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
Positron and Cloud5 Communications Announce Partnership
Cloud5 Communications | June 27, 2023
Collaboration will help hospitality properties and MDUs more efficiently and cost-effectively meet network needs and requirements. Chicago, IL. — June 27, 2023, Cloud5 Communications, a leading provider of communications and technology solutions for more than 5,000 hotels, MDUs, and commercial facilities across the Americas, and Positron Access Solutions, a specialist in carrier-grade telecommunications products, have partnered together to address the connectivity and cabling challenges experienced by many hospitality companies and MDUs as they seek to modernize their networks and meet the expectations of today’s guests and re...
InnSpire Forms Global Channel Distribution Partnership With CNN International Commercial
InnSpire | June 26, 2023
Strategic alliance allows InnSpire to deliver the world’s number one most trusted news channel and related content to hotels through its advanced IPTV guestroom entertainment system. Stockholm & Washington DC – HITEC Booth # 2019 — June 26, 2023 – 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, today announced that it has inked a global channel distribution partnership with CNN International Commercial (CNNIC). The new partnership will provide seamless access to the world’s leading news channel...
Shiji and Rivalry Tech Join Forces to Optimize Guest Experiences in Hospitality
Shiji | June 22, 2023
Shiji and Rivalry Tech partner to enhance guest experiences with seamless digital ordering, empowering operators for accuracy, streamlining operations, and delivering exceptional efficiency in a user-friendly interface. ATLANTA, Georgia, USA, June 22, 2023 – Shiji, the global hospitality technology innovator, announced its partnership with Rivalry Tech, a provider of digital ordering platforms that include self-serve kiosks and mobile ordering solutions. This collaboration will further enhance guest experiences by providing seamless and efficient solutions for both guests and operators in the hospitality industry. The partnership...
Okura Nikko Hotel Management Partners With Ireckonu to Implement a Global Digital Guest Experience Strategy
Ireckonu | June 22, 2023
The Luxury Hotel Management group adopts Ireckonu’s entire product suite to drive customer engagement in over 70 hotels worldwide AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 21 June 2023 – Ireckonu, the industry leader in Hospitality Middleware, CDP and digital guest relationship systems integration, today announced its partnership with Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd (ONHM). Ireckonu will work with the Tokyo-based luxury hotel firm to centralize all guest data among their entire property portfolio to create an accessible and actionable Customer Data Platform (CDP). The firm manages three hotel groups; Okura Hotels & Resort, Nikko Ho...
With Great Rates Come Great Guest Expectations
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | June 21, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Even in the back half of 2023, every hotel is still contending with inflation in some way or another, likely passing these costs onto the customer. Thus far, from what the aggregated travel numbers for this year indicate, guests have been fine with the increased rates. But does that mean that your current guests – in what can ostensibly still be described as a rebound year from the pandemic – are happy guests that are ready to come back within a reasonable timeframe? Would they recommend you to others, either by word of mouth or by word of mouse? While the apt adage for right now is to make hay while ...
HCN Bringing NEW In-Room Tablet With Modern UI & Mobile Phone Mirroring to HITEC Toronto
The Hotel Communication Network (HCN) | June 21, 2023
Enhancements to Navigator 2.0 and its most popular features – In-Room Messaging, Dynamic Alerts, DineIN, EventLink, Guest Choice, Interactive City Guides, Early/Late Check out, and Customizable Alarm Clock – will be on display in Booth 1237 June 27 to 30 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center Ottawa, Ontario – June 21, 2023 – Next week at HITEC® Toronto, Hotel Communication Network will showcase its re-engineered in-room tablet with two-way guest communications at the core. The NEW Navigator 2.0 gives guests and staff more control over the stay experience. Guests have everything they need from individual/group messaging, food orde...
INTELITY, FreshBed Announce Live Integration & Partnership
INTELITY | June 20, 2023
The new partnership will provide hotels with the ability to significantly enhance their guest experience by letting them regulate their FreshBed leveraging the INTELITY platform Los Angeles, CA (June 20, 2023) – INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s leading guest experience and staff management platform, has announced a partnership and live integration with FreshBed, the world’s first bed featuring its own full control climate capabilities. An ideal solution for hotels and wellness resorts, this relationship unlocks the ultimate luxury offering by providing guests with the ability to adjust their complete sleep environment directl...
Manage the Moment Right Now to Get the Customer to Come Back Tomorrow
Shep Hyken | June 15, 2023
By Shep Hyken I just heard an excellent motivational speaker, Antonio Neves, and one of his messages was called “The Last 30 Days.” He talked about visiting a marriage counselor with his wife, where they were asked to consider the question: Looking back over the last 30 days, if you asked your spouse to marry you again, would they say yes? He then spun that question to business and specifically talked about employment. That version goes like this: Looking back over the last 30 days, would your boss rehire you? When I do annual reviews of my team, one of the questions I ask myself is, “Based on the past year, would I ...
