The last few years have brought an explosion in the number of private lawsuits against employers for wage and hour violations and increased scrutiny by the federal Department of Labor and various other state enforcement agencies. The hospitality industry is not immune from these challenges. In fact, the Wage and Hour Division considers hospitality workers and other low-wage workers to be particularly vulnerable. Over the past year, the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division has targeted hospitality employers across the country. Investigators often arrive unannounced and demand immediate access to payroll records and employees for interviews to determine whether employees are properly classified and properly paid. READ MORE

Online Travel Agencies such as Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire are extremely good at what they do: filling empty rooms. Unfortunately for hotel operators, they've become slightly too good at it, and travelers are now going straight to these deals sites for their booking needs. So how do hotel operators keep OTAs from cannibalizing business from customers that might have booked direct in the first place? This is one question I hear all of the time from companies that call me for advice on hotel automation systems. READ MORE

Sometimes, in the fast-paced world of hotel management it is easy to skip over some of the suspiciously simple aspects of our operations, like truly knowing our customer. Knowing who is in our hotels is the first step in the process, understanding their preferences and why they are staying there the second, and engaging or utilizing that understanding to capture more business, the final and most important. In this article, I share key strategies you can use at the hotel level to gather and leverage information about your guests to ultimately increase your bottom line. READ MORE

The main point of discussion and the key topic elaborated on in this article is the rapid growth of wellness centers (including spa, fitness and pool) within hotels and resorts in developing countries. When looked at “Maslow's pyramid of Human Needs”, the development and education of most humans, then compare this with the business and operation side of the hotel or resort it will not make much sense at all to build or integrate a wellness center into some of the new hotel projects. The “why” and “because” will hopefully be reasoned enough in the article below. READ MORE

The distribution challenges for hotels has increased with the internet being the primary source for leisure bookings, however with a vast selection of accommodation available hotels need to shout louder to get heard. This is causing conversion figures to fall. Here we talk about hotels and their perspective on distribution, the pain points and how they aim to tackle it. This includes findings and stats from a Research paper that RateTiger has prepared in association with EHL. READ MORE

Big data is a hot topic across business sectors, but in many ways the travel industry has been a data-rich channel for years. At some point we just start to call it “big.” It's a journey, and the data you need to advance your business is available today. This article examines tips and tools to gather data about your consumers, and provides insight on how to make it manageable and effective in driving hotel bookings. How will you put it to work for your hotel? READ MORE

The success of a hotel's reorganization will depend on securing the support of vendors, employees and guests in the early stages of the chapter 11 case. Building and maintaining strong relationships with these groups will enable the hotel debtor to seamlessly transition into bankruptcy without negatively affecting the guest experience (always a critical consideration) or jeopardizing the value of the business. This article outlines the principal ways that a hotel debtor can encourage vendors, employees and guests to stand by the company for the duration of the chapter 11 case, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful restructuring. READ MORE

Tech bloggers predict that Google Glass, the computer you can wear on your head like glasses, will be available to consumers by as early as Christmas 2013. While we don't know how popular this new product from Google will be, many theorize that Glass will be the dawn of a new age of wearable device technology, reaching similar adoption rates as the tablet and smartphone technologies before it. If true, then hoteliers will have to adapt to the technology quickly, just as they had to adapt to smartphones and tablets. The following are some ideas to think about for dealing with guests who use Google Glass, and possible opportunities to market your property. READ MORE

The number of hotel chains that are adjusting their loyalty programs, forcing guests to use up more points to redeem upgrades, discounts or free stays is on the rise. These devaluation adjustments run the risk of frustrating and disenfranchising customers, the exact opposite of what a rewards program intent and goal is. Hotels must separate themselves from their competitors in an environment when customer service is a table stake, many point programs are similar, and devaluation is occurring causing point programs to be less attractive. The opportunity at hand is to build customer loyalty using the foundation of the current loyalty rewards programs and build upon it in such a way as to not cause revenue cannibalization. Hotels need to consider instant gratification rewards, tiered systems of loyalty, and using experiential to tie lifestyle interests with rewards. READ MORE

