Peter Ducker, Institute of Hospitality

Continued Growth Gives Hope of Sustained Recovery

Connected World: Mobile Travel Agents

Use Social Media to Attract Gen Y

Hotel La Tour is Harnessing the Power of Customer Reviews

Pub Talk Management

5 Ways to Acknowledge Loyalty

Advice on Budgets and Unlocking Additional Sales

News and Announcements from Hotel Suppliers

2014 will be an important year of

transition for Hotel Industry Magazine: the brand is retiring its print

editions with immediate effect.

This is by no means the end, but

rather the start of an exciting new era

for Hotel Industry as it focuses on

developing its digital and event

offerings.

We believe that this move reflects the

views of our readers and allows us to

keep pace with changes in the UK

hotel sector. In recent years, UK

hoteliers have worked tirelessly to

embrace the digital age and now have

cutting edge technology at their

fingertips.

Technology is now so entrenched in

our readers' business models, we

believe that the traditional print

magazine has become out-dated in

this sector.

The hotel-industry.co.uk website will

continue to deliver the same level of

analysis, comment, data and

actionable intelligence, combining

content from the website and the

magazine.

While there are exciting possibilities

ahead for us, I wanted to assure you

that the decision to cease publication

of a regular print magazine was not

taken lightly.

The reality is that the number of print

magazine titles for UK hoteliers is

increasing and their effectiveness is

decreasing.

Combined with the ever-increasing

expense of print and delivery, the

creation of a traditional print magazine

is no longer a tenable business

proposition.

The Hotel Industry brand has always

been about ―intelligence‖. For a time,

a traditional print magazine was the

most effective way to disseminate that

intelligence, but times have

changed ... and so must we.

Hotel Industry Magazine

Winter 2014 – ISSN 2051-0632

Editorial

Editor: Lee Jamieson

Email: editor@hotel-industry.co.uk

Editorial Contributors: Elliot Adams, Mark Chambers, Peter

Ducker, Caroline Cooper, Lee Jamieson, Victoria Jamieson,

Conor Kenny, Angelo Rossini, Jane Schofield

Hotel Data Partners: BDO and Euromonitor International

Digital

Web: www.hotel-industry.co.uk

Supplier Directory: www.hotel-industry.co.uk/directory

Twitter: @hotel_industry

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hotel.industry

Jamieson Media

Hotel Industry Magazine and hotel-industry.co.uk are published

by Jamieson Media, a UK Registered Partnership

Website: www.jamiesonmedia.co.uk

Email: contact@jamiesonmedia.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 127 7969 65

The opinions and views contained in this publication are not

necessarily those of the publisher. The publishers regret that

they cannot accept liability for error or omissions in this

publication, however caused.

All information in this publication is provided for general use.

The publishers advise all readers to seek specialist advice

before acting on any information contained in this publication.

Readers are also advised to directly contact advertisers and

companies mentioned in this publication in order to qualify the

claims made, adherence to regulation and financial security.

No material in this publication may be reproduced in any form

without the prior written permission of the publisher.

© Copyright 2014, Jamieson Media

After a prolonged period in the deepest UK recession since the War we are finally reporting bona-fide growth. The latest official statistics and forecasts make positive reading: unemployment has fallen to its lowest level since 2009, household spending and retail sales made modest gains in the second half of 2013; and, instead of the 1.5% it gave us a few months ago, the IMF now expects the UK to grow 2.4% this year, higher than any other European country. Of course, such positive news is hugely welcome, but it is not without challenges for our industry. In an even more fiercely competitive labour market, how will economic growth affect our ability to recruit and retain capable and talented employees? Undoubtedly, our industry was one of the success stories of the recession. While the public sector, financial services, manufacturing and engineering shrank, the hospitality industry created 153,000 new jobs between 2010 and 2012 – a quarter of all new jobs, according to the British Hospitality Association. Attract Yet despite such facts, many parents, teachers and careers advisors continue to regard hospitality as a

career of last resort. Trying to attract school leavers to our industry is leaving it too late. That is why a number of schemes aim to educate and influence primary school children about the variety of opportunities that hospitality offers. Of course we need chefs, waiters and receptionists, but we also need professionally-qualified employees in IT, online distribution, revenue management, web-analytics, interior design, property and acquisitions, branding, sales and marketing. Kristian Nenchev, 24, recently won an Institute of Hospitality Student Award. He is now a revenue manager for Marriott International. His talent for maths and IT could have taken him into any sector, but he chose hotels. Why? ―I was thinking of joining IT College and studying to become a programmer. But somewhere along the line I looked at the stereotype of a person that works in IT and I just didn‘t see myself in it,‖ he says. ―And therefore I switched to something completely different because I wanted to have human interaction and teamwork and just have a balanced approach to work in terms of time spent in front of a computer and interacting with people. Hospitality

