Applying the Art of Storytelling to How You Sell Rooms
Larry Mogelonsky | August 7, 2019
Generation Z: What Do They Want From Their Hotel Stay Experience?
Court Williams | July 1, 2019
Guest Experience
The Customer Is King, and Service Culture Is His Queen
André Mack | June 12, 2019
Although some companies mention "service excellence" as one of their values, they tend to solely focus on service delivery and rarely approach it as a way to reframe their business's culture. By André Mack The business environment has become a global village; traveling is easy and cheap, sharing of information happens instantly and is accessible by everybody, a new product in the US is on the market in Asia within days and vice versa, systems and procedures all look the same and innovation has become a necessity. The ubiquity of technology and the replicability of products means that service has become THE key differentiator for co...
Business Travel and Millennials: How We’re Changing the Travel Industry
Hotel Tech Report | June 10, 2019
By Marie Nieves As a millennial and business leader, I can safely say that my travel habits differ vastly from those of my parents, as well as my younger colleagues and friends. This has got me thinking about all of the articles and research I’ve read over the years that deal with the behavioral patterns of millennials within the professional realm, how we combine business and leisure, and how we’re constantly touted as the generation that disrupts the norm and aims to change, well, everything. I’m not at all surprised to say that I agree with that. After all, someone has to disrupt the traditional norms, and who better than a ge...
Walking In Your Customer’s Shoes
Courtyard by Marriott | June 10, 2019
By Shep Hyken You may have heard the expression, “Take a walk in your customer’s shoes.” The idea is that you put yourself in the customer’s position and see the situation through their eyes. This is good advice for those who have customer-facing responsibilities. You may have heard other versions of this expression. One of the more humorous versions is, “Walk a mile in your customer’s shoes, and once you’re a mile away, you can say anything you want about the customer and they can’t hear you.” I said it was humorous. I didn’t say it was right. Recently, I was speaking at a convention in Philadelphia, where I h...
CustomerCount® Teams With Noble System
CustomerCount® | June 10, 2019
Noble Agent Gamification Solution Integrated Into CustomerCount’s Enterprise Feedback System INDIANAPOLIS, IN (June 7, 2019) –CustomerCount®, has teamed with Noble Systems, the global leader in omnichannel contact center technologies, to launch yet another enhancement to CustomerCount’s enterprise customer feedback system. The new addition to CustomerCount’s capabilities is the integration of Noble Gamification software. Noble Gamification solutions increase productivity, reduce employee turnover, and improve customer satisfaction. Noble Systems provides innovative solutions for Contact Center, Workforce Engagement, a...
Evaluating WiFi Service Through The Guest’s POV
Larry Mogelonsky | June 5, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) One can argue that nowadays a good wireless internet connection is as important as to many guests as heating, air conditioning and access to a bathroom with running water. Knowing it's central to a customer's emotional state, why play games? As a reminder of why spotty WiFi reception or attempting to upcharge for premium speeds is bad for your reputation, let's look at the situation from the guest's point of view (POV). I'll start with a personal experience to demonstrate why it's so important to get your WiFi connectivity right these days. I was staying at a southeast flagged prope...
The “No Problem” Problem
Roger Wolkoff | June 5, 2019
By Roger Wolkoff I walk into the hotel, wheeling my luggage and briefcase behind me. I am taken aback by the spacious and open modern lobby. I approach the front desk, and Carlos greets me with a smile. We have a friendly exchange - how are you doing, did you have a good flight, how do you like our city - that kind of thing. I ask for a restaurant recommendation for dinner, and he tells me about a fascinating off-the-beaten-path bistro that has excellent reviews. I thank him, and he says, "No problem." And there it is. Hanging like a lead balloon. No problem. What's the problem with "no problem?" It's an inhe...
Isla Bella Beach Resort Partners with InnSpire to Provide a World-class Guest Experience
InnSpire | June 5, 2019
Marathon Keys' newest luxury resort, Isla Bella, utilizes the InnSpire Digital Guest Journey solution to enable guests to easily access all that the property has to offer. Stockholm and Marathon, Fla., USA – June 5, 2019 – InnSpire, a leading provider of guest engagement, digital entertainment and business intelligence solutions for the global hospitality industry, has been selected by Isla Bella Beach Resort in Marathon, Florida, to deploy its comprehensive Digital Guest Journey platform for guest engagement at the luxury oceanfront property. Since opening in April 2019, Isla Bella Beach Resort has quickly garnered the att...
Coury Hospitality Selects HIS to Implement Advanced Content Casting, Voice Control and Internet Connectivity at Properties Across the United States
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | June 4, 2019
Boutique hotel management and development company keeps pace with demands for content streaming, voice-activated control and robust guest Wi-Fi. KANSAS CITY, Mo.— June 4, 2019 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has been selected by Coury Hospitality to ensure that its properties are able to provide guests with the latest in Wi-Fi, content streaming and virtual assistant technology. With properties located in Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and several that are in development in Texas and Indiana, Coury Hospitality is now committed t...
