By feature writer Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng: I am sure we all watched the unfolding of the horrible drama at the Westlake Shopping Center in Kenya with complete horror. Imagine how the lives of innocent people spending a Saturday shopping were turned around in an instant. No one in their right mind condones such acts of terrorism. And, while the causes of this extremism can be argued incessantly, the simple fact is that terrible, unforeseen events happen. In an informal poll, I asked 25 senior managers (of North American properties) four questions to better understand their preparedness. Why don't you answer these questions for yourself.
How I Hire: Focus On Personality
By Richard Branson: The first thing to look for when searching for a great employee is somebody with a personality that fits with your company culture. Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality. If you can find people who are fun, friendly, caring and love helping others, you are on to a winner.
Noise Is Most Common Complaint in Online Hotel Reviews
An analysis by ReviewPro of online guest reviews for 5,683 hotels in 20 key tourist destinations reveals that noise is the No. 1 most common complaint by consumers in all but one city. In addition to analyzing reviews for common complaints, ReviewPro, the leading provider of online reputation and social media analytics for the hotel industry, also crunched its data to discover the cities with the best overall reputation based on direct feedback from consumers on more than 100 review sites such as TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Jalan and HolidayCheck.
Tiny Chain Named Best Hotel Company in the World
Wondering where to send your best high-end customers for a unique vacation experience? It seems you can't go wrong recommending a name that isn't usually top-of-mind.
Discover How to Motivate Your Staff by Believing in Them
By feature writer Alan Fairweather: If you've interviewed well and picked the right people for the job then you need to trust them to do that job. You need to constantly demonstrate to your staff that you trust and believe in them by what you say, your tone of voice and your body language. They will very quickly sense if you don't trust them to carry out their job and they'll act accordingly.
The Three Parts to Customer Satisfaction
By Mike Waite: The power and balance of three applies to customer feedback. You need direct guest feedback, market perspective and social monitoring to successfully manage every aspect of a hospitality business.
Marriott CEO: Women Are Vital Voices in Global Hospitality
Speaking at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative on a panel about “Women Decision-Makers in the Global Economy,” Marriott International, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, Arne Sorenson voiced the company’s strong commitment to supporting the advancement of women as part of the growth strategy for the global hospitality company.
Der Schlusspunkt: Peabody Orlando Ducks Find Greener Pastures
You will be greatly missed! The ducks at the Peabody Orlando will soon be off into retirement, sadly the duck parade will reach the end of the road on 30 September. The Hotel has been sold; Hyatt Hotels agreed to pay $717 million for the Peabody Orlando, which will be rebranded as the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
AA Hospitality Award Winners Announced
Last night saw some of the best in the industry praised for their efforts in hospitality at the annual AA Hospitality Awards in London.
Starbucks! The Hotel Brand?
By feature writer Brett Patten: Three reasons why I believe Starbucks would dominate the hotel industry.
