The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4, 2024
Crafting a Unique Employer Brand for Today’s Talent Market
Veronika Mercier | August 14, 2024
Smart Strategies
Personal Branding Strategies: 5 Tips To Make Your Career Grow Faster
EHL Graduate School | August 20, 2024
In a global job market characterized by fierce competition and rapid technological evolution, candidates face a constant challenge to develop their careers and get others to recognize their professional value. Whether you’re applying for a job, asking for a promotion, or vying for a leadership position, success comes to those who differentiate themselves from the competition and effectively communicate the skills, traits, and experience that set them apart. A big part of that is personal branding. Whether you look like it or not, these days, everyone is a brand, and all your professional touchpoints, from your resume and LinkedIn prof...
What Hospitals Can Learn From the Hospitality Industry – The Strategic Perspective
EHL | August 19, 2024
A strategic look at what hospitals stand to learn from their neighboring industry, hospitality. Though serving different purposes, both sectors share potential success factors. In terms of developing a stronger sense of customer satisfaction for the patient, many lessons can be learnt from analysing what hospitality strives to do well. Some parallels between hospitals and hospitality At first sight, the healthcare and hospitality industries appear to be miles apart. However, a closer look reveals many parallels between the two - and these are not limited to the common Latin root of the words hospital and hospitality. The core mission of a...
Improving Workplace Communication: Balancing Assertiveness and Empathy
EHL | August 16, 2024
Why is empathy important in tandem with assertiveness? Is it a critical prerequisite for fostering an environment where innovation, collaboration, and productivity thrive? Excelling in communication is not solely about making your voice heard but understanding the diverse voices around you, thus achieving a balance that propels teams toward shared goals while respecting individual perspectives. Through EHL's Women in Leadership initiative, I recently attended an assertiveness workshop with Valentina Coco. As we delve into this exploration, my focus will be on unpacking the fundamentals of assertive communication and why mastering how t...
Hospitality America Focusing on Mentorship to Attract, Retain Hotel Employees and Cultivate Future Leaders
Hospitality America | August 16, 2024
As mentors, company leaders will provide strategic guidance to help hotel employees navigate career pathways and thrive in potential leadership roles Greenville, S.C., August 16, 2024 — Employee turnover is a reality for the hospitality industry. Annual turnover is estimated to be between 70 to 80 percent, with analysts citing low wages, long hours, and a lack of career growth opportunities as contributing factors. For hotel management company Hospitality America, the solution to this ongoing problem is mentorship and cultivating a culture where hotel employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. “Men...
Crafting a Unique Employer Brand for Today’s Talent Market
Veronika Mercier | August 14, 2024
By Veronika Mercier In today’s competitive job market, employer branding has become an essential strategy for attracting and retaining top talent. However, many managers still don’t know what exactly constitutes a strong employer brand. Is it down to company culture, work-life balance, benefits and compensation, or is there some other secret sauce that makes an employer desirable? To find out what makes an employer brand truly effective, we consulted with industry experts and entrepreneurs who have devised proven strategies for creating a unique and strong employer brand. From their experience and diverse roles in renowned companies...
The Key to 5-Star Ratings
Dr. Bryan K Williams | August 14, 2024
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams I recently had dinner with the restaurant manager in a very upscale hotel. He explained to me that one of his main goals was for guests to rate the restaurant a “5," as measured by their guest satisfaction survey. The survey asks a series of questions, with a corresponding scale that follows: (1=very dissatisfied, 2=dissatisfied, 3=indifferent, 4=satisfied, 5=very satisfied). The manager told me about all the initiatives he recently implemented to get the 5 rating from guests. There is a new coffee cup storage system to ensure that cups are always available for service. Then, there is the cycle-time initiative...
Top Three Reasons a Hotel-Specific CRM Outshines Generic Solutions
Cendyn | August 13, 2024
By Carlos Moncho Experience is everything in hotels today. And a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system designed for hospitality has the power to make hotels stand out from the crowd. Positive guest interactions are the starting point for long-term loyalty and stand-out experiences. Good experiences lead to great reviews, and a progressive cycle of bookings and enthusiasm for your brand. The right hospitality CRM serves as the nerve center of your hotel, enabling you to streamline operations, cultivate long-term guest relationships, and centrally manage guest interactions throughout the hotel, including at dining, spa and leisu...
Luxury Travel: Trends and Opportunities
Nandika Udupihilla | August 7, 2024
The global luxury travel market is booming. Not only is there an increasing spending by elite travellers to visit new places, but the preference for micro trips, escapism, and experience economy is also giving rise to the rapidly expanding tourism sector across the globe. The market is fuelled by the shifting customer behaviour of paying more for a truly memorable experience. Who is the luxury traveller? Contrary to popular belief, luxury travellers do not always mean “wealthy travellers.” For each group, luxury means a different experience. Aspiring luxury: Often millennials, they are known for being digital savvy and ...
