hospitality: (n) The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. A literal definition of hospitality seems easy enough to follow. In the industry, each brand strives for a unique realization of the word. Most individuals would like to claim they possess “amazing hospitality”, but in truth it is a difficult accomplishment. I was at a party once where the hostess was so caught up in ensuring the perfection of her itinerary, her dishes, and her presentation that she was quite rude to many of the guests and even had a few of them in tears. Later in the evening, during the toasts, she proceeded to tell a story of her mother’s gift for hospitality and claim how grateful she was that this talent was passed down to her. I was in shock, wondering how in the world she considered herself to be a hospitable person when most of her guests were squirming in their seats, anxious for the earliest appropriate moment to make their exit. It occurred to me later that the beautiful décor, delicious food, and wonderful entertainment were what she was equating with “hospitality.” On an industrial scale, it is easy enough to …
Content Specialist, Elizabeth Robinson How long have you worked for the company? Since September, 2010. What do you do in the course of the work week? My responsibilities include training and monitoring the other researchers and making sure the content they input is done correctly. I answer any questions they might have throughout the week and get them any images they need for new merchants. I also make any and all changes to the content that the hotels request (Amenity image changes, adding menus, new information about their hotel, etc.) and push the updates if needed. I’ve recently learned how to edit the XML files for offsite Monscierge boards to be able to change the airport codes, printer messages, etc., also to connect printers, and change the date and time. Ryan usually does those things but has taught me how to do them for when he is not available. Also, I have been helping with fixing errors that cause problems with some of the 1.8 boards and trying to fix them before sending them off to development. I create the demo devices for the sales team as well as enter all new real devices into Salesforce, creating their username and …
Domino’s Pizza, after receiving scathing reviews on the taste of their pizza, made one of the riskiest moves in marketing history by embracing their bad publicity. Why it worked: The naysayers wouldn’t have given it another try based on the traditional “New and Improved” marketing. By giving the complaints a louder voice, consumers were intrigued and curious about the new recipe. Domino’s invested directly in their customers via taste tests and transparency campaigns, encouraging feedback of all kinds. The resulting turnaround is touted by many as the riskiest – and most effective – marketing campaign ever. Not only were people talking about and buying the product, but former disgruntled customers were flocking back to the brand. 2. In an effort to raise customer awareness surrounding the new Ford Focus, Ford created an entire character, an outspoken sock puppet named Doug. The idea was that Doug, being a puppet, could say things that wouldn’t be as generally acceptable coming from a human spokesperson. Doug travels in a Ford Focus driven by his human straight-man, John, both characters utilizing Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube along the way. Why it worked: Frankly, everyone loves Doug. People are interacting with Doug and John through social …
Measuring the ROI in training is a challenge. Individualized staff training isn’t really noticed until it’s not done. It’s difficult to measure a tangible bottom line as influenced by intangible human qualities. How do you measure ROI in staff development? Why invest in staff development? Improvement on employee performance is the obvious answer, but in today’s economy, many managers are cutting spending on training programs just to stay afloat. I am going to take a look at five ways training affects the bottom line. 1. Raises company profits. Research by the American Society for Training and Development shows measurable improvement in shareholder return by companies that increase training expenditures. 2. Gives an advantage over competitors. Human skills are an important asset for any company, and they depreciate over time. Investment into keeping your employees up to date and plugged into the company will result in higher satisfaction from both employees and customers. 3. Training lowers employee turnover. Little needs to be said about the costs resulting from a high employee turnover. Increased training has been shown to improve employee self-esteem, morale, and loyalty to the employer. Employees are much more likely to continue in their current job if they know …
The front desk/lobby area is the only chance you have to make a good first impression. How can your lobby “dress to impress” and set the tone for the rest of your facility? The number one requirement, of course, is cleanliness. Even a small amount of dust in a lobby can lead guests to wonder about the upkeep of their room. Cleanliness is expected and most likely unnoticed by most guests, but a lack of it will draw attention. There is a real challenge here for housekeeping because this is a high traffic area. Depending on the location and services offered, hotel managers need to be vigilant about the individual cleanliness requirements. For instance, in a snowy environment or a facility with an indoor pool, special attention is paid to keeping floors dry and carpets mildew free. Scent plays an important role, as well. A pleasant scent will reinforce the impression of cleanliness, and certain smells can affect the comfort, mood, and overall satisfaction of your guests. No matter the style and décor of your lobby, good lighting is important. Lighting focuses attention without intruding on the senses, and can produce the same effects as scent on mood. Keep your …