The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
The Art of a Great Arrival for Luxury Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 22nd, 2024
Augment Luxury Stays Via a Sense of Departure
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | August 16, 2023
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky Hotels excel at creating a strong ‘sense of place’ (sensorial brand identity) and ‘sense of arrival’ (first onsite impression), but we often neglect the ‘sense of departure’ (last onsite impression). According to the peak-end rule, this is perhaps the one area where hotels should refocus their efforts to get the most ROI. This is particularly important for luxury stays where travelers have a whole world of accommodation options. Luckily for the rest of us, many luxury hotels already have great departure SOPs that we can learn from to value-engineer a fantastic last impression in order to leave gu...
Beachy Now Available on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace
Beachy | August 15, 2023
Seamless integration with OPERA Cloud or OPERA 5 Hosted PMS and Simphony POS solutions further strengthens the company’s position as the leader in mobile technology for hotels and resorts. Miramar Beach, Fla. (August 15, 2023) – Beachy, a leading provider of modern mobile POS and booking solutions for the country’s premier resorts, announced today that they have completed the rigorous vetting process to become a member of the Oracle Partner Network (OPN). As part of the relationship, Beachy’s innovative mobile point-of-sale (POS) and amenity booking solutions are now available via the Oracle Partner Marketplace, a collection of tech...
We All Know What CX Means, But What about EX, WX, DX, UX and More?
Shep Hyken | August 10, 2023
By Shep Hyken CX is the abbreviation for customer experience. Somehow, someone decided X is a better abbreviation for experience than E is. Regardless, I’ve started seeing the X being used in other ways. For example, there is UX, or user experience, which is the experience the customer has with your products and services. Here are some others that you may have heard of: • EX is to employees as CX is to customers. The employee experience is an important experience to manage. What’s happening on the inside is felt by customers on the outside. • WX stands for web experience. What experience do your customers have wit...
InnSpire and Bodhi Partner to Provide Hoteliers With Powerful Guestroom Entertainment Features and Controls
InnSpire | August 9, 2023
New technology partnership integrates InnSpire’s industry-leading IPTV guestroom entertainment controls with Bodhi’s advanced room control platform. Stockholm & Washington DC – August 9, 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 a strategic partnership with Bodhi, a cloud-based, fully integrated, property-wide building management platform purpose-built for hotel guest rooms and amenity spaces. The new partnership integrates InnSpire’s industry-leading guestroom IPTV...
Philips MediaSuite Makes Its Mark on the Mexican Market as PPDS Extends Its Local for Local Manufacturing Commitment in Latin America
PPDS | August 9, 2023
Home-from-home: Part of its steadfast global approach, PPDS has extended its commitment to its manufacturing facility in Mexico, confirming a sustainable yet substantial increase in local production in 2024. The increase is set to support the growing demand for Philips MediaSuite TVs, which debuted in the Mexican market in early 2023. Charlotte, June 2023: PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips professional displays and solutions, is excited to announce the latest phase of its local-for-local manufacturing approach, with an expansion from 30,000 displays in 2023 to 100,000 pieces to be produced in its Mexico facility in 2024. ...
SURVEY: 86% of LA Residents Say City Should Not Prioritize Housing Homeless Individuals in Hotels
AHLA | August 7, 2023
Despite concerns for worker safety, negative impact on tourism, Unite Here is fighting to house people experiencing homelessness next to paying guests WASHINGTON (Aug. 7, 2023) – 98% of Los Angeles residents say homelessness in the city is a crisis or a major problem. Despite that, 86% say LA should not prioritize housing people experiencing homelessness in hotels, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and conducted by Public Opinion Strategies. LA residents are set to vote in March 2024 on whether to require all local hotels to house unhoused individuals next to paying guests as pa...
The Perfect Way To Impress Your Customers
Shep Hyken | August 3, 2023
By Shep Hyken We have the privilege and honor of working with some amazing clients. One of them asked us to work with her team on a customer experience initiative that included every company employee. One of the regular assignments for their employees is to share examples of how they created a Moment of Magic® for a customer or colleague. They do short write-ups and share them with their managers. Here is a great example of the power of this exercise and impress your customers. The client is a travel company and had a VIP client that had worked with them for more than 20 years. His agent, Katie, referred to as a relationship manager,...
Karisma Hotels & Resorts Launches Autism Concierge
Karisma Hotels & Resorts | July 31, 2023
Achieves Autism Double-Checked certification for select resort brands in Mexico and the Dominican Republic MIAMI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with Autism Double-Checked, is pleased to announce the introduction of the world's first-ever Autism Concierge. providing a dedicated contact for all autism-related questions and serving as an extension of the Autism Double-Checked comprehensive three-part training program. Karisma Hotels & Resorts is the first hotel group to offer an Autism Concierge, which encourages guests traveling with a child with autism or adult guests wit...
Does Your Reservations Call Scoring Criteria Need To Be Updated?
