In an age of unprecedented hospitality litigation, electronic discovery has arguably become the most critical factor in determining the outcome of major cases in our industry. Why? Because the growing concentration in today's hospitality arena has led to bigger players fighting larger, more complex disputes. SEC inquiries, M&A transactions and owner-manager dealings are all resulting in "bet-your-business" cases. The tools used to service these cases must match their sophistication and complexity. Positive results depend on how each side effectively manages technology and electronic discovery. Once a competitive advantage, effective electronic discovery has now become a competitive necessity, and therefore should be understood not only by corporate lawyers and outside counsel, but also by the management companies and individual owners who employ them. READ MORE

The fitness industry is constantly evolving. As exercise physiologists, fitness and athletic trainers and wellness professionals push the envelope of untapped knowledge and new technologies, fitness trends emerge and change. Most importantly, as these changes occur, so do the expectations and demands of consumers. Fitness services can absolutely drive bottom line goals for hotels and resorts including revenue generation, but most certainly in guest experience, retention, and beyond. However, significant returns are only realized by management committed to keeping their facilities in line with these changing trends and consumer demands. Fitness is no longer a "throw in" to a hotel or resort's mix of services. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the current trends that are pushing the industry and consumer demand into uncharted terrain. READ MORE

You read the trades, talk to fellow hoteliers, make the conference circuit and hear all the good news. Times are good right now. Rates are up, occupancy is up, RevPAR is up, it's all turned around from the doldrums of recent years and everybody's happy: Your creditors are happy, your lender is happy, and best of all, you're happy. You're making more money, you're playing more golf and you're taking bigger and better vacations. Life is good-and if you listen to most industry pundits, it's going to get even better. It won't be long before you'll be able to do the things you've been putting off . . . like trading up to that Lexus, building your dream house, maybe even buying or building your next hotel. Talk about Heaven on earth, right? And isn't it about time? Actually, it's about time to wake up from that dream. READ MORE

The immediate outlook remains promising but the future is less bright according to prominent analysts i.e. PricewaterhouseCooper and Smith Travel Research. One school of thought is "If it ain't broke, why fix it?". But we know that the hotel industry is driven by various economic factors that create many ups and down. The bad times don't last forever and the good times don't last forever, either. So what better time to address any weaknesses in the organization, flaws in the system, or product deficiencies, than when occupancies are strong and the outlook is favorable? This article will address the benefit of early prevention and will identify areas to evaluate in order to ensure that your property is well positioned for any downturn so that it will remain profitable and vibrant. READ MORE

Rejuvenation of your hotel, whether it be new carpets and drapes in guest rooms or an upgrade in the ambience and functionality of the common areas, goes a long way towards protecting your assets as well as maintaining superior guest services. However, to achieve or exceed your long term ROI goals, it is crucial that renovation costs stay in line with your budget. It is very easy for even the smallest project to get out of control and create a "money pit" of unexpected expenses, cost overruns, labor issues and inconvenient delays. READ MORE

Branding. It's a term that carries an image for the guest and means equity for the hotel. Yet few of us really understand how it works. The idea of branding isn't new. In fact, it dates back more than a hundred years to when Ivan Pavlov won a Nobel Prize for his research into branding. Who? Pavlov? Wasn't he the guy with the dog and the bell? Exactly. But what does an old scientist, his dog and a bell have to do with successfully marketing your hotel? In this article, you'll learn how Pavlov's three principles can help you develop a successful branding campaign for your property. READ MORE

Have you evaluated all of the places where your customer interacts with your staff? A recent study I read stated that in a 300-room hotel, there can be up to 5,000 staff-to-customer interactions each day. And that doesn't include the reservations center or your Web site! In this article I discuss how early in my career I realized the importance of experiencing a company's services just like its customers would. READ MORE

Realization: Consumers are thrilled with the prospect of anything over and above poor service. From the gas pump to the ATM, we have lost contact with live, personal service. From restaurants to hotels, we find live people imitating automated systems. Consumers are so desperate for good service that their expectations are at an all-time low. What a great opportunity for your business! READ MORE

It takes a lot of people to make a hotel feel like home for its guests. So it's not surprising that the hospitality industry is a major component of the overall U.S. labor force. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the accommodations and food services industry makes up 8.1 percent of all employment. And Americans aren't abandoning their vacations or business outings anytime soon. The hospitality industry is expected to grow 18 percent and add more than 1.6 million new jobs through 2012, according to BLS data. But while we're in the business of making others feel cared for, the labor market won't be very comfortable for hospitality employers in coming years. READ MORE

The hospitality industry is in the business of making people feel at home when they're away from home. The employees decide whether the guests have a positive or negative experience and, either way, those guests will talk about it. That is why it is so critical that hotels and lodging facilities take measures today to ensure that they have those top performers on staff that will provide guests with an optimum experience and keep them coming back. According to a recent nationwide survey from CareerBuilder.com, nearly six-in-ten hospitality workers say they plan to leave their current jobs in pursuit of better opportunities by the end of 2005. To better understand the impetus behind this wake-up call for employers, let's take a closer look at what factors are driving dissatisfaction with their current positions. READ MORE

The US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that hospitality jobs will increase 17 percent through 2012; meanwhile, the industry's turnover rate was nearly twice that of all occupations last month. The magnitude of the industry's turnover is demonstrated by a recent nationwide survey by CareerBuilder.com. According to the survey, about 12 percent of hospitality workers plan to leave their jobs in the fourth quarter of 2005. READ MORE

Workplace diversity is hardly a new notion. The push for diversity gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as an influx of women entered the workforce. When EEOC reporting requirements emerged in the 1990s, the concept took on even greater importance. Today, embracing diversity means far more than creating more and equal opportunities for black and Hispanic workers. Diversity initiatives also benefit Asians, Native Americans, women, people with disabilities, and gay and lesbian workers. READ MORE

Manchester Pride, in Manchester, England, is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender life. Annually, the 10-day festival draws thousands of gay and lesbian tourists from England, Europe and around the globe. Gay tourists come for parties, live music, a parade and a candlelit vigil. Manchester Pride raises more than lb100,000 for HIV/AIDS charities. During Manchester Pride 2009 in August, I interviewed Graham Bradford, Regional General Manager, Malmaison Hotels, Great Britain. Mr. Bradford is responsible for the Malmaison Hotels in Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, England to discuss his views on how gay and lesbian tourism can build room and food and beverage revenues. READ MORE

Spa Benchmarking is one of the “hottest” topics in the spa and hospitality industries. It is a relatively new discipline; therefore, it is filled with challenges and opportunities. While spa benchmarking studies are very much needed, not all studies are useful... some can actually be quite damaging and harmful. There are too many studies that lack credibility, integrity, quality and reliability, yet they receive significant press coverage. Poor information, conclusions and recommendations can be very detrimental when a spa relies on this information to make operational, personnel, marketing and investment decisions. READ MORE

Hotels and spas share many attributes, perhaps none more salient than that both are in the service industry. Whether we're selling rooms for the night or massages for the hour, what differentiates one service provider from the next is the overall guest experience. Frontline employees shape guests' perceptions and make the difference between a "Wow!" experience and just an average one. READ MORE