The Travel Surge Highlights the Need for Great Prearrival Communication
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | August 31, 2022
Studies Show That the Guest Self-Service Era Has Officially Begun
Venkatesh Sakamuri | August 2, 2022
Guest Experience
Nomadix and Telkonet Create Smart Room Experiences for Hotel Guests
Nomadix | June 7, 2022
Showcasing Angie Voice Assistant and Smart Thermostat Integration at HITEC Orlando LOS ANGELES, Calif. – June 7, 2022 — Nomadix® Inc., a technology leader in hospitality and multi-tenant industries, and Telkonet, a leader of intelligent automation solutions designed to optimize comfort, operational analytics, and energy efficiency for commercial markets, today announced a new integration to create smart in-room experiences for hotels and their guests. Guests can now use their voices to set Telkonet smart thermostats to their preferences, for comfort and accessibility, via Angie in-room voice assistants. The combined solution ...
PPDS to Showcase a Full Suite of Hospitality Displays and Solutions at HITEC – With a Brand-New Line of Philips MediaSuite TVs to Be Unveiled
PPDS | June 7, 2022
Latest exciting updates to the market-leading 4K smart MediaSuite TV range for hospitality, including Apple TV, plus a range of dedicated solutions to support the current and future hotel needs to enhance guests’ experience will be showcased on booth 1931. Charlotte, N.C. - June 7, 2022: PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips professional displays, is excited to announce it will be attending HITEC 2022 in Orlando later this month, showcasing the latest evolution of its dedicated range of futureproof 4K UHD Philips MediaSuite smart TVs as one of the headline announcements at the hospitality event. The brand-new line-up of Phili...
Feedback Narcissism
Shep Hyken | June 1, 2022
By Shep Hyken The word narcissism is seldom used in a positive way. Google narcissism and you find the definition from Oxford Languages is “an excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one’s physical appearance.” In medical terms, the Mayo Clinic says a narcissistic personality disorder is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism. All of this leads to a conversation I ...
Digitally Connecting With Guests Onsite Boosts Service, Satisfaction Scores & More
Thomas Zarikian | May 26, 2022
Leveraging the hotel’s web-based Guest App to gauge satisfaction early in the guest journey will go a long way in improving net promoter scores and showing guests and staff that you care By Thomas Zarikian As a hotelier, it’s my job to ensure that guests have an excellent time from the moment they enter our doors or engage with staff. We often think about the front desk as the point of first impressions, but we can easily forget other guest service touchpoints, from airport shuttle service and guest parcel storage/retrieval to room service ordering and request fulfillment. As we all know, it is very hard to run a glitch-free operation. ...
Travel Recovery Starts in the Lobby Bar
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | May 25, 2022
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky In the current travel recovery scenario, first impressions are everything. It isn’t just about maximizing new arrivals during the rapidly inbound summer peak season but ensuring that your property creates a lasting memory so that you are considered for a return visit. With lots of amenities curtailed during the pandemic, hotels must now rethink the physicality of the onsite experience so that positive sentiments are instilled, and this starts at the entranceway then continues into the lobby area. Remember that so many of us are just now emerging from our pandemic caves. Many of us crave the bustle and glam...
Is It Okay to Call a Customer or Employee Honey?
Shep Hyken | May 25, 2022
By Shep Hyken Just the other night, my wife and I joined some friends for a nice dinner. The server, who may still have been in high school, was taking our order. She looked at my wife and asked, “Honey, what would you like?” When the server walked away, my friend said to Cindy, “Don’t you hate when someone other than your husband refers to you as ‘honey’?” Hate may be a strong word, but Cindy’s response was simple and to the point, “I don’t really think it’s appropriate. I’m not her honey.” That started a great conversation about what is appropriate to call your customers and employees. I...
Guest Loyalty Is Not Dead – It’s Just Really Boring
Ellis Connolly | May 19, 2022
Hey Siri… play Loyalty by Kendrick Lamar By Ellis Connolly Let’s talk about loyalty. We write songs about it; we study it; we try to identify it in friends, potential suitors, colleagues, and customers – loyalty is an omnipresent force in our lives, whether it exists in abundance or, in some cases, is perceivably lacking. Specifically, loyalty has gleaned no shortage of attention over the last few years in the business world. Across industries, marketers and business owners find themselves ruminating over the same question – is loyalty dead? Are modern customers incapable of exhibiting loyalty to the brands they purchase from? I...
Answer the Question the Right Way
Shep Hyken | May 18, 2022
By Shep Hyken Sometimes a customer asks a question, and then either doesn’t understand or like the answer. And sometimes, it’s more than just a misunderstanding or a breakdown in communication. Maybe it’s because the employee doesn’t want to take the time to answer the question correctly. Or sometimes employees are asked the same question so many times that they get sick and tired of customers asking, and it shows in the way they respond and act. One of my favorite examples of this came from a Disney Institute class I attended several years ago. Our “teacher” told us that the No. 1 question guests asked the cast memb...
