Several months ago, I shared the first 25  service quotes I often use in my columns and in many of my training presentations as well, in both the full programs and in breaks. I know they are effective, as I receive requests for copies from many participants following these sessions. The response was very positive and I am pleased to share the next group

I believe that each of us has truly GREAT and original ideas at different times in our lives. We are likewise inspired by others at times by reading their books or sometimes a simple quote. Please send me your favorite quotes on SERVICE and I’ll include them in a future column

Quotes that address the topic of SERVICE.

26.“ The only thing constant in our business today is change. If you do not improve on today’s service delivery, someone else will.

Hotel Common Sense Philosophy #7 – John Hogan, CHA CHE

27. “Common sense is not so common.” Author unknown

28. “Whatever you are,be a good one.” Abraham Lincoln

29. “It is not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that counts.”

Stephen R. Covey

30. Imagine that customers have signs on them that says, Make me feel IMPORTANT!

Author unknown

31. Everything you do is important. Everything.

Author unknown

32. Remember that things aren’t important. Attitude is.

Author unknown

33. “Love not only makes the world go around…Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” F.P. Jones

34. “I saw the angel in the stone and carved to set it free.” Michelangelo

35. “You can’t start a fire without a spark.” Bruce Springsteen

36. “Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.” Norman Vincent Peale

37. “Enthusiasm is the Mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever accomplished.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

38. We cannot let our burdens paralyze our progress. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. Author unknown

39. Don’t try to win a disagreement with a customer, because being right is the booby prize. Author unknown

40. The SIMPLEST THINGS are the most difficult, so practice them all the time.

Author unknown

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

Dr. John Hogan working with clients @ Crown Plaza Hotel O'Hare

Dr. John Hogan working with clients @ Crowne Plaza O’Hare, Chicago

• John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.
• He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.
• Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them to Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.
• Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS          United States – Phoenix, AZ
• Phone: 602-799-5375 www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

The 20 represents the probable number of days worked in a month and the 12 for the number of months.  There are give or take numbers with travel, vacations, out of office meetings, national customs, etc,. but his premise was that many of us have a large  number of days when we are in our home base and need to have the mid-day meal somewhere.

In hotels and many hospitality businesses, lunch can be a rushed meal (and one that is sometimes missed in the real world), yet I feel Peters is right on with the next part of his video.  He continues to explain that this daily period is an exceptional time for executives to cross department lines and learn about each others’ areas, needs, problems, successes, challenges, issues, budgets, etc.

Sounds good, but can it work?

• I know of a “heart of the hotel” (or back of the house) department that scheduled a monthly team meeting at breakfast and invited another department head to briefly (under 5 minutes) share what their department actually did. The learning was impressive!
• I once managed a hotel that had rotating Chairs at department head meetings.  The Chair had a set time to identify their top three issues or recent successes. The sharing was real and the next Chair did their part.
• Several large companies have an  “executive job switch” day when they change positions with hourly staff.  While these are good for public relations and some positive staff feelings (depending on the manager), their once a year timing is not meaningful.  The managers who spend a day a month in someone else’s area  are the ones who  make the difference.

Tom Peters is well known for stirring things up, but this idea of professionals actually having a few minutes in a one-on-one session does not sound too radical to me.  Showing sincere interest in someone that is not part of your division or particular work group is an excellent way to advance everyone’s knowledge.  I imagine that many of the really successful professionals at companies like Disney, GM, Johnson and Johnson and others have done just that, and built strong networks as well.

With all that said, my question to you is “Who’s for lunch?”

Dr. John Hogan Crowne Plaza Chicago, MeetingsQuest Oct 2010

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS          United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

When one travels a great deal on business, the danger is there to overlook the small, personal touches that are often present in many hotels. Regardless of the room rate, the size of the hotel or its location, many hotels around the world provide many personalized welcoming messages.  At a time when we in the industry are concerned about the danger of our hotels becoming a commodity that is only rated or selected by price, those personal touches become even more vital to keeping our individual distinctions.

The following message was placed on a pillow on a trip I made several years ago. This laminated message really made its’ point to the well being of every guest and guest experience and I hope you enjoy the message.

Think Tank

Questions of the day

These questions are offered to stimulate discussion about the way we do business.  There is not necessarily only one “correct” answer – the reason for this section of the column is to promote an awareness of how we might all improve our operations.  Consider using these or similar questions at staff meetings encourage your team to THINK!

Topic

1. What would your guests think of this kind of message expressed at your hotel?
2. What do you do at your hotel to make each guest feel welcome?
3. Are there any additional suggestions you could share at your hotel or with readers of this column on how to reduce the potential of our hotels becoming commodities?

—————————————————————————————————-

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them to  Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Consulting Expertise and Research Interest

1. Sales Management and training
2. Turn-around and revenue management
3. Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual
4. Customer Service
5. Making Cultural Diversity Real
6. Developing Academic Hospitality programs
7. Medical Lodging Consulting

If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention.

www.HoganHospitality.com

Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations

http://www.linkedin.com/in/drjohnhoganchache

CONTACT

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS

United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375

www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com

by Caroline Cooper,Lucy Whittington

Comment: “A Solid Primer of Marketing & Sales Tips for the Small Hotel,

This review is from: Hotel Success Handbook – Practical Sales and Marketing ideas, actions, and tips to get results for your small hotel, B&B, or guest accommodation. (Paperback)

Caroline Cooper and Lucy Whittington from the United Kingdom have compiled an easy to read book of practical marketing and training ideas that target smaller hotels, B&Bs and inns. The book offers balanced suggestions on both traditional and online marketing and receives excellent reviews from a range of hospitality professionals in its opening pages.

There are 11 chapters that flow well:

• Chapter 1 addresses the traditional product and identifying your probable customer base
• Chapter 2 provides the foundation of developing a marketing plan and defining your competitive difference
• Chapter 3 reviews the fundamentals of what is essential in website development
• Chapter 4 offers a range of communication and promotional ideas for both online and traditional marketing
• Chapter 5 discusses the importance of establishing value in offerings
• Chapters 6 and 10 identify specific action steps for maximizing online promotions and collaborations in technology
• Chapters 7 and 9 review traditional marketing options and the need to present a “high touch” approach
• Chapter 8 includes an overview on the importance of networking
• The final chapter closes the loop with setting goals, creating the Hotel Success Plan and getting started

Their site @ hotelsuccesshandbook provides additional Success Tools and Tips

It is becoming more complicated to market and operate a smaller property and these two professionals have combined their background and experience to provide a a resource that delivers practical advice that one can use immediately.

As always, feedback or comments are welcome

John J Hogan      HospitalityEducators     HoganHospitality

HOSPITALITY KEY TO SUCCESS

The most successful hospitality businesses are the ones that listen to their customers, address their needs and continuously improve their service and product delivery.

What are you doing at your hotel, restaurant or hospitality business?

Dr. John Hogan, CHA CHE CMHS              602-799-5375

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Every economy has its cycles and demand in the hospitality industry for quality lodging will have its peaks and valleys. The availability of quality staff in hotels is a critical reason why it is essential to retain quality staff in all cycles. The cost of turnover for a line level position is estimated to be as much as $6,000 according to recent research¹ by Cornell University faculty.

When the economy is strong, recruitment and retention is critical because of volume . When the economy is mixed or struggling, retaining our trained staff is essential because of the obvious need to exceed the expectations of our guests.

Here are some fundamentals for retaining quality staff

1. Provide recognition by thanking staff for a job well done, with a handwritten note or hotel wide recognition if appropriate. When you observe a specific achievement, reward it right away with a bonus or non-cash items such as event or movie tickets or an extra paid vacation day.

