I am certain we can all agree that we place a heavy emphasis on investing to acquire guests, patrons or customers to our establishments/businesses. The majority of investment frequently goes towards the search for new business. A smaller portion tends to be used for the upkeep or retention of the guest. Of course this is not in all hospitality establishments, however, why is this typically the approach? What can we learn from those who understand the other side (customer retention) and how this can be a stronger player in the success of the establishments and brand? READ MORE

Revenue streams as well as profitability movements are very different in a city hotel compared to a resort hotel. Developers and stakeholders are keen on ensuring that the project they create is able to produce a healthy return on investment. City hotels generally cater to the corporate segment while resort hotels tend to address the leisure segment. Comparatively, city hotels tend to have a lesser variety of revenue streams than resort hotels. Additionally, more and more resort hotels are becoming hybrid products serving business as well as leisure needs. This combination ensures that they do not have all their eggs in one basket and could have a better bottom line sustenance strategy over time. At the end of the day, that is what stakeholders will be looking for in their investment. READ MORE

No longer just passive observers, the modern internet and mobile users are now actively engaged and are determining the type of relationship they have with their favorite brands, organizations and communities. Consumers are using Smartphone apps and social media on a daily basis, to connect like never before. As media habits change from static to dynamic, local to global and from fixed to mobile, it is becoming crucial for companies to have a digital marketing strategy that utilizes both a social media presence and mobile applications to cross-promote their brand and products. READ MORE

The 2012 Local Consumer Review survey conducted by Search Engine Land, found that 52 percent of consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. The survey also reports that Restaurants / Cafes were the most searched businesses, followed by, you guessed it, Hotels/B&B's/Guest Houses. You want more proof that potential guests rely on online reviews? In 2011, research firm Forrester found that nearly 50 percent of consumers won't book a hotel that doesn't have online reviews. READ MORE

Trade secrets - employee and customer lists, financial and marketing information, research and development data - this is prized information to any business. Keeping this information secret gives a business the competitive edge. Compromising that secrecy, especially to a competitor, can be very costly. Employee access to technology and use of social media presents challenges to businesses seeking to protect trade secrets. Overly broad restrictions on employee use of social media may be deemed illegal. Conversely, a lack of effective measures to address the problem leaves a business vulnerable. This article examines measures employers can take to protect business proprietary information. READ MORE