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 Hotel Business Rebuilds Servuction
Georges Panayotis | July 10, 2018
By Georges Panayotis What if it was all for nothing? What if living an unforgettable stay experience, which one will absolutely want to repeat, depended only on impalpable elements? A functional and attractive aesthetic product is now the bare minimum to attract and retain customers. While it is absolutely necessary, it is not enough. For the customer, these services are self-evident. Comfort, ergonomics, a sense of security are essential to good accommodations. But it is necessary to have a more global and far-reaching vision with a broader focus; offering an accommodations product now means providing a universe, a whole that can meet ...
Is GDPR Legislation Coming to U.S. Hotels?
Jim Butler | July 10, 2018
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® 10 July 2018 Privacy legislation is dominating the news cycle these days–and it's unlikely to slow down. Now, as U.S. companies are adjusting to the requirements of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, the State of California has introduced new laws that will apply to California companies or companies doing business in California. Senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® and Co-Chair of the Firm's Cybersecurity & Privacy Group Bob Braun discusses the implications of the new legislation and how it will impact hotels, below. California Adopts th...
Ten Tips to Boost Your Public Relations Efforts
Larry Mogelonsky | July 5, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Having recently attended this year's HITEC as a media representative, I was bombarded with hundreds of emails over the past few weeks from those interested in garnering just an ounce of my attention to have me publish their materials. How can any single release stand out? Thinking of all the hours that are spent by hotel managers and public relations agencies in preparing this material is mortifying, especially since 99% of these well-crafted pieces of literature will be trashed without the recipient ever getting beyond the headline. What a waste! Moving forward, as the general mana...
Alexa for Hotels – The Good, The Bad and The Creepy
Alan E. Young | June 27, 2018
By Alan E. Young This past week marked another successful HITEC, the culmination of which left hospitality experts with a lot to think about as it relates to industry-wide innovations positioned to make major waves in 2018. One of the more notable discussion points is the mainstream integration of voice-powered assistants (AI technology) into hotels. In fact, Amazon.com Inc recently announced that it has partnered with Marriott International Inc to help increase guest access to amenities with Alexa, through its voice-controlled device Echo, in an attempt to expand its presence in the hospitality industry. This is an exciting prospect fo...
Ten Reasons to Love the Hospitality Industry
Larry Mogelonsky | June 27, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Have you ever sat back for a moment to reflect on the hotel business and what first drew you to it? With all its ups and downs, could you think of any other business you would rather be in? These are important questions to ask because nowadays it would seem as though our industry is collectively having a harder time engaging young students to pursue a career in hospitality. As someone who admittedly has never been at the helm of a property with the exception of short term MOD responsibilities, I feel as close as anyone can be to hotel management. Yet I recognize that it is not the s...
You Might Go Faster Alone, but You Go Further With Company
Georges Panayotis | June 26, 2018
by Georges Panayotis In reality, what are Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple or AirBnb? Technology companies? No! They represent new ideas and a bold vision of entrepreneurship! But also and especially a reflection, a strategy, research and development centered on the customer experience. These companies have based their dazzling success on taking into account customer needs and experience design upstream, during and after. By responding quickly, efficiently and smoothly to the customers' needs, or even by anticipating them thanks to a pointed knowledge of their needs and relevant and efficient use of their data. The former model of pa...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 198: Hotel History: Jefferson Hotel, U.S. Grant Hotel, The Montauk Manor and The Jung Hotel
Stanley Turkel | June 26, 2018
by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Jefferson Hotel, U.S. Grant Hotel, The Montauk Manor and The Jung Hotel Some years ago, I served as the hotel consultant to the Sybedon Corporation, a New York-based real estate firm that specialized in restoration of historic hotels. The major hotel projects were: Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego, California Montauk Manor, Montauk, Long Island Jung Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana Jefferson Hotel (1895), Richmond, Virginia (140 rooms) Tobacco baron Lewis Ginter began building the Jefferson Hotel in 1892. It was designed by Carrère and Hastings, the same arc...
New “Accessibility” Regulations for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Jim Butler | June 25, 2018
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 21 June 2018 As the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in California continues to grow, we are also seeing the proliferation of electric vehicle charging stations in the parking areas provided by hotels, theaters, stadiums and hotel mixed-use properties. While owners and managers of these facilities are providing a much-needed service to their guests, many are unaware that – at least in California – if their facility provides electric vehicle charging stations, a certain number of them must be accessible to the disabled. T...
What Do Top Hotel Executives See on the Horizon for 2018?
