Another Way to Amaze Your Customers: Pay Attention
Shep Hyken | July 15, 2020
5 Steps to 5-Star Service Excellence, Inspired by the Ritz-Carlton
Hospitality Insights | February 28, 2020
Guest Experience
How Digital Should the Communication With Guests Be?
Torsten Sabel | December 23, 2019
By Torsten Sabel If you check in at the Henn na Hotel in Sasebo, Japan, you will be greeted by a dinosaur. Transport robots take your luggage to the room and the door opens via facial recognition. In Cologne's Koncept Hotel, apart from housekeeping, you won't see any staff member either. Booking, check-in, opening the room door and check-out - everything is done via smartphone. Digitization Is Picking Up Speed Even though the management in Japan has already shut down more than half of the 243 robots again, it is clear that digitization has gained momentum in the hotel industry. But whether online check-in or digital guest maps - ma...
20 Ways To Create An Amazing Customer Service Experience In 2020 (Part Two)
Shep Hyken | December 19, 2019
Last week, I shared ten ideas to drive a better customer experience in 2020. As promised, I’m back with ten more tips. If you haven’t read part one yet, you can do so here. Or, you can see all these suggestions at once by reading my recent Forbes article. Without any further delay, here are ten more ways to create a better customer experience in 2020. Create your customer service mantra. This is a big one. We often spend a month preparing for a full-day meeting to help our clients create their mantra. For those that don’t have one, now is the time to create one. The mantra is a simple phrase—one sentence or less—that sums up yo...
Viceroy Hotels & Resorts Goes ‘All In’ With Volara
Viceroy Hotels & Resorts | December 19, 2019
Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills adds Volara-powered Amazon Alexa voice assistants to every guest room as part of Viceroy Hotels & Resorts’ rollout of the powerful voice-based guest engagement solution New York — December 19, 2019 — With voice technology disrupting hotel guest engagement and redefining how services are requested, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is expanding its relationship with Volara to power in-room smart speakers and enable automated voice services at its luxury boutique hotels. Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills is the third property in the brand’s portfolio to add Amazon Alexa devices powered by Volara in...
Uptown Suites Adopts Fuel’s Interactive Mobile App Across Eight-Property Hotel Portfolio
Fuel | December 18, 2019
Extended-stay hotel innovators Uptown Suites invest in Fuel’s robust mobile app solution to improve guest communication, interaction and satisfaction Fuel, the premier software provider and digital agency for the hotel industry, today announced that it has partnered with extended stay hotel brand Uptown Suites to integrate its full-featured interactive mobile app into the company’s digital ecosystem. The app was officially launched early this month and will serve all eight existing Uptown Suites properties in the U.S. Fuel’s mobile app solution will help Uptown Suites to maximize guest service and increase satisfaction through a s...
20 Ways to Create an Amazing Customer Service Experience in 2020 (Part One)
Shep Hyken | December 13, 2019
By Shep Hyken With all the focus on how technology—including AI, data, personalization and more—can drive a better customer experience, I wanted to shift my focus back to basics. To this end, I recently published an article in Forbes about ways to create an amazing customer experience in 2020, and I thought it would be enjoyed by our Shepard Letter subscribers as well. It was quite long, so I decided to split it into two parts. If you want to read all twenty right away, you can do so here. Here are the first ten of twenty ideas as to how you can up your customer service game in 2020. Stay in touch. Too often companies focus all t...
What Does the Expectation Economy Mean for Hoteliers in 2020 and Beyond?
Alan Young | December 11, 2019
By Alan E. Young Within the hospitality industry, we are frequently introduced to new, wide-spread economic trends. First, it was the “Mobile Era,” then we got to know the “Age of the Consumer” and the “Experience Economy,” and now, the term on everyone’s mind? The “Expectation Economy.” As we open our doors and usher in the savvy and informed travelers of today, we are met with a long list of heightened expectations that apply to each and every guest touchpoint. Within this modern economy, expectations are high, and so are the stakes for hoteliers. Guests are more informed, demanding, and less patient than ever before. ...
