When comparing Canadian politics to our counterparts south of the border, we come up pretty short in terms of excitement. Let’s face it, Canadians are a pretty boring lot in this regard. Yet, from time to time, a hum dinger makes the airwaves. This week, one such missive hit the newsstands, tying with it one of the grand dames of the hotel world. The story...
Free. FREE. FREEEEEEE. It’s the golden word that stops shoppers in their tracks. It’s the word that interrupts the casual reading of a newspaper. But how does free apply to the world of employment and, most notably, internships? For the record, until recently, I was dead against accepting free interns in our business. My rationale was simple: Anyone who w...
When the average person thinks of an ostrich, he or she probably visualizes a large bird, with its “head in the sand.” In fact, an alternate dictionary meaning for an ostrich is “someone who ignores unpleasant things.” But what of the venerable llama? This South American pack animal is mostly known for its wool, but it is also sure-footed, reliable, patient...
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's not anywhere near a stretch of the imagination to understand just how crucial the weddings business is. The real quandary is what your property can do to cash in. So, rather than approach this from the hotelier's perspective, let's take the viewpoint of the bride and groom, and then you can make your own extrapolations. To get a good insider's...
Last week, we attended a port tasting. We were celebrating the life of a good friend with several outstanding vintages from his wine cellar. Unfortunately, he had passed away before having the pleasure of enjoying the finest of his treasures. The highlight of the evening was the 1960 Taylor’s Vintage (pictured), which kept its sprightly flavors despite its...
John G. Smale, former CEO of Procter & Gamble and Chairman of GM, passed away earlier this week at the age of 84. He was one of the 'Captains of American Industry.' John was the CEO of P&G during my tenure there in the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. Being a rather lowly Brand Manager in Canada (a seemingly distant outpost of the P&G empire) meant that there we...
Larry has talked extensively about how free WiFi in hotel rooms is a necessity these days. Wireless internet lets travelers work from anywhere - like the comfort of their own bed - instead of being deskbound. As well, tablets, which are rapidly growing in popularity, run exclusively off WiFi (or 3G). For a more convincing take, see Larry's previous artic...
Let’s face it, if you're not always working to keep the lines of communication clear between you and your audience, you risk missing opportunities or overlooking subtleties that could help you communicate more effectively. Specifically, understanding how your audience interprets your message is paramount to its success (or failure). Michael Schrage is a...
With a show so large and overpowering, what do you remember one week later? Trudging through miles of booths for two days, here are some of the highlights. Tablet Computers. The latest object of desire. Two units are about to enter the market and dual with the Apple iPad: the Motorola Xoom and the RIM Playbook. No samples to take home, sorry! HD 3...
