By Dave Arnold: PKF Consulting USA, in conjunction with the International Association of Conference Centers, conducts the annual Trends® in the Conference Center Industry survey of the operating performance of IACC certified conference centers. The 2013 report aggregated the 2012 market and financial performance of 34 residential centers and 8 day centers with some positive results.
Seven Pain Points in Analytics, Seven Possible Solutions
By Feature Writer Pamela Whitby: Being more focused and strategic with data and analytics can deliver significant benefits to the bottom line, writes Pamela Whitby, editor, EyeforTravel. Everybody is talking about how data, if used correctly, can deliver greater efficiency and a better customer experience. But achieving this in a rapidly changing environment is anything but easy.
The Life of a Hotel Doctor: A Dog-Eat-Dog Business
By Feature Writer Mike Oppenheim, M.D: November is my slowest month. Calls remain scanty until Christmas, but the last week of December is always the busiest of the year. Don’t ask me why. I try to keep calm when the phone remains silent, but it’s not easy. Hotel doctoring is viciously competitive.
The Signs of a Leader’s Empathy Deficit Disorder
By Daniel Goleman: The signs of a leadership empathy deficit can best be detected by how a leader’s actions impact those he or she leads. Read on for some of the common signs of leadership empathy deficit.
Accor Reorganization Focuses on Two Separate Businesses
Accor has announced a reorganization that will split the company into two businesses, one focused on hotel operation and another centered on hotel ownership and investment.
Hotel Complaints: The Empathetic Complainer
By Feature Writer Matt Shiells-Jones: I have previously spoken about Silent, Professional, Social and Aggressive complainers, all types of complainer that can intertwine with each other to create a very 'difficult' situation. Now I want to talk about the type of complainer who most assume to be the easiest to deal with, but has hidden dangers – the Empathetic Complainer.
Go Hard on Soft Service Skills
By Feature Writer Roberta Nedry: In service and even in hospitality curricula, hard skills are often the focus for training and education to deliver effective job performance. Soft skills are the behaviors which directly impact guest impressions and feelings. Soft skills showcase the personal side of service and how team members use their attitudes, behaviors and verbal skills to interact with guests. It's the emotional experience that they create for guests! It's how they make them feel! Look for some of these telltale signs that's it's time for some immediate soft skills training.
How to Choose a Hotel Name
By Patrick McCarthy: Hotel names are pretty important to hoteliers (hotel names, and ya know, money), and with good reason – a hotel's name greatly affects the way current and potential guests perceive the hotel and can have a huge impact on the hotel's performance. With all of this as well as the many big changes in the online marketing game over the past two years in mind, I figured the world was ready (perhaps even desperate) for an updated guide on how to best name a hotel. Giddy-up!
Ten Surprising Social Media Statistics That Might Make You Rethink Your Social Strategy
By Belle Beth Cooper: Social Media is changing faster than ever, as if that wasn't something everyone already knew! If you're managing social media for your business, it might be useful to know about some of the most surprising social media statistics this year. Here are ten that might make you rethink the way you're approaching social media.
Mobile Check-In Goes Global at Marriott Hotels
The mobile check-in feature on the Marriott Mobile App has expanded internationally, representing the broadest mobile offering of its kind in the lodging industry.