Jim Butler | June 20, 2018
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 20 June, 2018 Meet the Money® is a productive conference with a casual atmosphere; the executives and other hotel industry representatives who attend often speak candidly about their expectations for hotel finance, development and investment throughout the upcoming year. The short video below highlights how some of our attendees feel about 2018—watch and find out what some of the industry's most well-known brands, banks, consultants, mangers and developers have to say about what's on the horizon. For more in-depth data and resea...
What Prix Fixe Menus Can Teach You About the Psychology of Choice
Larry Mogelonsky | June 20, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Choice is a tricky thing. Confronted with too much of it and you are stymied by indecision. Yet faced by too little and you feel shortchanged or indifferent to the whole buying process. It's all about finding that happy medium, and to help you decipher this golden mean there's better place to start than by examining how prix fixe menus subtly work to build revenue and customer satisfaction. The best prix fixe menus not only feature a restaurant's signature dishes as selected and perfected by your chefs, but they also offer a few options within broader course grouping. For instance, ...
Is Europe on a Rebound?
Georges Panayotis | June 20, 2018
by Georges Panayotis 200 years later, Europe could once again become a great world power. With its millenary history, it could return to the big leagues through the digital field. Emmanuel Macron has made it very clear: he wants to push French start-ups and promote the influence of digital companies. France and its European neighbors may be late in the game, but we have our card to play. In France, the game is changing, and we are shifting up a gear. Europeans, especially France, are starting with 20 years of lag time compared to the United States in the development of digital entrepreneurship! Fair enough! But we have our strengths... ...
Update Your 800 Message on Hold to Encourage Direct Bookings and Cross-Sell
Doug Kennedy | June 20, 2018
by Doug Kennedy On many levels, marketing in the hotel industry has advanced rapidly, yet at most hotels and brands, the "message on hold" (MOH) scripting is stuck in the 1990's. Whether you call a hotel directly or call into its central reservations office, after the auto-attendant places you in queue the MOH nearly always direct callers back online again and again throughout the scripting. Here are some common phrases: "Did you know that the fastest way to book a reservation is online? It's the easy and convenient way to plan your experiences." "For faster service, you can make a new reservation online at www.ourhotelname.com " "H...
On the Hunt to Keep Rank
Georges Panayotis | June 13, 2018
By Georges Panayotis In this age of here and now, the customer wants to spend as little time as possible looking for and buying the right product. In the age of big data and the exponential development of algorithms, we know our customers better and better, and can even begin to anticipate their needs and expectations. In order to meet the same needs for the same customer, it seems clear that we must work on synergies and build a real path where we can respond better. The timing is right, everything converges to give meaning to this bold and necessary position that is in line with customer expectations, needs and habits. It will also s...
Giving Your Concierge A Digital Upgrade
Larry Mogelonsky | June 13, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) With the modern traveler glued to his or her phone, why would such a guest bother to consult the concierge instead of simply performing a Google search or looking on a resourceful travel website like TripAdvisor or Yelp? With mobile apps capable of offering a similar amount of information about the local area as any single person can, does this not make the concierge obsolete? This topic stems from a grievance that multiple general managers have brought to my attention with no clear answer in sight. The concierge is a core operation for any hotel in the upscale or luxury segments as...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 197: Hotel History: Ralph Hitz (1891-1940)
Stanley Turkel | June 13, 2018
by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Ralph Hitz (1891- 1940) The hotel business has seen many fine promoters and salesmen but perhaps none as creative as Ralph Hitz. His two favorite expressions "Contact the hell out of 'em" and "Give 'em walue and you get wolume", spoken in his thick Viennese accent, were a key to his philosophy of business. And it worked. Hitz does not rank with the other great hotelmen in the sense that he built an empire or left an estate. He did neither. His period in the limelight lasted only 10 years, a period when the hotel business was at its low ebb in American history. Hitz was a sales and promotion phenome...
Have We Tossed Our Treasures out to Sea?
Georges Panayotis | June 7, 2018
By Georges Panayotis More than 1.2 billion tourists traveled worldwide in 2017 and on this constantly growing wave, just over 25 million people have taken advantage of the cruise product. This represents just a mere 3% of the total volume of tourists, but make no mistake, this figure is increasing slowly but surely. Indeed, this industry, unlike the hotel industry, has not stopped investing. While some operators sold off their walls and businesses, subcontracting and ceasing to invest in communications, cruise lines went full throttle in development and investment, gaining access by sea to the world's treasures. A handful of operato...
