Color psychology is a relatively new field of scientific inquiry that aims to analyze the effects of color on human behavior. In this article, we will explore what color psychology is and how colors affect human behavior. Hint! Black might be a bad choice for wait staff, hosts and other hotel employees dealing with conflict resolution. People from various cultures have automatic (unconscious), negative emotions to the color black, such as evil, death, fear, anonymity, anger, sadness, remorse, mourning, unhappiness and mystery. Yes, there are positive emotions, as well. The article will weigh the pros and cons with personal anecdotes from my experience at The Amway Hotel Collection. READ MORE

Earlier this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the percentage of workers who are union members dipped to 11.3%, the lowest in 97 years. The private sector percentage dipped to 6.6%, the lowest level since the 1950s, with the hospitality accommodation industry at 7.5%. For those establishments interpreting these statistics to mean that they do not have to be concerned about unions, think again. Union organizers and leaders are not giving in to the decline in membership and are confronting the challenge urging their members to think big. Establishments should be prepared to respond to union organizing. READ MORE

Is your hotel optimizing revenues and profits in these two key departments? Rooms and Food & Beverage departments contribute a major chunk of hotel revenues and profits. The mix between the two contributions depends upon location factors, number of outlets and so forth. Profitability is also very different between the two departments with Rooms far ahead. However, a well thought out strategy to create a powerful combination will greatly boost bottom line performance. At the end of the day the proof of the pudding is in the profit flow through that Rooms and Food & Beverage departments deliver. We take a look at this phenomenon that features in the thoughts of every owner, stakeholder or even the management. READ MORE

In today's world, a lot of times we think HARD is better. Work hard, Play hard, Drive a hard bargain. Hard may mean strength such as "hard as a rock" versus soft which may seam weak as in "Don't be a softy." Apples taste better hard and to many peoples' tastes, so does cheese. There may be lots of things that work or seem better when they are hard but when it comes to service, it's the soft skills that will enable the most memorable results, not the hard ones. Don't get me wrong.hard skills are essential and important and will get the job done. But, it's the soft skills that will make the emotional connection and inspire the lasting impact most hospitality leaders desire. READ MORE

We often talk about the growing importance, and influence, of online hotel reviews. Recently we took a step back and looked at the review space, specific to USA-based properties, to see what the landscape looked like compared to a year ago just about this time (third quarter 2012 to end of September 2013). What trends are emerging? Are people writing more or less? Are guests being kinder or more critical? Is management chiming in or sitting back? We have the answers around scores, volume, management responses, service, pricing and more. READ MORE

Need funds to build a new hotel? A once little-known U.S. immigration program has become a popular source of development funding for hotels. Known as the EB-5 Immigration program, name brands, such as Marriott and Hilton, have projects that have been financed through EB-5. Because of the flexibility that EB-5 funding offers, it is likely that it will remain a significant funding tool even as credit markets loosen, due to its highly competitive cost as mezzanine financing. For savvy developers who are able to navigate the bureaucratic landscape, the EB-5 program is likely to remain a viable funding option for many years to come. READ MORE

As guests become less loyal to hotel brands and increasingly drawn to hotels that offer experiential stays, unique amenities and flawless service, hotel leaders are hard pressed to create one-of-a-kind experiences that will incite guests to return again and again. But with tightened budgets and the recession-era moniker of doing more with less, how can you create these unique experiences and still hit your numbers? And, how can you tell if they will really benefit the bottom line? In this article, you'll learn how a resort in Tucson, Ariz., melded creativity with business-focused objectives to create experiences that make them stand out in the crowded hotel market. READ MORE

According to Travel Industry Association of America, changing demographics and lifestyle attitudes are playing a major role in the choice of activities Americans make while traveling. Traditionally, activities such as shopping and dining have topped Americans' travel lists, followed by entertainment, sightseeing, beach, nightlife, and theme parks - each with varying levels of interest based on consumer demographics. While these activities remain popular, TIA's reveals major shifts by age group - with preferences often dictated by whether or not there are children in the household. READ MORE