Five Key Hospitality Trends for Attracting Tomorrow’s Travelers
Manfred Abraham, CEO, Yonder Consulting | August 6, 2024
By Manfred Abraham, CEO, Yonder Consulting Picture this: As you step up to the check-in counter at a hotel, the receptionist asks, ‘Have you stayed with us before?’ This seemingly simple question reveals a critical flaw in the hotel’s operations and shows that the hotel is falling behind in the way the industry is moving. Let me explain. The travel and hospitality industries were some of the most impacted industries by recent world events. This gave both boutique and chain hotels a chance to evaluate their offerings and take a step back to see what guests really want from their stay. This has resulted in several key trends that will...
Four Takeaways from Destinations International
Andrew van der Feltz | August 2, 2024
By Andrew van der Feltz, Global Senior Director, Business Development, Expedia Group Media Solutions Several key themes drove the conversation at this year’s Destinations International Annual Convention. While some of these topics aren’t necessarily new, their impact on destinations and the opportunities they create are evolving. Hear are our top four takeaways from this year’s event. 1. Improving underserved travelers’ experiences should be a priority. Diversity and inclusion play a vital role in travel. Conversations highlighted perspectives on social inclusion from a range of destination marketing organizations, including H...
Two Sides of Customer Service: The Dark Side and the Shep Side
Shep Hyken | August 2, 2024
Let’s play a game. We can call it Lousy Service Versus Good Service, or a better title I came up with: The Dark Side Versus the Shep Side. The Dark Side of service is just bad. The opposite is what I teach in my CX keynote speeches and customer service training program. Here are some Dark Side and Shep Side examples: Dark Side: Making customers wait for long, unreasonable lengths of time. Shep Side: Customers don’t wait. But that’s not always possible, so if they do have to wait, they are told how long, and the company honors its commitment. Dark Side: Employees are rude. In my annual customer service r...
Website Accessibility Standards Get an Update – What Businesses Should Know
Jim Butler | July 30, 2024
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HoteLawBlog.com In October 2023, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines were updated to version 2.2. These updates introduced new requirements for improving web accessibility, such as focus visibility and alternative input methods. For hospitality business owners, understanding and implementing these changes is crucial for ensuring ADA compliance and providing an inclusive online experience for all guests. In the article below, JMBM partner Stuart Tubis explores the key updates in WCAG 2.2 and their importance for businesses. WCAG 2.2: Website Accessibilit...
California Hotel Law’s Fourth Edition a Comprehensive, User-Friendly Guide
California Hotel & Lodging Association | July 30, 2024
CHLA's legal resource now published digitally; to stay current on pressing issues facing hotels SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 30, 2024 -- The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) today released its fourth edition of California Hotel Law, a comprehensive legal guide essential for navigating the complexities of California's lodging sector. This latest edition addresses the rapidly evolving legal landscape with easy-to-understand language on current statutes, regulations and judicial decisions that impact hotel operations. Crafted over three years by CHLA's Member Legal Advisor, Jim Abrams, the interactive guide features 18 det...
Americans Committed to Travel Are Embarking on “Justi-Vacations” Despite Budget Constraints
Allianz Partners | July 30, 2024
Allianz Partners USA's 16th Annual Vacation Confidence Index Reveals Confidence in Taking a Vacation in 2024 Reaches All Time High RICHMOND, Va., July 30, 2024 -- Confidence in taking an annual vacation has never been higher as new consumer data illustrates Americans' desperation to find ways to travel, as revealed by Allianz Partners USA's 16th Annual Vacation Confidence Index*. The travel insurance and assistance company's latest survey found that 68% of Americans are confident in taking a vacation sometime in 2024, marking the highest point since research began in 2009. When it comes to commitment to getting away, younger tr...
Hospitality CEOs on the Industry Today: Transformation, Value, Optimism
Jeanelle Johnson | July 25, 2024
By Jeanelle Johnson The annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, now in its 46th year, offers a deep dive into the current and future state of the hospitality industry. This year, I had the privilege of leading a CEO panel discussion on "Innovative hospitality concepts, new spaces for expansion." I describe innovation in hospitality as the transformation of how the industry creates, delivers and captures value. Drawing from PwC’s 27th Annual Global CEO Survey, I highlighted a few key statistics to kickstart our conversation: 52% of CEOs say their top goal over the next three years is to identify new sour...
Pick Up Your Calls to Pick Up More Bookings!
Doug Kennedy | July 23, 2024
The more important the trip, the more likely they are to pick up the phone. Despite the pundits’ predictions, the phones continue to ring with incoming reservations leads even now in the mid-2020s, and yes, even at branded hotels across all segments. I’m sure some readers are thinking “Well not us. The majority of our rooms are booked online.” Yet if you listen to real phone calls from real callers, as KTN’s QA team does daily through our remote call scoring process, you realize that many people call with questions before booking online, whether at an OTA or the hotel’s direct website. Other guests book first and then call wit...
