The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4, 2024
The Art of a Great Arrival for Luxury Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 22, 2024
Guest Experience
Is Your Hotel Taking Advantage of All Guest Touchpoints? Here Are 4 to Consider
Terri Miller | September 11, 2018
By Terri Miller, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Concilio Labs Success in the hospitality industry is largely defined by a hotel's ability to connect with their guest(s) while attending to their unique set of needs and expectations. The opportunities your hotel has to establish a genuine connection and rapport with each guest are referred to as "guest touchpoints" — the moments in which a guest is in direct contact with your hotel staff. This may seem like a relatively simple concept but establishing these connections with prospective guests can prove difficult, at times, when these touchpoints are often fleeting compare...
THE SALES PROCESS: Step One THE OPENING
ProSolutions | September 11, 2018
By Jana Love Let's get knee deep into the fundamentals of the Sales Process. This new blog series will take the components of the sales process a little deeper; each component gives structure to the sales process. The sales process, in the basic form, is: The Opening, Advancing the Call, and Gaining their Commitment. So let's get started... There are so many aspects to successful selling, but there is nothing more important to the beginning of a great sales experience than a polished Opening, which is why we begin there! Here are the elements of the Opening that need to be mastered: Building Rapport ~ When you begin a sales or...
Are Hotel Front Desks a Thing of the Past?
Dean Minett | September 10, 2018
By Dean Minett De-cluttering is a big business. Successful books like The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo demonstrate the world's appetite for simplified living, while consultants have popped up all over Australia to help the people get rid of what they don't need. Similar thinking has found its way into business and technology. The Economist ran a piece in 2014 called "De-Cluttering the Company" in which the costly entrapments of bureaucracy are discussed. Eliminating clutter is also a hallmark of commercial technology. Disk drives and cable ports on laptop computers are becoming extinct as data is transferred increasi...
National Diagnostic Survey Reveals How Well Six Hotel Brands Connect With Their Customer Base
The Values Institute | September 6, 2018
SANTA ANA, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2018) — Holiday Inn, an Atlanta, Ga. company, finished at the top of the hotel category in a national survey measuring the trustworthiness of the nation's largest brands in eight key industries. Hilton landed in second place, followed by Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, and Best Western. The survey, which measured how well 43 of the largest U.S. brands connect with customers, found that hotels and appliances are the country's most trusted brand categories while cell service providers and rideshare services rank lowest on the public trust spectrum. The Values Institute (TVI), a leading social science research ...
Millennials: Changing Preferences & Priorities of Hotel F&B
Lori Crowley | September 6, 2018
By Lori Crowley Coming up as a Boomer, we simply did not have many choices when it came to what (and even where) we ate. For most of us, dinner was on the table every night, and there was a structure and familiarity to the ritual-not to mention the menu-that was very different than today. Boomers grew up in a time when life for most families was more structured and regimented, (usually) with more limited funds to devote to food shopping, and a budget that made eating out a relative rarity. And yes, of course, that's a generalization, if not a stereotype, but it's an anecdotal observation that's been backed by some convincing...
Five IoT solutions that can improve your guest experience radically
Valpas Enterprises | September 6, 2018
Anticipating guests' needs and creating personalized experiences is becoming a norm in hospitality industry. Competition is fierce and in order to stand out, modern systems need to be implemented to provide the satisfaction the contemporary traveller requires. Take a look at our list of convenient IoT solutions that will significantly improve every hotel's guest experience. Amazon Alexa – voice-based interaction with services and devices "Hey, Alexa. I'd like to listen to some music." "Okay, let me play some smooth jazz." Alexa enables the guest to use voice-control on different smart home devices. It's basically a guest's persona...
Nordic Choice Hotels Eliminates Siloed Systems While Improving Hotel Operations and Enabling SMS Communication Between Their Guests and Hotel Staff
ALICE | September 5, 2018
Nordic Choice Hotels, one of the largest hotel groups in Scandinavia with 190 properties, has selected ALICE to standardize their hotel operations and guest engagement across their diverse brand portfolio. 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. Last year, ALICE acquired concierge software provider GoConcierge to augment its technology and customer service offering. The signing of Nordic Choice Hotels is ALICE's second major enterprise deal following Grupo Posadas S.A.B. de C.V., the largest hotel operato...
Ongoing Training Is the New Normal
Larry Mogelonsky | September 5, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) As hoteliers continue to search for operational efficiencies and new technologies that reveal actionable guest insights, there appears to be a substantial hidden expense that we aren't collectively working hard enough to mitigate. Training is an exhaustive pursuit, both in terms of time spent by supervisors and managers to onboard fresh employees as well as the interim knowledge gaps that may invite service errors. At the frontline and non-managerial levels, some hotels can have annual turnover rates so high that training becomes a perpetual obligation that detracts senior team memb...
