Siegel Sez: Not Your Father’s Power Socket
September 3rd, 2021
The Most Important Hotel “Salesperson” Right Now Is Working Behind Your Front Desk
Doug Kennedy | July 22nd, 2020
The Profession of Hospitality: Enough With Elites, Welcome Entrepreneurs!
Georges Panayotis | September 11, 2018
By Georges Panayotis The entire profession agrees that the sector is short of manpower. Very often, restaurants, bars, hotels are unable to find competent, motivated and loyal staff to make their business grow and provide irreproachable customer service. Once you have gone around and squared the circle, you find yourself back at the beginning. Consultations, experiments, meetings, debates, brainstorming... much effort has been put into finding a solution, but but they result in half-measures and ultimately do not really solve this problem. Nevertheless, it is central to our profession, which is based on know-how and human contact. Paral...
Gender Diversity – a True Value Added for Companies
Dr Jean-Philippe Weisskopf | September 11, 2018
By Dr Jean-Philippe Weisskopf According to a recent white paper by the Hospitality Industry Pipeline (HIP) Coalition the workforce in the tourism and hospitality industry is comprised of 70% women. This number is remarkable and inspiring for gender diversity and parity on the job market indicating that women are a force to be reckoned with in the industry. It, however, hides a less pleasant picture once analyzing the upper echelons of companies. The white paper further finds that in the same companies only 20% of executive officers and a staggeringly low 8% of directors are female. This is surprising, as a majority of studies find a pos...
Five Ways Smart Hotel Rooms Will Make Travelers’ Lives Easier
Samuel Wich | September 10, 2018
By Samuel Wich In an industry as asset heavy as hotels, innovation is often lagging behind other sectors. It's simply easier and more cost-efficient to tweak an app or to install that new piece of equipment in a factory than it is to equip hundreds of thousands of rooms with the latest technological achievements. The investment necessary to fundamentally modernize the industry is immense. Yet there are smart ways to do it so you don't only improve guest experience but also increase your margins in the process. A little under a year has passed since both Hilton and Marriott announced their plans to take a large step into the age of digit...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 201: Hotel History: Architect Morris Lapidus
Stanley Turkel | September 5, 2018
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Architect Morris Lapidus (1902-2001) Morris Lapidus was an architect, primarily known for his Neo-baroque "Miami Modern" hotels constructed in the 1950s and 60s, which have since come to define that era's resort-hotel style – synonymous with Miami and Miami Beach. A Russian immigrant raised in New York, Lapidus designed over 1,000 buildings during a career spanning more than 50 years, much of it spent as an outsider to the American architectural establishment. Born in Odessa in the Russian Empire (now the Ukraine), his Orthodox Jewish family fled Russian pogroms to New York when he was an in...
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...
Celebrity Chefs: Are They Worth It?
Stuart Pallister | September 4, 2018
By Stuart Pallister Celebrity chefs are 'very expensive' but they can bring instant brand recognition to your hotel restaurant. That was the general consensus among panelists at the F&B breakout session at the International Hotel Investment Forum held recently in Berlin. Celebrity chefs: a recipe for success? Moderator Sophie Perret, director of HVS in London, raised the issue of celebrity chefs during the session, saying that some in the industry still feel it's a 'recipe for success'. Jon Yantin, Managing Partner - EMEA of F&B advisory firm Hospitality House, said the chef is not irrelevant but "if anyone thinks Gordon Ramsey ...
Don’t Pluck the Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs!
Georges Panayotis | August 30, 2018
By Georges Panayotis France's tourism performances are mostly positive, and so much the better! After many lean months, tourism and hotel professionals are back to smiling. Driven by ever-increasing international demand, tourist arrivals are on the rise and remain strong. Let's ride the wave and acquire market shares. Because while France has a long tradition of hospitality with an attractive cultural and geographical heritage, many destinations have followed in the same path. European performances are also positive and France is not alone in boasting results that are more than encouraging. Our sector has become prosperous again...
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 ...
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 ...
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...
European Hotel Industry Performance Over the Cycle
Dr. Isabella Blengini | August 21, 2018
By Dr. Isabella Blengini Over the last four years, we observed a certain level of volatility in the main indicators of hotels' performances, including the occupancy rate, the average daily rate (ADR) and the revenue per available room (RevPar). In particular, European countries like France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, started showing some encouraging signs of recovery, notably over the last two quarters of 2017. France seems to be the country that has been hit the hardest by the prolonged economic downturn that involved Europe. On the country, Italy showed a good degree of stability in terms of hotel performance over the same...
The Origins of the Hospitality Industry and What Lies Ahead
Samuel Wich | August 20, 2018
By Samuel Wich Away from home, surrounded by strangers and yet you feel welcome. The original idea of hospitality has remained unchanged since the creation of the word itself. Derived from the Latin word "hospes", meaning both visitor and stranger, hospitality has its roots in ancient history. Thousands of years ago, when road networks were scarce and traveling was cumbersome strangers arriving in a foreign land had to rely on either their camping skills or a local's kindness when looking for shelter. During the age of pilgrimage and the development of major trade routes throughout Europe, it was mostly inns and taverns offering primiti...
