IDeaS Releases 2024 Hotel Technology Predictions
IDeaS | November 15, 2023
Instagram: The Rising Phoenix of Social Media Marketing?
Lodging Interactive | July 11, 2023
Smart Strategies
People Person: The Importance of Having the Right Person in the Right Role
Bryan Williams of B.Williams Enterprise | November 11, 2014
by Bryan Williams "I used to be a people person...but people ruined that for me." I recently read that quote, and thought it was very funny. Then, it occurred to me that there are people who actually feel that way. Yet, they have jobs that require them to serve customers all day. More specifically, some of those people are the first touchpoint for the organizations where they work. Whether they are called receptionists, greeters, hosts, hostesses or phone operators, the point is the same: The overall service experience is directly impacted by how effective that person is in his/her role. For the purpose of this article, let's call the p...
Tourism Tidbits – Delivering on the Tourism Experience
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | November 11, 2014
by Dr. Peter Tarlow Anyone who has traveled in the last year has faced the fact that the travel experience has some key challenges. Tourism is promoted as a stress reliever and a way to renew both body and soul. Unfortunately what should be and what is are often very different experiences. In too many places, travelers face imprecise language, fine print that does not deliver what is promised, add-on fees, poor customer service and angry employees, sub-quality food, and buildings and locales that are tidy or even sanitary. Perhaps then the greatest challenge for the tourism industry in the coming years is to create a tourism experience ...
3 Ways to Get Heads in Beds for Your Hotel
Hotel Success Now | January 3, 2014
Hotel owners of 2 and 3 star hotels find standing out may be a challenge. Many consumers believe that there is not much of a difference in the economy to mid tier segments because they are considered "cookie cutter" hotels. The truth, is that hotels in their respective tiers have many ways to differentiate themselves. I will mention 3 ways to make your hotel standout thus presenting you with the advantage when competing for bookings increasing Average Daily Rates (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar). 1. Consistent Online Presence, you hear about this all the time from your brand about updating your photos, videos and descriptio...
So Many Options, So Much Advice: TripAdvisor & Your Hotel’s Profitability; A Best Practices Tool
Taylor Short | November 20, 2013
Building a strong online reputation on review sites like TripAdvisor has become essential to maintaining a profitable hotel. Hoteliers around the world have experimented with various tactics to generate a large quantity of positive reviews, and one has found success in achieving a strong ranking: the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. The Four Seasons was able to jump more than 20 spots on TripAdvisor's Popularity Index to become the highest ranked hotel in the city in less than two years. To find out how the Four Seasons was able to see such significant increases in their online rankings, Taylor Short of Software Advice, a company that rese...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 112; Hotel History: The Drake Hotel in New York
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | October 14, 2013
Marriott CEO Tells U.S. Congress: Get Back to Work; New York Investigating Airbnb and HomeAway; Quote of the Month; My New Book By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. Hotel History: The Drake Hotel in New York On a front page story in the Metropolitan section (October 6, 2013), the New York Times reported "Harry Macklowe Gambles Again: A developer known for wild swings of fortune builds a Park Avenue apartment tower a quarter-mile high." On the site of the old Drake Hotel (demolished in 2007), Macklowe is building a luxurious apartment building which, upon completion, will be, at 1,398 feet the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisp...
Service Excellence: Find a Way To Make It Happen / Bryan Williams
B.Williams Enterprise | August 6, 2013
"As long as it is legal, ethical, and moral, find a way to make it happen". That was the directive which was programmed into my brain very early in my career. I remember it vividly. It was on my first day of work at new employee orientation at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in 1996. The general manager passionately spoke about the need "to move heaven and earth to delight" our guests and creating memorable experiences everyday. Although I worked in a luxury property before, it was obvious that this was another level of service excellence altogether. I love exceptional service, and I love people who are passionate about giving exceptional ...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 106; What Is A Hotel Manager?; Quote of the Month / Stanley Turkel
Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC | July 29, 2013
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, ISHC 1. What Is A Hotel Manager? In 1963, the Loews Hotel Corporation published a small booklet with 18 black and white photographs from vintage movies. The booklet was named "What Is A Hotel Manager?" The captions under the photographs were funny then and, I believe, are still funny fifty years later. The booklet's dedication and introduction read: Dedication: It is with deep appreciation that we thank Tom Troy, Harry O'Brien, Pierre Bultinck, Frank Berkman, Arthur Levey, Henry Judermans, John Braun and Jerry Olin without whom this booklet would never have been possible. Introduction: A hotel manager is a man o...
Service Excellence 101: The Smile Reserve
B.Williams Enterprise | July 12, 2013
by Bryan Williams Some people believe that they have a limited supply ofkindness. After the first ten people, for example, their "smile reserve" will dry up, and there will be no more smiles for anyone else. Their "anticipate needs" reserve will be empty, and their "learn preferences" reserve will be depleted. They feel like they can't actually be nice to every customer they meet. It's not possible! Or is it? Commuter flight Recently, I was on board a small commuter plane that was staffed with one flight attendant. The first person to board the plane was an elderly lady, and I saw the attendant give her a warm hug and big smile before s...
