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
Hospitality Requires Stepping Into “Character” Like an Actor on a Stage
Cathy Cook | April 23, 2018
By Cathy Cook In the hotel industry we all know how important it is to deliver hospitality, which is the key to a positive guest stay. Otherwise we are simply in the "room rental business" and our guest rooms devolve into a commodity like a seat on an airplane. These days hospitality has become even more important, as the number of "touch points" in a guest's stay are reduced, as automation of the booking process increases and as the amount of pre-arrival information (directions, amenities, local area details) is included in an email confirmation. Put simply, we have fewer conversations than ever before. At the same time, those of us wh...
Washington Court Selects KEYPR as Exclusive Guest Experience Technology Partner
KEYPR | April 20, 2018
Luxury Capitol Hill hotel goes live with the KEYPR platform, bringing the latest technology to guests and staff Los Angeles, CA (April 20, 2018) -- KEYPR®, the technology company whose enterprise cloud platform is the leader in guest experience and hospitality management, announced today that its system has been fully deployed at the iconic Washington Court Hotel located in the heart of Washington, D.C. "We pride ourselves in maintaining the highest service standard, and are committed to delivering a boutique hotel experience with all the modern amenities," said Washington Court's Operations Manager, Greg Askew. "The KEYPR platform...
ALICE to Showcase Their Products and Speak About the Future of Connected Hotel Operations at Maestro User Conference
ALICE | April 19, 2018
ALICE, the hospitality industry's leading operations platform, will be showcasing its complete suite of hotel management and guest engagement products at the Maestro User Conference, April 23-26. Click here to schedule a meeting with our team. ALICE integrates directly with Maestro PMS (as well as most other Property Management Systems). The integration between ALICE and Maestro gives hotels a holistic view to the guest journey -- from booking to post-stay. By combining the booking and billing information collected by Maestro and guest preference and request history recorded by ALICE, hoteliers have actionable data to improve guest serv...
Using Wine to Show How Much Customers Care About Industry Jargon
Larry Mogelonsky | April 18, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) To use wine as an case study but feel free to ruminate on your own example, a big part of the sales process is helping customers decide upon what bottle or glass to buy. While it's always a delight to exchange a few sentences with a fellow oenophile who understands some of unique qualities of specific growing regions or varietals, most of the time we end up dealing with beginners who know the difference between red, white and rose, and not much else. A problem arises when we attempt to sell to these neophytes by using jargon that they may not fully comprehend. The response to the qu...
Intelity Solutions Helping Hotels Achieve Higher AAA Diamond Ratings
Intelity | April 17, 2018
Recent updates to AAA Diamond Rating Guidelines reflect the importance of connecting travelers and hoteliers via mobile technologies such as mobile apps, mobile keys, and mobile concierge Orlando, Fla. — April 17, 2018] — AAA has revised its Approval Requirements and Diamond Rating Guidelines to now "reflect the importance of connective technologies that allow guests and lodging operators to interact on an increasingly personalized basis." What this means to hoteliers looking for a higher AAA Diamond Rating is they will now be expected to connect their guests to hotel staff and services by smartphones and tablets and keep t...
Factors Driving Hotel Wellness, Asset Management and Revenue
Mia A. Mackman | April 17, 2018
By Mia A. Mackman This article reveals how spa and wellness aspects are disseminated throughout the whole guest experience, and how wellness motivated design and construction elements complement property development, enhance marketability and engagement and is spurring new growth across the hospitality sector. This article also examines how critical management adjustments, and product and service enhancements can significantly add value, increase RevPAR and improve average daily rate performance. Built-In from the Ground Up Hotel design aspects have lined up with wellness construction counterparts and evolved into a thriving wellness-...
Talent and Technology Go Hand-in-Hand in Contact Centers
JLL Real Views | April 16, 2018
Technology is transforming the way organizations interact with customers—but even the most promising digital tools still work best when paired with skilled humans. High-tech solutions like blockchain and automation will unquestionably reshape the contact center industry in the coming years. Yet this digital disruption is not expected to replace people entirely. Instead, contact center operators are seeking tech-savvy, customer service-oriented talent to work alongside robots. This dual focus on talent and digital strategy is fueling momentum in the U.S. contact center sector, where growth is currently outpacing the global industry...
How Video Tools and Screen Sharing Can Help Today’s Hotel Salespeople Stand Out
Doug Kennedy | April 12, 2018
By Doug Kennedy In the 2010's we have witnessed a transition in group bookings to electronic conversations, as an increasing percentage of meetings, conferences and events are being booked without there being even one voice call between buyer and seller. While there is still human engagement needed to finalize contracts and details, sales is increasingly a depersonalized, transactional process done via direct email (to "sales@hotelname.com") or via correspondence that takes place in online portals. In the currently strong economy, most salespeople seem to be content with simply responding electronically. In other words, if the lead come...