In 1967 the BBC predicted that within 20 years all homes would feature built-in computer terminals and bedside teletype machines. It hasn't worked out quite that way, but it's clear that the news outlet could envision the home computing revolution's outlines fairly well. Today, another technology that has been slowly gaining momentum - augmented reality, which combines digital images with real-time physical environments - has the potential to help hoteliers drive greater loyalty and revenue. For hotels, however, the potential of augmented reality isn't just consumer-facing. The technology can also improve the brand itself. The latest advances suggest unmatched monetization and customer experience potential. The question is: Are hotel brands ready for this change and are they investing in the staff training, IT and creative talent necessary to capitalize on augmented reality's capabilities and guest engagement reach? READ MORE

Hospitality reviews on TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Travelocity, Expedia, and more sites impact revenues. Hotel managers must learn to respond to and act on this crucial form of customer feedback to succeed in their local markets. Jonathan Sockell, Product Marketing Manager at Medallia, and seasoned hospitality and customer experience executive Linda Wiley delve into how to empower the frontline with actionable customer feedback and build a sense of urgency to excel at customer service. READ MORE

It's all about the team. Whether you are looking to fill open positions in an existing hotel, hire a new staff for a property soon to open or add talent at corporate headquarters, attracting and training, evaluating and retaining a top-notch team of individuals is necessary in order to be successful. In doing so, we must select the right people for our needs; be clear and consistent in communicating goals and expectations; insure that all hires have the skills and authority to achieve assigned goals; and provide timely, constructive and fair feedback on performance as a basis for future compensation and promotion. READ MORE

Just as technology has and is continuing to transform our lives, it's changing the way hotel brands view and analyze their customer experience. Ensuring the vendor of your customer experience measurement program is keeping up with technology is a near impossible task. Yet, the onus is on the hotel brands to be watchful of new technology players who can serve emerging needs. Good customer experience management is fundamental to our industry. And we must be able to analyze, monitor and measure it. Which is why we must continually pursue technology not to eradicate problems, but to take a collective, proactive approach to building brands and experiences customer truly love. READ MORE

In the last five years the United States and countries around the world have witnessed many major natural disasters. Such disasters include hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, severe windstorms and catastrophic flood damage that have left businesses, large and small, unable to recoup from their loss. Damage assessments by risk management and loss control specialists find to often preventative measures could have been implemented that would in part or significantly reduce the overall cost of a claim or the length of recovery time. The intent of this guide is to help business owners in the planning process for preparing and implementing an emergency plan. One that is activated before, during, and after an event. READ MORE

As millennials blossom into a prevailing consumer group, it's vital that you understand their distinctive purchasing habits. Given that F&B is a central part of the overall hospitality experience, mastering this aspect of your operations and remolding it to cater to this demographic will play a large role in determining future occupancy and RevPAR figures. To this end, I interviewed Mike Whalen, the founder and CEO of Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, to extract five keys for hotel restaurants to better appeal to millennials. READ MORE

In hospitality, with so many options available to customers, a distinctive experience that connects with customers will pay off. Satisfied customers buy more, are less price sensitive, and will generate positive word-of-mouth, all contributing to revenue performance. But hospitality companies have limited money to invest and will only spend on things they believe will have the biggest impact on performance. The challenge for all hospitality businesses is to figure out how to invest to maximize guest satisfaction and loyalty. With advancements in customer feedback and data analysis tools, it's easier to identify the investments that will have the biggest impact on the bottom line. Here are three ways to invest that will help maximize satisfaction, loyalty and the bottom line. READ MORE

When major events come to town, such as international sporting competitions or cultural festivals, they often offer unique opportunities for hoteliers to capitalize on increased demand, gain a new loyal following of customers and maximize revenue both over the short and long -term. Yet while major events come with huge potential rewards, if not executed well, they can be very high risk resulting in anything from displacing current loyal customers to a hotel full of empty rooms, or from no-shows to cancellations. Hoteliers need to ask themselves - "Will we manage to capitalize on the increased demand for our rooms? Will we be able to balance the demand for event attendees willing to pay higher rates while also maintaining our existing customer base? Will this fabled demand actually materialize, or will our rooms remain empty throughout the event?" READ MORE

A sustainability report is an organizational report that gives information about economic, environmental, social and governance performance, regardless of whether the performance is good or bad, and more and more companies are producing the reports today. Why would any company produce such a report, especially if it may contain "bad" news? Read further for the pros and cons of creating sustainability reports. Most of the "cons" with sustainability reporting revolve around how the report is actually created and presented, but not its content. And the benefits are difficult to measure and quantify. Again, one might ask, why bother? There are plenty of good reasons. READ MORE