Here are four examples of service above and beyond the ordinary. I present them here as “GOLD” award winners, something that all hoteliers can aspire to. Hotel Im Palais Schwarzenberg, Vienna, Austria: Several years ago, I had the pleasure of spending several nights at this magnificent property. While the hotel is now closed, the service was of such a hig...
A recently completed survey (Summer 2011) of hotel purchase behavior indicates some potentially troubling news for hoteliers. In particular, this research reveals a significant weakness in hotel brand recognition. About the Survey When I started my business career, travel arrangements were regimented. All requests went through the office travel dep...
Okay, I’m a little bit of a technology geek. I have a pretty fast laptop, tablet and smartphone, all from the same manufacturer, whose shares are well above US$500 each. And while I can’t fully keep pace with all of the twenty-somethings in my office, I’m reasonably good at most programs and Internet-related activities. Yet, even a codger like me can learn...
In 30 years of being the “outside-agency-consultant-guy” to literally hundreds of GMs and directors of marketing, I’ve seen everything from gifted marketers to the much less so. Our team has served almost every form of relationship, from being the acting marketing head to (quite literally) a supplier of paper or electronic goods/services. It has and continu...
I admit it. I am a proud Canadian. Sorry to offend those who think we’re the 51st state up here. Except for those in Quebec, Canadians speak the same language as our U.S. counterparts, albeit with a different accent. We shop at the same stores — the Gap, Wal-Mart, Old Navy — and we are excited to announce that soon we’ll even have Target! Travel to one of o...
Why it’s important to integrate computer tablets into your hotel operation You know a lot about them. You might even have one. They’re popular for business and leisure and satisfy the trendy factor consumers seek, but are they right for your property? When it comes to tablets the answer is yes. The real question for most hoteliers is whether or not this n...
It seems like the distant past, but every time that I read an article in the press about hotel brands or banding, it reminds me of my old days in Procter & Gamble’s brand department. Yes, it was called the BRAND department, not advertising or marketing. Why? As BRAND managers, our responsibility was to manage the critical equity of the company, namely,...
A clear and actionable strategy for long-term success. Though its easy to say, it is hard to actually implement. Most GMs and directors of marketing are compelled - whether by the owners or through their own virtue - to produce on a quarter-by-quarter basis, but if this is the only purpose, then inevitably, you’ll reach a crisis of sorts. Planning l...
In short, online travel agencies are commoditizing the hospitality industry. On the surface, they offer a lucrative channel to heighten exposure and increase bookings, but the big picture is grim for hotels. OTAs are stripping brand identification away from independent and chain properties, eroding your customer loyalty in the process, and all for a lo...
My favorite TV show, “Mad Men,” is back this month for Season 5. And, I was wondering, are groups flocking back on property as well? I get that feeling reading some excellent in-depth research done by Meetings Focus magazine. In a similar vein, Benchmark Hospitality International recently released optimistic meetings business predictions for 2012. I am exci...
