Hotel X Supercharges Marketing With Automation and Dynamic Content
Hapi | April 11, 2024
Overcoming the Huge Disconnect Between Service Mottos and What Guests Actually Experience
Doug Kennedy | February 12, 2024
Guest Experience
Elevating the Ordinary: How Pride Transforms Your Work
Shep Hyken | April 18, 2024
By Shep Hyken I love seeing amazement in action. I was at the airport last week with a friend who accidentally spilled his soda. Within moments, an airport employee came over with a bucket and mop to clean up the spill. My friend apologized for making a mess, and the woman’s response surprised both of us. She said, “My name is Laura, and it is my pleasure to clean up your spill.” And with a big smile, she added, “It’s job security!” What a great attitude! Laura mentioned she had been working at the airport for seven years and was just a few years from retiring. She was friendly and funny, and her positive attitude abou...
Why Time Is the New Currency
Audrey Hall | April 12, 2024
By Audrey Hall “Time is money” is an often-repeated phrase attributed to Benjamin Franklin. When the aphorism was written, Franklin was pointing out that time spent not working was time not making money. Fast forward to today’s society and the value, or currency, no longer comes from the time spent working to achieve results, but on the time saved. When interacting with customers, the focus is no longer on spending more time working, but on being more efficient with time. In the context of the hospitality industry, by giving time back to guests, hotels not only extend value but increase loyalty with their customer base. The ...
This Customer Could Ruin Your Business
Shep Hyken | April 11, 2024
By Shep Hyken What if I told you that a satisfied customer could ruin your business? Most people think satisfied customers are happy and will come back. At least, it appears that way. Many years ago, I used to begin my customer service keynote speeches with a question: By a show of hands, how many of you believe it’s important to satisfy your customers? As you might imagine, just about everyone raised their hand. Then, I shared the findings from a study by Vanderbilt University professors Anthony J. Zohorik and Roland T. Rust. They found that up to 40% of satisfied customers don’t come back – even though they a...
Hotel X Supercharges Marketing With Automation and Dynamic Content
Hapi | April 11, 2024
The 404-room resort in Toronto implemented Salesforce Sales and Marketing Cloud for rich guest profiles and personalized guest journeys, but needed Hapi’s experienced hospitality team to access the necessary data. Located on Lake Ontario just five minutes from bustling Union Station in downtown Toronto, it’s hard to imagine there’s room for a full-service luxury resort. But stroll the 6-acre grounds of Hotel X, which opened in March 2018 as part of the Library Hotel Collection, and you’ll find multiple restaurants, a 90,000-square-foot fitness facility, a spa, a kids play center, cinema screening room, tennis, squash and pickleball...
The Future of Luxury Experiences: Where Luxury Meets Hospitality
Dr. Matthias Fuchs | April 9, 2024
By Dr. Matthias Fuchs The luxury industry is undergoing a change. As a result, its products are reaching more and more people. In order to avoid losing exclusivity and uniqueness, many brands are now relying on ‘experiences’. These are enabling them to strengthen their relationships with their customers, offering them a unique experience without sacrificing status or reputation. The luxury industry is undergoing a phase of transformation. While in the past few used to buy luxury items, many more people are now spending their money on high-end brands. Evidence of this can be seen, for example, with the French fashion house Hermès. ...
“No” Is an Easy Answer
Shep Hyken | April 4, 2024
By Shep Hyken If a customer asks you to do something you haven’t done before, “No” is an easy answer. Why? Because… We don’t do that. We’ve never done that. We don’t carry that product. That’s not our policy. And more reasons – or excuses – like these. Recently, I was the keynote speaker at a conference, and the CEO, who spoke just before me, teed up my presentation perfectly when he talked about going the extra mile. His approach to this concept was realistic. He said, “No one will be able to go the extra mile every time.” He emphasized that unless the customer has some kind of emerg...
Why Prioritize Attribute-Based Shopping in 2024
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | April 3, 2024
By Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky Exploring the significance of attribute-based selling (ABS) for 2024 requires a nuanced understanding, particularly in light of pivotal events shaping the hospitality landscape. Consider the landmark moment in early December 2020: the much-anticipated Airbnb IPO, which saw the home-sharing platform soar to a staggering $100+ billion market capitalization on its opening day. This valuation surpasses that of industry giants like Booking Holdings and major hotel brands combined, underscoring Airbnb's dominance and offering key insights into evolving traveler behaviors. While some may dismiss Airbnb's st...