Why Rate Parity Still Has To Be “The Law of the Land” in Hospitality?
HFTP | July 22, 2024
By Max Starkov, Hospitality & Online Travel Tech Consultant Just to clarify for the non-revenue management folks here, Rate Parity traditionally means maintaining the same publicly available rate for the same room/same stay across all public distribution channels i.e. channels available to any member of the public that is not a loyalty member or member of some guest appreciation or reward program. Rate Parity is not a new online policy specifically designed for the OTAs. It existed long before the “commercial internet" came into being and there was only one reason for its existence: it made revenue management and management of di...
Leading Change Effectively – Insights From Top Hospitality Leaders
EHL | July 19, 2024
Dr. Stefano Borzillo, Dr. Steffen Raub Welcome to a collection of insights and learnings based on the lived experiences of some of the many hospitality managers encountered at EHL. Based on practicing a set of key principles and behaviors, becoming an effective change leader is a skill that develops over time. The need for constant change It has become almost commonplace to state that change is everywhere around us. And yet, it is true that in complex and challenging business contexts few organizations can be successful without continuously questioning and adapting their way of doing things to the changing realities of the industry aroun...
Upward Climb With Uphill Struggles: 2024 Deloitte Corporate Travel Study
Deloitte | July 18, 2024
Amid steady corporate travel growth, companies are challenged to balance a need for more face-to-face client interaction with steep pricing and persistent environmental impact Corporate travel outlook While leisure travelers returned in a big way to airports, hotels, and vacation rentals beginning in the summer of 2021,1 corporate travel has been slower to return post–COVID-19 pandemic. Caution—initially about health, and then about financial costs and environmental impact—led most companies toward gradual returns to the road.2 New structural realities of working life have also curtailed the need to travel, with more home-centered d...
AI’s Flight Path: The Emergence of the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) in the Hotel and Airline Industries
Ivana Johnston | July 15, 2024
By Ivana Johnston The "Chief AI Officer"—or CAIO—is one of the hottest new job titles in the corporate circuit, and both the hotel and airline industries are embracing this role to stay competitive in the digital era. LinkedIn reports that the number of companies with a “Head of AI” position has more than tripled in the last five years. When IBM and Dell cut the ribbon for their Chief AI Officers last year, the race was on, and it wasn't long before Accenture, Arizona's renowned Mayo Clinic, and WPP heard the call and announced their very own CAIOs. In 2023, President Joe Biden pulled all the federal agencies into the AI race, ...
Overtourism: How To Avoid It for Better Travel Experiences
EHL Insights | July 15, 2024
As the summer travel season kicks into high gear, the specter of overtourism looms large over many of the world’s most beloved destinations. In an interview with two EHL researchers and experts on the topic, we explored the multifaceted issue of overtourism and how savvy travelers can avoid the pitfalls of overcrowded hotspots by traveling during shoulder seasons, staying overnight and discovering destination dupes. Crowded beaches, congested streets and long queues at tourist attractions – these are all unfortunately familiar sightings when traveling to popular places. Even though the prices for flight tickets, hotels and trips ove...
BCD Survey Reveals Gap Between Travel Policy and Traveler Compliance
BCD Travel | July 11, 2024
While over half of travel buyers consider their travel policies very effective, two-thirds of travelers still book outside of the travel policy UTRECHT, The Netherlands, July 11, 2024 – While many business travelers know of and often refer to their company’s travel policy, there’s still a gap between policy awareness and policy compliance, according to a recent BCD Travel survey of 1,200+ business travelers worldwide. The survey looked at changes in travel policies and traveler satisfaction with current regulations. Travel policy awareness In a corresponding April survey of 200+ travel buyers, BCD found that two-thirds of travel...
Lessons From Gaming: What Can Hospitality Learn From Video Games?
Mews | July 11, 2024
Are you a PlayStation pro or a Nintendo novice? From consoles to PCs to phones, gaming is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with estimates valuing the worldwide market at around $350 billion. Even if your gaming experience doesn’t go beyond Pac Man or Candy Crush, there are still plenty of valuable takeaways from this innovative industry. Let’s look at how gaming can inspire us to greater hospitality – no cheat codes required. Ready, player one? The power of customization In the early 80s, games began to incorporate a radical new feature: customization. At first it was very simple: players could change their character’s name....
The Heart of a Leader
Dr. Bryan K. Williams | July 11, 2024
Why should anyone follow you? Anywhere? Seriously, that is the question that leaders must ask themselves. John Maxwell wrote, "If you think you are leading, and no one's following, then you’re just taking a walk. A cynic might ask, "who do you think you are to believe that YOU are worthy to be followed?" And if you're not careful, you might believe that only those who have been anointed with special degrees and certifications are "worthy" to lead. You might think that you're too young to lead. You might accept that you're too inexperienced to lead. You might even think that you're not competent enough to lead. All of those thing...