You Shouldn’t Have Told Me That
Shep Hyken | December 5, 2019
By Shep Hyken The other day I went out to breakfast with some friends. There were eight of us, so we needed two tables pushed together. The restaurant was crowded. The hostess pointed to a table and said when that party got up, we could have their table and the table next to them, which was empty. It looked like they were almost finished with their breakfast, but we had no idea how long that might be. I noticed that on the other side of the occupied table there was another empty table. It looked like there was enough room to bring that table over to the empty one she was holding for us. I asked if she could do that. Her response was, ...
Auditing the Auditors: What Happens When Quality Assurance Morphs Into PR & Marketing?
Steven Ferry | December 2, 2019
By Steven Ferry, Chairman, International Institute of Modern Butlers If Quality Assurance had not been taken over by such interests, it would be focused on operational audits and follow-up actions that result in improved service and thus influenced guest perception based on real-world intentions and actions. This hijacking of QA could explain some very real problems that hoteliers are facing today in their operations and even with guest perceptions.... Did you hear about the case of the incredible disappearing hotel manager? No? Well, this is not so much a joke or a detective story as the beginnings of an obituary for the old-t...
Auditing the Auditors: A Quality Assurance Program for the 21st Century
Steven Ferry | November 27, 2019
Part III of IV By Steven Ferry, Chairman, International Institute of Modern Butlers In the first two articles in this series, we looked at how independent Quality Assurance programs have fallen into a conventional wisdom and modus operandi that is out of touch with their clients' and their guests' needs and then examined the challenges and relevance of QA in helping their client's assess their performance in a world increasingly guided by the megaphone of social-media reviews. In this third and last article, we look at what an ideal QA program would look like, in the hope that third-party QA companies, and/or internal QA programs are...
Hotel Guests Are Becoming “Data Nodes”
Alan Young | November 26, 2019
By Alan Young Almost daily, employees enthusiastically circle a web address at the bottom of our receipt for us to complete a customer service survey, promising a chance to win a trip for two to some far-away beach, or maybe a shopping spree. Quite frankly, the prompt is so familiar most of us have grown accustomed to tuning it out as soon as the employee begins their spiel, pleasantly smiling as we gather our bags to leave the store. As we navigate a familiar app on our phone, posting to our Instagram account or playing a game, we’re frequently interrupted by a reminder to rate the app, “How do you like using _____ ?”. After we orde...
A Dramatic Change Doesn’t Have to Be a Traumatic Change
Shep Hyken | November 21, 2019
By Shep Hyken The word dramatic is a great word. When you use it to describe changes you make to improve customer service, it has a positive meaning. It sounds like you’re making big changes for the better. However, if you shorten the word to drama, it takes on an entirely different meaning—one that’s negative. Merriam-Webster’s definition for how the word is used in this context is that it is “a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces.” So, make dramatic changes, but don’t let them cause any drama. That drama could turn your dramatically positive experience into a traumati...
Fuel Adds Robust In-App Functionality to Its AI-Powered Cross-Channel Marketing and Guest Engagement Platform
Fuel | November 19, 2019
Newly released platform update makes it easier than ever for hoteliers to create personalized marketing campaigns with in-app mobile and campaign building features. Myrtle Beach, SC – November 19, 2019 – Fuel, the premier provider of hotel marketing software and digital agency services for the hospitality sector, has announced the launch of a powerful new feature set that has been integrated into its AI-powered cross-channel marketing and customer engagement solution. Powered by Blueshift, the patented platform works by aggregating guest data from every hotel system touchpoint and making it actionable, in order to create more personal...