2. Acknowledge your staff birthdays. Follow the example of Southwest Airlines, known for promoting a feeling of family among its employees.

3. Ask for your employees’ opinions and actually use some of their ideas.

4. Facilitate your staff’s professional development, whether it’s with college classes, seminars, conferences, membership in a professional organization, or even cross-training for career moves within your hotel. In tough economic times, limit this only to staff who have been with you a certain length of time.

5. Hire the right people in the first place. Find people who are looking for the characteristics of your hotel culture – you need people who are service oriented. The right fit makes for a cheerful and appreciated person who is less inclined to leave.

WHAT DO YOU DO AT YOUR HOSPITALITY BUSINESS?

SHARE YOUR SUCCESS STORIES  :   John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com

Dr. John Hogan, CHA CHE CMHS

602-799-5375

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

1. Name your favorite hotel and why it is special to you –

• Sentosa Resort & Spa (Singapore) – amazing moments of peace, outstanding service delivery standards for a very nicely designed resort

2. Name your favorite restaurant and why it is special to you –

• Busaba Eathai (London) – great food, relaxed atmosphere, lovely surroundings, my London cantine

3. Where do you vacation the most often?

• Asia, then London

4. What is your favorite charity or cause?

• Doctors of the World – I completed the London to Paris bike ride 2010, and I am assisting with the organisation of the 2011 ride
• Also helping whenever I can with environmental sustainability issues (carbon offsetting, projects …)

5. Name your pet service peeve, why and any ideas you may have to address it

• Staff talking to one another, ignoring waiting customers in front of them – good service is very simple, if only people would apply some empathy and use common sense

6. Who was the most important mentor in your life and why?

• My Dad – he taught about being organised, disciplined and demanding with oneself

7. In the last five years, what has been your most memorable meeting or convention experience and why?

• Probably the reunion we organised at the Holiday Inn Woking (UK) for alumni of a school for deaf – we had to completely reorganise operations for one weekend: learn basics of sign language, understand special needs and rethink fire procedures (evacuation) – One of those moments when teams come together and accomplish great things – we were all so exhausted, but felt so fulfilled at the end: a team’ success on all fronts

8. What is the one piece of advice you would offer to a graduating student with a hospitality degree?

• Listen, observe and think on a daily basis, hotels are not factories – And also, apply the Golden Rule: treat others like you would like to be treated yourself

9. What is the one question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview today?

• What is your vision of the hospitality industry today and tomorrow?

Eddy BROSSE A global Hospitality Manager considering the next step        Paris, France

http://fr.linkedin.com/in/eddybrosse

Mobile: +33 (0) 6.85.17.25.45 –  Skype: eddyetseb – Twitter: http://twitter.com/eddybrosse

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

We ask participants to answer at least five of the following nine questions.

Questions I Wish You’d Ask – Dr.Joyce , Nashville, TN USA

“Fresh Air and New Ideas[1]”

“Change is a process, not an event.”   James Prochaska, PhD

Change is also something personal that requires focused and individual attention.

We have all heard the question on change: If we continue to do as we have always done, how can we ever expect to achieve different results?

It is a New Year and we are in

The First 100 Days of 2011

The expression of the First 100 Days sets a tone, introduces a sense of urgency or an anticipation that something positive or significant will occur.  Many elected officials use that time period to initiate as many new programs and ideas as they can, while business leaders and sports coaches similarly use this short time period to launch as many new strategies and as much discipline as possible into their organizations and teams.

For hotels and the hospitality industry, the potential for dramatic change in the first 100 days of 2011 is there, as there is finally a sense of optimism in the direction of the economy[2].   Optimism alone is not action or change, and what do The First 100 Days of 2011 mean for you personally?

What do I personally need to change to make my hotel or hospitality business more successful?

Dr. Prochaska (who was quoted above) is a psychologist at the University of Rhode Island and is known for his model of the “stages of change.”  While his research deals primarily with health issues and he was not addressing the hospitality business specifically, one can easily see the parallels in almost every situation.

Which Stage of Change Are You In?

1.     Pre-contemplation (“Never”)  Stage

Standard Statement

“From my point of view, there is nothing I need to do but stay the course. That has always worked before and should work again.”

Or

“ I may have some shortcomings, but so does everyone else.”

Vulnerability

The world has changed in the last three years globally.   It is easy to blame the government, the banks or the competitors, but little is likely to change for the positive until something changes. Each of us must take specific assessments of our own position

2.    Contemplation (“Someday”)  Stage

Standard Statement

“If I only had more time, I could address the challenges I am facing.” (Challenges can be service, revenues, or other unique areas to your business)

Or

“Eventually, I’ll come up with a plan to address for (my specific problem areas)

Vulnerability

Good intentions do not bring results, only a sense of potential.  Think back to the last time you made New Year’s Resolutions – how did that work out?  How will you get beyond the thinking stage to the action level?

3.  Preparation (“Soon”)  Stage

Standard Statement

“I will begin the new sales and marketing campaign as soon as we update the marketing plan and finalize the new ad copy…………sometime in the next four weeks.”

Or

“We are committed to completing our staff reviews and making the necessary changes by the middle of next month.”

Vulnerability

“Soon” may or may not happen.  Research shows a  substantial percentage of people who need to modify their behavior for health reasons either never get to the “soon” stage or progress beyond it.  I would say from my professional experience that many business decisions likely share this high percentage

4.  Action (“Now”)  Stage

Standard Statement

” Talk is cheap and while others talk about changing,. I’m actually taking action .”

Or

“We are working on making improvements, but are having challenges in measuring the results more.”

Vulnerability

Change is not easy – we all understand that.  It is  essential to be able to change quickly enough to both feel some short-term benefits. It is also essential to be able to measure progress so that we can continue the improvements  that accompany the change.

5.   Maintenance (“Forever”)  Stage

Standard Statement

“I need to find sources of encouragement to assist me in continuing and  maintaining  the changes I’ve already begun and are continuing .” (Changes in procedure, marketing, operations, hiring, etc. can all bring stress)

Or

“It was not easy, but understanding and accepting the positives of these changes are now becoming the new normal and I actually look forward to the new challenges because I can see the new results happening“

Vulnerability

Change by definition is doing something different and dramatic change can be hard to maintain.  The new protocols or practices are becoming accepted in your spirit, but the  “old” ways of doing things are likely still prevalent in your mind.   Look for the centers of strength and assurance for the hard days.

Beginning on Monday, January 17, there will be a new and regular series of” Fresh Air and New Ideas” provided on this blog and on www.HospitalityEducators.com for hoteliers and hospitality professionals to consider, fine tune and act on.  The first link is already there – the rest is up to each of us!

Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA CMHS    Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Columnist

* Co-Founder of www.HospitalityEducators.com
A membership information site committed to MAKING YOUR HOTEL MORE PROFITABLE!

* Principal, www.HoganHospitality.com
Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

2011  Keys to Success are results-driven programs  aimed at building competitive advantage. These programs are available as either a keynote address or an interactive workshop. Details are available can be found at both sites.

Program # 10

Questions I Wish You’d Ask – Making Hospitality More Profitable!!

A major strength of the hospitality industry is the hosting of face-to-face interaction at our hotels and other meeting facilities, both for our guests and within our own organization. Those personal interactions allow for better communication and often team building in tackling challenges and problems.