Doug Kennedy | July 25, 2023
By Doug Kennedy When our KTN team onboards clients for either traditional mystery shopping or for call scoring of actual recordings (as captured in our clients’ various cloud-based platforms), part of our process is reviewing their existing call criteria. As a result, I get to peek behind the scenes and see what their reservations, front desk, and/or contact center staff are being trained to say. What I find is that most organizations are still using the same reservations call handling criteria as they did long ago, despite the fact that so much has changed on the caller’s side of the conversation. When it comes to information, t...
How to Stay on Top of Your Guest Feedback
Cendyn | July 21, 2023
When it comes to running a successful hotel, keeping a finger on the pulse of guest feedback is an absolute must. We know the sheer volume of feedback pouring in can feel overwhelming, but trust us, the benefits are well worth the effort. In today’s customer-centric world, guests are no longer satisfied with just a place to lay their heads; they crave a personalized experience that leaves a lasting impression. To deliver that level of service, you need to truly understand your guests – and the best way to do that is by asking them directly. Guest feedback holds the key to unlocking invaluable insights that can drive operation...
Meeting Expectations Versus Managing Hope
Shep Hyken | July 20, 2023
By Shep Hyken At a recent customer service presentation, the speaker who preceded me said that we must do better than simply meeting our customers’ expectations, and he shared some stories of truly amazing service experiences. Then it was my turn to speak. I didn’t want to contradict him, but I needed the audience to understand that it is impossible to go above and beyond with customers at every interaction. Sometimes meeting expectations is a perfect experience. In my customer service keynote speeches, I talk about Managing the Moment. The idea comes from Jan Carlson, and if you’ve been following me, you will recognize t...
‘It’s Out of My Control’ Is a Bad Excuse
Shep Hyken | July 13, 2023
By Shep Hyken Last month I was in Las Vegas for a major convention. I stayed at a very nice hotel, and each night I tried to fall and stay asleep. I emphasize the word tried because, unfortunately, there was non-stop, 24-hour-a-day road construction outside the hotel, as the city of Las Vegas is preparing for the Formula One race later this year. All night, there was jackhammering and bulldozing on the streets where the cars will be racing. Upon checkout, I was asked, “How was your stay?” I responded, “I love this hotel. It’s too bad about all that noise from the road construction.” The front desk employee pr...
Fantasyland Hotel Partners With INTELITY for Mobile Guest Experience
INTELITY | July 13, 2023
The exceptionally unique, experience-forward property puts guest convenience first with mobile check-in, mobile key and more Los Angeles, CA (July 13, 2023) - INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s leading guest experience and staff management platform, has announced today a new partnership with Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta. The fun-seeking hotel has deployed INTELITY’s mobile offerings providing guests with mobile check-in, mobile check-out, and mobile key, while streamlining the day-to-day operations for staff through GEMS® — INTELITY’s suite of staff-facing tools. Located in West Edmonton Mall, the most comprehens...
Sojern Acquires VenueLytics to Bolster Its Platform for the Hospitality Industry
Sojern | July 11, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO – 11 July, 2023 – Sojern, the leading travel marketing platform, today announced the acquisition of VenueLytics, the hospitality industry’s most integrated guest experience platform serving independent hotels, resorts, chains and casinos. Sojern will incorporate VenueLytics’ capabilities as an extension of the Sojern Travel Marketing Platform. Sojern has long been a direct bookings driver for hotels—providing comprehensive digital advertising solutions that help travel marketers find, attract and convert new travelers, re-activate existing guests to build loyalty, and maximize net revenue per available room (RevPA...
Will AI Make Us Dumb?
Shep Hyken | July 7, 2023
By Shep Hyken I was just at an industry conference focusing on AI (Artificial Intelligence). Someone commented, “AI is going to make us stupid.” Elaborating on that statement, the commenter’s reasoning was that it takes thinking and problem-solving out of the process. We will be given the answer and won’t have to know anything else. I can see his point, but there is another way of looking at this. In the form of a question, “Did calculators make us dumb?” I remembered getting a calculator and was excited that I could do long division by just pushing the buttons on the calculator. Even though it gave me the correc...
How Simple Can You Make Your Business?
Shep Hyken | July 5, 2023
By Shep Hyken Simplify the Customer Experience I love good barbeque. I live in St. Louis, which is famous for some of the best BBQs in the world! Really! We have a number of restaurants that have competed in worldwide competitions and come back with the first-place trophy. My friend Norman Beck loves BBQ, too. Living in Texas, he’s also exposed to some of the best BBQ in the world, although I’ll argue it’s second to St. Louis. He teased me the other day by sending pictures of dinners featuring brisket, ribs, sausage, and delicious side dishes from award-winning Hutchins BBQ in North Texas. He also included a description of its ...