As Restaurants Evolve, The Core Experience Remains
Larry Mogelonsky | May 29, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Up until the hospitality industry started to change over half a century ago, everyone was accustomed to believing that a city's best restaurant would be found at a luxury hotel downtown. Such a property's premier restaurant would often serve as a perennial draw for both out-of-towners as well as locals, with reservations coveted and those seated immediately bestowing status upon their patrons. For today's more spontaneous, less formal, less pretentious, more parsimonious and Google-Yelp-TripAdvisor-driven culture, dining out is as popular as ever but we've blunted the experience in ...
Good Leadership and Values Key to Staff Satisfaction, Study Finds
May 23, 2019
Tourism and hospitality firms that score highly for leadership and cultural values see higher staff satisfaction, according to a new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA). Researchers analysed almost 298,000 online review ratings by employees for 11,975 firms in the US to find the key elements of job satisfaction and employee turnover in high-contact services. The reviews were posted over a 10-year period on Glassdoor, one of the world's largest job and recruiting sites. The results, published in the journal Tourism Management, also show that career progression is a critical factor in staff turnover, with a unit increase in the ...
How to Register Your Front Desk Staff to Become “Certified in the Heart of Hospitality”
Kennedy Training Network | May 23, 2019
In the era of online reviews and social media, guest experiences at the front desk impact the financial success of your hotel. First impressions formulated at check-in bias guests' overall opinions, whether for better or for worse. If you're looking to refocus your team on the essentials of hospitality excellence, it's easy to register your staff to become Certified in the Heart of Hospitality. For a fee of just $995 total, you can certify up to 3 managers and 6 front desk colleagues; additional staff can be certified for $99 each at any time. Here's How It Works: First, KTN presents a live "kick-off" webinar f...
A Sense of Place, Welcome and Hospitality
Larry Mogelonsky | May 22, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) I recall the last time I stayed at what would categorically be a cookie-cutter hotel. Performing my typical inspection as a casually walked the halls and entered my guestroom, nothing seemed out of place, yet something was still missing. The hotel in question proudly touted its recent renovation for which I can confirm this fact given the scent of fresh paint, glue, wood and new upholstery. The doorman performed in strict accordance with his title while the receptionist at the front desk was upbeat while still remaining matter-of-fact. Arriving after the dinner hour, the corridors w...
Hotel Expiration Dates: Fact or Fiction?
Vertical Booking USA | May 22, 2019
By Mark Lewis-Brown, CEO & President at Vertical Booking USA Expiration dates: they're super common in some industries – they are regularly seen on consumer-packaged goods, food and drinks, medicine, etc. – but the idea of an expiration date isn't often applied to the hotel industry. But, in my opinion, it should be. Here's a little known/rarely considered fact: an empty room is an expired one. Just like with milk or medication, hotels' rooms also have expiration dates, after which the empty room becomes a liability, rather than an asset. Think about it… like milk, a hotel room is a perishable product; unfortunate...
Why You Should Integrate SMS in Your Hotel’s Engagement Strategy
Mathieu Pollet | May 21, 2019
Ten Golden Rules to SMS Hotel Guest Engagement By Mathieu Pollet INTRODUCTION SMS is one of the most personal communication channels and by far the fastest one. It would seem only logical, therefore, that highly-personalised service providers like hotels would use this type of communication to ensure their guests have a great stay. Surprisingly though, most hotels don't use SMS at all to interact with their guests. We have been working with hotels and implementing data management solutions and guest engagement solutions for years, and today we want to share some tips on how to improve the guest experience, engagement, and loyalty. FACT...
Building Your Hotel’s Sharing Economy Defenses
Larry Mogelonsky | May 15, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) While it is crystal clear to me and many other hoteliers that the sharing economy and all its resident internet-based service firms (IBSFs) have severely changed how customers perceive hotels, many outside of hospitality tout their successes and grander benefits for the community. Regardless of whether or not they are ultimately 'good', the rapid proliferation of all these sharing economy accommodations should not be mere doom and gloom for hotels, however, but an opportunity for you to improve your own product. As Airbnb is by far the largest among these IBSFs, I will use it as a p...
Angie Hospitality Achieves International Certifications to Provide Hoteliers with Seamless Integration and Standards Compliance in Global Hospitality
Angie Hospitality | May 14, 2019
Certified status ensures that purpose-built voice-activated guest room virtual assistant meets regulatory standards for compatibility with hotel devices and services worldwide. San Jose, Calif. – May 14, 2019 – Angie Hospitality, developer of the industry's first 24-hour interactive guest room assistant purpose-built for the hotel environment, today announces its comprehensive 'global-ready' status, having received multiple authorizations and international certifications to operate in virtually every hospitality market around the globe. Combined with its original North American certifications for the US and Canada, Angie is ...