The 420 Hotels Announces Launch of Crowdfunding Round for Denver’s First Hotel With a Legally Licensed Lounge for Cannabis Consumption
The 420 Hotels | May 17, 2022
DENVER--The 420 Hotels Inc. is entering the next phase of opening Denver’s first legally licensed cannabis consumption lounge in a boutique hotel by announcing the launch of an equity crowdfunding campaign, and by filing their Form C with the SEC, through the investing platform Republic.com. This campaign is now open to anyone who wants to get in on the ground floor of a new era for cannabis hospitality. “We’ve cleared the major hurdles to create a truly unique, 4-star hotel experience where cannabis is welcome,” said Chris Chiari, CEO and Founder of The 420 Hotels Inc., which owns the historic Patterson Inn. “With our successful...
Nomadix Appoints Mike Womack VP of Partner Sales, the Americas
Nomadix | May 17, 2022
Expert in wireless technology and customer engagement solutions, Womack will work with distributors and strategic business partners to bring the expansive Nomadix product line across multiple markets LOS ANGELES, Calif. – May 17, 2022 — Nomadix® Inc., a technology leader in the hospitality and multi-tenant industries, today announced the appointment of Mike Womack as vice president of partner sales, the Americas. He brings more than 25 years of sales management and business development experience in the wireless technology solutions and services space. He also has a comprehensive technology background that will enable the company to g...
Would You Rather Clean a Toilet Than Call Customer Support?
Shep Hyken | May 11, 2022
By Shep Hyken That’s exactly what we asked more than 1,000 consumers for our 2022 annual customer service research report. The answer: 42% of customers would rather clean a toilet! Is calling customer support so bad that cleaning a toilet is more desirable? It is if you’ve experienced wasting your time on hold, listening to terrible music, talking to people who don’t seem to care about you, having difficulty hearing or understanding the customer support agent, being transferred again and again, telling the same story over and over … I could keep going, but you get the idea. It’s important to note that not all custo...
Morongo Casino Resort & Spa Adds Volara-Powered Google Nest Hub Solution to Every Guest Room
Volara | May 10, 2022
Interactive voice-first solution supplies guests a more convenient and memorable stay, while enabling the hotel to serve its guests more efficiently and consistently. CABAZON, CA — May 10th, 2022 — As Morongo Casino Resort & Spa - an oasis in the desert just 90 minutes’ drive from Los Angeles - welcomes record numbers of guests to its four-star resort experience, , Volara is there supporting the contactless, convenient and brand consistent journey from check-in to check-out. Rather than picking up the phone to call room service or request a forgotten amenity at the front desk, guests can speak commands to a Google Nest Hub p...
Brighton Suites Hotel Caters to Latest Expectations in In-Room Entertainment With Deployment of BeyondTV GuestCast
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | May 10, 2022
Privately owned beachside hotel addresses guest demands for a personalized, user-friendly and secure content streaming experience. Rehoboth Beach, Del.— May 10, 2022 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the adoption of its hotel purpose-built BeyondTV GuestCast streaming platform by the Brighton Suites Hotel. Located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Brighton Suites Hotel’s reputation as a family-friendly and fun-filled destination has only increased thanks to its ability to provide each guest with instant and secure access to personalized...
Everyone Deserves A Compliment
Shep Hyken | May 4, 2022
By Shep Hyken I was on a flight to a city I can’t remember, but what I do remember was the wonderful flight attendant, Bailee from American Airlines, who enthusiastically greeted me with a smile and said, “I like that hat!” I was wearing a baseball cap with the St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup Championship logo. Of course, I thanked her and I found my seat, just a few rows from the front of the plane. I point that out because I was able to observe the way she greeted every passenger. As each passenger boarded the plane, Bailee welcomed them with the same enthusiasm and had something nice to say to everyone. Let me emphasize that sh...
The Most Important Employee in Your Business
Shep Hyken | April 28, 2022
By Shep Hyken Is the CEO or owner the most important employee of a business? They are the people who make the big decisions and determine the vision and strategy of the company. But if not for the company’s employees, that vision and strategy would mean nothing. Here is where I’m going with this idea. Let’s say the owner of a restaurant is also the chef. This chef prepares the most amazing meals using the highest quality ingredients, and customers are willing to pay a premium to enjoy this epicurean experience. Yet consider this … no matter how good the food is, if it comes out on a dirty plate, the meal goes back to the kit...
The Healing Power of Trust
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management | April 27, 2022
In today’s globalized world, more and more hotel firms are expanding their business overseas. Yet success in the international arena may not translate into success at home, warn Dr. Alice H. Y. Hon and Mr. Emmanuel Gamor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. With skilled managers from overseas paid 10 times more than local employees, frontline and service-oriented hotel workers are feeling increasingly disillusioned. With service standards falling, how can multinational hotel corporations build harmony between their local and overseas employees? The answer lies in trust, say the resear...