The Hotel Guest Experience Starts With Customer Reviews and UGC
Lodging Interactive | June 15, 2023
Some may say the headline has it backward, but today's modern travelers would agree, and in fact, they go out of their way to research the hotel guest experience before they even begin their travels. Recent trends support the idea that today's travelers rely on user-generated content and guest reviews to research their hotel stays before they book. Consider these trends: • Social media: Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have made it easier than ever for travelers to share their experiences with others. This has led to a growing reliance on user-generated content (UGC) as a source of information about hotels and other ...
12 Easy Ways to Secure More Direct Voice Reservations
Doug Kennedy | June 14, 2023
By Doug Kennedy Despite the predictions of its demise, the voice reservations channel is alive and well for all sectors of the lodging industry. For decades now, pundits have predicted the death of voice as a booking channel. First, it was the emergence of OTA’s, then the birth of the smartphone, then the emergence of the concept of imaginary “generations” based on birth year, which supposedly have homogenous attitudes about technology vs. people. And yet the phones still ring. Surely, the number of voice bookings has decreased significantly over the years as online options grow, but smart leaders recognize that direct bookings ar...
Nothing Is Free, Even Free Shipping
Shep Hyken | June 8, 2023
By Shep Hyken Free is often an illusion. It looks free and may be advertised as free, but it’s not free. I’m not saying a company that claims something is free is lying. As consumers, we must be careful and understand the difference between what is truly free and what is perceived as free. And as businesses, we must be cautious about what we promise. Let’s use free shipping as an example. I think we can all agree, free shipping is not free. Somebody is paying for it, and it’s usually the consumer. Typically, free shipping is built into the price. Sometimes, free shipping is part of a membership fee, such as...
Diet Water, Melted Ice Cream, Blowfish Among Top 10 Most Unusual Room Service Requests, Hotels.com Reports
Hotels.com | June 7, 2023
Study also reveals hotels are expanding in-room offerings to include private concerts and $300 ice cream sundaes DALLAS, June 7, 2023 -- Today Hotels.com® reveals its inaugural Room Service Report which finds that demand for the popular amenity is on the rise according to 45% of U.S. hotels1. The report surveyed hotel partners around the world to reveal what's "in" when dining in from the trendiest to the most eccentric orders, as well as hotels with over-the-top room service options like a $1600 burger and a $300 ice cream sundae. Top findings from the study include: The weird side of room service • Hotels revealed their mo...
Doug Kennedy Announces Next Topic in His Webcast Training Series: Hospitality Training: Bringing Out the Best in Our Guests Brings Out the Best in Our
Doug Kennedy | June 7, 2023
Complimentary Registration Sponsored By Travel Outlook, Better Talent, and Track Hospitality Software Kennedy Training Network Inc. (KTN) announced today the topic for Doug Kennedy’s next training webcast, which this month features a hospitality theme: Bringing Out The Best In Our Guests Brings Out The Best In Ourselves, scheduled for Monday, June 12 from Noon – 12:40pm. REGISTER HERE According to Doug, “Most guests don’t start their day with the intention to complain, whine, and create conflict. However, the challenges along the way can bring out the worst side of even the nicest personalities.” This KTN training webcast...
Please Put Me Back On Hold!
Shep Hyken | June 1, 2023
By Shep Hyken “Please put me back on hold. I want to keep listening to the music,” said nobody, ever – unless they were listening to the hold music at the Kansas City Foot and Ankle medical practice. The owner of this four-office podiatry practice with seven doctors and 25 staff members, Dr. Mark Green, has always focused on creating a positive, unique and frictionless patient experience. He found a major friction point for new patients trying to make appointments was the initial phone call, when they often experienced longer than usual hold times. Good news for Dr. Green! Not only was he correct in diagnosing the pro...
Closing the Deal With Gen Zs
Mark Lewis-Brown | June 1, 2023
Mark Lewis-Brown Although they would like to deny it, Gen Zs and Millennials do have one very important thing (for you!) in common: just like the Millennials before them, Gen Zs are highly motivated by travel and will spend as much of their disposable income on it as possible. Don’t believe me? Check out these stats from a recent article by Morning Consult: "52% of Gen Z adults are frequent travelers, taking at least three leisure trips in the past year. That share is significantly larger than it is for higher-earning Gen Xs and Baby Boomers, and it’s on par with Millennials... As Gen Zs age and grow in spending power, they will lik...
Shiji ReviewPro Launches Guest Experience Benchmark Report For Q1 2023
Shiji | May 31, 2023
Barcelona - In response to the rapidly growing travel market and the increasing demand for optimal guest experience in hotels, Shiji ReviewPro is proud to announce the launch of its Guest Experience Benchmark for the first quarter of 2023. Analyzing over 2 million reviews from 9,500 hotels in all regions, from Asia Pacific to the Americas, the report provides a comprehensive snapshot of guest experiences in 3 to 5-star hotels. This pioneering benchmark analysis offers hoteliers valuable insights into guest satisfaction trends and provides a comparative measure against current industry standards. Key findings from the Q1 2023 report inclu...
