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
Tables Have Turned and the Market Righted
Georges Panayotis | November 30, 2015
by Georges Panayotis Life is an eternal new beginning, but the cycles follow one another with changes we may learn from. Forty years ago the advent of hotel chains and their economic model adapted to the 20th century cast a cloud over the community of independent hoteliers. With an innovative, standardized, secured, marketed product, hotel chains drew customers toward them that were looking for a good value for price and a pertinent location along communications axes and in business centers. In order to provide countries with the modern hotel supply needed to assuage their ambitions for tourism, public authorities have facilitated devel...
The Battle Between Full-Service and Limited-Service Properties
Larry Mogelonsky | November 25, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) While travelling on business earlier this quarter, I took it upon myself to compare two outlets of a major chain (without mentioning any names in specific) – one was part of their full-service collection while the other was a member of one of their limited service brands. In both instances, I was alone and my stay was merely for a night and breakfast, arriving after dinner and departing the next morning. Accordingly, my comments relate mostly to a typical business traveler who sees the hotel as an accommodation necessity, rather than the leisure traveler who may be more inclined to in...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No. 152: Hotel History: Balsams Grand Resort Hotel (1866)*, Dixville Notch
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | November 23, 2015
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Balsams Grand Resort Hotel (203 rooms) The Balsams first opened just after the Civil War as the Dix House, a rustic 25-room summer inn established by local innkeeper, George Parsons. The original inn honored the name of the town's founding father and first landowner, Colonel Timothy Dix. A patriot of the American Revolution, Dix lost his life in battle in 1812, at which point his attorney and business partner, Daniel Webster, took over. Webster sponsored the town's first settlers, the Whittemore family. These pioneers shared their hearth and home with wayfarers on the old Coös Trail...
Is What Brings Us Together Stronger Than What Pulls Us Apart?
Georges Panayotis | November 19, 2015
by Georges Panayotis The terrorist attacks on 9-11 marked a real break with the type of war that opposes the civilized world and fanatics of all stripes. In addition to the hatred they express for the lives of innocent souls, these new terrorists have fallen into a combat where the image, rather than some military or threatening aspect, is the key target. Paris has been savagely attacked, before that Beirut, Istanbul, Sousse, London, Antwerp… The list is hardly inclusive and is getting longer with a common characteristic: attacking innocents who are just enjoying life in public places. The simple happiness of residents and visito...
Loyalty Program Gamification
Larry Mogelonsky | November 18, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Gamification is a buzz word that has been embraced by many industries over the past few years. It denotes ways in which websites and mobile apps can harness the power of gaming mechanics to enhance their own brand's digital user experience. The goal is simple: heighten consumer interactions by making the platform more exciting…and even addictive! It's something that video games do especially well; by capitalizing upon our desire for instant gratification, these systems can go from amusing to addictive. When was the last time you heard a loyalty program described as addictive? Certain...
To Succeed You Must Convince
Georges Panayotis | November 12, 2015
by Georges Panayotis Within a globally deflationary economic context, the success of businesses is built on three conditions: a low-cost supply adapted to the needs of the market, intelligent integration of technology, and increased conviction of brands. The movement began in the hotel industry in the 90s, but did not go to the end of its logic. The development of new concepts that would be affordable to a larger population was stalled by the rise of Revenue and Finance Management caught up in the speculative housing bubble. The increase in average daily rates, driven by the shortage of new supply, widened the gap and allowed the sharin...
100-Point Wines As A Marketing Tool
Larry Mogelonsky | November 11, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng, (www.lma.com) When it comes to wine, numbers are important. Those who are aficionados understand ratings issued by Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate and so on. (New entrants are also coming onto the scene to guide beginner oenophiles on their quest for grape enlightenment; try playing around with the mobile app 'Vivino'.) Each of these well-known resources ranks vintages every year based upon their staffs' finely tuned and trained palates. The rating scales used tend to be logarithmic in design whereby an 88-scoring drop – while quite acceptable for the average person – is really ...
Your Front Desk Team Is Key to Meeting Your ADR Goals in 2016
Doug Kennedy | November 10, 2015
By Doug Kennedy November 10, 2015 If you are like most hoteliers, chances are that this time of year you have just about completed your budget for 2016. If your owner representatives are like most investors, chances are also that despite having experienced several years of record growth, they are looking for you to increase RevPAR once again in 2016. Most market areas have already experienced a leveling off in occupancy growth here in 2015 and if your area is forecasting a growth in demand next year you can count your blessings. However, for the majority of hotels, the only way to achieve a higher RevPAR next year is going to be to achi...
