An overview of technology for hospitality.
Today’s post is written by our VP EMEA, Eric Lunt. Eric spent his early years living and working in France in the hospitality industry and has spent the last 15 years in various areas of technology, most recently with Monscierge working with international hotel brands and developing technologies to improve the guest experience. He is excited to be part of a rapidly changing cultural and technological evolution. For a few of us at Monscierge, this is not our first attempt at building a global software company. Some of us will remember the frustration of trying to make software designed in America work in Europe. Something innocuous like an unfamiliar date format could bring it to a grinding halt. A truly multinational platform benefits from being designed that way from the beginning and we just need to take a peek at what’s available in the market to know how challenging this must be. The decision to grow Monscierge simultaneously in multiple geographies and to build a platform that was both unphased by and, highly aware of, the location of its user is now revealing its full worth. I recall a trip to sub Saharan Africa where, for once, speaking English could not get me by. …
Last month, we talked about quality local recommendations for a Virtual Concierge. Expanding on that point, I want to explain the benefits for hotel operators in curating their own recommendations versus relying on generic apps guests may already have on their phone. First, you should think of this as an extension of your concierge services. Even if you don’t have an on-site concierge, your staff will have the best picks for dining and entertainment. Owning your recommendations also ensures that they are always up to date. It takes a while for user-generated apps to catch up with business closings, management changes, and hours of operation. Hotels can stay on top of these things easily. These recommendations add tremendous value to your branded app as well, by providing extra incentive for guests to download and keep the app on their phone, by being useful and relevant even when they are not on your property, and by promoting your hotel amenities and reservation channels. Finally, this is a chance to build loyalty with your guests. Any time you own a positive travel experience, on site or off – you are building an emotional connection with your guest, giving them a something to …
All managers have been there at some point. You assign a task, provide all of the necessary tools to complete it, and walk away – only to go running moments later to yank back the reins of responsibility. Why do we do this? I’ll admit that sometimes it needs to be done, but other times a project is so important or high profile that we just don’t feel comfortable handing it over to someone else. Either way, it all boils down to trust. The first step is to trust your team. Hire capable and talented people, foster loyalty and reward hard work, and you will be able to trust them with anything. After all, they will want to succeed just as much as you. Trusting and empowering your team to take a project and run with it is the first step toward ending the micromanaging cycle. If you’re stuck in the middle between “big bosses” and staff, you will also need trust in your higher ups. Allowing your team to come into its own is much more difficult when you fear for your job at every turn. My hope is that you work for someone who understands the difference between …
This morning, I read an article about the strange excuses employees have used to get the day off work. And yes, some of them are so completely unbelievable that the dishonesty level should be a red flag. But what struck me most was the amount of time and money companies admitted to using to try to catch these employees in a lie. It reminded me of a boss I had once who loved for his employees to live in constant fear over their job security. I was in a car accident on my way to work one day, and after yelling at me on the phone, he sent a coworker to the scene to verify my story. If he had taken the time to develop a better culture, he would have found that a team motivated by loyalty is more efficient than one motivated by fear. For the most part, though, I believe the “culture of fear” comes about by accident, accumulated over time with out-of-date rules, arbitrary policies, and regulations devised by out of touch higher-ups. A born rebel myself, I encourage managers to challenge the rules. An overabundance of rules can feel oppressive and discourage creativity and loyalty. …
Out of everything my family purchased over the last year, the one most enjoyed by my children was our vacation in early April. It was very cold and we had some snow flurries, but we enjoyed the nearly vacant hotel and the small crowds, and even managed a little swim time at an indoor water park. So rather than filling our home with more toys, my Christmas gift for my children this year will be travel. I’m geared toward time outdoors, things like camping and boating, so I am looking for lots of new experiences that are just as enjoyable during the winter months. I’ve checked out a few places and these are some of the most intriguing ideas I’ve found. Snowmobile tours – I am likely the worst skier in the history of mankind, so snow skiing while keeping track of young children is not my idea of a vacation. But I feel like a snowmobile tour is something I could handle. It would be an all-new experience for my kids, and I know the four boys would be thrilled with something like this. Wonderland themes – Depending on the location, lots of hotels transform their public spaces into …