Heading to Nashville for Hotel Data Conference? Don’t Miss These 5 Sessions
Alan E. Young | August 14, 2018
By Alan E. Young Nashville is known for many things; live music, nightlife, food, and from August 15th until 17th that list expands to include the Hotel Data Conference (HDC) hosted by STR. A yearly, sold-out event staple in the hospitality industry, the conference covers over 20 exciting, insightful presentations, industry outlooks, tips, trends, and so much more. Taking place at the Omni Nashville Hotel, attendees can expect to join in on conversations with industry leaders and panelists and leave with data-backed insights to enhance their hospitality offering in 2018 and beyond. After all, with the trend of hyper-guest personalizatio...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 200: Hotel History: Cesar Ritz and Auguste Escoffier
Stanley Turkel | August 8, 2018
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Cesar Ritz (1850-1918) & Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) Cesar Ritz was a Swiss hotelier whose name is more synonymous with hotel luxury and fine food than Conrad Hilton, J.W. Marriott or William Waldorf Astor. Along with his chef de cuisine, Auguste Escoffier, Ritz was already well known across Europe when they were invited to run the revolutionary new Savoy Hotel in London in 1889. The land on which the Savoy stands was bought in 1880 by the impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte to build the Savoy Theatre dedicated to presenting the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas which he produced. Impressed by the ...
Understanding Modern Dietary Restrictions
Larry Mogelonsky | August 8, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Setting aside allergic considerations, the number and diversity of self-imposed dietary restrictions these days are enough to make any F&B director shake his or her head. I'm not opposed to any of these; rather, it is imperative that all hoteliers embrace these eating habit changes. There are vegetarians that don't consume any flesh, vegans who go a step further by not touching dairy or eggs, pescatarians who eat seafood but not any terrestrial animals, pollo-pescatarians for fish or chicken but never red meat, paleo dieters who abstain from grain and a host of religious regimen...
The Emotional Impact of Overpriced In-Room Bottled Water
Larry Mogelonsky | August 1, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) I am constantly perplexed at the continued reluctance of hoteliers to recognize activities that truly are unbecoming unbearable for guests. In this case, I am referring to our proclivity towards affixing outrageous prices to such basic amenities as bottled water. In a recent stay at a well-known chain property, my first vision upon entering was a largish bottle of water with the outrageous price tag of $7 (plus tax, of course). Most travelers look at this and, subconsciously reflecting on this number, conclude the following: Why is this bottle $7 when I can buy it in the supermar...
HITEC 2018 Reveals the True Importance of Integration
Larry Mogelonsky | July 25, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) HITEC this year took place in the hot and humid town of Houston, but the weather was never a deterrent for the 7,000 some odd attendees from all aspects of hospitality. Held during the third week of June, this foremost hospitality technology show was truly enlightening for where our industry is headed. As the convention starts to resemble the famed Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in breadth and scope, the good news this year is that software capabilities are becoming near-universal. Integrations are commonplace and vendors have taken on a 'spirit of partnership' where they recognize ...
The Magic Potion and the Gallic Village
Georges Panayotis | July 24, 2018
By Georges Panayotis Once upon a time there was a Gallic village that continued to resist the invader. Not content with being just an extremely popular tourist destination, it wanted to be able to boast of being the first in the world. However, the Gallic chiefs had spent decades looking for a recipe to make a magic potion that not only made their ultimate dream come true, but could also count the tourists who visited. The leaders also wanted to keep control over their flock at all costs, to control and ultimately to curb their villagers' businesses. But the villagers were not satisfied, because the costs of maintaining the village ...
Train Your Front Desk Colleagues to Be “Memory Makers”
Doug Kennedy | July 24, 2018
By Doug Kennedy The front desk colleagues at your hotel are creating first impressions that set the tone for the entire guest's stay every shift, every day. Whereas in the past, first impressions were made by a voice reservations agent or during a phone call to inquire about directions or hotel amenities, most guests find these needs met online. Therefore, the first human contact with your hotel is likely to be with the front desk colleague. Tech companies have for many years been trying to automate the guest arrival experience. First, front desk kiosks were placed in lobbies of some hotel brands, yet guests walked right by them even if...
Staying Aware of New Housekeeping Legislation
Larry Mogelonsky | July 18, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) The housekeeping department more often than not represents the heart of a hotel's operations as a clean room is an essential part of guest service delivery. Moreover, it's backbreaking work with wages that aren't exceedingly high, while the room attendants themselves can be put in compromising situations as they roam the corridors by themselves. It would appear, though, that labor unions throughout the United States are starting to gain ground with new legislation in several territories that mandate enhanced protocols for housekeepers' safety. Given this momentum, no matter your mu...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 199: Hotel History: Fanciful Prediction, Definition of “Turnpike”, The Pineapple as a Symbol of Hospitality, Hokusai,
Stanley Turkel | July 18, 2018
by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Fanciful Prediction - In the September 1912 issue of American Homes & Gardens, futurist Harold D. Eberlein presented his predictions of the impact of air travel on American cities. Eberlein foresaw a proliferation of roof gardens on top of large hotels to provide pleasing views for guests. He also predicted that travelers could expect to find "clerks and bellboys posted on the top floor ready to attend to the immediate wants of tourists who have just arrived by airplane. Aerial taxicabs will circle like vultures over the hotel waiting for a doorman to signal one of them to alight and pick up a ...
Enhancing Your Coffee Service With Ten Tips
Larry Mogelonsky | July 11, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) One of the most important elements of a modern hotel property is its coffee service, both within the guestroom and at any restaurant outlet. Given this beverage's significance in everyday life, it's a definite no-no for a hotel that cuts corners in its procurement and preparation of this brown elixir. Hardly a drug, though, coffee is not only big business but an aspect of our culture that continues to evolve. To witness this evolution, look no further than guests' expectations for a property's in-room coffee and tea service. Within the past decade, we've seen a migration from metal ...