offered that balance.‖ Career choice Coming out of recession does not mean that we are returning to a pre-2008 world. The environment has changed significantly, and in many respects, the changes make hospitality a more attractive career choice than ever before. Firstly, the growth is set to continue. Long-term employment projections suggest that by 2020 hospitality‘s UK workforce will have grown by 6% and, including replacement demand, an additional 660,200 people will need to be recruited, according to People 1st. This includes plenty of management roles, which gives hospitality a real advantage over other sectors where senior roles may not be available. Secondly, more and more hospitality firms are being recognised as employers of choice. In the latest Sunday Times list of the UK‘s 25 Best Big Companies to Work For, there is a higher number of hospitality and leisure organisations than from any other sector. Seven employers make the list (IHG, Bourne Leisure, McDonald‘s, Marriott Hotels, Whitbread, Hilton Worldwide and Elior UK) beating six from the professional services sector and four from retail.

Thirdly, hospitality is not badly paid. At IHG UK, 11% of employees earn £35,000 or more compared to 3% or 4% for most retail companies. In a recent comparison of corporate and management roles across the UK by remuneration experts MHR Global, hospitality pay was higher than the general market in 30% of cases. Finally, studying at an English university has now become extremely costly, meaning that many young people are looking at alternative routes into employment or further education. Hospitality‘s low barriers to entry mean there are roles for everyone, with or without qualifications, and for those with ambition and talent, the career paths are very clear. Our industry has many leaders, such as Sir David Michels and Alan Parker, who started their careers working as chefs or waiting on tables. Belonging Once our new recruits have entered our industry, we need to make sure that we plan their development, nurture them, motivate them, support them with career-long learning; give them a feeling of belonging and a sense of identity. Lack of a clearly visible career path can be a major factor in failing to retain talent.

Educators, employers, trade associations and individual managers and supervisors all have a role and responsibility in this. More and more organisations realise that developing their own staff is cost-effective because it reduces turnover and recruitment agency fees. Even more critically, it helps an organisation maintain consistent standards. The opportunity for continuous professional development underpinned by a caring culture that recognises the need for work/life balance is understood to be the way to generate loyalty and discretionary effort from employees. So how should organisations best deploy their training and development budgets to attain the best results in retention? Research by People 1st shows that turnover for frontline staff is the highest of any group of employees, averaging 30%. This group is also the most likely to stay by being offered regular and relevant training. Turnover among middle managers is 23% and among senior managers it is 21%. Although training spend on senior management has increased over the last four to five years, it has decreased for middle managers and frontline staff. This research suggests, therefore, that current training budgets need to be

spread more evenly to ensure they also reach frontline workers who are the most likely to stay loyal to the company as a result of the investment. Retention We believe that full-time study and college-based part-time study have a valid place and have been proven over the years to be effective. We also see a growing demand for the flexibility of work-based education, enabling companies to tailor programmes such as ours to their own products and culture, but still deliver an examination-based and internationally-recognised qualification. Such in-house staff development programmes are by no means the preserve of large companies, but can be easily put in place for small and medium-sized operations. Offering work-based learning qualifications and management development gives hotel operators a tremendous good corporate citizenship message to staff, the local community and to clients. Providing opportunities and investing in your future managers can only reflect well on everyone concerned.

1. Look at your teams and identify your stars of tomorrow 2. Remember that highly effective work-based learning programmes are available to companies of all sizes 3. Engage with your local hospitality colleges and educators 4. Make sure that your training budgets and programmes are reaching staff at all levels in your organisation 5. Go to your local primary and secondary schools and give a presentation about the huge variety of jobs available in the hotel industry

The performance of the UK hotel sector continued its upward trajectory at the end of 2013, ending the year on a positive note, according to data from Hotel Industry Data, in partnership with business advisory and accountancy firm, BDO LLP. Operators in the regions saw their room yields surge ahead followed by those in London giving further evidence that a sustained recovery in the sector and the economy as a whole is gaining a foothold. Growth Across the UK Rooms yield in the regions increased by 9.9% year-on-year to £35.56,

compared to £32.35 in December 2012. This was the result of a 4.7% rise in room rate from £53.99 to £56.54, combined with a 5% improvement in occupancy from 59.9% to 62.9%. Growth in the regions seems to be leading the sector out of recession, ending the year in positive territory in terms of room yield and only marginally down on average room rate. This is the first year since 2005 where the regions have led the charge over the year as a whole—but will this trend continue throughout 2014.