Successfully Fielding Legitimate Guest Complaints AND How to Stop the “Full Refund Scammers”
Doug Kennedy | April 3, 2024
Sponsored By Travel Outlook, Better Talent, and Track Hospitality Software Register your team and participate live, or view the recording, of Doug Kennedy’s next 40-minute training webcast scheduled for Friday, April 19, from Noon – 12:45pm EST. REGISTER HERE “While the vast majority of guests who complain simply want to be heard and have their issues resolved, a small but vocal minority intentionally seek out issues they can use to argue for compensation, discounts, or even a full refund,” said KTN President Doug Kennedy. “Unfortunately, untrained staff and first-level supervisors cave all too easily, and worse yet, grow cyn...
Customer Experience Management: Business vs. Customer Expectations
| April 1, 2024
If you operate in the hotel or hospitality industry, you’ll know that the customer’s experience is EVERYTHING. From a customer’s first online search and the booking experience to every customer touchpoint and interaction during their time with you, it’s the customer experience management that drives repeat visits and those glowing online reviews. But it’s not just the hospitality industry where customer experience is king. These days, excellent customer experiences and a high quality of service are expected across all sectors. Businesses that fail to meet these expectations risk losing customers, damaging their reputations, and s...
We Work Hard to Make It Look Easy
Shep Hyken | March 28, 2024
By Shep Hyken My friend Norman Beck recently shared a quote that inspired him: We work hard to make it look easy. Isn’t that what the best people do? Whether it’s sports, entertainment, or business, some people are so good that what they do looks easy. I Googled the quote to find out who to attribute it to and found numerous variations: In sports, Ken Griffey Jr., a professional baseball player, said, “Just because I made it look easy doesn’t mean that it was, and you don’t work hard and become a Hall of Famer without working day in and day out.” In entertainment, Ben Mitchell, a fictional character from t...
How To Manage Cultural Diversity in Hospitality – A Quick Guide
EHL | March 25, 2024
Globalization, increasing freedom of movement between countries, and the growing interdependence of national economies have boosted cultural diversity in many industries. Nowhere is this paradigm shift more evident than in hospitality. How to manage cultural diversity effectively in hospitality is crucial in light of these changes. The hospitality industry is a unique melting pot of cultural diversity, both in terms of the workforce and its customers, with people from all over the world coming together. But while diversity brings great opportunities and is something to celebrate, it also creates significant challenges. Hospitality staff...
You Can’t Do What You’ve Always Done (Anymore)
Shep Hyken | March 21, 2024
By Shep Hyken Recently, I read a RetailWire article about Macy’s shutting down 150 of its 500 stores. For those in other parts of the world, Macy’s is a department store chain, and its stores often anchor large shopping malls. However, while that describes more than 25% of its stores, it represents less than 10% of sales. Some might say Macy’s is “trimming the fat” or “getting rid of the dogs.” From a financial perspective, that may be true. But it’s more than that. What they are doing is what any good business would do, and that’s changing to keep up with customers’ ever-changing habits and expectations. As Macy...
The Growth of Hotel Leisure and Entertainment With Ronn Niccoli, CMO of Resorts World Las Vegas
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | March 20, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky What can other hotels around the world learn from the thousand-plus-room resorts along the Las Vegas Strip? As an entertainment mecca, these gargantuan hotels reveal the growth of L&E alongside other non-room revenue verticals like F&B and spa. Perhaps no other resort on The Strip epitomizes the need for strong L&E programming than Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV). Launched during the pandemic, this 3,506-key property has had the uphill battle of competing against established players amidst ongoing travel uncertainties as well as cultivating the best possible lineup of talent, nightlife, and F&...
Defining Service Excellence: Setting the Highest Standards of Service in 2024
Kimberly Yoong | March 18, 2024
By Kimberly Yoong Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a time when excellent service was the hallmark of a luxury experience – one that was desired by the people and delivered by the best of companies. Today, it is an aspect of the service sector that has come to be expected by customers. Companies in the service industry have claimed their adherence to the words ‘service excellence’ since time immemorial. One of the best examples of service excellence is the Ritz-Carlton's Gold Standards, with their famous $2,000 rule which employees are empowered to spend to delight a guest above and beyond fixing problems. How m...
