Sales & Marketing USA & Canada Opinion Articles - Hospitality Net

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Opinion Article

July 16, 2009

How to get repeat guests for only 44 cents

When I found a handwritten envelope with the Best Western Napoleon Inn & Suites’ return address in my mailbox last week, my thoughts immediately turned to the worst. I had stayed at the modest property the week earlier after attending a country wedding in rural Northwest Ohio, and while the one-night stay went without incident, the business-sized envelope evoked a bubbling sense of cynicism. Was I being charged for something extra—running water, a broken keycard entry, a missing towel? No, I quickly assured myself. I had left the room in the same condition I had found it. I was sure of it. Wasn’t I?

Opinion Article

July 16, 2009

Conference Centers Cope

Amidst a crisis unforeseen one year ago and certainly not caused by our industry, most members of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) are fully in a coping mode having adjusted behavior and instituted expense controls in an exemplary manner. Looking back at 2008, we saw a year consisting of three parts; normal operations for two quarters, a transition decline during the third quarter, and a collapse of the core market for conference centers, business meetings, in the fourth quarter. Never has the conference center industry faced such a constriction in demand, even subsequent to 9/11. Prior recessions have always had a continuing core of corporate meetings, albeit with a change of meeting content from “long range planning” to “crisis management.” The media and political hysteria against corporate meetings in this cycle is truly unprecedented and unfortunate.

By Dave Arnold, CBRE Hotels

Opinion Article

July 15, 2009

Hotel Common Sense – Using Business Networks Productively Or Recovering Lost Customers After a Renovation

A recent column in this series titled “A Common Sense Review Process for Capital Investments” addressed the logic and an approach in planning and executing major projects. Both a certain financial amount and government regulations relating to depreciation tables define most major capital projects. These ventures usually have some sort of potential risk. The ROI (Return on Investment) is usually justified by an expected improvement in the profit potential, by complying with brand standards/requirements (if appropriate) or by introducing significant physical additions or improvements, such as adding a new wing, spa, meeting space, retail, etc. that should increase revenues and the overall value of the hotel.

By John Hogan, CHA CHMS CHE CHO, HoganHospitality.com

Opinion Article

July 13, 2009

Value Place - A Hotel/Apartment Fusion

Hotel and Leisure Advisors has completed numerous studies for various extended-stay hotels over the past several years. My colleagues and I have noted that one new brand to enter the market – Value Place – differs notably from the other extended-stay brand offerings in terms of expense margins, amenities, cost to build, price point, and customer base. In short, Value Place looks like a hotel, but acts more like an apartment complex.

By Laurel Keller, Executive Vice President | Hospitality Gaming & Leisure Group, Newmark

Opinion Article

July 2, 2009

Midscale without food and beverage: Does location matter?

The current downturn has affected chain-scale segments across the board, but some more than others. Historically, the midscale-without-food-and-beverage segment has been one that tends to perform a bit better then the rest regardless of the economic conditions. This is true during the current downturn, and it appears location also plays an instrumental role in their performance. The STR-defined six location types are urban, suburban, airport, interstate, resort and small metro/town. Within these six location types, STR samples between 95 to 99 percent of the midscale without F&B room supply.

Opinion Article

July 1, 2009

Testing Times for the Cruise Industry | worldcruise-network.com

n the last ten years, cruising has become one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, and many believe its reputation as a value-for-money holiday option will help protect it against the effects of recession. However, with consumers increasingly becoming cautious about spending, others consider these expectations too optimistic.

Deloitte Development LLP

Opinion Article

July 1, 2009

The Treasury Department wants to know: What’s luxury and what’s excessive?

On June 15th, the Treasury Department published the “TARP Standards for Compensation and Corporate Governance.” Of note is the provision for recipients of government financial assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program to establish an excessive or luxury expenditures policy, which mentions entertainment and events and regulates excessive expenditures to the extent such expenditures aren’t reasonable expenditures for staff development, reasonable performance incentives or other similar reasonable measures conducted in the normal course of the TARP recipient’s business operations.