In the capital, rooms yield rose to £95.44, a 5.9% year-on-year increase. This was driven by a 5.5% improvement in room rate from £118.79 to £125.31 and a 0.4% rise in occupancy to 76.2%, compared with 75.8% a year ago. London enjoyed a strong end to the year despite the difficult start when the City was managing the oversupply hangover from the Olympics. Although the strong second half of the year didn‘t quite make up the lost ground, improved sentiment surrounding the economy and a strengthening corporate market bodes well for 2014.

Dig deeper into BDO‘s figures in our interactive Hotel Industry Data Centre. Benchmark your occupancy, RevPar and rate by location and sector with our interactive graphs and visualisations. Discover More: www.hotel-industry.co.uk/data

In an information and e-commerce environment where consumers are increasingly using different platforms to access the internet, the mobile channel is constantly gaining ground, not only due to the use of smartphones and tablets as ―personal assistants‖ but also to make travel bookings. Today, the mobile channel is accounting for a growing share of the online reservations of OTAs (online travel agencies) and hotel chains, but we have also seen the first mobile-only travel agencies (MTAs) entering the market. These are currently niche players focusing on tonight-only bookings made by travellers on the go. However, in an increasingly competitive mobile travel arena, the most successful mobile-only players are expected to reach the mainstream market in the next few years, gaining share at the expense of traditional OTAs. Reaching Consumers through any Screen Today‘s consumers are increasingly ―multi-screen‖, moving from their television to their PC to their smartphone and tablet to consume information and entertainment content, but also for e-commerce purposes. This is why companies, and especially travel companies given the importance of online sales for this industry, need to be active throughout all platforms. According to Expedia‘s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, ―with the proliferation of devices coming out there you have to build your technology with very flexible architecture‖ so that companies are able to reach consumers on any type of device, also now including internet-connected glasses and watches. Evolving Roles for Internet Devices However, different devices are being used by consumers in different ways.

Laptop and desktop PCs still currently play a dominant role in online bookings. Mobile devices are clearly acquiring the role of personal assistants for travellers and their importance as a customer service tool is set to grow further over the next few years. The conversion rate of web searches into sales is currently still much lower for smartphones than for PCs, however, while tablets fare better from this point of view. The convenience of smartphones and tablets and a change in consumer habits favouring last-minute bookings when on the go, however, will gradually change this. Mobile bookings have already started to rocket over the last couple of years and are predicted to possibly surpass those made through PCs in some travel categories in a few years‘ time. Orbitz says that mobile bookings accounted for 30% of its total hotel reservations in Q2 2013, with the company expecting them to account for over 50% in the next few years, while Chinese OTA Ctrip states that the mobile channel already accounted for 40% of its hotel bookings in July and August 2013. Are We Witnessing a Shift Towards an MTA Era in Travel? The evolving role of mobile devices, which will see them gradually acquire a major and possibly dominant role in travel sales, means that all travel players will need to embrace these platforms and the technological flexibility mentioned by Mr Khosrowshahi. But, are we going to also see a rise in specialist mobile travel agencies? The first developments in this area are already taking place. The above-mentioned Chinese OTA Ctrip is increasingly focusing its growth on this channel, aiming to essentially become a mobile player.

Moreover, there are already some online travel agencies which were born as mobile-only players. These include American company Hotel Tonight and European players Blink, JustBook and Hot Hotels/ReallyLateBooking. All these companies were created to focus on tonight-only bookings, targeting on-the-go travellers. However, following the development and increasing importance of the mobile channel, MTAs today have the opportunity to expand from being niche to mainstream players. Challenging Traditional Online Travel Players Among the current mobile travel agencies, Hotel Tonight and Blink appear to have the strongest growth potential. Hotel Tonight raised US$45 million in venture capital funding in September 2013 while in the same month Blink was acquired by Groupon. In particular, the combination of Blink‘s mobile booking know-how and Groupon‘s hotel inventory make the Spanish MTA a very promising player in this category in the near future. The next few years will certainly witness major new developments in the mobile travel agency space, including the rise of new players, substantial investment in them and some consolidation activity. Some major moves will certainly be made by leading online travel agencies such as Priceline and Expedia, traditionally at the forefront of innovation as far as travel technology is concerned, in order to defend their positions in this rising channel through both organic growth and acquisitions. On the other hand, the most successful mobile-only players will certainly gain some ground in online travel, tapping into the growth of the mobile category.