How Will the Hospitality Industry Benefit From the IoT
Ana Bera | May 9, 2019
By Ana Bera The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to be a gamechanger for those in the hospitality industry. Therefore, it is essential for managers, hotel owners, and other business leaders to try to make the most of it. However, according to research, 87% of people are not familiar with the concept of the Internet of Things let alone what this technology means for the hospitality industry. In this article, we have discussed this matter, and hopefully, you will learn more about the latest tech buzzword and how does it cater to client needs. What Is the Internet of Things? The term 'Internet of Things' refers to the idea of cre...
Angie Hospitality Acquires Roxy, Consolidating Advanced Voice-Enabled Solutions for the Global Hospitality Market
Angie | May 9, 2019
Creator of hospitality's award-winning guest room virtual assistant completes acquisition of leading competitor. San Jose, Calif. – May 9, 2019 – Angie Hospitality, developer of the industry's first 24-hour interactive guest room assistant purpose-built for the hotel environment, has completed its purchase of the assets of Roxy, a competing provider of speech-enabled virtual assistant technology for the hospitality industry. As part of the agreement, Angie Hospitality will assume management and support of all existing Roxy installations and customers worldwide. In an email to customers, Angie committed to a seamless experie...
Five Strategic Directions to Take Your Hotel
Larry Mogelonsky | May 8, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Value adds always become expectations. Such is the course for hospitality and if you aren't constantly evolving your brand then it will become stale. And in an overstuffed hotel marketplace, you need bold new directions to differentiate your product and drive rate. So, how do hotels adapt so that guests don't lose interest in any of these ostensibly great properties in favor of the 'next big thing'? How do you innovate a boutique property so that its repeat revenue figures will always be a healthy contributor to the bottom line? Broader still, how do lifestyle hotels continue to rei...
Walker Hotel Chooses a Multi-Property Operations Platform for Its Expansion
ALICE | May 7, 2019
Walker Hotel will be expanding its ALICE partnership with its soon-to-open Tribeca location after celebrating a fruitful implementation at Walker Hotel Greenwich Village. Walker Hotel Tribeca is slated to open in Spring 2019 and will use ALICE to streamline staff communication, manage productivity, and execute service promptly on maintenance and guest requests. ALICE is the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, connecting every department of the hotel with one platform for all staff communication and guest requests. Walker Hotel Greenwich Village implemented ALICE in May 2017 and has seen great improvements in their day-...
Why Lifestyle Hotels Are Not Just for Millennials
JLL Real Views | May 6, 2019
Lifestyle hotels may tick all the boxes for millennial travellers but they're not the only generation drawn to their mix of contemporary design, nods to local culture and good wifi connections. In recent years, they've become an increasingly popular choice among travellers across all age groups – by combining the personalised touches and high-quality service of a boutique hotel with the convenience and reliability of big hotel chains – while operating at a premium price point. As lifestyle brands such as Indigo by the InterContinental Hotels Group, Aloft, Moxy and W under Marriott, as well as Andaz by Hyatt pop up across the...
What Hotels Can Learn From Delta Airlines About Personalized Guest Engagement
Doug Kennedy | May 3, 2019
By Doug Kennedy My career as a hotel industry trainer and conference speaker keeps me on the road nearly every week, so I try to take advantage of every available travel perk. Living in the Ft. Lauderdale / Miami area, I am fortunate to have two major airports within 35 minutes, and with this being a popular tourism destination there is a wide selection of non-stop flights. Therefore, I cannot always remain loyal to just one airline because it's hard to justify wasting time taking a connecting flight, or perhaps spending an extra night on the road, just to earn miles. As a result, I have premium status with several airlines each year. I...
Hotels Should Focus on Employee Experience to Close Talent Gap
Bill Caswell | May 1, 2019
By Bill Caswell The American Hotel & Lodging Association estimates there are more than 900,000 unfilled positions in the U.S. hospitality industry. This talent deficit will be a significant obstacle to overcome, and more companies are getting serious about developing real solutions. What's the problem? One of the primary causes of this employment drop-off is the shifting values of Millennial and Generation Z populations. This younger workforce has a natural aversion to the 24-hour nature of the hospitality industry, preferring jobs with more work/life balance, flexible schedules and ample vacation time. The nature of the hospitality...
Upselling The Frugal Guest
Larry Mogelonsky | May 1, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) When applied to hospitality, the word 'frugal' can have a rather opaque meaning. It doesn't mean that guests are cheap, but instead they are discerning and hesitant to splurge without full justification. Every hotelier knows that guests are becoming increasingly tech-savvy with each passing week, but what this also means is that they are becoming exceedingly aware of channel price differences and marketing tricks used to cajole them into spending more than is absolutely necessary for a given service. And this is true for not just hospitality but practically every industry where the ...
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