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
Georges Panayotis | November 5, 2015
by Georges Panayotis Every economic sector is influenced by cycles, whether or not they are able to master them. For a long time, the hotel industry has experienced long and relatively regular cycles that allowed it to establish rules for investment. The relaunch of construction happened just when the increase in occupancy rates suggested the beginning of a room shortage. Intensive renovations of room and spaces took place every 7 years on average in order to keep with the times. As the lamp lighter in The Little Prince would say, "from year to year the planet has turned more rapidly and the orders have not been changed." And ...
Hotel Financing In Four Practices
Larry Mogelonsky | November 4, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) There are many ways to assess and categorize the strengths and weaknesses of a hospitality business. Allow me to present a slightly different and holistic way of organizing how you approach the daunting task of where to allocate funds for the next cycle. For one, we tend to drill down to the minutia of a venture. I am confident that any GM knows the intimate details of the variable cost of each amenity, the labor costs at the front desk or even the number of yards of drapery fabric required per room for an upcoming renovation. After all, it's our business to know such detailed metrics, and ...
4 Technology Mega Trends that Will Shape Travel in 2016
Alan E. Young | November 3, 2015
By Alan E. Young Steve Balmer, ex-Microsoft CEO once said, "The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential". In the travel industry, technology is moving rapidly and affecting both the supply and demand side with solutions that enhance operational efficiencies and help companies drive top line revenues. Alternative Lodging Connectivity and Distribution Airbnb and HomeAway are everywhere. They are extremely ...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 151; Hotel History: The Grove Park Inn (1913)* & The Biltmore Estate
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | November 2, 2015
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, North Carolina The Grove Park Inn is one of the country's most celebrated resorts located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. It was built by Edwin Wiley Grove (1850-1927), owner of the Paris Medicine Company, manufacturer of Bromo-Quinine and Tasteless Chill Tonic. In the late 1890s, Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic sold more bottles than Coca-Cola. Edwin Grove's doctors sent him to Asheville, North Carolina to determine if the climate would help reduce or cure his bouts with extreme hiccups, which would last several weeks at a...
Branded Books To Leave Lasting Memories With Guests
Larry Mogelonsky | October 28, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) I have written and am well aware of the numerous ways that properties focus their attention on building their sense of arrival – that is, the initial impression a hotel makes on a guest. These might include beautiful flower arrangements, warm smiles and effusively welcoming staff members. The expression I use to denote why we hoteliers should focus on delivering an excellent sense of arrival is this: first impressions are first assurances. When a guest arrives at an establishment, having all operations in order comforts this visitor and sets a precedent for the remainder of the trip. ...
The Death of the Neck Tie
Larry Mogelonsky | October 21, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Is it just me or is the neck tie going out of style at the hotel workplace? Thinking more broadly, what is future for staff uniforms and how will any such changes affect guests' perceptions or expectations? There's much to consider in uniform design and what it means for a brand, so for now let's focus on that one central piece of chest apparel: the neck tie. Keep in mind that as a baby boomer who has spent most of his days living in and around the Eastern Seaboard of North America, I have perhaps a highly traditional opinion on hospitality neckwear. It used to be that anyone in hotel manag...
When Will Spring Come to the Hospitality Industry?
Georges Panayotis | October 15, 2015
by Georges Panayotis It may seem paradoxical to mention both beach resort hospitality and the conflicts that are upsetting the economies in Mediterranean countries in a single editorial. However, just as the wings of a butterfly in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas, geopolitics also have their consequences on the tourist economy which must adapt and readjust its offer constantly. The "classic" model of the 2000s that favors the migration of tourists hailing from Northern countries towards sunny destinations on African shores in the Mediterranean, has been upset by popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, tension in Morocco ...
The Power of Welcome Baskets
Larry Mogelonsky | October 14, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) "Welcome to our hotel! Help yourself to some complimentary drinks and snacks." This is what's being communicated on the surface whenever a guest arrives at his or her room and is delightfully surprised by a welcome bag or basket of food and beverages. But beneath the surface, it sounds a lot more like this: "Your business is truly appreciated. We understand that you're tired and perhaps mildly stressed from traveling, so relax and recharge your system in the tranquility of your own room while you plan your next move." In this sense, free in-room welcome baskets go a long way to build rappor...
