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well . They want to be sure that we will make it right at every touchpoint of their stay , with an emphasis on cleanliness and friendly service to a hot breakfast . Simultaneously , the hotel industry ’ s shared commitment to innovation has ushered in more connected and personalized experiences to enhance guest satisfaction . Human- and digital-led solutions both have allowed us to stay ahead of evolving guest expectations while still delivering top-notch customer service despite the challenges of the last few years as travel demand roared back . |
Danny Hughes
Rick Pastorino , CEO and principal , REVPAR International : Too many management companies are focused on scale and growing their unit numbers and room counts thinking that is the answer to owner success . As an asset manager , we aren ’ t seeing it at all . That strategy is proving out to be more of a race to mediocrity rather than preserving above average management staff , let alone enhancing asset value to their owners and improving their
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Rick Pastorino
internal culture to be more guest-service focused . Robert Cole , HVMG : Guest experience metrics for the industry are still a little behind where we were pre-pandemic . This is largely driven by the massive amount of turnover that we experienced following the pandemic and all of us trying to do more with less . With all the layoffs and job eliminations that had to be completed , many associates never returned to the industry , and those that are new to our industry need better training , along with the implementation and execution of improved retention measures . From a positive standpoint , we have come a long way and continue to improve in terms of revenue management technology and capabilities , particularly dynamic pricing , mining guest data and preferences and brand loyalty programs . Depending on the brand , upwards of 60 % of our occupancy comes from existing brand loyalty members . That ’ s a big improvement in the last 10 years . Tara Lundgren , Aligned Hospitality Management : Overcoming adversity . Our
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industry appears to fall a step behind as the economy changes . Adjusting to demand can be cumbersome and challenging . It ’ s all about training and development with everyone on your team . Adjusting costs and scheduling based on demand is difficult as it impacts people ’ s livelihood . However , a business cannot be supported if adjustments are not made when the economy and demand changes . Leaders need to know the dynamics of all the departments in the hotel and adjust as demand adjusts up or down , while providing support as needed . |
Tara Lundgren
Eric Danziger , Resolute Road Hospitality : There is certainly room for improvement in the alignment between brand and owner . The owner is frequently asked to make large capital investments on behalf of the brand in order to perpetuate the brand ’ s values . Writing PIPs with the intention to improve positioning or create differentiation between other brands often makes no impact on the customer ’ s willingness to pay more ; therefore , it has no impact on the owner .
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Eric Danziger
Investment to highlight differentiation wouldn ’ t be needed if a new brand wasn ’ t announced every month … it has become a downward spiral of misalignment . It is difficult to unwind , but at a certain point , owners can no longer bear the cost of these directives . What we do well is innovate . We are constantly finding the balance between a hospitable environment and a fast , efficient one . A good example of that is incorporating technology for streamlined check-ins , but still making sure that a team member is available and able to apply the human touch to the experience if needed . We have learned to respond to changing needs , such as in-room power connectivity , practical workspaces and overall tech accessibility and reliability . Andrew Ladd , Noble House : One area the hotel industry often falls short is in personalized guest experiences . While some establishments excel at this , many struggle to truly tailor their services to individual guest preferences . Embracing technology to gather and utilize guest data effectively could vastly improve this aspect .
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10 hotelsmag . com Jan / Feb 2024 |