There are times when meetings are not convenient (telecommuting staff, emergencies, excessive travel time or cost), but verbal communications are more effective than emails, intranet postings or memos.

Conference Calls can be very effective, if … some fundamental rules are followed:

If you are the leader in using conference calls, consider the following questions:
• Do you really need a conference call?
There are times when several short one-on-one phone conversations with a few people would be more efficient.

• Did you send out an agenda prior to the call, by email or company intranet posting?
Agendas keep everyone focused. It should include no more than 8-10 bullet points of exactly what is to be discussed and specifically what should be accomplished as direction and outcome from meeting. The conference call leader must send out all important conference call information in advance, including the dial-in number and passwords. If this is a follow-up call where associates on the call will be providing updates on assigned deliverables, the agenda should state which of these updates are to be included in the advance communication as well.

• How much time is needed, or do you really require an hour for your conference call?
Online calendars block time into ¼-hour time slots for a reason. If there are 30 minutes of issues to discuss, schedule it for 30 minutes. The chances are you will be focused more on the important items on the agenda in order to accomplish what you need to the time allotted.

Specific Actions to remember for facilitators:
• Start on time.
The facilitator must start the meeting on time and lead the introductions with a roll call, which should include each conference call participant’s name, job title, and location. A tip – both facilitators and participants should smile while speaking to spread enthusiasm and energy!

• Turn off call waiting.
No one wants to hear the distracting beep of the call waiting function.

• Use the right equipment.
Speakerphones have a tendency to pick up background noises and this is especially true in an open office area with multiple cubicles. If you must use a speakerphone because there are multiple participants at the same location, it is usually better to use the mute function until it is your turn to speak, so that everyone on the call can hear him/herself clearly.

• Find a quiet space or room.
Avoid the distractions of external interruptions, when possible.

• Avoid cell phones if possible.
While cell phones may seem to be more convenient, they can pick up static or service can be dropped during the call. If there is only a single participant at a location, the best phone to use during a conference call is a landline phone with a headset.

• Keep the group on track .
There may be some benefit in allowing some “catch-up time” but only prior to the scheduled start time of the conference call. It is important to set the tone and pace for the meeting ahead. If you are facilitating the call, remember that it is your responsibility to keep the group on topic and focus.

• Follow your call up with a summary email, listing action items and delivery dates.
Accountability is essential after all meetings, including conference call meetings. Nothing keeps people on assignment and focused more than the expectation and knowledge that they will be held accountable for commitments on future calls. Taking a few minutes to review who is doing what and by when is invaluable.

Other considerations to make conference calls effective:
• Don’t interrupt.
Since there are not visual reminders during an audio conference call, participants should wait until the last speaker is finished before speaking. Conference call participants should also remember to introduce themselves before they address the others on the call, unless all parties know each other’s voices well. It is the facilitator’s role to discourage interruptions or to redirect the call back on topic, if the conversation goes off on a tangent.

• Don’t do distracting activities.
Conference call participants should remember that many speakerphones pick up typing on the keyboard, paper shuffling, pencil tapping, and chair squeaks. As mentioned earlier, muting the call is a good practice when others are speaking.

• Don’t put the call on hold.
If a conference call is placed on hold, “hold” music will begin and distract the entire meeting, or another employee can pick up the held call, which will further interrupt the meeting and jostle everyone’s focus.

• Ending the conference call.
When the call is ready to end, the facilitator should clearly state the meeting has concluded, and add a single closing comment. Facilitators should also be the last one to hang up, so that there is no additional time billed from the hosting service.

These are common sense tips, but many conference call participants can forget how to use them because conference calls are made without visual cues. If there are new employees without conference call experience, the facilitator may want to share an etiquette tip sheet, including such information as in this column, to help new participants learn before they make a mistake during an important conference call.

Conference calls have their place when used effectively, because they can be scheduled quickly, minimize costs and bring people together for an appropriate reason. If courtesy and etiquette are observed, these meetings can be successful, everyone can be heard, and participants will be encouraged to share ideas and input.

For an amusing example of how many conference calls have gone awry, go to http://www.hospitalityeducators.com/articles/20101006

John Hogan
John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com
http://www.HoganHospitality.com

This article/blog kicks off a related topic:

Question:  How do we motivate our hospitality staff to care every day, to build and maintain a commitment to delivering quality??

Answer: In surprisingly small ways.

It’s All in the Details…

I am certainly not the first person to have written on the topic, and there have been others who have used the unusual example I am about to offer as an illustration of the most fundamental area of any hotel or restaurant.

Almost every guest uses this essential area of every hospitality business, as well as a good number of first time visitors who “drop by.”  The hospitality business may be an elegant five star hotel, a country inn, a hometown diner or an ethnic restaurant but they all have this space in common.

I am referring of course to the “public restrooms.”  I have included some examples of outstanding ones at the end of this message, but I challenge everyone in any hospitality business to take a moment and think about the first impression made when someone enters a portion of your facility that is open to all visitors.

Think about the human senses

1.       Sight – is your space inviting and clean? This means pleasant lighting, neatly arranged facilities, wall treatment that is pleasant to look at and of course, a very clean floor with no paper on it.  Fresh flowers or live plants can be a positive.

2.       Touch – as in #1 Sight above, the space must be inviting.  There must be well maintained sinks, clean and well lit mirrors, attractive dispensers holding adequate towels and toilet tissue,

3.       Sound – Public rest rooms must be reasonably constructed and designed to block out  external sounds, as well as contain the sounds of plumbing and discussions in the facility. Some properties today include appropriate and pleasing piped in music that create an  additional positive calming effect

4.       Smell – the fragrance discussion in hospitality is not new.  Care must be taken in cleaning products used, and there are packaged scents available that can be subtly present in the public rest rooms.

Some sample “best of” in this category may be found at www.hospitalityeducators.com under America’s Best Public Bathrooms http://www.hospitalityeducators.com/articles/20100930_1

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Readers of travel magazine Travel + Leisure ranked hotels on a list of services and amenities to come up with their 20 top business hotels, part of the publication’s annual World’s Best survey.

Hotels that combine service, technology and comfort have topped a list of the world’s best business hotels with the winners offering their guests those added extras that can make all the difference to a trip.

Some offered free Internet access and a 24-hour business centre, some had rooftop pools, while one had an award-winning Gordon Ramsay restaurant. Free parking was also a plus.

Boston’s The Eliot had touch-screen monitors for guests to order room service and print boarding passes. The Peninsula Hong Kong transported one guest in a Rolls Royce and treated her to tea upon arrival.

• 1.      Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires
• 2.      Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei
• 3.      St. Regis, Shanghai
• 4.      XV Beacon, Boston
• 5.      Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong
• 6.      The London West Hollywood, West Hollywood
• 7.      Eliot Hotel, Boston
• 8.      Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
• 9.      Sofitel Shanghai Jin Jiang Oriental Pudong, Shangai
• 10.  Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
• 11.  Peninsula Hong Kong, Hong Kong
• 12.  Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
• 13.  Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas, Dallas
• 14.  Intercontinental Buckhead, Atlanta
• 15.  St Regis, Beijing
• 16.  Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills
• 17.  Mandarin Oriental, New York
• 18.  Conrad Centennial, Singapore
• 19.  Four Seasons Hotel, Buenos Aires
• 20.  Ritz-Carlton Central Park, New York

Source: malaysia.news.yahoo.com

(belinda.goldsmith@reuters.com)

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

This list (http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-best-business-h otels-2009/1) is not endorsed by Reuters. :

My last article used one of Tom Peters and Robert Waterman’s fundamentals from their groundbreaking book on changing the ways we do business.   IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE introduced a formal name for what the more successful hospitality managers already knew about motivating their staff. The phrase “Management by Walking Around” was based on Hewlett-Packard’s commitment to their staff with interaction – not micromanagement, but ongoing listening and responding to staff ideas.

