5. The Power of Social Media for
Marketing
Collaboration-hospitality evolved
because consumers want new
and unique experiences. Yelp,
Urbanspoon, and TripAdvisor
connect potential guest with your
guests, who share like-minded
interests and values. People trust
social media reviews by friends,
family, and associates and even
total strangers more than they
do those from news stations
or ad agencies. Other Social
media platforms such as Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest,
LinkedIn, and YouTube are also
vital to boosting profits.
6. Be a Student of the Obvious
In pursuit of answers and tactics,
hotels often dismiss what is
right under their noses – the
obvious. Think innovation rather
than creativity— doing things
in a more effective way, such
as making sure you’re easily
searchable online, targeting your
specific audience, and marketing
your location as well as your
hotel.
7. Guest Satisfaction
Go out of your way for your
guests. Constantly strive
to exceed your members’
expectations in both the facilities
and quality of service. Some
trends in personalized service
are: ensure your staff always
addresses the guests by their
names, and have the rooms set
up per their preferences including
temperature, lighting, and their
favorite soaps, shampoos, etc.
Other trendy ways to delight
guests include mobile check-in,
reward or loyalty Programs, free
Wi-Fi, breakfast, and parking, and
charging stations in every room.
Happy guests will recommend
your hotel to their family, friends,
and others.
64 ILHA
8. Be a Master of the Game Theory
Your hotel can gain a strategic
advantage by using Game Theory
to calculate various outcomes
between your hotel and your
competitor’s because your payoff
depends entirely on the move they
make. There isn’t any way to know
everything you will encounter
in the hospitality industry, but
game theory allows you to study
numerous variables before you
make your move, so you can
achieve the best result.
9. Swim in Blue Oceans.
The buzz words for this marketing
strategy are red ocean and blue
ocean. Red ocean symbolizes
the established markets, which
are teeming with shark-like
rivals. Blue ocean signifies the
search for differentiation and
low cost simultaneously to open
uncontested spaces and create
new demand with no competition.
Blue Ocean Strategy empowers
your hotel to stop competing and
start creating by generating value
and a new market that wasn’t there
before.
10. Pareto Principle—the 80/20 Rule
of Management.
Pareto’s Principle or the 80/20 Rule
is a valuable tool for streamlining
problems, so you make smarter
choices. Once you realize that 20
percent of actions or performances are
producing the biggest results you can
focus on them. In other words, instead
of fixing what’s wrong, concentrate
more on leveraging what’s right
because that’s what your guests will
respond to.
11. Innovate or Die
If you don’t move toward the
future, you’ll become part of
the past. An innovative trend is
chatbots to provide guests with
instant information and answers
or use robots which offer more
functions than chatbots. They
can be equipped with AI, chat
functions, and use big data while
accessing the cloud. Also consider
going green by accentuating your
decor with live plants, recycled
wood, and organic materials, as
well as using more natural light.
Many hotel restaurants are using
digital tablets for menus, wine lists,
and ordering as well as offering
mobile or wireless payment
options. Hotels that offer an
innovative experience that exceed
the expectations of the members
are the ones that will move into
the future.
12. Every CEO Should have a Coach
CEOs define the entire culture
of the organization and they are
under more pressure and face more
challenges today than ever before.
Coaching helps CEOs focus on
their most earnest aspirations and
strategies, while also learning to
be less selfish and more aware of
others.
In conclusion, the knowledge
in these twelve keys, like all
learning, is power. It leads to real
accomplishments and success. By
applying these 12 golden keys you
will advance your organization and
leave a lasting impact.
About the author
F. H. Benzakour shares his insights and
expertise on superior management in the
12 Golden Keys to Hospitality Excellence.
He is a Cornell MBA graduate and a
professor of Contemporary Management
at Fairleigh Dickinson University in NJ
and has 25 years of Hospitality experience
serving as COO of several prestigious
country clubs in the Metropolitan chapter
(NY NJ & CT). Benzakour ‘s business
acumen includes strategic planning,
financial management and implementing
short and long-range business plans.