Why Customers’ Digital Experience Is Key To Your Company’s Survival And Success
Alfonso de la Nuez | June 30, 2023
By Alfonso de la Nuez More and more businesses and industries are being run on software and delivered as online services. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of consumers interact with companies’ brands through digital channels and digital products, and their digital experience often decides whether they will buy from a company and return for more purchases. According to McKinsey & Company research, over 60 percent of all customer interactions and product or service offerings in North America are now digital, with that percentage expected to grow. From searching the internet to seeing ads online and exploring websites, customers want to ge...
Customers Don’t Care About the Details; They Care About the Destination
Shep Hyken | June 29, 2023
By Shep Hyken On a recent flight, the captain of the airplane announced over the PA system what time we would arrive at our destination. That would have been enough to make most people happy. However, he continued his announcement with a three-minute-plus speech. We learned that we would take off to the west, make a U-turn a few minutes later to head east, how high we would go, the various cities we would be flying over, that we would take a right turn as we approached the runway to land, and more. I looked around and noticed many people were annoyed or had stopped paying attention to the long-winded announcement. The point is most c...
The Hazelton Hotel Transforms the Guest Experience with INTELITY
INTELITY | June 28, 2023
The first and only Forbes Five-Star luxury boutique hotel in Toronto is elevating its guest experience with the INTELITY platform Toronto, ON (June 28, 2023) — INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s leading guest experience and staff management platform, has announced a new partnership with The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto. The luxury boutique hotel has implemented the INTELITY platform to offer its guests a digital and modern, smart-room experience, as well as leverage INTELITY’s GEMS® staff-facing tools to streamline its back-of-house operations. Located in Toronto’s Yorkville neighborhood, the epicenter of style and culture in t...
The Cost of Faking a Smile
PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management | June 27, 2023
Perhaps surprisingly, the smiles that greet you upon arrival at a hotel might not be genuine. A positive, welcoming demeanour is part of the job description for housekeeping, front desk, and restaurant workers, whose smiles, moods, and emotions are distinguishing features of the hospitality sector. But when frontline employees have to fake it, what strategies do they use? Eye-opening new work from researchers Dr Deniz Kucukusta and Ms Yoo Jin Lim of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has revealed more about the emotional labour strategies adopted by frontline workers to counter the emot...
Rethink Plant-Based Diets as a Segmentation Challenge
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | June 27, 2023
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky Nowadays, everyone seems to be a picky eater. Whether for medical or ethical reasons, what we do know is that more people are increasingly leaning into a ‘plant-forward’ outlook on their food choices. Within this nebulous term, we have outright vegans, vegetarians (vegan plus dairy and sometimes eggs) and flexitarians – this latter term denoting people who still eat meat but are doing so on a less frequent basis than for every meal as was often the case in the 20th century. In a deliciously roasted nut(shell), what this means for you as a hotelier is: Diets are changing and guests will expect hote...
Future-Forward Hospitality Technology Software Leader Agilysys to Present Session on Maximizing Guest and Staff Experience at the HITEC Toronto Confer
Agilysys | June 27, 2023
Agilysys Senior Director of Sales Engineering Thor Hansen to Lead the Workshop, Sharing Insights on Technology’s Critical Role in Delivering High Return Hospitality ALPHARETTA, GA — JUNE 27, 2023 — The hospitality industry has undergone massive transformation since the start of the pandemic. To compete in a sector facing labor constraints and elevated customer expectations, forward-looking hospitality providers must lean on modern technology solutions to provide exceptional staff and guest experiences. During the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) in Toronto June 26-29, Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AG...
UrVenue Debuts Cutting-Edge PXMS Product Suite at Fairmont Banff Springs
UrVenue | June 27, 2023
Fairmont Banff Springs successfully pilots new guest experience technology, leveraging integrations between UV Enterprise, OpenTable and Hapi TORONTO, June 27, 2023 — Today at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), UrVenue revealed enhancements to UV Enterprise, the hospitality industry's pioneering Property Experience Management System (PXMS). These enhancements introduce a new capability known as Guest Experience, featuring Guest Portal and Guest Services, both of which leverage integrations into leading platforms OpenTable, Hapi and more. UV Enterprise is a full-stack technology platform that drive...
Hospitality Technology Innovator Agilysys Demonstrates How Hotels and Resorts Are Using Technology to Elevate Return on Experience (ROE) Across Six Ke
Agilysys | June 27, 2023
– Demonstrations and eBook available in Agilysys Booth #1039 at AHLA’s The Hospitality Show – ALPHARETTA, GA — JUNE 27, 2023 — Despite rising economic headwinds from elevated inflation in 2023, a 2023 EY report Hospitality Industry Looks Strong for 2023 – Despite Recession Fears predicts continued strong performance for the hospitality industry throughout 2023 while also cautioning, “The industry should continue to focus on efficiencies at the hotel and corporate levels, prioritizing customer experience, analytics and automation.” In booth #1309 at the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AHLA’s) The Hospitalit...
