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COMMENT | PETER HANCOCK
The inestimable
value of accolades
By PETER HANCOCK,
chief executive of Pride of Britain Hotels
O
ver the years I’ve heard lots the appeal of another rosette or an somewhere else because they scored
of hoteliers say that awards upgrade to red stars – successful higher than you did based on their
don’t matter very much; that hoteliers and their teams devote criteria, nor how many guests might
considerable resources to the quest. have chosen you over a rival but for
they’d rather have happy customers
than a Michelin star; that travel writers
stop working with the AA because it recognition from a worthy industry copious records relating to online
“doesn’t bring any customers”. Some body: a higher profile for the business, reservations enabling us to precisely
are equally dismissive of poor reviews encouragement for the team, target our spending on pay per click
on Tripadvisor, claiming these have no reassurance for both new and existing advertising, for example, whereas the
real effect on business. customers, a boost to the resale value 50% of guests who make their actual
of the business and, let’s not forget, a bookings by telephone slip through
nice pat on the back for the boss. this data trawling net completely.
easy method of proving what impact
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one small difference.
are just freeloaders; that they might
argument either way, there’s no
Are you reading a friend’s copy of
Hotel Owner?
Think how many useful objectives
It’s virtually impossible to put a
My own view is that accolades are
our complex system of grading and monetary value on these things. No very much worth pursuing in exactly
reviews actually has on customer matter how good your reservations the same way that having pleasant
behaviour – most of us just feel we team are at identifying the source of conversations with customers and
know in our guts that praise from bookings, very few guests are willing keeping the garden looking lovely is
an authoritative source is going to or indeed able to state how they worthwhile. At the end of the day we
help and that criticism from almost came to select your hotel beyond are selling hospitality in all its forms, so
any source can hinder our efforts to such crude answers as “internet” if you employ people who understand
attract new business. or “recommended”. In practise, we how to look after others properly the
know that a typical journey from look plaudits will follow naturally.
What I do know, from hosting
Just one word of warning… there
and attending countless awards to book might include many factors ceremonies myself, is that winning from a Google search for the location will come a time when years of effort
accolades can give a massive or type of experience, a glance and the accumulated recognition you
boost to the people working in any at Tripadvisor reviews, the vague receive as a hotelier finally catches
business. A recent example was the memory of a newspaper or magazine up with you and someone presents
AA Hospitality Awards in London article, the star rating, the price, you with a Lifetime Achievement
which attracted around 1,000 industry affiliation with a brand, the quality award. Be very afraid, because that
professionals and plenty of valuable of images, ease of booking and will be your signal to retire gracefully
sponsorship. Don’t be fooled by much more. You will never know how and allow the next generation of
anyone who says they’re immune to close the guest came to choosing stars to rise.
October 2018
www.hotelowner.co.uk
17