Does Your Hotel Have a Policy on Piercings?
Larry Mogelonsky | April 11, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Just over a year ago on Hotel-Online, I wrote about the need to put in definite terms what your hotel would tolerate for visible tattoos as well as how this policy might vary for back-of-house versus front-of-house. It's an important topic because tattoos are on the rise amongst the younger demographics, and yet a guest from a more traditional upbringing may be turned off by such ink. If you don't have the proper documentation and signed agreements from everyone at the associate level, you risk irritating customers or running into problems surrounding discriminatory hiring practices...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Management Incentive Plans
David Lund | April 9, 2018
By David Lund Recently I have been working with a client who has four hotels and we worked on putting together an incentive plan for his executives. This is a story about how we structured the incentive and the goals around the plan and his business. Bonus plans or management incentive plans are nothing new. Even a recent client had almost always given his senior people an annual bonus, typically at the holiday time. When I asked him what it was based on, he said it was just the overriding feeling of his thanks for a job well done. We then discussed the very real fact that he had not shared his financials with his leaders and this was s...
Want To Hear What Your Reservations Agents Are Saying Right Now To Callers?
Kennedy Training Network | April 5, 2018
For a limited time, Kennedy Training Network (KTN) is offering a complimentary round of reservations mystery shopping reports for all new prospective clients. KTN's team will produce 4 complimentary reports, scored according to its baseline reservations sales call criteria and targeting different agents. Each mystery shopping report will be sent via email, including a link to a scored checklist, plus commentary and sales coaching tips from a KTN Reservations Coach. Best of all, reports include a link to the audio recording of the actual conversation, so you can listen to what callers are hearing your agents say. Shop calls will begin sh...
Why A Mobile App May Be Key to Designing a Better Guest Experience
Terri Miller | April 5, 2018
By Terri Miller, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Concilio Labs When was the last time you used an app? Today? An hour ago? A few minutes ago? For most of us, apps have become an integrated part of our daily life — we might not even realize the extent to which we rely on them. Our smartphone behavior is typically centered around the convenience and connection that apps readily provide. Despite this prevalence, there has long existed a trend of some businesses hesitating to break into the realm of mobile apps; a hesitation which may also extend to hotels. The push for technological innovation only continues to grow and, wi...
Should You Start Putting Rooms On Airbnb?
Larry Mogelonsky | April 4, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) One of the hallmarks of the early 21st century that we are currently will be the gradual shift away from a traditional, corporate-based model of capitalism to a crowd-based one. We're seeing this with the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and we're seeing this in the travel industry with global, billion-dollar entities like Airbnb. While legislation will help to level the playing field so hotels have a fighting chance, it will be impossible to reverse this overarching trend. And so, as the question in the title of this article implies, you cannot wait for policymakers in your te...
The Ace Hotel Portland Goes Leading Edge with Cloud Tech that Personalizes the Guest Experience
Ace Hotel Portland | April 3, 2018
Hip Ace Portland Connects Guests with the City and its Happenings via One-on-One Service Using Guestware April 3, 2018 – In 1912 the sophisticated Clyde Hotel was at the center of Portland, Oregon. Today the edgy, renovated Ace Hotel Portland occupies the Clyde's historic building, carries its signage, and continues to be at the center of hip cultural experiences in downtown Portland. "We are the 'Portland home' for touring musicians, artists, and tech professionals; and anyone who wants a friendly living room guest experience instead of a hotel," says Shannon Austin, the Ace Portland's assistant general manager. "We make everyone...
From Dreaming to Booking Part V: The Experiencing Phase How to Capitalize on the Experiencing Phase of the Travel Planning Journey
HEBS Digital | April 3, 2018
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo, VP Strategy This article is the final contribution in a five-part series that uncovers top strategies for reaching potential guests in meaningful moments throughout every stage of the travel planning journey to increase direct bookings. This article focuses on the fourth stage of travel planning: the experiencing phase. So, you've won the booking. What's next? Travelers are filled with anticipation and excitement for their upcoming trip, and now your hotel brand must deliver the best experience possible. While winning the booking may seem like the end of the customer journey, guiding the guest experience throu...
Holiday Inn Express and Marriott Earn Top Customer Experience Ratings for Hotels, in Temkin Group’s Annual Survey
Temkin Group | April 2, 2018
WABAN, Mass., April 2, 2018 -- Holiday Inn Express and Marriott deliver the best customer experience in the hotel industry, according to the 2018 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual customer experience benchmark of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers. Out of the 20 hospitality companies included in this year's Ratings, Holiday Inn Express and Marriott tied for the top spot. Each earned a score of 78% and came in 34th place overall out of 318 companies across 20 industries. Hampton Inn secured the third place spot with a rating of 76% and an overall rank of 51st. Overall, the hotel industry averaged a 70% rating in ...