Hotel Common Sense – Philosophy #2 , Or, why the Open Door policy no longer works… article outlined how today’s workforce wants and needs to be considered as individuals who can contribute to the success of their organization.

Reader feedback showed the growing awareness to that need for additional management and leadership “active listening” and this follow-up message on MBWA offers some concrete ways to notch up that effort of positive involvement.

1. Allow your staff to share complete stories and messages.  Many hospitality companies are trying to improve their customer care programs, yet how often do leaders and managers actually ask an hourly staff member to share a story about either an unhappy or very satisfied guest?  Listening to the entire story could provide best practices that might be substantially more effective and less expensive than hiring a consultant.
2. Avoid the tendency to interrupt.   General Managers are results oriented people who are looking for the bottom line.   I know from personal experience the tendency to “hurry” people along is there, but allowing people to share the entire experience will encourage them to be more open.
3. Remember eye contact in conversations.  One of my first mentors taught me a great deal about hospitality, but his habit of looking over my shoulder when we were talking always made me feel I was missing something. Give confidence to people with your eyes.
4. Collect and communicate these stories of success (and failures). Sharing these stories (appropriately) at meetings of all staff, at training sessions, in newsletters and more provides an incentive to people to want to contribute because they have learned that you really do care.  I have seen some outstanding examples of “you tube” like testimonials from a number of hospitality companies of all sizes.
5. Remember this is not a game of “one-up.” As General Managers, we have likely been in the business longer or heard more stories and it is important to recognize that we should not try to offer one “better” story than the one we are hearing. Remember, MBWA is about “active listening.”
6. Credit the source.   When we add a new resource, form or best practice to our hospitality membership site, we obtain permission first and then always make certain we credit them fully.  Each of us has unique approaches, messages and talents and sharing the credit with our associates and guests is essential to moving forward.
7. Build trust by honestly listening.  Some (correction, many) of the best suggestions I have ever heard as a manager or executive came from the people who are performing the job.  I learned more about laundry sorting, washing pots and up-selling from people who were proud to be successful at what they were doing.  Some of those suggestions needed clarification and some were not told as quickly as I might have preferred, but building teams means using all the team members’ strengths.

I normally update the Hospitality Tip of the Week, but as this is an immediate follow-up message, I am going to maintain it, as I believe the point needs to repeated until it becomes a habit.

Keys to Success Hospitality Tip of the Week:   Focus on MBWA

A challenge to every manager who is responsible for 5 or more people:  measure your in and out of the office time and at the end of the week, see how much time you spent ACTIVELY INTERACTING with your team.

The goal is 70% of your time out of the office – how did you do?                 What will you do next week?

KEYS TO SUCCESS is the umbrella title for my 2010 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings will focus on a wide variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles and HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS. My segments Lessons from the Field, Hotel Common Sense and Principles for Success will be featured at appropriate times in the year as well.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Hotel Common Sense -  Philosophy #2

Or, why the Open Door policy no longer works…

Anyone who is familiar with my full-length columns or shorter blogs knows that I  am a fan of Tom Peters.  There was a period when he may have believed his own PR press a bit too much in the mid 1990s, but I have found his messages to be thought provoking with sound counsel that we need to evolve and change or we will not be around much longer.

Peters, in his first major book with co-author Bob Waterman, took the theme of one of the world’s leading computer companies, Hewlett-Packard, and expanded the notion of truly reaching out to the people in our organizations who are responsible for the bulk of customer contact and building customer loyalty.  They challenged us to look at the symbol of the open door, which has ceased to be a meaningful statement.

The Open Door used to mean an associate (better word for employee) could come to us and ask for help in resolving problems with overtime, schedules, a day off or other personal matters.  I maintain that the Open Door policy, once the symbol of the manager or leader who really cared about their staff, is just not effective any more. The reason I state this is I feel we must realize that the hospitality industry has embraced social media and immediate communication exists among our staff as well as our guests.

While the above situations of personal matters still exist, the reality of today’s hectic pace is frequently more complicated. Drugs/alcohol abuse, sexual harassment, extended families and other more complicated issues are realities of today. While some of us might naively prefer to think there are not serious problems in the workplace today, we need only to look online at the latest “headlines” to see the truth.

The hospitality industry is certainly not immune to the pressures of today’s realities. This industry has ample temptations (bedrooms, alcohol, cash, and “power”) and the added stress of long hours and the pressure to be profitable in periods of diminishing returns can be a manager’s nightmare.

Is there a solution?

Consider the OPEN FLOOR contrasted with the OPEN DOOR.  I am not trying to use a simple play on words, but rather I am focusing on the fact that we cannot rely on our “good intentions” of the open door to be really in touch with our staff.  There will always be some people who seek us out as managers, but the truth is we must take to the OPEN FLOOR every day, beginning today as we read this.  By this, I mean setting our priorities on what most of us say and consider to be our most important asset: our staff. The OPEN FLOOR means something as basic as managers and department heads warmly greeting each member of the staff each shift. It means being in the  kitchen, the laundry, the receiving dock, the security patrol, with the sales team on calls and in the parking lot each day with the people whose livelihood takes place in those areas.

Paperwork, reports and online promotions have their place and need to be addressed and submitted on time. Some of it can be (and should be) delegated like many Embassy Suites try to do with their assistant general managers.  All reports should be periodically reviewed to see if they are still useful (to anyone) or if they have become just busywork.

Howard Feiertag, my friend and co-author of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD, once shared his observations of a downtown New York City hotel.  He commented how EVERYONE (general manager, front desk, bell staff, concierge, F&B, etc.) shook hands with their fellow workers and colleagues when they first saw each other daily.

Like they were “friends.”

Imagine that, and in New York City.

I need  to call Howard and ask him if he knows if they still do this.

MBWA – Management by Walking Around – try it!

Hotel Common Sense Philosophy #2 = Learn to listen more, talk less. Management by Walking Around is Priority #1.

Keys to Success Hospitality Tip of the Week:   Focus on MBWA

A challenge to every manager who is responsible for 5 or more people:  measure your in and out of the office time and at the end of the week, see how much time you spent ACTIVELY INTERACTING with your team.

The goal is 70% of your time out of the office – how did you do?

What will you do next week?

Each of us has our own goals and dreams.   Some of us have done better at visualizing what Stephen Covey called “the end in mind”, and most of us have identified at least some specific goals in our career.  These goals could include a specific title, a position in a certain organization, a financial target or any combination thereof.   Over the years in our career, we have likely achieved some of those goals but we often have failed to continue updating the plan and we become distracted by daily incidentals that have minor and temporary value.

Tom Peters and Robert Waterman more than 25 years ago identified a proven way to motivate both managers and their teams.  In Search of Excellence offered many ideas but one in particular had a major impact on me.  I championed that idea as a manager and executive in my operational and consulting career.  I can assure you that if you follow this action step in a positive and professional way, your organization will lower staff mistakes, reduce overall turnover, see a boost in staff morale and an increase in staff suggestions and engagement in their delivery of service.

Public companies communicate regularly with their shareholders in a variety of formats and frequency, but they ALL provide quarterly updates of revenues, profitability and other results.  Monthly would be too often and not meaningful and semi-annually is too infrequent, allowing too much time to pass without a snapshot of results,  Public company reports are delivered quarterly  because there is enough time to see trends, take continuing or corrective action and address the important issues.

