All Blog Posts

September 6, 2019

The hotel franchise market is incredibly competitive. Similar branded hotels are saturating markets, causing dilution of revenue. Margins are being squeezed and owners are looking for solutions to increase returns. It has become more important than ever to stand out in the crowd, and a podcast is a great tool to use as a resource. Podcasts are a viable solution to strengthen your hotel profitability game by providing a successful and relevant way to get...

July 25, 2019

How can hoteliers incorporate technology without losing the personal touch? As we all know, hotels have been using kiosks to help facilitate check in for years with little success. While a novel idea, what is convenient to some is a frustrating and more limited experience for others. The idea never really took off, probably because hospitality needs to have a human layer of support to ensure guests are comfortable and happy. Hotels need to embrace technology...

May 1, 2019

What advice do you have for working with management companies? Management companies fill a variety of roles on behalf of hotel owners. With proprietary systems, carefully sculpted operating policies and procedures, asset management responsibilities, and financial reporting, these companies ensure owner, company, and brand standards are upheld and results are achieved. This frees the owner to focus on their portfolio as a whole while the management company earns its fee. A great management company has team leaders...

February 21, 2019

Be consistent. Your personal brand encompasses everything from your values to your motto, your personality, and your aesthetic. It is the authentic you. It’s how you dress, it’s how you speak, it’s how you show up, it’s the promises you make, and the business you’re in. Your brand represents your reputation and your signature. Your personal brand sends the message of who you are and what you stand for. It is the best advertisement and...

December 28, 2018

I’m just starting out my career in hotels. How do I stand out among my peers? From time to time, I hear from hotel professionals seeking some elusive hint or hidden secret that will help them unlock doors and discover new opportunities. In all my travels, from Albania to Alaska, from Costa Rica to Cambodia, just one thing remains consistent: good people define the best in hospitality. Regardless of one’s career choices, demographic, cultural or socio-economic...

October 18, 2018

I’m constantly dealing with either being short staffed or managing under-performing employees. Good employees are hard to find. What should I do? If you’re seeking a hand-holding, motivational response, you’ve come to the wrong person. Good employees are not hard to find. Good humans are hard to find. Your blind pursuit for the perfect employee has paralyzed you into hiring mediocre people because you need people now. Some managers claim they can train mediocre people, but...

August 21, 2018

How can a hotel company—whether it develops, operates, or manages properties—create a good mission statement? People often talk about mission statements, which are emblazoned in handbooks and policy manuals, but, once read, are often forgotten. Ask line-level staff at a company what their mission statement is, and nine times out of 10, you will be met with a blank stare or nervous laughter. These statements are often boring, uninspiring, and completely useless if all they do is...

June 29, 2018

Hotels and OTAs: Equilibrium or the end of an era? Surveying the booking landscape, it would appear that hotels and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)—most of which are owned by just two major players (Expedia, Inc., and Priceline Group)—have found a point of equilibrium. Once welcomed by hotels to fill vacant rooms, OTAs’ commission structure turned Shangri-La into paradise lost. Hotels retaliated with booking rate parities, brand-based booking apps, and loyalty programs that steer guests to brand-based...

May 23, 2018

Why don’t I get a response when 
I send out resumes for jobs I’m qualified for? The days of sending in resumes by email are over. Actually, they were over before they began. Back when you physically put a letter in the mailbox, it was something someone had to open. Upon arrival, there was this intriguing, sealed, stamped envelope and, inside, a cover letter and resume awaited. Nowadays, hiring managers are flooded by emailed resumes and,...

January 19, 2018

What hidden operations issues should GMs be aware of? There are a lot of moving parts that come with running a hotel, but the one constant that is always in need of ongoing attention and investment is a hotel’s team. And there are issues on the horizon. A contraction in the labor force has been growing for over a decade, and those not mindful of it may be surprised when labor and HR issues arise. Changing demographics...

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