Mr. West

Architecture & Design

Increasing Operational Effectiveness Through Added-value Design

By Brian West, President, LifeStyling

It's a fact, adding value to products and services makes businesses more successful. The more value that businesses add to their core products and services, the better they do. But when they use design to add value, they do even better in a whole range of ways, including bigger profit, and market share.

The perceived emotional and/or functional benefits of a product are, obviously, a major factor, which influences a buying decision. At the most basic level a product acquires value in the fulfillment of its required functions, e.g. a hotel room must be an effective place to sleep but the more effective it is in terms of peacefulness, cleanliness, safety, and comfort, the greater will be its perceived value. Thus, the functional requirement dimension of product value extends to other capabilities which are not deemed imperative to the basic product performance but which are seen as welcome additions, e.g. Flat screen televisions and in-room dining. Material value is a second dimension of product value relating to visible or tangible value.

Both of these value dimensions, functional capability and material value, have the advantage of being open to quantitative analysis. They are in a sense the 'hard' factors in any value assessment procedure. However, the third dimension, that of quality, brings us beyond the threshold of quantitative assessment where intangibles enter the frame. While it is true that a quality assessment can, in one sense, be reduced to assessment of functional performance, quality is also associated with a value statement on emotional benefits, which is dynamic and aversely affects the decision making factor more so than the tangibles.

Moving on from issues of quality to the even more intangible, 'soft' dimensions of emotional and psychological satisfaction, we move to the domain of human emotion. Today's travelers are looking for four things: a connection with people and places; physical and psychological comfort; a greater choice of guestrooms and amenities; and convenience. Physiological Pleasure is derived from these four "C's" and these "C's" are continually developing a growing significance in the hospitality market. This increased focus on individual satisfaction can be interpreted as an indicator of the need for greater customer input to design and are becoming a greater brand differentiator among similar core product families. Such custom design requirements have important implications for both the design provider and the user.

Owners, operators, and developers who understand the guests changing demands stand the best chance of capturing the lion's share of business in this competitive environment, However the difficulty of remaining ahead of the curve is further affected by the turbulence of the economy and the aggressiveness of the big players. And trying to please each and every segment of our market share is a daunting if at times almost impossible task.

Travelers expect to experience the lifestyle they experience at home while on the road. If they're surrounded by technology at home, those are the gadgets they want in their hotel room. Guests accustomed to the finer things at home, expect that quality if not better in their hotel room. Not too many years ago, hotels provided a luxurious experience that was better than what most travelers had at home. However, today most home bathrooms and bedrooms that are nicer than the traditional hotel bathroom and bedroom. As people become more affluent and sophisticated in their home lifestyle, they want to be equally pampered in their lifestyle on the road. Travelers simply don't want to give up the "creature comforts" they're accustomed to at home and take what they perceive as a step backwards when they check into a hotel. The objective is to get into sync with the rhythm of your guest's life - to give your guests a reason for NOT leaving your hotel, just as they wouldn't want to leave their own house.

We've all heard the term Added-Value Design, but have we actually seen it at work, saving money while at the same time increasing the actual quality of our experience? I'll assume that right off the top of your head you're unable to pinpoint an actual instance where Added-Value design has affected you, but take a deeper look. Imagine with me for a moment a time in history when motels and hotels were in the business of providing rooms for the purpose of overnight stays only... Luxury hotels existed for the rich and privileged and had attendants to care for any and all of the guests needs, but the working man got none of that - until of course the introduction of the in room mini-bar ... Added-Value? As time progressed people found it easier to afford to stay in a hotel while on a trip and families were visiting cities all over, but in many cases the only resource for locating a specific attraction was a busy front desk attendant or a rack of pamphlets on a wall - until... the concierge...Added-Value? Lets not forget Room service. This Added-Value service and many others have become industry standard expectations in most hotels throughout the world, but there was a time when weary innovators cowered at the initial cost of committing to such luxuries. Point being that it's not a matter of incorporating these Added-Value services it's a matter of when and who is going to do it first and capture the market share.

Though catering to the lifestyle of your customer matters it's not the only concern when designing your property, owners and operators have responsibilities as well to investors and management companies and are constantly keeping close watch on the bottom line. When it comes to not only receiving a significant R.O.I., but long-term effectiveness for the investment you make today, these suggested solutions may have seemed far-fetched and inappropriate years ago, but consider each solution as a possible direction in which things may be moving in the very near future.

Hardwood or Hard Surface Guestroom Flooring:

Value-added Design...