Developing Success in Developing Countries: How Revenue Management can Bolster Bottom Line Results in Emerging Markets - To say that hoteliers operating in emerging markets often face challenging business conditions is an understatement like no other. From operating in boom to bust business environments, from periods of slow business growth to increasingly fierce competition, hoteliers in emerging markets face economic uncertainties on a daily basis. Yet, despite these challenges, they are also presented with enormous opportunities to grow revenue if they have the right people, processes and tools in place. To help ensure that industry best practice strategies and systems are in place, hoteliers in emerging markets should take lessons from their counterparts operating in more developed markets. Critically, emerging market hoteliers should be looking towards the widespread adoption of revenue management amongst hoteliers in developed markets and how individual and group owned properties enjoy stronger bottom line results. READ MORE

Affiliate marketing is a marketing tactic that many hotels overlook, either because they aren't aware of it as an option or because they don't see the value in it. Well, I'm here today to tell you all about why affiliate marketing is a great tactic to increase online traffic and bookings - and the best part is, you don't pay a dime until you see results. READ MORE

The title and article focuses on suggestions which educates the reader on how one truly can demonstrate to the target segments which they invest their marketing dollars in, the level of hospitality and service so they can increase their chances of retaining them as a long term client and/or guest. Evidence of how important hospitality focused service is fundamental in a competitive way, ensuring customer retention and increased bottom line performance, as well as improved return on investment, has been in discussion by several hospitality brands lately. READ MORE

In 2009, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments went into effect providing greater protections against employment discrimination for over 54 million Americans with disabilities. Demographics indicate a growing impact on employers. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 10 percent of people 18 to 64 years of age and 38 percent of adults 65 years and older have a disability. Additionally from 2008 until 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported an increase in total ADA monetary awards from $57.2 million to $103.4 million. It is important for employers to know and comply with their obligations under the ADAAA. READ MORE

Establishing your hospitality brand on social media platforms isn't difficult. However, once there, many brands act as if the job is done. But that isn't the case--far from it! (cue The Carpenters' We've Only Just Begun...). The key is leveraging your social media activity into a stronger brand, greater customer loyalty, more reservations, longer stays, and higher revenues. This article examines 7 proven tactics from e-commerce and online marketers that will turn your social media presence into social media profit. READ MORE

There are multiple indexes around customer experience and in each one there are winners and losers. ACSI says customer satisfaction is improving. JD Power says it's declining. Market Metrix announces quarterly winners of their study. TripAdvisor says something else and so on. There are no clear winners since in each measure the rankings change. Does it matter? Beyond marketing, what value can we, as hotel and brand operators, glean from these indexes? With customers more jaded and armed with information never available before, how do we assimilate ratings, reviews and everything in between? READ MORE

Employees in hospes industries increasingly experience high levels of burnout and turnover. Patients and guests can be demanding, the hours long and the benefits inconsistent. During holiday and vacation times, when most people are spending extended time with family and/or taking time off from work, employees in the hospitality industry are putting in overtime and feeling stretched to their limits. It is no wonder that the hospitality industry, in general, is accused of creating a turnover culture. While there's no silver bullet for eliminating turnover and increasing employee satisfaction, there are short and long-term strategies that can make a significant impact. READ MORE

There are few businesses where employees are expected to be “on” 24/7 and to always have a smile on their face regardless of how they are feeling. But this is exactly what is required of those who work in hotels. Some say that if you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. That old saying may have worked well for other generations. But what happens when the next generation isn't as tolerant or committed as the one that came before them? Will you be able to compete for talent with the 9-5 industries and if so, will you still be able to create a five-star experience with employees who resemble characters out of the Zombie movie, The Night of the Living Dead? Here are some steps you can take to prevent this nightmare from happening in your hotel. READ MORE

You would be hard pressed to find someone working in hospitality who has not had days of feeling stressed, bored, or unappreciated at work. Left unchecked for a prolonged period of time these feelings can accumulate and result in what is commonly known as 'burnout.' The symptoms of burnout tend to be initially job related and have been connected to a variety of health problems ranging anywhere from severe depression to violence. Aside from being bad for the health of an individual, burnout is bad for the overall health of a business. Lost productivity, decreased commitment, and high turnover rates are but a few of the organizational concerns that can be directly linked to employee burnout. Fortunately, there are a number of ways for management to respond to and prevent a burnout outbreak in their workplace. READ MORE

Burnout and the resulting turnover of hotel employees is the highest of any industry. To effectively reduce the rate of employee burnout in the hospitality industry, it is important for general mangers to make a commitment to help their employees develop ways to minimize workplace and personal stress on a daily basis. An organization's EAP is proven to be an effective resource for managers and employees alike. READ MORE