Customer Satisfaction With Hotels Continues Free Fall, While Online Travel Agencies Bounce Back Slightly
ACSI | April 26, 2022
ANN ARBOR, Mich.--Customers have started to scratch their travel itch once again, but expectations aren’t being met. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Travel Study 2021-2022, satisfaction with airlines is flying in the wrong direction, hotels aren’t hosting happy guests, and car rentals can’t get back on track. Online travel agencies are the only industry to improve customer satisfaction, but not by much. “Many folks ventured out to travel for the first time since the pandemic hit only to be met with lackluster service and dashed hopes,” says Forrest Morgeson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at M...
Traveler Trends and Hotel Guest Behavior – What’s Changed, What’s New, What’s Next?
Preetham Shetty | April 26, 2022
By Preetam Shetty There is no denying it – the COVID-19 pandemic inspired a global shift that very few of us saw coming, ushering in a period that was affectionately (and later, tirelessly) referred to as the new normal. For the better part of two years, the public stayed home, donned masks, limited social contact, traded in-person meetings for Zoom meetings, postponed events and celebrations, and, en masse, canceled travel plans for the foreseeable future. While the global economy was under immense pressure with each passing lockdown and new restrictions, few industries were more gravely impacted than travel and tourism. Seemingly ...
How to Deal With Customer Complaints: The Perfect Thing to Say
Shep Hyken | April 21, 2022
By Shep Hyken There are many ways to deal with complaints or angry customers. I’ve written a number of articles on the different ways to do so, and today I want to add an excellent technique. The idea is to say something that lets the customer know you understand the problem, you’re in sync with their concerns, and you empathize with their frustration, anger or whatever emotion they’re exhibiting. I refer to this as The Perfect Thing to Say. This is more than apologizing and acknowledging the customer, which are steps one and two of my five-step process for dealing with angry customers. When a customer brings you a pro...
When It Comes to Inspiring Loyalty and Direct Bookings, FOMO Marketing Is Out, and Instant Gratification Is In
Ellis Connolly | April 20, 2022
In today’s fast-paced and competitive landscape, guests have high expectations of convenience and a low tolerance for delays, gimmicks, or friction By Ellis Connelly What is the best way to incentivize behavior? This line of questioning keeps marketers and business owners up at night. Why? Because brands can’t protect their bottom line without generating revenue, and they can’t generate revenue without nudging their customer toward a desired purchase. Hospitality professionals, especially, are familiar with this challenge, as travelers are constantly inundated with options and competing product offerings at every stage of their...
The Don CeSar Provides “InnSpired” Luxury and Convenience With Guest Experience Mobile App and Integrated Technology Suite From InnSpire
InnSpire | April 19, 2022
Iconic Florida property teams up with leading hotel technology provider to empower guests with unrestricted access to luxury amenities through a comprehensive mobile-based Digital Guest Journey that provides convenience at every touchpoint St. Pete Beach, FL, USA – April 19, 2022 – InnSpire, the 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 partnered with The Don CeSar, a historic property located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, to provide a comprehensive suite of technology solutions designed to maximize and streaml...
Empeiria High Sierra Hotel Selects INTELITY for Mobile Guest Experience
INTELITY | April 18, 2022
With the INTELITY platform, the Mammoth Lakes hotel will elevate experiences for explorers Los Angeles, CA - April 18, 2022 - INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s broadest guest experience and staff management platform, announced today a new partnership with Empeiria High Sierra Hotel in Mammoth Lakes. The destination hotel for outdoor adventurers will implement the INTELITY guest-facing suite of tools, including a branded mobile app, mobile check-in, mobile key, and guest messaging. Powered by INTELITY’s cloud-based platform, Empeiria’s branded mobile app is set to deliver a more convenient and digital guest experience for the mo...
The Day I Became a Customer Service Expert and Two Important Lessons
Shep Hyken | April 13, 2022
By Shep Hyken “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This line has been credited to Confucius, Mark Twain, Mark Anthony and others. Anyone who finds what they love to do at work, either through a passion, hobby, interest, a random job they end up loving, or some defining moment is lucky. That makes me one of the lucky ones. Just out of college I started my career as a customer service expert. It wasn’t a random job I applied for. It was a chosen profession that had its roots in something that happened to me when I was younger, an event that caused me to become obsessed with customer service. I’v...
What Hotel Guests Really Want: It Might Surprise You
Venkatesh Sakamuri | April 6, 2022
You don't need the resources of a large global brand or chain to take the steps that will keep your guests coming back for more By Venkat Sakamuri What do hotel guests really want from the hotels they frequent? And what are they willing to pay more for? As we collectively move beyond the challenges presented by the pandemic, hoteliers view these questions with renewed interest. Not only has the industry changed, but the world at large has changed. So what does that mean? Surely, travel behaviors have changed to adapt to the new normal, and what guests want from hotels today might be different. Guests now crave a more customizable exper...
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