Around the office, the beginning of Q4 has been permeated with a look ahead at 2013. We are excited for what the new year will bring to the industry, and want to get a head start on preparations. As is natural, looking ahead brings with it a sense of nostalgia for what has passed. 2012 has been an year of positive outlook and growth in the hospitality industry, and we’ve seen some of the biggest game-changers in history disrupt the way we do business and even our day to day lives. Reorganizing public spaces – Many hotels are rethinking their public spaces. Lobbies have become more social, meeting rooms are getting a makeover, and property-specific areas such a libraries or spas are focusing on the personalized guest experience. Growth of online and mobile bookings – So far in 2012, online bookings seem to grow daily, and smartphone penetration hit the 50% mark mid-year. We fully expect to see these numbers continue to rise through 2013 with consumer trust in online purchases on the rise. Connection through social media- There was no question here. As much as social networking has changed the way we interact with friends, family, colleagues, and even …
I’ve been digging into other hotel blogs for awhile, and there are some that definitely stand out from the crowd. While my personal top five are fairly popular, you should check them out if you haven’t already. Hotel Chatter – Using humor that occasionally crosses into the snarky side, these guys tackle industry news from openings, marketing strategies, and the occasional haunted hotel. LMA Communications – Founder Larry Mogelonsky also happens to be the author of Are You an Ostrich or a Llama, and shares his combined hospitality and writing expertise on the company blog. The Advisor- Writer Tom Costello has over 20 years experience in the industry. His book, Prepare for Liftoff – How to Launch a Career in Sales, is available by following the link. His blog shares tips on sales with an eye for hospitality. Daniel Craig and Josiah MacKenzie- This one is a twofer, but you can follow this dynamic duo of hospitality at their individual blogs, or check in at ReviewPro. Hotel Check-In – USA Today’s Barb Delollis keeps up-to-date on hotel trends, technology, and what’s going on in the industry. Who are your favorite hospitality bloggers?
We’ve been discussing the different uses for Google+ Hangouts here at the Monscierge office, and it got me thinking about how much fun they could be for hotel use. As a B2C business, and arguably one of the most “social” industries, how can hospitality make use of this fun new aspect of social networking? These are a few ideas I came up with, and I’d love to hear yours in the comments. Face-to-face time with your concierge – allow future travelers to get the inside scoop on your location before they visit. Q&A with manager – discuss amenities and hotel events. Chef – answer questions about local cuisine and food trends, or offer cooking tips. Wedding coordinator – this one is easy, every new bride has questions. You can open this up for general information or send invites only to brides using your hotel for more specific information. Local experts – do you have a local historian, nature expert, or tour guide? They can be excellent sources of information on things to see in your area. Weekend events – schedule a host for mid-week to talk up local weekend events. “Day in the Life” – have a host visit the …
loy·al·ty The quality of being loyal to someone or something. A strong feeling of support or allegiance I ran across this July article from The New York Times while doing some research on loyalty programs. The article states that travelers are expected to move more than $10 billion to competing loyalty programs. That’s a lot of billions, so what is going on? The report listed 7 major reasons that guests are feeling not-so-loyal to their loyalty programs. Incompetent staff and services. Mistakes in crediting loyalty points. Advertised promotions not being honored. Problems redeeming points. Points expiring too quickly, resulting in lowered status. Undesirable property condition. Extra fees. (It is no longer news that guest satisfaction takes a serious drop the moment they are hit with unexpected fees.) Getting back to the definition of loyalty, what does your hotel do to foster “a strong feeling of allegiance”? Try a full experience of your own property, from initial booking all the way through redeeming points later on. Where does your hotel shine and where does it fall short?
We’ve all had that dream. You know the one. You’re out in public, maybe at work or the mall, and you suddenly realize that you have forgotten some integral piece of your wardrobe. For some reason our sleeping brain doesn’t tell us “Hey! You must be dreaming – you always remember pants!” We are doomed to embarrassment until we finally wake and realize none of it ever happened. But what if it DID happen? Adult sleepwalking (more technically called somnambulism) is on the rise, and many of the contributing factors such as stress, alcohol consumption, and late-night meals, are quite common to travelers. While a relatively safe sleepwalking situation can lead to a hilarious story later on (for instance, my 9 year old son ran from his room a few nights ago in a frantic search for where his brother had left the “fire boosters”), it is also a cause for serious concern (this same child was caught escaping the house at 2am, also while sleeping.) Adult sleepwalkers have been found wandering their hotels in the nude, asking for newspapers and even trying to go to work. For the sleepwalker, the potential for embarrassment is frightening enough, but the possibility …