In hospitality, successful organizations recognize that it is the overall experience of the guest that builds loyalty, ahead of earned points, free rooms or a complimentary glass of wine.  The main ingredient in delivering that experience is a topic I have covered the last six weeks – it is the commitment to service by the front line staff at your hotel, restaurant or other hospitality business.

I am (again) recommending this action step to every hotel and restaurant general manager and hospitality corporate executive, because I have seen the results when used properly.

1. Meet with all of your department heads tomorrow and advise them of a new communication process designed to assist them meet their department goals and this will not require any more work for them
2. Within 12 hours of this meeting with the department heads, announce in a positive manner to all staff that performance reviews will now be conducted for everyone on a regular, quarterly basis.  In this announcement, it needs to be identified that this is a positive step aimed at improving the overall success of every individual on staff, as well as the business.
3. Beginning no later than 7 days after the meeting with the department heads, the reviews should begin within a planned cycle.

I have heard some of the hesitations to embrace this before and I have found them to be inaccurate and an excuse by many to avoid change.  Listed below are some of those voiced hesitations, with my rebuttal:

• This activity creates much more work for department heads.

Fact: this does not create more work for department heads, the GM or corporate executives because this new practice is only formalizing discussion and making it more personal with the one-on-one interactions.

• This will cost the company a lot of money that we don’t have.

Fact: The quarterly discussions do not need to change any of the financial arrangements or practices currently in use, unless you want or find you need to change them.  Annual financial adjustments can remain in place if that is a solid business decision, but what you will find is more honest discussion and the uncovering of problem areas that can often be addressed quickly when known by all.

• This will take too much time away from our other responsibilities.

Fact:  Hospitality is about service and the guest experience and that is everyone’s responsibility.  If department heads and managers are not interacting with their staff, there is a major problem.

• This will confuse the staff because we have never done it that way before.

Fact: The first discussion may seem unusual because it represents a change from what was the norm, but our staffs today are well versed in trends in the workforce and have probably heard of more frequent evaluations before.  When the real reason is explained that these quarterly discussions are designed to help everyone beginning now, the apprehension of meeting “with the boss” dissipates quickly and seldom returns.

I first embraced this action step as general manager at a 300-room business class hotel.  The property was showing its age and its off-center location did not provide an automatic referral center.  I can share with you that this action step of improving communication built trust among many long-time staff (with their new general manager) and helped the entire business to outperform the market for two years, even with the property’s physical limitations.

“No matter what the situation, (the great manager’s) first response is always to think about the individual concerned and how things can be arranged to help that individual experience success.” Marcus Buckingham, The One Thing You Need to Know

The problems you are facing today are yours, but the solutions and the means to tackle those problems do not have to be yours alone.

What are you going to do, beginning tomorrow?

Keys to Success Hospitality Tip of the Week:   Focus on Professional Development

The Guest Experience today is as meaningful as any other factor in guest satisfaction and loyalty.

Housekeeping and engineering teams can contribute in significant ways, including guest contact and interaction.        Take some time for group sharing of ideas and recognition.

KEYS TO SUCCESS is the umbrella title for my 2010 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings will focus on a wide variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles and HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS. My segments Lessons from the Field, Hotel Common Sense and Principles for Success will be featured at appropriate times in the year as well.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements ………….

And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Consulting Expertise and Research Interest

1. Sales Management and training
2. Turn-around and revenue management
3. Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual
4. Customer Service
5. Making Cultural Diversity Real
6. Developing Academic Hospitality programs
7. Medical Lodging Consultants

If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention.

www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for Hotel Owners, Innkeepers, Managers and Associations

This offer generated close to 100 requests from around the world, in all six continents and from hospitality businesses ranging from a small airline in Scandinavia to tour guide services in South Africa.  Hotels and management companies representing luxury to mid-range brands and independent hotel owners and managers shared their goals and (at times) frustrations with motivating their staff.

Statler created one of the most successful hospitality ventures and it survived his death in 1928 right through the Great Depression, the 2nd World War and into the early 1950s when Conrad Hilton purchased the chain for the largest real estate investment ever made in the world to that time.  While recapping this bit of business background is not meant to be a history lesson, it does illuminate the strength and longevity of Statler’s values as articulated in his Service Code.

I include the historical perspective given above in reaction to comments received from readers of my follow-up column – THERE SHOULD BE NO SUCH THING AS LIMITED SERVICE.  Several people complimented the message, while one retired hospitality executive offered a slightly different viewpoint.  He opined that some travelers were really not interested in “service,” but were looking only for low prices and the minimum.  I disagree with his opinion because service includes such fundamentals as common courtesy and appreciation at every price point.

To illustrate what I mean, let me relate a lunch experience at a national, mid-priced US restaurant chain just last week with these observations:

1. The hostess sincerely welcomed us
2. We were offered several options on where we might prefer to sit
3. We were given the name of our server and were encouraged to ask anyone on     staff for anything needed
4. Our server asked a number of questions that were likely scripted (were we familiar with their specials, were we on a time constraint, had we ever tried this or that, etc.) but also again reminded us that they operated in serving teams and that several of them would be working to make our meal enjoyable and memorable
5. The service was attentive, the food was excellent and the check was promptly delivered and handled

A major point of distinction in this experience was at our departure and this remains a major point in Statler’s Service Code.   As we left the restaurant, at least three people on staff who were not part of our service team went out of their way to offer a sincere “thank you, please come again!” Their appreciation of our business had little to do with what we ordered or how much we spent.

I posted a discussion question on several of my Linkedin groups a few days ago and would like to open the topic to readers of this short column:

How does your hotel provide memorable customer service?

How does your hospitality business team provide exceptional and memorable customer service?

Recent blog postings on memorable service standards have prompted high levels of reader interest.  I am reaching out to top hoteliers for examples of how to deliver exceptional service that builds customer loyalty. We all recognize the need to avoid being viewed as a commodity.

Please limit each submission or idea to a paragraph or less and send them no later than September 5, 2010.  I will share your responses with readers in a future column.  Thank you in advance!

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome.  Contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

Finally,  to additional readers looking for the updated service code, it will be available at no charge until 9/5 in the FREE RESOURCES section of www.HospitalityEducators.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS 8.30.2010

www.HospitalityEducators.com www.HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.  If readers would like to contribute to the site, please submit your material for consideration to Kathleen@hospitalityeducators.com.  We are interested in expanding our global networks and resources as we support our membership.

In general their range of classifications include:

• Full Service,  with Resorts and Hotels  in this category.
• Limited Service include Condominiums, Motor Inns, Apartments, Cottage, Motels and Bed and Breakfasts
• Moderate Service listings include Ranches, Country Inns and Lodges.
• Further sub-classifications include: Suite, extended stay, historic and classic properties.

We are certainly not trying to challenge AAA overviews, as their intent is to provide meaningful interpretations of so many kinds of options. Their guides further point out the basis of their various diamond ratings.  AAA has done a commendable job trying to explain the differences to the consumer and they do so substantially in product differentiation.

A major problem comes though, in our opinion , in the phrase  “limited service” versus “full service”.  Full service usually implies those hotels with restaurants, lounges,  meeting rooms and other product amenities.

The phrase “lodge” or “bed and breakfast” implies by name alone certain things to certain travelers, yet obviously these phrases alone do not mean enough. For example, by AAA definitions, bed and breakfast establishments are “usually smaller, owner operated establishment emphasizing an “away-from-home feeling”.  A continental or full, hot breakfast is included.