Leaders Communicate the Purpose (Keynote Video Clip)
Bryan K. Williams | September 5, 2018
By Bryan K. Williams Excellence is one of those words that is thrown around everyday, but many people don't stop to truly grasp the full meaning. The root word in excellence is excel, which means to go beyond. Beyond what? (I'm so glad you asked). To go beyond what is expected. It means to exceed expectations, and exceeding expectations has NOTHING to do with meeting expectations. They don't like each other, and are always in a fight. Like light and darkness, one is always seeking to dominate, but only one can prevail. If I order a cup of green tea, and you bring me the cup of green tea, that is not excellence. Even if you are smiling a...
Saddlebrook Resort Adapts to Guest Demands for Enhanced Online Connectivity With BeyondTV by Hotel Internet Services
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | September 5, 2018
Awarding-winning Tampa Bay resort implements advanced streaming solution to cater to today's standards in entertainment technology and data security, while facilitating promotion of hotel services Wesley Chapel, Fla. — September 5, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the implementation of its BeyondTV entertainment streaming solution at Saddlebrook Resort, a 480-acre property in Tampa Bay, Florida, recognized as one of the nation's preeminent athletic training facilities. Boasting two Arnold Palmer signature golf courses...
Shiji and Fliggy Partner to Pioneer Facial Recognition Hotel Check-In and Payment
Shiji | September 4, 2018
Beijing, Sept 4th 2018, Shiji working with Alibaba's Fliggy (formerly known as AliTrip), have achieved a hotel industry first by integrating full facial recognition for hotel check-in including credit authorization for 50 hotels in Hainan district of China. Fliggy provided the reservation and customer data with Shiji providing the integration, distribution, payment gateway and on-property systems to provide a seamless guest experience for the China travelers. With China's rapid advance in New Retail systems and mobile technology, the country has become a pioneer in integrated business processes to improve the customer experience using m...
Renovating Your Commercial Property? Don’t Forget the Parking Lot!
Cicero's Development Corporation | August 29, 2018
PLAINFIELD, IL, AUGUST 29, 2018 -- Whether you run a retail mall, office building or a hotel franchise, parking lots greet your guests before you do. They are the first chance for your guests to experience your brand of hospitality, and they are your last chance to leave a lasting impression as they head home. So if you are planning a renovation of your property don't forget to include your parking lot. Parking lots receive their fair share of traffic. It is inevitable that these lots will endure wear and tear as time progresses. Here are four very common problems that occur: Potholes: Potholes are a common type of damage. They are ...
What’s Wrong With Your Hotel Website? Ask Your Call Center Team
Doug Kennedy | August 29, 2018
By Doug Kennedy, KTN and Dave Spector, Tambourine Hotel and resort marketers have a powerful secret weapon, which in many cases is grossly underutilized: their call center reservations team. Even for hoteliers with a robust direct website, call centers remain a vital link in the booking and communications chain, and are a near boundless source of guest information and insight. Hotel and resort websites are great for showcasing amenities, telling a story and providing fundamental property info to a wide array of visitors, but it's crucial for hotel marketers to tap their call center teams for acute feedback about what inbound callers tru...
Using Coffee to Illustrate the Concept of Hyper-Regionality
Larry Mogelonsky | August 29, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Although this article pertains to only coffee, the concepts presented apply to nearly all types of cuisine and F&B presentations. In today's world where Starbucks and McCafé are considered the baseline for what's tolerable, any café or hotel that wants to make an impression through its coffee service must exceed these two franchised products which, for our purposes, are where the current expectation is. Thus, success requires two key elements – superior quality and diversity of menu. As an example of how this works, suppose the nearest franchised coffeehouse ...
StayNTouch CEO Jos Schaap Shares His Vision for the Future of Hotel Technology
StayNTouch Inc. | August 29, 2018
There is no shortage of great ideas — rather, the bigger challenge can be found in bringing those great ideas to fruition and envisioning the ways in which they can change lives and better businesses. When Jos Schaap first saw a B2B application on an iPad in 2012, he wasn't merely consumed with admiration of that technology in its existing form — he was already imagining how it could impact hoteliers. What would that look like? How could new and innovative software change the hospitality industry for the better? His determination to cultivate this idea within the hospitality industry lead to the conceptualization of StayNTou...
DigiValet Powers In-Room Technology at the Newly Opened Loews/Universal Aventura Hotel
DigiValet | August 29, 2018
A Unique Experience for Guests ; Unparalleled Benefits for Owners, Operators New York (August 29, 2018) — DigiValet, the company that is transforming the guest experience at luxury hotels around the world, has teamed up with The Loews Universal Aventura Hotel, Universal theme park's newest hotel, to mark the US debut of DigiValet's unparalleled guest experience http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-aventura-hotel-opening-20180815-story.html The in-room technology provides unrivaled benefits for guests as well as hotel ownership and management, leading to a smoother, more intuitive, and elevated travel experience. For...