By Jan Freitag, National Director, Hospitality Market Analytics, HotelNewsNow

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Opinion Article

June 30, 2009

Serve With Verve!

When was the last time you used the word “verve” in a sentence? It’s not a word you often hear but is a great word to define customer service that is refreshing, memorable, and leaves a lasting positive impression. A quick search on Dictionary.com provided these definitions: (vûrv) n. 1. Enthusiasm or vigor, as in literary or artistic work; spirit. 2. Vivaciousness; liveliness; animation. How often do the employees who provide you with customer service, serve with verve? In a recent survey, customers described the majority of customer service experiences they have as “bland and uneventful.” And nearly 70 percent of customers cite “employee indifference” as their top reason for leaving a company as a customer.

Steve Curtin, LLC

Opinion Article

June 29, 2009

Thinking about the eventual recovery and what it might look like

During the past several days there have been a lot of stories in the lodging, and indeed the general, press about the decline in lodging industry room rates during the past eight or nine months and how long it’s going to take to recover to pricing levels that existed at the end of last summer. Those addressing this issue have used STR data from the last downturn as a guide.

Opinion Article

June 21, 2009

The Reunion Business Could Probably Use Some Hospitality Professionals

Talk about the ultimate Loyalty Program, “reuning” at your old school. I just returned from such an event, celebrating an untold date last century. Others have probably ventured out this month or last to similar events at high schools, colleges, universities, vocational and professional programs. I bet we all noticed the same thing – attendance had dwindled, yet the reunion event planning had gone full-tilt. You do not need a pareto analysis to appreciate that Reunions face a challenge, and that the historical approach to that special weekend must change.

By John Hendrie, Customer Experience Facilitator, Hospitality Performance, Inc.

Opinion Article

June 18, 2009

Economy chains: interior versus exterior-corridor hotels

The merits of interior versus exterior-corridor properties have been debated among economy chain hotel operators for some time. Exterior-corridor hotels offer convenience, value and a more like-home atmosphere, their proponents argue. Interior-corridor operators stress their properties’ greater guest security, value and more up-to-date product offering. Both product configurations have unique advantages. Let’s look at some facts that can provide better insights to this discussion. On average, economy chain exterior-corridor hotels are significantly older than interior-corridor properties. Seventy percent of existing exterior-corridor hotel rooms are 20 years old or older; about 40 percent of interior-corridor hotel rooms fall into this age category. Only 6 percent of exterior-corridor supply is 10 years old or newer, while 25 percent of interior-corridor rooms are in this group.

Opinion Article

June 18, 2009

Four Fundamental Practices to Help Hotel Companies Weather the Current Downturn

Look back over the multiple downturns the hospitality industry has experienced in the past 15 years and you’ll recognize two over-reaching patterns. First, recession is cyclical. Second, recession in the hospitality industry acts like evolution cubed, except the companies that survive each downturn have a lot more than natural selection going for them. “This economy holds significant opportunities and long-term rewards for hotel companies that are savvy, well-capitalized and flexible enough to act swiftly when opportunities arise,” says Gerald P. Chase, president and chief operating officer of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a hotel owner, developer and third-party manager that grew through the last two recessions and emerged from each stronger than before the downturns.

Opinion Article

June 17, 2009

As meetings bookings slow, understanding planners is crucial

Despite concerns about negative press coverage associated with meetings and bookings, the economic environment is the primary factor driving changes in meeting, booking and rebooking, according to a recent survey of 516 professional meeting planners throughout the U.S. “It’s clear as troubling as some of the press has been, the real culprit has been the economy,” said Peter Yesawich, chairman and CEO of Ypartnership, the research firm that conducted the study, during a virtual press conference last week.

Opinion Article

June 9, 2009

What is your definition of leadership?

