hotelguru
Transforming Hotels With Artificial Intelligence
Robert Rauch | April 1, 2024
Operators Who Ignore New Tech Will Be at a Severe Competitive Disadvantage By Bob Rauch Scheduling and training processes are becoming streamlined; revenue management has improved optimizations, and SEO and marketing strategies rely on AI to enhance online visibility. Chatbots are used for customer service and exist with many hotel providers today. Practical Uses of AI in Hospitality We just revised our menus and wine lists while utilizing AI, and while AI provides insights and depth, it still takes a human to know what is best in a market. This is true with all use cases for AI. It can speed up many processes, support innovation, etc....
The Difference Maker: 2019
Robert A. Rauch, CHA | August 3, 2018
By Robert A. Rauch Every year is different in many ways. Technology is changing very rapidly and yet there are some basics that we often forget that can make the difference right now and this coming year. I was compelled to write this after reading The Power of Moments by the Heath Brothers. These tips are specific hospitality industry tidbits based on this fine book and 40+ years of experience in the industry. Yes, I started when I was 4. Elevating Experiences "Moments of elevation" are experiences that rise above the routine, according to the aforementioned book. These moments make us feel joyful and motivated. To create these moments...
Hospitality Leadership in 2018
Robert A. Rauch, CHA | January 4, 2018
By Robert A. Rauch What will leadership look like this year? It's not always the same each year. Yes, leadership books might provide the same basics of leadership skills and yes, leading by example is a great foundation, but today I am exploring the combination of mentoring, coaching, leading and managing in 2018. I recently posted my top 10 trends in 2018. These include technology, lobby design, local food sourcing and more. Clearly, as leaders, we must be aware of trends in our industry. After all, many of us do not have someone to ask, "what's going on out there?" And it can be lonely at the top! I usually need a trigger to pen somet...
Best Management Practices for Less Experienced or “Mom and Pop” Owners
Robert A. Rauch | October 30, 2017
By Robert A. Rauch If you are considering a management company because you feel you are not keeping up with the nuances of distribution channel management, human resource management, digital marketing, accounting and the changes in the industry that have driven us from art to science like revenue management, you are not alone. There are best practices for every facet of the hotel industry and there are many ways to approach improvement of your hotel management short of hiring a company to manage your hotel. If you have decided that you need a management company due to inexperience or desire to retire or semi-retire, there are three thin...
Competitive Advantage 2018 – The World Has Changed
Robert A, Rauch | October 4, 2017
By Robert A. Rauch The classic model of competitive advantage is Michael Porter's five forces shown below. This is still a useful model for the hotel industry. The most interesting part of this in 2017 is the "substitute" portion of the grid–this is what Airbnb is all about and they will have had a huge impact on our industry by the time most people wake up to it. According to Porter, "the existence of products outside of the realm of the common product boundaries increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives." Michael Porter's Five Forces Airbnb has become a powerful force in the hotel industry and as a reactio...
The Misconceptions of Millennials and Meetings
Robert Rauch | August 2, 2016
By Robert A. Rauch, CHA Originally posted on PrevueMeetings.com There are a number of misconceptions floating around the hotel industry about our largest growing demographic, the Millennials. This stems from an overgeneralization of the key trends that they have brought to the forefront of our industry. The Millennials, generally categorized as those born between 1980 – 1995, are a maturing group that prizes the use of technology for efficiency and ease of doing business. This is why it comes to the surprise of many that they actually prefer face-to-face meetings and events just as much if not more than previous generations. Often...
The Lodging Landscape: 2016 Midpoint by Robert A. Rauch, CHA
Robert Rauch | July 6, 2016
The first half of 2016 included a bit of a negative impact from China's economy, some terrorism events and a softer than predicted first half in terms of financial performance. Here is a primer on where we are in this noble institution of hospitality as of the 2016 midpoint. The Cycle and Baseball Analogy The typical analogy of what inning we are in is fairly easy. We are in the 8th inning and the real question is, what happens when the game ends and the cycle is over? Nothing. We are headed toward a soft landing in 2017 and that is not bad news. Gross Domestic Product growth of 1-2 percent will likely lead to slowing RevPAR growth for ...