Newly Released 2018 Guest Experience Assessment Provides Valuable Insights to Hoteliers on Guest Engagement
Travel Tripper | August 29, 2018
StayNTouch, Travel Tripper, and TrustYou examine trends in guest experience in their new report, "The Complete Guest Experience: How Does Your Hotel Stack Up?" Bethesda, Md. — Sept. 6, 2018 — StayNTouch, Travel Tripper, and TrustYou have partnered to launch a new report that examines guest experience trends and their adoption in the hotel industry. The report provides key insights and takeaways to empower hoteliers to improve their own guest-driven decisions and gain a better understanding of the market. The study surveyed more than 300 hoteliers in the U.S., Canada, and key hotspots around the globe on questions regarding c...
What’s So Great About Wellness Hotels?
Tucker Johnson | August 28, 2018
By Tucker Johnson When the first wellness-inspired 'EVEN Hotel' by IHG opened in 2014 I remember thinking, "It's not for me but there must be a bunch of people that are looking for something like this." In retrospect, I guess my assessment wasn't too far off as four years later they have only nine hotels open and 14 in the pipeline. These growth numbers seem especially weak when compared to 'avid', IHG's answer to Millennial-focused brands Tru (Hilton) and Moxy (Marriott). The 'avid' brand was announced in 2017, and now has one hotel open and 126 hotels in the pipeline. I often read about new wellness-inspired hotels and amenities a...
Consumers Want Amazon to Be a Travel Booking Site – What Can Hotels Learn?
Steffan Berelowitz | August 27, 2018
By Steffan Berelowitz Amazon dominates the world of e-commerce. Could it do the same in online travel bookings? Consumers would happily use the platform to book their travel plans if given the chance, according to a recent survey by flight travel intelligence company OAG. OAG surveyed 2,164 U.S. travelers to find out which platforms and methods they would be comfortable booking travel through. Amazon was the clear winner, with 44% of respondents saying they would consider using the e-commerce giant to book travel if it offered the service. This result is particularly impressive considering that the second most favored option was Faceboo...
KTN Announces an Innovative New Front Desk Hospitality Certification Program
Kennedy Training Network, Inc. | August 27, 2018
Now Front Desk Agents Can Become "Certified in the Heart of Hospitality" Florida, USA – August 27, 2018 – Kennedy Training Network Inc. Now your front desk colleagues can be Certified in the Heart of Hospitality and achieve what will soon be a highly coveted industry designation of being CHH. KTN President Doug Kennedy said: "Unlike other lodging industry certification programs which involve taking a passive, online class followed by an easy-to-pass multiple choice online test, KTN's CHH program is a highly engaging and personalized journey, which is essential for teaching intangible skills such as hospitality. He ...
Intelity X KEYPR Meet Guests’ Mobile Demands
Intelity | August 23, 2018
Study shows despite guests ongoing requests for more mobile engagement, few hotels are offering functionality everywhere guests want it; Intelity X KEYPR can help According to Hospitality Technology's 2018 Customer Engagement Technology Study, hotels are slow to adopt the mobile functionality guests want. Over 40% of those surveyed want to do one or more of the following: use their smartphones and tablets to manage reservations, control the guest room environment, check in/out, request services, order room service, unlock their rooms, and more. However, fewer than half of all hotels currently offer a majority of these mobile feature...
Loyalty Begins With a Smile
Alan Young | August 22, 2018
How a trip to Budapest reignited my love of travel By Alan E. Young, CEO, Puzzle Partner Loyalty begins with a smile. It sounds simple enough however it can be a challenge to receive a smile in today's hectic, overly self-indulgent environment. We focus on selfies, Facebook, Instagram and have slowly lost touch with what is most important, creating face to face relationships that can last the test of time. The hotel industry faces this challenge daily. While reading an article on Skift titled, "Google Finds Customer Service Beats Loyalty Programs," I saw this as such a basic point. Of course, great service will trump a loyalty program e...
Enhancing the Guest Experience with Personalized Menus
Larry Mogelonsky | August 22, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) A modern hotel must give its guests a personalized experience if it hopes to keep pace with traveler expectations. While all hoteliers broadly understand the concept, integration costs and outdated management protocols can become potential barriers. Hence, when I see an effort at personalization that bypasses these barriers, no matter how small, I get excited. Turning our attention to another central aspect of the modern hotel experience – F&B – how do you make patrons in your restaurant feel as if you have personalized the dining experience for them? While undoubted...
5 Customer Service & Sales Steps to Success
ProSolutions | August 22, 2018
By Katie Scheer You only get out of it what you put into it. So how much effort are you putting into making sure that your customer service and sales practices are top notch? Do you have training and quality assurance measures in place? If not, you might be losing out on untapped revenue. Never fear- we have some delicious ideas for your "pudding" so you will know what to do to make sure that you are putting in what it takes to make a difference (difference= more revenue!). Having strong customer service and sales skills are your key ingredients in making sure your "pudding" is something your customers continue to wa...