Can I Book My Next Trip on Amazon? An Open Letter to Jeff Bezos
Alan E. Young | June 6, 2018
By Alan E. Young Dear Mr. Bezos, Amazon has long-since established itself as the fabric that holds together a world of consumers looking for an easy, effective and value-oriented environment to purchase almost anything - except for travel. As a veteran of the hospitality and travel technology industry, I believe Amazon should extend its footprint and offer travel and hotel products to deepen its relationship with customers and position itself as the ultimate end-to-end travel ecosystem. Though Amazon has offered flash deals and travel-related services in the past and Amazon Destinations tested the waters briefly, you have never really t...
The Monkey Moved to Someone Else’s Back…
Georges Panayotis | June 6, 2018
By Georges Panayotis After battling against all forces to confront the profound changes in our sector, we react rather than act. And yet, Churchill once said, "We must take change by the hand or rest assuredly, change will take us by the throat." Aside from a few cosmetic changes for some, none of the current players has revolutionized its product or services. What we are seeing, however, is that the responsibilities are shifting… the monkey is changing backs… brand owners no longer own both the walls and the business. Today, franchisees support investment costs and must make up for years of backlog. Meanwhile, r...
Is an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Beneficial for Startups?
Dr. Margarita Cruz | June 6, 2018
By Dr. Margarita Cruz Innovation and entrepreneurship are clearly flourishing in Switzerland if the Global Innovation Index is anything to go by, as the report ranks Switzerland as the most innovative country in the world. Another study, the Swiss entrepreneurial ecosystem report, puts the number of new firms created each year at some 12,000, with the cantons of Zurich and Vaud leading the field when it comes to high-growth startups. But what exactly is an entrepreneurial ecosystem and how can entrepreneurs benefit from it? We recently staged a panel discussion at Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne on the topic of 'Nurturing your entre...
Why Hoteliers Must Defend the Necktie
Larry Mogelonsky | June 6, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) The office-casual nature at most contemporary workplaces seems to be far more amiable to the sweater and jeans attire, with nary a collared shirt even under the slightest of considerations. Given this trend spurred on by the younger generations, it would seem as though the necktie is on its way out from regular usage. Being of a more 'scholarly' age, donning a suit and tie comes naturally to me. Looking in the mirror, I selfishly feel at least a bit more professional in demeanor with a psychological boost in tow. What is equally refreshing is how often I encounter hoteliers who are ...
GDPR: What You Need to Know About the EU’s New Data Privacy Rules
Jim Butler | May 31, 2018
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 31 May 2018 The European Union's General Data Privacy Regulation, rules protecting the privacy of personal information, has gone into effect and impacts every company that does business in the EU. This will impact hotel owners, developers, brands, operators and managers–any company with a hotel property in the EU or that collects information from EU citizens must adhere to the new regulations. What does that mean for your business, and where should you start the process of compliance? Senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group...
Hotel Tech Sales Has Changed: Decisions Are Made Before Buyers Even Call
Alan E. Young | May 31, 2018
By Alan E. Young According to a recent survey by Forbes, B2B customers progress more than 70% of the way through the decision-making process before engaging a sales representative. This stands as an alarming realization for some companies, as they may find themselves resorting to aggressive last-minute sales tactics and discounts in an attempt to seal the deal within that final 30%. And, yet — for those who truly understand the value that content brings (holistic, value-focused and cadence-savvy content, specifically) brings, these findings come as no surprise. Further to that, they are seen in a favorable light, because that 70% ...
GDPR: Why Hoteliers Should Take the new EU Regulations Very Seriously
Stuart Pallister | May 30, 2018
By Stuart Pallister New EU rules on data protection - or GDPR - , seven years in the making, come/came into effect on May 25. The advice from IT experts to hoteliers is: take the new rules very seriously or risk heavy fines of up to 20 million euros or four percent of the company's global turnover, whichever is higher. At the recent Young Hoteliers Summit, staged at Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne, Nick Price, CEO of NetSys Technology and CIO of citizenM Hotels, touched on the challenges posed in a keynote address. He said the new General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR was significant as the hospitality industry holds a lot of dat...
Speculating on the Technological Future for Hotels
Larry Mogelonsky | May 30, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) For many hoteliers, forecasting the future of our industry typically centers upon financial data prognostications and, for instance, whether RevPAR growth will translate into higher property valuations. Setting aside dollars and cents, however, the future holds many profound changes for hospitality, some of which we are currently at full tilt grappling with while others are still quite nascent. The good news is that there will always be a real need for temporary lodgings, both for leisure as well as business travel, all of which is coalescing into a hybrid form given the cringe-wort...