ME Dubai Partners With InnSpire to Offer Complete Digital Guest Journey Ahead of 2020 Opening
InnSpire | November 19, 2019
InnSpire, a leading provider of a comprehensive technology suite that helps drive a seamless, world-class guest experience for some of the world’s most iconic hotels and brands, has been selected by ME by Melia to implement its full stack of connectivity and guest engagement solutions at the much anticipated ME Dubai when the property opens in 2020. InnSpire’s award-winning digital solutions work collaboratively to allow for guest control over their entire travel experience, from guestroom access to temperature and lighting. As such, InnSpire’s offerings at the ME Dubai will include the company’s full-featured Guest Journey App, it...
10 Years Ago, Customer Service Was Appreciated—Today, It’s Expected
Shep Hyken | November 14, 2019
By Shep Hyken It wasn’t that long ago that you would go to a store, dine at a restaurant, do business with a vendor or call a customer support center and notice how good the customer service was. A great service experience stood out. It was noticed. It was a differentiator. I started my speaking business in the 1980s. I know, I look much younger than I actually am, but it really was that long ago. Back then, the rock star company that was known for customer service was IBM. They recognized that if they created enough value beyond the actual product, that price would seem less important. That brings me to Lou Sterns, Distinguished Prof...
CRM: Fact vs. Fiction
NextGuest Digital | November 14, 2019
By Mikael Fries, Vice President Sales Excellence, NextGuest CRM Some hotels have it, others do not. There is a lot of talk about it, but, unfortunately, there are many variations and definitions of what Customer Relationship Management (CRM) really is. Because today’s customers are overwhelmed with options and information, it’s more important than ever to build strong customer relationships and nurture them before, during, and after those guests stay on your property. Many CRM systems can be used to solve operational issues, as well as gather data on customers and then use that data to bring those customers back time and time again. In...
Give Me Some Relief
John Hendrie | November 11, 2019
By John Hendrie We in hospitality have a critical directive – provide succor and comfort to an American guest landscape which is suffering. The marketplace is in arrears; it is tired, unappreciated, fractured and downright scared. The next twelve months will be instructive, no matter the political party. But, make no mistake, people are nervous and worn out already. What a great opportunity for hospitality professionals to show their stripes and dedication to the craft. Your guests seek diversion, care and consideration. You see them entering your establishment, whether hotel, restaurant or attraction/recreation. They are harried, smi...
Space Travel: Redefining the Travel Customer Journey With Virgin Galactic
Pier-Luca Rapin | October 31, 2019
By Pier-Luca Rapin It is another level of personalization, it is not only to be sure to have the right water and the right pillow in the room, this is understanding why people are actually going in that journey, helping them realize that dream and being able to live that little moment the best as they can - Martijn Brouwer, General Manager Astronaut Relations, Virgin Galactic During the 2019 Young Hoteliers Summit, EHL Lausanne took a one-way ticket for space with the visit of Martijn Brouwer, General Manager Astronaut Relations and hospitality at Virgin Galactic. Virgin, as a group, has always been defined by a strong service philosophy. N...
Bad Timing or Bad Decision
Shep Hyken | October 29, 2019
By Shep Hyken Recently, my wife and I went out to dinner. We planned to go to a movie afterward but couldn’t decide what to see. Easy solution—we decided to go home and watch one of our favorite shows on Netflix. We arrived home, got comfortable, turned on the TV and… nothing. The TV went on, but there was no cable or Internet signal. There was an outage. Obviously, the cable company didn’t do this on purpose. It was out of their control. Sometimes things happen. It was just bad timing. A couple of weeks later, I attended a conference at a hotel in Orlando. We enjoyed the speakers in the morning session, and after about two hour...
The Survey Shouldn’t Be the Last Thing the Customer Remembers About You
Shep Hyken | October 25, 2019
By Shep Hyken I’m all for getting customer feedback. There are different ways to go about it. Ask customers on the way out of a store, call them on a phone or send follow-up surveys via email. I wrote about surveys a few years ago. The gist of that article was about getting more customers to fill out those surveys. Two areas were covered: timing (when the survey was sent) and length (how long it takes customers to complete). Without rehashing the entire article, timing is important. Don’t wait two weeks to send the survey. And don’t make it too long. Think about what you’re asking the customer to do when you send them a survey. ...