Building Your F&B Reputation Through Events
Larry Mogelonsky | March 28, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Good food can help put heads in beds, but few hoteliers fully grasp how this symbiotic relationship works. For today's case, events that showcase on-property chefs are not on every manager's calendar, most likely because they typically deliver an expense line well above operating revenues. However, they provide significant value in several indirect ways. First, events like this allow a hotel to demonstrate unbridled culinary excellence. Next, they allow your chefs to demonstrate creativity. Thirdly, they afford your public relations team with great fodder for continued media interes...
What Do Young Hoteliers Look for in Their Career?
Young Hoteliers Summit and the Rankings | March 26, 2018
What motivates a recently graduated student to work for an international hospitality brand? If you are unsure about the answer to this question, you might risk losing the race for talent. In the new era of asset light strategies, the acquisition and retention of young talent is becoming a strategic function for global hospitality companies. Winning companies should embrace new talent strategies to outperform their competitors in their respective markets, and better prepare for upcoming challenges from disruptive hospitality companies. For the 9th year in a row, the Young Hoteliers Summit Employer Rankings Report explores career path mot...
Helping Hotel Workers Manage Their Financial Stress
Chris Whitlow | March 26, 2018
By Chris Whitlow PwC reports that a third of the American workforce is stressed about their personal financial situation and they bring those frustrations to work. Additionally, the average wage for many employees in the hotel and travel-related industries is about $11 per hour, with many desk and service workers making less. This means that many hotel workers are stretching their paychecks each month to both cover bills and try to plan for their future. For hotel and hospitality employers, helping their employees better address their financial stresses can not only reduce turnover rates, but also foster a healthier workforce overall. W...
CRM + PMS = Time to Wake up and Smell the Coffee
Kevin McCarthy | March 21, 2018
By Kevin McCarthy Think about all your possessions, all your worldly belongings, how you travel, and where you stay. I have just walked through my house in my mind and thought of brands that exist in my life for more than 3 years, and persist in their presence. One stands out, a coffee, George Clooney is a fan too of this brand, we have one of their coffee machines in our kitchen in Dubai that we bought 4 years ago when we lived in Switzerland. It works. Never broke down, never falters. The coffee tastes as good today as it did back then and the flavor variety increasing ensures our trust remains. Last Christmas we received complimentar...
Ten Steps to Revitalizing Your Coffee Experience
Larry Mogelonsky | March 21, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) We all love caffeine and coffee happens to be among the most components in your F&B arsenal. Let's start by recapping what should you already know or have gone through with your team prior to starting to think about this ten-step process. Firstly, you've reviewed your brew and you're convinced it is a contender to of note to guests as well as locals. Next, you've done your best to include a great decaf companion. And lastly, you're offering, at a minimum, espresso, cappuccino and lattes to flesh out your menu beyond mere percolated beans. Now, how do you lever this into creating...
Finding & Recruiting Talent in Hospitality: Never More Than Two Degrees of Separation
David Lund | March 19, 2018
By David Lund Finding good people in our industry is a tough job, especially in certain economies. It is extra tough when you are looking for a particular skill set. Hospitality does not have the reputation for paying well. We have the reputation for long hours and working on weekends and holidays. Not exactly the millennial's picture-perfect career profile. Hospitality is special and either you get it and you drank the Kool-Aid or you don't. According to salary.com a hospitality degree is number four on the top eight college degrees with the worst return on investment. How is that for a hard pill to swallow. There is hope and there are...
A Story of How Handwritten Notes Increase Service
Larry Mogelonsky | March 14, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) On a recent domestic flight, I was surprised by a folded paper napkin handed to me by the flight attendant. Odd, I thought, as I had not made any requests. Handwritten was a simple instruction providing details regarding my connecting flight. Legibly signed, I could not help but be both appreciative and duly impressed. Handwritten notes are an excellent way to build a rapport with guests – this we should all be well-familiar with by now. But they can also be counterproductive if done wrong. Looking back, there was nothing out of the ordinary on that flight. As expected, the bu...
Why I STILL Pick up Trash in Hotel Lobbies
Cathy Cook | March 14, 2018
By Cathy Cook I have worked in the hotel industry for 35 years (27 of them at Marriott International) where my mentors indoctrinated me to the philosophy of taking ownership of the physical hotel product. It became intuitive to me to be keenly aware of the smallest details such as spotting the one burned out light bulb in the chandelier, a paperclip on the floor, or a gum wrapper in a potted plant. Most importantly, I was trained to spot and then clean-up litter in the lobby and public areas. Over the years I became famous at each of the Brand properties I worked at for going around and picking up the smallest scrap of paper or candy wr...