For Young Affluents, The Experience Really Is ‘Everything’
Matt Ferebee | May 25, 2023
By Matt Ferebee The world of leisure travel continues to change, particularly as it relates to younger affluent travelers. Raised on the internet and fed a steady stream of content via social media, these younger guests are seeking out travel that delivers what they have become so accustomed to online and on social: relevant content that is as immediate as it is immersive. In the context of hotels and resorts, that ‘content’ includes everything destination-related that a guest experiences before, during and after their stay. This desire to be surrounded by a more integrated, memorable experience is not, of course, a new expectation ...
Sometimes Customers Are Just Having a Bad Day
Shep Hyken | May 25, 2023
By Shep Hyken You’ve probably experienced this. No matter how hard you try to please some customers, they aren’t happy. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, it’s reality. And speaking of reality, no matter how good you are at creating an amazing customer experience, the customer’s perception counts. Their perception is their reality. I once went to an amazing restaurant – at least, I was told it was amazing. That evening, I had a bad cold. The people I was with raved about the food. However, I didn’t have the same experience. It had nothing to do with the food. It had to do with how I was feeling. When custo...
Charging Four Figures by Rethinking the Guest Journey
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 24, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky A broad prediction the two of us have for the rest of the rest of the decade is that luxury travel will boom, with many hotels easily surpassing four figures in their nightly rates. Hardly an outlier in this prediction, what many hoteliers may be taking for granted is the psychological expectations that occur when you cross this chasm. That is, with great rates come great responsibility. What you may be forgetting in this ‘rate inflation’ environment is that the luxury traveler is equally, if not more, savvy than the regular consumer. They know what they want and have plenty of options for other hotels s...
Best Practices for Hotel & Resort Operators in Pool Season 2023
Tracee Nalewak | May 24, 2023
By Tracee Nalewak With the arrival of warmer weather and summer fast approaching, hospitality operators are gearing up for another pool season. This year, technology is at the forefront of driving booking revenue and taking operational efficiency to the next level. Modern technology platforms (such as hospitality’s newest technology category – the Property Experience Management System or PXMS) are providing brand new capabilities that unlock new strategies and approaches to filling the pool with satisfied guests. Here are four best practices being utilized by the top pools in 2023: 1. Automate inventory yielding One of the bes...
Amadeus Hospitality’s Ecosystem Approach to Deliver Personalized Journeys in New Era of Travel
Amadeus | May 23, 2023
Research finds travelers today expect personalized, flexible, and sustainable journeys as new data shows the sector continuing to rebound New report explores how the industry will be able to deliver on these traveler expectations through the Amadeus ecosystem approach, combining content across hotels, mobility, and travel insurance Traveler expectations have changed over the past four years – the hospitality industry of 2023 is not that of 2019. These expectations are catalysts for change as today, personalization tops the agenda, with consumers seeking customizable offers when it comes to booking travel. Flexible and sustainable jo...
Customer Service Is Like Dating
Shep Hyken | May 18, 2023
By Shep Hyken I like the title of this article, but perhaps a more appropriate title might be: Customer Service Is Like Being Married. The buying cycle for a customer typically includes a little research, talking to a salesperson, making the purchase, and whatever happens after the sale. This can include follow-up from the salesperson, dealing with customer service for a problem, or any interaction you have with the company or brand after the sale is made. Many companies spend a lot of money and expend tremendous effort to get you in the door or to their website. They entice you with marketing messages, advertising, and anythi...
Out With the Old, In With the New
Neil Schubert | May 17, 2023
By Neil Schubert The way guests are choosing to communicate with hotels is changing, but the fundamental importance of one-to-one engagement remains the same Remember the days of NCR cash registers and metal keys with slots behind the desk? It still brings a smile to my face, just like an old episode of Gunsmoke. It was a time when communication with guests was face-to-face. Like many of my industry colleagues, it was the personal interactions with people while working at the front desk that got me hooked on the hotel business. In the good ‘ole days, people were generally friendly and excited about traveling. The was no pre-arriv...
How to Break the Rules and Delight Customers
Shep Hyken | May 11, 2023
By Shep Hyken There is a massive benefit to empowering employees to “break the rules” for their customers. And what I mean by “breaking the rules” is to consider what you can do for a customer outside of the norm that doesn’t cost the company money, isn’t illegal or immoral, and won’t hurt “business as usual.” In reality, employees aren’t breaking any rules. They are finding ways to take care of the customer while not breaking the “rules” mentioned above. One of the concepts I cover in my customer service keynote speech is the idea of the “line in the sand.” Many companies train their employees in what ...