The Hotel Experience Gets High-Tech
October 25, 2019
Hotels have long promised guests they won’t have to lift a finger. Now some are reaching to technology for those light-touch – and even no touch – experiences to keep guests coming back. All over the world hotels have been racing towards clever devices, robots and voice assistants. For example, the 290-room FlyZoo Hotel in Hangzhou, China, this year launched facial recognition entry to lifts and rooms. “Hotels are now thinking about technology that can provide connectivity and convenience for their guests as much as they are design and interior styling,” says Huw Montgomery, project manager in hospitality at JLL. “The ability f...
InnSpire Leverages Zyxel’s Nebula Cloud Network Solution to Deliver Robust, Seamless Wi-Fi and IPTV Solution to California’s Tachi Palace ...
InnSpire | October 23, 2019
Luxury gaming property deploys scalable, cloud-managed wireless network to address connectivity complaints, add IPTV and build a future-proof foundation for guestroom automation LEEMORE, Calif. – October 23, 2019 – InnSpire, an award-winning provider of guest engagement, digital entertainment and business intelligence solutions for the global hospitality industry, has successfully implemented a highly customized cloud-based Wi-Fi network infrastructure, along with its IPTV guestroom solution at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California. Leveraging the Zyxel Nebula Cloud Network Management system, InnSpire completed a c...
Seven Critical Steps to Making Service Excellence a Reality
Kanav Mata | October 22, 2019
By Kanav Mata The dictionary defines “Experience” as “an event or occurrence which leaves an impression on someone”. In my early days as a Hospitality Trainer, I always told my trainees that when a guest walks into your restaurant and pays a certain amount for your sandwich, he or she is not paying for the sandwich. They are paying for the “Experience”. Today, this holds true for so many other interactions. Whether that be buying a pair of trousers from a store, visiting the bank to open an account, walking in to a car showroom, visiting a clinic/hospital, the list could go on, but essentially any interaction which has a ...
Remaining Relevant in the Age of Airbnb
Travel Outlook Hotel Reservations Call Center Services | October 17, 2019
By John Smallwood, CEO, Travel Outlook Help travelers identify with your brand on an emotional level Noted Harvard Business professor Theodore Levitt once said that “People don’t want a quarter-inch drill. They want quarter-inch holes.” This expression gets to the heart of marketing and the desire not just to sell but to gain and foster a customer. Defining products or services as being defined by their practical use has since been seen as a critical feature in how advertisers go about selling. But in addition to their practical use, Levitt also wanted advertisers to focus on the customer and their needs, rather than just see them ...
Live Up to a Higher Standard of Service
Shep Hyken | October 9, 2019
By Shep Hyken A friend of mine recently told me about their bad experience at a restaurant. The server was very nice and extremely apologetic about the problems that happened throughout the evening—but there were still problems. The food took a long time to get to the table. When it got there, it wasn’t prepared properly. On the next attempt, the food came out uncooked. The drinks were mixed up. And there were a few other issues, too. The manager came over and apologized profusely. Finally, it was time to pay the check. When my friend opened the leather portfolio there wasn’t a check. Instead, there was a note that read, “Thank you...
1
Industry Happenings
2
Technology
3
Operations
4
All Things Independent
5
Market Reports
Today's News
Siegel Sez: When Tech Vendors Get COVID-19
Hotels to Healthcare (H2H) Medical Travel in India: A Cost Comparison of Procedures With the United States
The Most Expensive Summer Destinations in the United States
Fitch Ratings: New Single-Borrower Hotel CMBS Ratings Unlikely Due to Sector Performance
As the first news aggregate for the hotel industry, Hotel-Online is the industry’s must-read daily news source for everything hotel curated for busy professionals. Sign up today for industry news delivered to your inbox.