In consulting for clients, in preparation for personalizing workshops and in evaluating topics for this regular column series, I regularly reflect on what the measures for success are. As an avid reader and an aficionado of history, I expand beyond my own career by examining the successes and failures of others to find knowledge. Hospitality (and almost every business in this now global economy) has evolved to a blend of high tech and high touch. Technology greatly facilitates research, marketing, distribution and communication. The people-skills side of business, however remains the fundamental center of all basics that pulls everything together.

By John Hogan, CHA CHMS CHE CHO, HoganHospitality.com

Opinion Article

June 8, 2009

Writing online hotel reviews is gaining popularity

The role of user-generated reviews is exploding. Nearly 1 of 5 travelers say they read online guest reviews of hotels before booking, and about 1 in 10 travelers will write a review after their stay. The percentage of travelers who read reviews prior to booking a hotel has remained stable for the past year, but the number of persons who are writing reviews about their hotel stay is rising.

By Jonathan Barsky, Clarabridge (former Market Metrix)

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Opinion Article

June 5, 2009

The New ‘Tipping Points' in the Planners Decision Process - You May be Surprised!

The decision making ‘tipping points' for meeting and corporate travel planners have changed dramatically in relation to the recessionary economy. No longer are the perks of spas, golf courses, etc. a valued differentiator. Those perks are now a negative as incentive travel has diminished following the AIG effect. Meeting and travel planners are under intense pressure to demonstrate value for any off site meetings that they plan with defined business objectives and demonstrable results. They are trying to minimize the cost of travel to any meetings that they plan so those locations close to their office, airport hotels that minimize the need for rental cars and other ground transportation expenses have benefited from this trend.

Opinion Article

June 4, 2009

Why I Hate TripAdvisor - sometimes

If you are a regular reader of HospitalityMarketingBlog.com you know I’m a raving fan of TripAdvisor. With over 20 million reviews there’s hardly any guest who enters the door of a luxury hotel who hasn’t first read about the property on TripAdvisor. The TripAdvisor Home Page proudly boasts, “more than 15,000,000 travelers from 190 countries planned trips here this week.” A astonishing statement. Adding weight to this is word-of-mouth impact. Research shows consumers believe reviews read online almost as much as they do personal recommendations from friends and relatives.

Opinion Article

May 29, 2009

Meeting planners and hotel suppliers: Let's be fair

First, some good news: Meeting planners appear to be booking again. Yes, there are definite signs of increased demand in inquiries and booking activity based on a recent cross-section survey I conducted with sales directors of group-driven resorts throughout the U.S. western region. Now for the bad news: A great many meeting planners are demanding heavily discounted room rates guaranteed for 2010, 2011 and beyond. I guess it depends on your perspective as to whether or not that represents bad news. While it might appear to be good news for meeting planners, I believe that in the long run it will end up as bad news for both.

By David Brudney, ISHC, David Brudney & Associates

Opinion Article

May 27, 2009

Delivering Hospitality and Pride

Several months ago, I shared my definitions of the word HOSPITALITY in a column published in this service and asked readers to contribute their definitions. Reader input came in from many different people. There were definitions from people relatively new to the industry and from seasoned veterans. Some were individual operators and others who managed companies and multiple brands. There were educators and there were those who supported the industry. A sampling of the responses from a diversity of people and places were in a follow up column titled GLOBAL READER DEFINITIONS OF HOSPITALITY.

By John Hogan, CHA CHMS CHE CHO, HoganHospitality.com

Opinion Article

May 22, 2009

Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 52

Did you ever notice that New York’s Essex House is the only building on Central Park South with a large neon sign on its roof? This roof-top sign preceded the current zoning rules and is, therefore, grandfathered. The 43-story hotel, now the Jumeirah Essex House was opened in 1931 and is owned by the royal family in Dubai. It recently completed a $90 million renovation that highlights its classic Art Deco design. The hotel was converted to a condominium by Marriott in 1974 and now consists of 515 guestrooms and 148 residential condominium apartments, of which 139 are privately owned.

By Stanley Turkel, CMHS, Hotel consultant, Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC

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