Nobody Asked Me, But…No.150; Hotel History: The Breakers Hotel (1896)* & Whitehall Mansion (1902)
Stanley Turkel, CMHS | October 13, 2015
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS 1. Hotel History: The Breakers Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida Henry Morrison Flagler's first hotel in Palm Beach was the 439-room Royal Poinciana which opened in 1894. It was called the "Queen of Winter Resorts" and was considered the largest resort hotel in the world. In order to build the Royal Poinciana and the Florida East Coast Railway at the same time, black workers were brought from the Bahamas. They lived in a segregated camp, called the "Styx" without running water and electricity. In the center of the six-story building was a large rotunda from which ran several miles of corridors. There were ...
Who Wants to Kill Word of Mouth?
Georges Panayotis | October 8, 2015
By Georges Panayotis The apparent magic of new technologies can make us quickly forget that the winners of yesteryear haven't lost all their effectiveness. A study has recently shown that word of mouth remains the most powerful influencer prior to purchases. We are re-discovering that recommendations from a reliable friend or acquaintance is more pertinent for the client than advertising or marketing which are suspected of making products look better than they are. In the end, as far as hospitality is concerned, the lived experience is the crux of the question. It is important not to get the wrong idea, any number of anonymous "Like...
When It Comes To Hospitality, “Little Things Mean A Lot”
Doug Kennedy | October 7, 2015
By Doug Kennedy October 7, 2015 Of all of the slogans used by hotel companies over the years, for me the most pithy has to be the one that Sheraton used in its pre-Starwood days: "At Sheraton, little things mean a lot." When it comes to success in the hotel and lodging industry, it truly is the smallest details that make the biggest differences. As my frequent readers know, I often write about what I call the "vanillaization" of the physical hotel experience as brands copy-cat each other in the race to add the latest, niftiest new features and amenities. Yet one aspect of a hotel stay that remains as a true differentiator is a pro-activ...
Reinventing the Gin and Tonic – An Opportunity in its Subtleties
Larry Mogelonsky | October 7, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) A dinner party, an afternoon in the sun, happy hour after work or just a night out; it's time for a 'G&T', or a gin and tonic to be more precise. One might immediately think this cocktail as being a simple pour of gin (I'm particularly fond of Tanqueray No. 10) and sparkling tonic water on ice with a lime garnish. "Not so fast!" says Nader Chabaane, Mixology Director of the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. The complexities of each of the drink's components: the gin, the tonic water and even the garnish provide an opportunity for endless variations. Such is the fact at the r...
Kennedy Training Network Announces Its First eLearning Course on New LearnerNation Platform
Kennedy Training Network | October 6, 2015
Hollywood, Florida – October 6, 2015 – KTN announced today a marketing alliance partnership with LearnerNation, a performance management system used by over 250,000 individuals in 2,300 organizations including Fortune 500's such as MasterCard, LG, Liberty Mutual, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and luxury brands such as Cartier and Celebrity Cruise Lines. KTN will help promote the LearnerNation platform to its hospitality industry client companies and brands. "I have been involved with designing eLearning courses since the early 2000's," said Doug Kennedy, President of KTN. "So far most of the pro...
EB-5 Regional Center Program is Extended, Senate Bill Proposes Making Program Permanent
Jim Butler | October 5, 2015
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® 05 October 2015 We are pleased that the Continuing Resolution passed by Congress includes a temporary extension of the EB-5 Regional Center Program. This extension allows the program to continue generating foreign direct investment and creating U.S. jobs through December 11, 2015. In addition to extending the current program to December 11, this will also provide additional time for Congress to consider a long-term reauthorization bill that would include reform measures to strengthen federal oversight and the integrity of the program. Members of Congress from both parties and both the ...
So You’ve Hired an Intern, Now What?
Larry Mogelonsky | October 1, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Interns are far more than just temporary recruits brought aboard to finish all the menial jobs piling up around the office. In many cases, there are laws preventing this kind of treatment – the sorts of laws stipulating that interns must complete 'meaningful labor' and that's inscribed by that terminology. Recently, I was approached by an eager hotelier looking to get the most of her shiny new autumn intern fresh from a premier university. This hotelier was in essence seeking a road map to help direct her own efforts in guiding the intern on a path of meaningful labor. After some deli...
Insider Deals: Beware, Danger Lies Ahead!
Georges Panayotis | October 1, 2015
By Georges Panayotis Volkswagen's recent environmental fraud scandal raises questions regarding the proportions to which each bad industrial decision can grow and regarding the immense consequences that can bring a company, a sector, or even an entire country down onto its knees. We've already been through Enron, sub-primes, and NSA wire-tapping, so the time has come to stop being naive... manipulations, fraud and attempts at fraud to circumvent bothersome regulations have always existed. But while once upon a time the methods were developed through clever craftsmanship, today the globalization of economies, markets and commerci...