Many ROOMS ONLY establishments also serve breakfast and many have at least smaller meeting space, ranging from suites to meeting areas,  breakfast rooms, etc.  They have van drivers who act as bellman. They have management team members who are outstanding hosts and hoteliers.

Former AH&LA Small Business Specialist Jerrold Boyer used to become very frustrated with managers who embraced the term “limited service.”  He used to remind hoteliers at educational and advisory seminars that the hospitality industry is indeed the SERVICE industry.  His word of caution was that bigger did not necessarily mean better, nor did smaller automatically mean lesser.

There are many smaller, rooms-only properties that offer exceptional personalized attentiveness to their guests.  It is the responsibility of the managers, owners and sales staff of those facilities to “sell” their staff and guests of the quality and extent of their service.  There are many guests  who might prefer smaller properties and staffs who elect to leave food operations to others.

If this industry is to continue to provide exceptional experiences for its guests and meaningful careers for its’ staff, it must be attentive to its commitment to hospitality and not just “renting rooms.”

“Limited service” – let’s leave that image for the self-serve gas stations.

Check http://www.hospitalityeducators.com for more ideas!

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome -contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS 8.14.2010        

 www.HospitalityEducators.com, http://www.HoganHospitality.com

 John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

·         Segment 1 underscored the need for hospitality businesses to deliver unique experience to avoid being viewed as a commodity.

·         Segment 2 focused on identifying ways to encourage hotel staffs to think about the “guest experience” , whether you are an independent hotel or brand affiliated  It offered concrete examples ways to avoid being seen as ordinary or a “commodity” in the critical guest service of SLEEP

·         Segment 3 examined the essential topic of significant value to hotel guests everywhere: BREAKFAST.

·         Segment 4 generated the most reader feedback, with general agreement that calming “an angry customer” gives hotels the chance to win loyalty be demonstrating sincere concern.

No one is proposing that we want to annoy guests, but  there is agreement that a “satisfied” guest is probably not thinking a hotel is very special and that  an “adequate” stay does not likely build loyalty or repeat visits.  Hotels of today must anticipate problem areas and respond immediately when one arises.  This means that hotel owners and managers must allow and insist that their staffs do whatever it takes to meet the customers’ needs and a  number of individual properties, brands and chains have worked to refine their staff responsiveness to these guest annoyances.

In the last column, I promised I would share one of the most comprehensive and meaningful service codes ever introduced. An unusual and perhaps unexpected fact about this service code is that it premiered almost a century ago by one of the most successful hoteliers of all time.

Elsworth Statler has been described and considered one of the most innovative and creative of hoteliers of all time.  He is credited with many of the practices and construction methods that became industry standards.

It was in Buffalo in 1908 that Elsworth Statler, (born into poverty in a West Virginia mining center during the American Civil War), began paying real attention to details that would become trademarks of his genius.  In a 300-room hotel, he was the first to provide a bathroom in each room, which had been unheard of that time.  Rather than force guests that were strangers to share common baths down the hall, he modified the construction practice to build rooms “back-to-back”.   This practice was then able to use common electrical conduit and plumbing shafts (later known as the Statler plumbing shaft), making the bathroom a basic part of every Statler hotel and within a decade in many of the hotels in the industry.

The Buffalo Statler introduced other innovations that evolved into standards at many hotels, including circulating ice water in every room, which was important in the pre-air conditioning heat in many cities,  telephones in every room, a full size closet in every room, lights in every closet and a hook by the mirror in each bathroom that encouraged guests to reuse their towel, thereby saving laundry costs.

Statler understood success was a combination of operations and marketing.  He was perceptive in paying attention to building revenues and anticipated the expansion of conventions and meetings business.  Guest rooms were not decorated in a “cookie cutter” style, but were with the proper balance of colors and design so that bedspreads, draperies and rugs could be interchanged from room to room if need be.

In addition to the physical amenities he stressed and introduced, he recognized that guests had to feel appreciated.   To emphasize his commitment, Statler introduced what he called the STATLER SERVICE CODE.

Statler Service Code

• It is the business of a good hotel to cater to the public. It is the avowed business of the Hotel Statler to please the public better than any other hotel in the world.
• Have everyone feel that for his money we want to give him more sincere service than he ever before received at any hotel.
• Never be perky, pungent or fresh. The guest pays your salary as well as mine. He is your immediate benefactor.
• Hotel service, that is, Hotel Statler service, means the limit of courteous, efficient attention from each particular employee to each particular guest. It is the object of the Hotel Statler to sell its guest the best service in the world.
• No employee of this hotel is allowed the privilege of arguing any point with a guest. He must adjust the matter at once to the guest’s satisfaction or call his superior to adjust it. Wrangling has no place in Hotel Statler.
• In all minor discussions between Statler employees and guests the employee is dead wrong, from the guest’s point of view and from ours.
• Any Statler employee who is wise and discrete enough to merit tips is wise and discrete enough to render like service whether he is tipped or not.
• Any Statler employee who fails to give service or who fails to thank the guest who gives him something falls short of Statler standards.

I updated this Service Code and have used it successfully in training programs and operations.  If readers would like a copy of this version in PowerPoint, please send a request for it to john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.com . I can also share with you an amusing  example of teamwork in delivering memorable and personalized customer service in a commercial from SN Brussels Airlines  in you tube format .  http://www.hospitalityeducators.com/articles/20100708

“Life is service. The one who progresses is the one who gives his fellow human being a little more, a little better service.” Elsworth Statler

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome -contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS 8.11.2010             www.HospitalityEducators.com

www.HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.  If readers would like to contribute to the site, please submit your material for consideration to Kathleen@hospitalityeducators.com.  We are interested in expanding our global networks and resources as we support our membership.

Or Staff Responsiveness Best Practices on Engaging the “high-touch” side of our business #4

Keys to Success Hospitality Tips

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS August 8, 2010

It may sound a bit odd, but it has been proven repeatedly in almost every kind of business:  the most loyal customers are ones that experienced a problem and then were overwhelmed with the corrective action that not only addressed their problem of the moment, but continued to impress them with the concern to make them satisfied to the point where they do not even think of competitive services.

Angry is defined as “feeling extremely annoyed, often about an insult or a wrong”.  As travelers, we understand the frustration of traffic or of flights that are delayed for hours with feeble or no excuses. Our hotel guests can also have this sense of annoyance from the wrong kind of room assignment, from inadequate hot water or air conditioning, from a room not properly cleaned, a missed wake-up call, slow food service, meeting room services not delivered as promised and more.

Am I suggesting we should look for angry customers?   An emphatic YES.  I am not suggesting we should intentionally make mistakes to upset a customer, but the literally hundreds of moments of truth that exist in hotels and hospitality businesses daily often create problems that are upsetting to guests.

The first three segments of this series on the “high-touch” side of our business included feedback and suggestions from hoteliers and managers who participated in some of my workshops.

·         Segment 1 underscored the need for hospitality businesses to deliver a memorable and unique experience or face the likely consequence of being viewed as a commodity.

·         Segment 2 focused on identifying ways to encourage hotel general managers and their staffs to think about the “guest experience” , whether you are an independent hotel or brand affiliated  It offered concrete examples ways to avoid being seen as ordinary or a “commodity” in the area every guest experiences, regardless of hotel location,  room rate or level of service:  SLEEPING.