Social media is a key communications tool for businesses as they look to communicate with ‗Generation-Y‘ and the hotel industry is no exception. Big or small, independent boutique or internationally renowned chain, it is important to ensure customers feel their opinions are being heard. They need a window into your business, whether it‘s to praise you or to inform you of something that was less than satisfactory. A business with an effectively managed online presence on reviews and recommendations platforms like Yelp, is far more likely to get customers through the door and have them return time and again once they realise their voice has been heard.

Generation-Y are using social media and review sites to find the perfect hotel for their stay, as well as nearby bars, clubs, restaurants and boutiques that will enrich their experience. Here are a few pointers to help you attract those younger, trendier customers.

People like to know about other people. Tell your potential customers where you‘re from and who you are, in order to really connect with them. If you talk to them, they are far more likely to want to talk to you, and ultimately make that all-important purchase decision. Businesses can create an online journey for their customers before they‘ve even reached the door, without having to spend vast amounts of money on more traditional marketing methods. Creating a full website may not always be right for every business, but maximising social media and review sites really goes the distance in building an online presence with a personality.

Your online profile is the first thing your potential Gen-Y guests will see, so it‘s vital to really bring it to life and give it a personality. Pick photos that are colourful and vibrant, and make sure there are enough of them to really peak customers‘ interest. It‘s also imperative to keep these photos up to date, so if you‘ve had a revamp or rebrand, be sure to pop up some photos so new customers know exactly what to expect. With review sites such as Yelp, users are also able to upload their own photos of your business, which adds a further personal touch.

Any online profile for your business must include updated contact details at the very least. Additionally, include information on other aspects such as pricing, business hours and nearest public transport links. Make sure all details are easy to find and that your profile is easy to navigate. Ultimately, ensure you never leave your customers needing more information about you or what you offer.

The family-run Avo Hotel opened in the trendy East End‘s newly emerging capital, Dalston, in March 2011. It soon flourished in London‘s hipster haven, with daughter Sunny at the helm of the marketing machine. The family attribute Avo‘s success to connecting with a newer, younger crowd through social media, using Yelp as a key tool to kick-start conversations with potential hotel goers. ―First of all, Dad insisted on traditional marketing, putting an advert in the Hackney Gazette,‖ says Sunny. ―This was despite my efforts to convince him that our target audience was younger and trendier, and would look to the Internet to find information – they probably wouldn‘t even see that print advert. I soon managed to show him that an online presence on social media sites, particularly Yelp, is so important in reaching that demographic and finding potential customers looking for somewhere to stay in the area. It‘s a free way to connect with the people we want to target – guests looking to relax and have fun.

―We drive people to the basic booking engine on our own website via social media, and also word of mouth through our relationships with other local businesses. I post regular updates on our own social media pages, then I log on to Yelp‘s talk boards to look for people asking about places to stay. ―What‘s really amazing about the Yelp community is that if I‘ve missed any enquiries on the talk boards, I tend to find that the network of Yelpers will actually have recommended Avo on my behalf, as we‘ve built up a reliable presence and reputation with them. ―It‘s so important to allow your customers a voice and respond publicly to feedback too. It‘s great for younger people to be talking about your business, and it‘s wonderful to have the opportunity to read and respond to our reviews, even if the comments are negative. It gives us piece of mind in a way, as we are still new to this and not professionals, so it‘s comforting to have feedback to take on board.‖

In keeping with our mantra of feedback, feedback, feedback, our website is now publishing live, unedited reviews gathered by a third party. I believe we are amongst the first in the luxury hotel market to take this step. We are using Feefo, the global feedback engine, to collect feedback from guests and the reviews are then posted on our homepage – you can take a look at www.hotel-latour.co.uk This move means we can publish the opinions of verified guests, ensuring the reviews are 100 per cent genuine. We view it is an important tool in allowing customers to make an informed choice and help in our aim of delivering outstanding customer service. We started to engage with our guests on Tripadvisor, Twitter and Facebook when our hotel opened in Birmingham in March 2012. Working with Feefo is an extension of our customer-focused approach to encouraging reviews and responding to genuine customer opinion. Prospective customers can go to our site and click on the Feefo button to see all of our verified reviews. It is a valuable tool in helping to improve our customer service and also for prospective customers when choosing where to stay. All comments received via Feefo are published and each review receives a unique response from the General Manager. We aim to respond to every review within seven days. In the case

