others do the work? No! I observed all of the people who bro...
Studies Reveal Surprising Stats Behind Rapidly Changing Guest Expectations and How Hotels Can Use Tech to Meet Emerging Needs
Bob Palloni | April 13, 2023
By Bob Palloni, COO and co-founder of Skyware Hospitality Solutions Suppose I were to ask you to define a great guest experience today. In that case, your answer would – in all likelihood – differ substantially from the description of a great guest experience just a decade ago. The hospitality industry is no stranger to the tides of change; after all, ours is a market that exists to appeal to customer preferences. Humans are complex creatures with an equally complex, ever-changing set of values, needs, and preferences. But over the last decade, we’ve witnessed the rapid evolution and embrace of guest-facing technology, in addition to...
Why 2023 Is the Year of Wellness for Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | April 12, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Coming out the pandemic and more attention given to personal health than ever before, wellness is at the forefront of consumers’ minds. For hotels, this is both an opportunity for the growth of new profit centers and a potential harbinger of doom because as one does at home, one will expect at their workplace (that is, employee wellness) and wherever they travel (that is, risings expectations for wellness-oriented amenities). Wellness is hardly anything revolutionary for the hospitality sector, though. Leading brands have all invested heavily in this space, both to assuage employees and to drive revenues b...
How Hotel Salespeople at Parks Hospitality Group Use Video Email to Close More Deals and Build Stronger Connections
Doug Kennedy | April 11, 2023
By Doug Kennedy As frequent readers of my monthly training articles know, I have been a huge advocate of using a “tech for touch” approach for many years. In training articles, webcasts, and in my on-site hotel sales training workshops, I have provided suggestions for using video email apps to put the “people parts” back into hotel sales. Whereas most sales conversations these days happen in email and in-app message exchanges, personalized video emails allow salespeople to stand out. Sadly, although everyone gets excited about when I first share this concept, too many fail to incorporate it as a regular sales habit. Fortunately,...
Tipping Used to Be For Good Service
Shep Hyken | April 6, 2023
By Shep Hyken The other day I was at the airport and ordered a chicken sandwich from one of the “to go” restaurants. When it came time to pay, they didn’t ask me for a tip. For a moment, I thought, “Did I go back in time?” This is just my opinion, but the concept of tipping is getting out of hand. I go to a fast-food restaurant and order a burger and fries. The person behind the counter takes my money and gives me my food. For most of my life – until the recent past – the customer wasn’t expected to tip. Today, there is an expectation, even if it is disguised as an option. I feel guilty if I don’t check one of the bo...
Hourglass Hotel Partners With Hotel Internet Services for High-Speed WiFi and Content Streaming Technology
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | April 4, 2023
Luxury boutique property addresses guest demands for seamless internet access and the ability to instantly stream personalized content on guestroom televisions. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — April 4, 2023 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced a successful WiFi network upgrade alongside the implementation of BeyondTV with GuestCast streaming services at Hourglass Hotel. A property that combines modern-day elegance and convenience into a resort style setting, Hourglass Hotel’s recent investment with HIS will ensure that total guest satisfaction an...
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