·         Segment 3 examined another essential topic that is of considerable significance to hotel guests everywhere: BREAKFAST.  Specific suggestions from hoteliers and restaurant managers were highlighted.

This segment addresses staff responsiveness and how effective responses convert those angry guests into loyal fans.

Point #1 – the word “service”. There are “FULL SERVICE” hotels, which include all luxury properties and resorts, most casinos and many HOTELS.    There should be no such thing as “limited service” by title or mind-set.  Hospitality is a service business and industry and in every workshop when this topic was discussed, the consensus was always to provide what the guest needed and wanted.

Point #2 – A satisfied guest does not automatically mean a loyal or repeat guest.  This means that hotels of today must anticipate problem areas and respond immediately when one arises.  This means that hotel owners and managers must allow and insist that their staffs do whatever it takes to meet the customers’ needs.

Point #3 – How should staff respond to a guest’s concern or complaint? The answer from every group was IMMEDIATELY and as completely as possible

As consumers, we personally know that our satisfaction and loyalty is earned much more by responsiveness and trust, than by frequent flyer miles or comp room credits.  There are certain airline and auto rental companies I avoid whenever possible and there are others I always check availability first.

Successes shared included:

• Managers who personally participate in managers’ receptions have consistently better repeat guest statistics
• Hotels with staff who make certain their managers know of a problem (regardless of responsibility) tend to perform better, have lower turnover and higher guest reviews and reports
• Active listening programs like the lobby lizard really do work
• Hotel owners and managers that reward publicly staff who take it upon themselves to solve guest problems have more repeat guests and a lesser need to find replacement guests for those who will no longer stay with that hotel or brand
• Hotels that log problems for corrective action and follow-up aggressively have better performing properties
• Companies and hotels that publicize their staffs’ community activities and responsiveness to guest problems again have higher quality assurance scores, lower turnover, and an easier time when occupancy and rate pressures are in the marketplace

A number of individual properties, brands and chains have worked to refine their staff responsiveness to these guest annoyances.  One of the most comprehensive and meaningful service codes ever introduced premiered almost a century ago by one of the most successful hoteliers of all time.  Details and the code will be in the next column.

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome – contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS 8.8.2010

HospitalityEducators.com, HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.   Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

The full title of this series is Engaging the “high-touch” side of our business by instilling passion in our people and reader comments and feedback on the first two segments has been positive.   Segment 1 emphasized the authentic requirement for hospitality businesses to provide a unique experience or face the probable penalty of being viewed as a commodity.

Segment 2 defined in some detail the experience of today, whether you are an independent hotel or brand affiliated.   It also focused on identifying ways to encourage hotel general managers and their staffs to think about the “guest experience” and offered concrete examples from workshop attendees’ ideas on ways to avoid being seen as ordinary or a “commodity” in the area every guest experiences, regardless of hotel location,  room rate or level of service:  SLEEPING. Practical ideas addressing all five of the human senses were shared.

This segment examines another area that I have written on previously and that is of considerable significance to hotel guests everywhere: BREAKFAST.[1] I am recapping feedback and suggestions from hoteliers and restaurant managers who participated in some of my workshops.

FULL SERVICE HOTELS

1. The competition from the Rooms Only Hotels in your marketplace is increasing and many of the mid scale chains provide complimentary breakfast. Providing an exceptional breakfast offering that makes potential guests decide to select your property is important.
2. Breakfast is a chance to shine, as more guests and salespeople are viewing breakfast as an ideal time to “do” business, as well as the guests who are looking to start their day on a positive note. Hotel restaurants are frequently busier at breakfast than at other meals, unless your hotel is an upscale property with a high demand for business lunches. Shouldn’t your sales team show a restaurant that appears to be well used and popular?
3. Time spent at breakfast is viewed by many as more useful than other meals, because all participants view this as a time for productive business for all parties. There is less likely to be quite as much warm-up banter, as everyone wants to get down to business.
4. Breakfast at full service restaurants remains a best value, when compared to other meals. In challenging economies, this can be a deciding factor for hotel selection.

ROOMS ONLY HOTELS

1. Many rooms’ only properties offer very attractive continental breakfasts. Managers and sales team can impress potential clients with a breakfast presentation that will be part of their guests’ stay.
2. While many brands have clear guidelines, extra efforts in breakfast offerings have demonstrated returns for operators and satisfaction for guests.
3. Remember that McDonalds’, Wendy’s, Subway and many other fast food restaurants recognized the value of breakfast in the last 5 to 15 years and turned formerly closed hours into periods of substantial profitability by meeting the needs of people who were looking for a quick, perceived value option for breakfast. For many family restaurants such as Denny’s or International House of Pancakes, breakfast remains their highest and most profitable volume period.

Participants who shared these observations also commented on several other high touch points in both full service and rooms only properties:

1. Breakfast is the ideal time to interact with guests.  General Managers can learn a great deal about the guest experience by chatting with guests and active listening.
2. Sales staff can make excellent contacts at breakfast.
3. Menus and food offerings should change, either with the season or by some other plan.  Regular guests appreciate the basics, but also value some variety.  Rotating decorations that complement food specials does not need cost a great deal, and the variety can motivate the staff as well.

The next segment of this blog topic will share best practices on staff responsiveness to a guest’s concern or complaint, which can decide a guest’s satisfaction and loyalty.

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome -contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS 8.5.2010         HospitalityEducators.com, HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.

This second segment of the series further defines the experience of today, whether you are an independent hotel or brand affiliated.  In segment one, I shared some insights from Tennessee hotelier Johnny Walker of Nashville. He has been actively engaged in the hospitality industry for more than 35 years and is one of the region’s most experienced tour operators.  As a hotel owner/operator with multiple brands, he offered a number of ideas he felt were important for hotel managers today, including the message that “every room rental/stay must be viewed as an experience”

In a number of interactive workshops over the past two years, I have focused on identifying ways to  encourage hotel general managers and their staffs to think about the “guest experience” and how we might build that commitment of “high touch” into the mindset of every employee for every guest.

Recognizing the danger of becoming a “Commodity”, and seeking specific ways to avoid becoming ordinary, I focused on three areas in these workshops and am pleased to share some best practices from managers and owners of both branded and independent properties.

The first topic discussed is one that every guest experiences, regardless of hotel location,  room rate or level of service:  SLEEPING

These workshops were held across North America and participants had wonderful ideas and best practices of how to make the “sleeping” experience positive, memorable and unique.  The best ideas I heard included addressing all five of the human senses

1. Sight – the guest room and the bed must be inviting.  This means neatly prepared beds, using pillows as décor and a sense of freshness to the eye as one enters the room.
2. Smell – the fragrance discussion in hospitality is not new.  We all likely have fond memories of entering a bakery or a certain restaurant, yet too many hotels do not address this sensation.  Care must be taken in cleaning products used, and there are packaged scents available that can be subtly present in the guest room, which enhances the overnight experience of sleep.
3. Sound – Rooms must be reasonably constructed or designed to block out street noise or external sound, as well as addressing the sounds of ice machines and elevators.  Suggestions by attendees included ways to identify and then deal with those noises.  A number of properties today include a CD player (with brand or hotel provided CDs)  and/or a higher quality radio that offers additional calming effects conducive for sleeping
4. Taste – the general manager’s reception, fresh popcorn in the lobby, homemade cookies or other treats can be positive interactions for guests as they retire to their rooms. These can reinforce situations they have at home, and therefore find positive when traveling.
5. Touch – as in #1 Sight above, the guest room and bedding must be inviting.  Well maintained, comfortable bed coverings with quality linens complete the five senses for a guest who is on the road every week or for those who travel only on vacations.