A Healthy Revenue Mix From Guests and Locals With a Mexico City Case Study
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | March 13, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Hotel properties all over the world are embracing the concept of ‘stewardship’ – that is, acting as a pillar of support for sustaining and invigorating the neighboring community, culture and environment. In addition to supplying jobs and supporting charitable causes, a commendable way to go about this is to introduce amenities and programming that allow for locals to participate and mingle with incoming travelers. What we contend is that when a hotel fosters this strong sense of community, the results are nothing short of magical, and this is reflected through a positive impact on guest satisfaction, d...
How The Japanese Concept Of Omotenashi Can Elevate The U.S. Hotel Industry
Anna Marie Presutti | March 13, 2024
By Anna Marie Presutti, VP and GM of Hotel Nikko San Francisco In today's competitive landscape, hotels are constantly seeking innovative ways to distinguish themselves and enhance their guest experience. One approach that has gained traction in recent years is the adoption of Omotenashi, a Japanese concept of hospitality that emphasizes sincere and heartfelt service. At its core, Omotenashi is a philosophy deeply rooted in Japanese culture embodying warmth, sincerity, and an unwavering commitment to guest satisfaction. Unlike traditional Western notions of hospitality, which may focus primarily on meeting guests' needs efficiently, Omo...
How Better Personalization Builds Relationships That Last
Amanda Cole | March 7, 2024
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Do You Give Your Customers an Experience – Or Just a Transaction?
Shep Hyken | March 7, 2024
By Shep Hyken In the past few months, I’ve been to several concerts. I’d say the entertainers were legends in the industry. Two of them were Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr (of the Beatles). Both are talented beyond words. They both have successful careers. They have both been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s important for you to know this, just in case you don’t know who they are. It’s a generational thing. If you were born in this century, you probably don’t know either of them, but trust me, they are rock stars and legends! There was a difference in their shows. Bob Dylan came out and played. He barely spoke ...
Three Customer Service and CX Metrics Every Employee Needs to Understand
Shep Hyken | February 22, 2024
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The Critical Role of Leadership in Championing Guest Service in the Hospitality Industry, Guest Service in the Hospitality Industry
Alan Young | February 22, 2024
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InnSpire Achieves Certification With New BU-Series Samsung Guestroom Televisions, Paving the Way for Enhanced In-Room Entertainment Experiences
InnSpire | February 21, 2024
Leading provider of in-room entertainment solutions becomes first hospitality provider to integrate and go live with Samsung’s groundbreaking new series of TVs Stockholm & Washington, D.C. – February 21, 2024 – InnSpire, the leading provider of innovative hospitality technology solutions that help drive seamless, world-class guest experiences for some of the world’s most iconic hotels and brands, today announced that the company has been awarded certification by Samsung Hospitality, establishing its status as a Certified Samsung Partner. The new certification enables the seamless integration of InnSpire's award-winning InnS...
Ford Versus Ferrari: A Lesson in Customer Experience
Shep Hyken | February 15, 2024
By Shep Hyken Functionality versus customer experience: Do they belong together? Yes! And here’s a story to make the point: Two guys are buying new cars. One buys a Ford EcoSport, and the other buys a Ferrari Roma. The Ford costs about $25,000. The Ferrari costs about $250,000 – 10 times more! Both guys live in the same neighborhood. They both drive downtown to work. They use their cars for the same reason: daily transportation. Both vehicles go back and forth to work without any problems. And because of the speed limit, both take about the same amount of time to do so. And both dealerships – Ford and Ferrari – provide...
Medallia Research Finds 61% of Consumers Are Willing to Spend More for Personalized Experiences, But Only 25% of Experiences Are Highly Personalized
Medallia | February 15, 2024
In hospitality and retail, consumers say the least personalized parts of their experiences are during their stay and while in store, providing key opportunity for brands PLEASANTON, Calif.--Medallia, Inc., the global leader in customer and employee experience, today announced the findings of its new research report, Understanding Personalization Efforts in the Hotel and Retail Industries. In a research study of 1,749 hotel guests and 1,905 retail consumers, Medallia found a strong link between personalization and overall satisfaction, validating earlier research that showed 61% of consumers are willing to spend more with companies if...
Data-Driven Hospitality Success: Empowering Decisions & Guest Experiences
Priya Rajamani | February 14, 2024
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