The noticeable trend in guestrooms now more than ever is the incorporation or replacing carpet with hardwood or hard surface flooring. This trend was slow to find a warm reception, but the buzz among owners has all but eased their trepidation. Hardwood or hard surface floors are not only durable - more durable than carpet and they are also easier to care for. With the variety of products to choose from both price point and design style are far easier to incorporate into a quality design scheme. A hardwood or hard surface design solution not only creates a higher than average design perception for the guestroom, as well the travel wary guest will appreciate the presumed cleanliness of the hardwood or hard surface product. Many travelers now are skeptical at best about the cleanliness of most hotels and this solution all but eliminates the "filthy carpet" assumption.

Increased Operational Effectiveness...

The daily care for a hardwood or hard surface product usually requires no more than having a housekeeper run a dust mop over the surface, and at the worst a damp cloth to wipe up general spills. Incorporating area rugs softens the hardness of the flooring while maintaining additional ease of care.

Now as an operator it's easy to see the downside of this solution as there will no doubt be a larger upfront cost to install a hardwood or hard surface flooring product and then there is occasional maintenance as with all flooring. But what must be taken into account is the longevity of the product. The day-to-day care of the product all but pays for itself. An operator can eliminate the need to run power hungry not to mention noisy vacuum cleaners.

Frosted Glass Shower Partitions:

Value-added Design...

Glazing options have come a long way over the years and replacing your current mineral deposit laden glass with elegant design savvy frosted, slump or artesian glass will not only increase the drama and perceived luxury of your bathing spaces it will also provide a level of modesty to your guest bathrooms that clear glass did not.

Increased Operational Effectiveness...

It has been a slow and somewhat mildewey departure form the shower curtain to glass shower enclosures, however the fact Simply designing shower enclosures that are frosted or reeded reduces daily in-room maid service, a simple squirt of disinfectant and a spray of water from the handheld nozzle and the shower is cleaned. Of course a thorough cleaning between guests is appropriate, but why not reduce the mount of time your housekeeping staff takes to refresh a room.

Keyed Climate Control:

Value-added Design...

Hotels that exhibit a respect for safety and security have always impressed guests, and now as the world faces concerns of global deterioration guests are conscientious as well of the environment. Having the ability to simply eliminate energy waste is reward enough for guests garners tremendous bragging points for both the hotel and the guest.

Increased Operational Effectiveness...

The keycard insertion triggers a radio frequency (RF) transmitter that sets the entire room's (or multiple areas if it is a suite) electrical system to "occupied" mode, activating the power to the controlled switches, outlets and thermostat. The guest is in control of the room except for the "occupied" temperature limits that are programmed by the owner. Using these systems, one can leave power on in certain areas (for an alarm clock, for example). The thermostat and its controller ensure that the HVAC system does not shut down entirely once the keycard is removed. It performs an intelligent setback to the HVAC to an energy conserving temperature that is programmable by the hotel. The system will reduce in-room energy consumption by 30 to 45 percent. Installation difficulty can vary depending upon level of control desired by the owner/operator.

In-room Fitness Kit:

Value-added Design...

The benefits of an invigorating work out are undeniably energy and mood enhancing, and most hotels offer guests a fairly competent workout facility. However often by the time guest reaches the hotel it's long after the normal fitness center hours, maybe the trek down to the fitness center is more of a hassle than desired - or the guest has left their appropriate workout clothes at home altogether. By providing within each guestroom a variety of lite exercise equipment and qualified instruction via. A DVD a guest can easily take on a half hour workout within the privacy of his or her own room, and at their leisure.

Increased Operational Effectiveness:

As an operator the fitness center is a perk that guests come to expect and can not be eliminated, but what having an in room fitness kit does is provide opportunity to create an instant Point of Purchase opportunity. Assuming you have the right workout video and music with the right easy to pack resistance bands and tension webbing workout equipment - I think the mini-bar M&M's are going to get a run for their money.

Brian West heads a small staff of professionals on ground-breaking projects throughout the world. Based in Los Angeles, LifeStyling, serves high-end hospitality and residential clients nationwide. Beyond interior design, Brian also provides consultation to the Incentive and Special Event industry where he is called on by Fortune 500 and 100 clients to lend his expertise to site selection, event design and production. Brian is responsible for the initial concept and assembly of specification packages, which include color palette, furniture finishes, art and artifacts. Mr. West can be contacted at 310-927-0821 or brianw@lifestylingdesign.com Extended Bio...

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