PAR Springer-Miller Systems Extends the Atrio® Platform with the Addition of Atrio POS
PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. | June 25, 2013
The Industry's First Multi-Tenant Cloud-Based POS System June 26, 2013 - New Hartford, NY - PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. (PSMS), a wholly owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE:PAR) and the leading provider of guest-centric hospitality management systems announced today the newest module of the ATRIO Hospitality Technology Platform, ATRIO POS. With ATRIO, PSMS pioneered and delivered a new generation of technology for the industry by moving the hospitality industry to The Cloud, creating a new user experience, and thereby a new way of doing business. ATRIO POS, the next generation point of sale system, reduces the Tot...
Service Excellence: Four Lessons ALL Businesses Can Learn from a Five-Star Resort
Bryan K. Williams, D.M. | November 2, 2012
by: Bryan K. Williams, D.M. November 2, 2012 Have you ever experienced service so pure that you could literally feel it? Service that is unpretentious, unrestrictive, unscripted, yet seamless and professional all at the same time. Even as a service consultant, it would have been difficult for me to imagine that such a caliber of service could exist so flawlessly and naturally. I am referring to a recent memorable experience during a trip to the Ayana Resort & Spa in Bali. I wish that I could pack up a few of the staff and take them around the world with me so they can show everyone what excellence, humility and professionalism look...
World-Class Service: The Double-Platinum Rule 2.0
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams, DM | April 5, 2011
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams, DM April 5, 2011 When I wrote the Double Platinum Rule years ago, my intent was to communicate the importance of exceeding customer expectations. To exceed expectations, you must not only treat people the way they want to be treated (Platinum Rule), but treat people the way they don't even know they want to be treated (Double-Platinum Rule). I even shared some examples. Then, something recently hit me. Many people may think that the double-platinum Rule is only about anticipating needs. It is not. The double-platinum rule is also about providing information that the customer may not have known otherwise. In oth...
Customer Problem Resolution: The 100% Principle
Dr. Bryan K. Williams, DM | March 16, 2011
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams, DM March 16, 2011 When it comes to serving others, chances are that you will make mistakes occasionally. Even in the most opulent, 5-star hotels and restaurants, guests are sometimes disappointed. The same goes for hospitals, banks, nursing homes, spas, airlines, and any other businesses that serve people. The key to this seemingly unavoidable dilemma of making mistakes is how well you exemplify the "100% principle". The 100% principle is simply this: Whenever you receive a complaint or request, follow it through until you are 100% sure that the customer is happy with the resolution. It does not get much simple...
Service Superstars: Work Like You Own It!
Bryan Williams | April 20, 2010
By Bryan Williams February 2010 Years ago, when I reported for my first day of work as a restaurant busboy, the maitre'd said something to me that I have never forgotten. He said, "I want you to work in this restaurant like you own it". I remember thinking..."what on earth does he mean by that?" Not long thereafter, the implication hit me, and I never looked at a job the same again. Working like you own it means that you take pride in your work, and will never allow yourself to give anything less than excellence every time. In The Greatest Bellman I Ever Met, I wrote about a bellman who took immense pride in his job. His service not onl...
Make Each Touchpoint Memorable: Cha-Ching!
Dr. Bryan K. Williams, D.M. | April 20, 2010
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams, D.M. April 2010 A few years ago, I wrote an article entitled Engage every customer, one touchpoint at a time. The basic message was that the entire customer experience is comprised of several touchpoints. A touchpoint is any interaction between a customer and your business. For each touchpoint, you could either make a deposit or a withdrawal. More deposits equal more customer engagement, and more withdrawals equal less engagement. Pretty simple right? I even have a client whose employees give a cheer whenever someone makes a deposit...: "Cha-Ching!" I couldn't stop smiling after I heard that one. I would like t...
5 Stars vs. 4 Stars: What’s the Difference?
Bryan K Williams | January 12, 2009
by Bryan K. Williams January 2009 - Championship winning coaches have a habit of demanding excellence from everyone on their team. They never tolerate mediocrity from anyone. Incredibly high standards are discussed everyday (yes, everyday). This article, however, is not about sports. Nor is it about AAA ratings, Mobil ratings, or Michelin Guide ratings. It is about what separates very good from exceptional. I've had the privilege to work with 5-star hotels, restaurants, and spas. I have also worked with 4-star establishments. The difference between the two is like night and day. 4 star properties are reputable and very good. In most cas...
The Greatest Bellman I Ever Met…
B.Williams Enterprise, LLC | April 3, 2006
by Bryan K. Williams, April 2006 In my current role as corporate director of training and organizational effectiveness, I travel quite regularly, and am able to experience service at some of the finest hotels in the world. In fact, I consider myself to be an expert in not only assessing world-class service, but delivering world-class service as well. During a recent business trip to Chicago, Illinois, I stayed at one of that city's finest hotels, and was thoroughly impressed with the flawless execution of virtually every service detail. Particularly, I was privileged to have been "roomed" by the most professional and genuine bellman I ...
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