Participants who shared these observations also commented that the entire housekeeping and front office teams must be part of understanding that delivery of a good’s night’s sleep means each member of the staff contributing their own personal touches, smiles and appreciation of the individual guest staying at their hotel.

The next two segments of this blog will share best practices on breakfast and staff responsiveness to a guest’s concern or complaint.

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome -contact me info@HoganHospitality.com

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS  7.29.10         HospitalityEducators.com, HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com ) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry.   Services are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.

Global authors and writers have noted that that travel is one of humankind’s most enduring symbols of freedom and ability to enjoy life.  The concept of travel is inbred into the human experience, and we as hoteliers need to be proactive in how we deliver that experience to each one of our guests.

In these times of continuing uncertainty in the cycles of the slow rebuilding of global economies, oil spills, seemingly illogical stock market responses to speculative stories and more, we as hoteliers and the travel industry need to maintain the uniqueness of our services, regardless of our style or location of hotel.

Travel and tourism is the number one industry of many countries of the world and considered the largest service sector export for the United States.  It is one of the largest employers, developing workers at all levels and areas of expertise.  We have all heard the statistics on the millions of jobs, the billions in payroll income and the substantial contributions to governments everywhere as communities of all sizes benefit as well with significant tax revenues for federal, state, and local governments.

Today’s every day reality is one that interacts with so many people, always seemingly in a hurry to get somewhere else.  Time becomes even more precious, yet we run the risk of becoming a commodity or every day common product if care is not exercised.

I became fascinated with the hospitality industry at the age of 15 at what was then a tired Vermont resort, but the appeal of the industry was magnetic because of the very special personal interaction between guest and host (innkeeper, general manager, owner or whatever the title).  Even though the hotel was “a bit worn” and travel trends were changing, there remained an excitement about actually providing a unique experience.

This is the initial article in a series that will focus in short segments about how to deliver that experience today, whether you are an independent hotel or brand affiliated.  One of the clients I served was interested in this topic and for those programs I reached out for some additional insight to someone I knew from the 17 years I proudly spent as a Tennessee hotelier. Johnny Walker of Nashville has been involved in the hospitality industry his entire career. Johnny Walker Tours is probably Nashville‘s most experienced tour operator, dealing with various  riverboat and music festival packages, guide services, reunions, group business and much more.  He also has a number of hotels and brands and served at one time as the CHOICE Hotel Owners Council President.  Johnny and I are long time associates in the years we overlapped, as we served together on a number of industry councils, commissions and hotel association boards.  When asked, Johnny shared three goals with me that he felt were important for the program I was preparing:

1. the message that “every room rental/stay must be viewed as an experience”
2. to explore practical ways to motivate the staff that delivers hotel services
3. we must all recognize that while we are in an electronic age at the ownership and management level, the front line staff delivering the services may not be or the guests may prefer the personal touch

The program content evolved into four objectives:

1. To understand and define the Experience Economy
2. To encourage hotel general managers and their staffs to think about the “guest experience” and how it needs to be built into the mindset of every hotel associate for every guest.
3. To recognize the danger of  becoming a “Commodity”, and ways to avoid becoming  ordinary
4. To provide attendees with the opportunity to interact with each other on ways to immediately address challenges at their hotels.

The program featured attendees sharing specific examples of products that are commonplace today that avoided becoming commodities and contrasting them with others that have fallen into disfavor because of a lack of delivery of quality experience.

These attendee-inspired sessions moved quickly into the hospitality/lodging world and identified the “guest experience” of today’s guest in three areas:

1. breakfast
2. sleeping and
3. staff responsiveness

Discussion on clear differences between products and services were held and recognition of what we are really trying to do was the outcome.   In the next blog, I will share specific examples and insights on how we might engage our associates on the “high touch “ side of hospitality.

Blog of Dr. John Hogan CHE CHA MHS  7.29.10                                               HospitalityEducators.com , HoganHospitality.com

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com ) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry.   Services are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.

Kemmons Wilson, founder of Holiday Inns almost 60 years ago, used the term  “Innkeeper”  for the person responsible to operate the hotels that were part of the system.

The organization that was named after a movie has certainly evolved and changed over the years, but the fundamental message about “innkeeping” remains the same for those of us who are passionate about our guests, our staff and the experience of staying at our hotels.

At a time when too much of the industry seems to be assuming that technology is the “automatic answer”, I do still see and find it refreshing to see certain professionals who continue to groom their staff people how to match clients’ needs with hotels’ value, features and benefits.

Wilson had formulas for success I noted were posted at the University of Memphis Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management[2] and Museum.  Please send me a request to john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.com if you’d like a full set of these quotes in a power point presentation.

[2] http://www.memphis.edu/wilson/

Use actual examples and case studies of both successful and poor examples of service to guests in training classes. Have different staff share their examples for a genuine impact on real world scenarios

Collin Raye is an American country music singer, who made his debut on the country music scene in 1991 with the release of his debut album, which included his first Number One hit in “Love, Me“. This was the first of four consecutive albums released by Raye to achieve platinum certification the United States for sales of one million copies each. He maintained several Top 10 hits throughout the rest of the decade and into 2000. Between 1991 and 2007, Raye charted thirty singles on the U.S. country charts and he also had success on the Adult Contemporary format as a duet partner. Four of Raye’s singles reached Number One on the Billboard country music charts and he has recorded eleven studio albums, a Christmas album, a compilation of lullabies, a Greatest Hits compilation, a live album, and a live CD/DVD package.

I lived in Nashville for more than 15 years and while I was aware of some of his work, I had not seen him perform. Raye was touring the US in the 2009 holiday season and was scheduled to perform at a unique venue in Phoenix, AZ, the Celebrity Theatre. Two weeks before the show, we were contacted by a ticket service announcing this show offering special pricing for mid-section seating. My bride and I have been to a number of excellent shows at this 2,000 seat, theatre in the round and we booked two seats.

When we arrived, we were pleasantly upgraded to prime seating in the first six rows, as the theatre overall was significantly less than fully booked. The performers and theatre management made the decision to upgrade almost everyone to maximize their enjoyment.

What struck me about this was the fact that we had tickets to other shows, where performers in similar situations had either cancelled their performance or verbally complained during much of the show about the poor attendance. Rather than thanking the people who did support them, they chose to deliver a less than stellar performance and left a very poor impression on those attending.

On this same tour, Collin Raye and his band performed at several concert halls and arenas that had significantly larger numbers in attendance. What we noticed that night was a different 4 Ps that can have meaning to our industry.

1. Professionalism
   Many contracts give performers an option to cancel or reschedule a show if a certain number of tickets are not sold. Raye and the Celebrity Theatre management and ownership made the decision to show their professionalism and appreciation for those who had booked by performing, even with low numbers.
2. Passion
   This performer has been singing some of the same songs for almost 20 years, yet he and his band shared their passion for the work as if this were their first tour.
3. Pride
   When an entertainer takes the time to speak with and interact with the audience, their sense of connection and pride shows.
4. Performance
   This was likely the smallest crowd on the four-week tour, but no one in the audience would ever have known. For more than two hours complete with two encore numbers, this band and entertainer gave the audience 100% of their efforts and their showmanship as if they were performing for a crowd of 15,000.

The 4 Ps of Marketing remain an important part of strategies in successful hospitality businesses today.

The 4Ps of Personal Attention, as illustrated by Collin Raye also can provide us in hospitality a lesson in “high touch.”