With non-traditional workweeks, night shifts, and difficult guests, hotel employees have very taxing jobs. On top of that, the demanding responsibilities and long hours often lead to the condition known as "burnout". Often hotel executives think of this state as irreparable, however wise hospitality leaders know that they can help the employee and retain a valued team member with a few very strategic moves. READ MORE

In today's career-driven hospitality industry culture, with managers and staff devoting an inordinate amount of time to the job, there is need to hit the pause button and think about how to better understand and manage work-life balance issues. Finding solutions to achieve a more productive workforce is an ongoing process. Striking this better balance is the challenge hoteliers face. In this article, the author takes us on his quest to tackle and deal with important issues we all need to need to recognize, embrace and integrate into daily practice. How is your organization dealing with work-life issues? READ MORE

The term “engagement” is so overused these days that it has nearly become a cliche. However, internal initiatives to engage and develop team members often remain under-invested and misunderstood by organizations large and small. Here's what we know: studies show that actively engaged stakeholders generate the greatest levels of customer satisfaction and these higher levels of satisfaction directly impact business profitability. Considering that it costs significantly more money and resources to onboard a new employee or brand representative than it does to keep a valued team member, it makes undeniable financial sense to find ways to capture both the hearts and minds of your people. READ MORE

The reasons for visits to hotels vary, but guests require professional behavior from staff. Down time, resolving disputes, complaining of aching feet... Personal imperfections cannot be aired in front of the customer. After all, the hotel industry is one of the few businesses in which people who ask for services are called guests. Consider the pressure to be constantly “on” that employees in such settings often face. From the parking attendant to the registration desk to the cleaning service, every element is visible — the employees are part of the setting and they have a presentation burden that employees in other businesses don't carry in this way. How such employees show up literally does matter. READ MORE

Burn-out is a common risk for all employees. People who feel that they are reaching burn-out levels are often employees whose commitment to their roles is unquestioned. They are the 'go-to' employees and managers, constantly putting out fires and ensuring that the team's performance is at its best. In the hospitality sector, the need for immediate response to ensure customer satisfaction is intense. Managers have to think quickly on their feet, and often are so busy solving problems, that they barely have time to work on initiatives that require more strategic thinking and planning. So what can a manager do to decrease the likelihood of burning-out? READ MORE

Burnout is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States. While some say “people just don't want to work today,” the answer is more complicated and not necessarily because of the people involved. More likely, it is the result of changes in the workplace and in society. One of the major problems is that managerial confidence is eroding (and along with it enthusiasm). Managers are constantly watched by their boss, customers and employees. In such an environment managers are less likely to enjoy success and less likely to feel the thrill of achievement. READ MORE

Stakeholders pour money into their hotel investments with expectation of a good return. To achieve this return, the hotel property needs to be looked at in asset management terms and not just financial or operational. Stakeholders would like to have a professional SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis carried out to assess their chances of accomplishing the returns they seek. In recent times, they are turning more and more to professional asset managers to carry out their reviews and determine whether the asset is indeed being managed in a manner consistent with earning the returns expected. As far as they are concerned, a hotel asset is no more the domain of the accountant or the financial controller. It is the job of an asset manager and the paramount objective is value creation. Asset Managers have their work cut out for them. READ MORE

Hospitality executives struggle to find the balance between delivering a guest experience that fosters loyalty and repeat business, and delivering on their revenue and profit responsibilities to stakeholders, shareholders or franchisors. If you invest too much in the guest experience, you could impact profits. On the other hand, focusing too much on cost cutting measures negatively impacts the guest experience. Analytics can help achieve balance, but only when commitment to fact-based decision making is part of the corporate DNA. Organizations that build a strategic analytic culture are better positioned to succeed in a highly competitive market. READ MORE

From rooftop nightclubs to water parks, unique amenities are springing up at hotels across the country. These attractions can help attract more guests, but they also open hotels to an array of insurance exposures. With the right risk management tactics and insurance coverage, you can adopt new amenities while keeping your business safe. READ MORE

Have you ever noticed that some managers seem to attract the same team members regardless of where they go? It's not uncommon for these managers to receive calls from former employees asking them if by chance they have a spot available on their team. We call these leaders magnet because no matter where they go, others seem to follow them. You can sit back and wish you had their charisma or you can take stock of what it takes to be the type of leader that gets great people to stick with them through thick and thin. Here's how to become a magnet leader by Monday. READ MORE