of a negative comment, we try to respond within 24 hours as well as making personal contact with the guest by way of a telephone call from a director of the hotel. Since the system was implemented in March this year, some 1,300 reviews have been posted. An average of 95% of correspondents describe our service as ―good‖ or ―excellent‖ and a similar percentage also rate the hotel product as ―good‖ or ―excellent.‖ We have made a number of business changes as a result of the insights gained from this genuine customer feedback. These include placing bottled water in bedrooms, providing a choice of pillows, enhancing water pressure in showers, and altering the TV and radio channel selection so guests can receive BBC Radio 4 and BBC Midlands in the hotel bedrooms. It is also a great mechanism for allowing specific requests from individuals to be addressed. For example, our IT director was able to personally assist a regular guest who had queries about our wifi logins (incidentally, wifi is complimentary throughout the hotel). This touch of personalisation is something we aspire to offer wherever possible and which, incidentally, always elicits glowing reports back from those who benefit as a result! Feefo has been integrated into our Micros booking system. Guests now automatically receive an email from us thanking them for their stay and notifying them they will receive an invitation to provide feedback.

Feefo then emails guests directly for their comments and ratings along a four point scale from ―excellent‖ to ―bad‖ in the areas of hotel and restaurant service, hotel accommodation, conference facilities and dining experience. All hotel guests receive a Feefo request and returning customers are invited to respond once every three months. All responses are posted directly onto our website, as well as Feefo‘s. The system is completely independent and allows no editing or deletion except for the cases of personal details being disclosed or the use of inappropriate language. Our policy is to embrace social media and online customer reviews: it makes good business sense to listen to your customers, respond to what they are saying and, where appropriate, make business changes which will enhance your offering. Guest comments are also extremely valuable in the on-going training of our team. All our customers are invited to share their experiences via Feefo and around 16% do so. This is above average for the hospitality sector and we continue to work to encourage more to take part. The fact that the system is completely independent, affords credibility and demonstrates our determination to ensure all our guests have the very best possible experience when staying with us. At the same time we know that, on occasion, things will go wrong and I think that anyone looking at our reviews can see that we genuinely do strive to deliver the very best customer service.

It‘s Not That Simple Stupid! When storms hit the high seas, people perish. Sometimes they perish at the hands of pirates. Sometimes by managers who manage by slogan. As the world economy slowly tries to get back on its feet, like an out-flowing tide, we can‘t help but see what damage the storm left below the surface. That damage is often not repairable. When people are under pressure they can reveal the truth behind the superficial charm. That‘s easy in a boom, not so easy in a collapse. Thing is, masks that slipped are not easily forgotten. Peter Drucker, in The Age of Discontinuity said ―Management is simple but not easy. The simple part is knowing what to do. The part that is not easy is getting others to do it‖ Books Bearing False Promises Walk in to any bookstore and you will be bombarded with books bearing promises of simple solutions. They draw attention because they confirm our prejudices. They draw attention because they pretend to make something complex simple. People are not machines and emotions play an enormous part in our decisions. It is all too easy to think

the solutions to good management can be lifted off a bookshelf and learnt in a day. They can‘t. A Good Boss If you ask anyone to reflect on the good bosses or managers they encountered in their lifetime, you‘ll see that it is always a very small number. If you asked about bad bosses, the numbers would rise. A good manager is often remembered as ―tough but fair‖ and, interestingly enough, never ―fair but tough‖ In my own daily life working with managers, I can remember a handful that are outstanding. At the other end of the spectrum, I remember a very tall manager doing his best to knock out a member of his team across the boardroom table. Thankfully the table was wide enough to reduce his powerful reach. Those that you remember, as well as being tough but fair, also have a strong sense of their own humility and how their words and actions impact on those below their rank. I can think of great managers who never did anything but the ‗right thing‘ even when it was difficult and unpopular. I can think of one especially awful manager who spied on his staff all

day long. Happiness for him was to lay traps and watch, on CCTV as they tumbled. Of course the next step was execution. Words Words, no matter how simple, can have an impact we never know. Our language is complex enough and ambiguity can destroy a gentle soul. What we say, and how we say it, can make or break the most loyal individual. Yes indeed, words, damn words, can paralyse a giant. “Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Words can be the ignition to launch an army and words, misused, can wreck your voyage, capsize your ship and feed the pirates. The Manager’s Slogans Recently, I gave a workshop to a fantastic group of very bright managers. We talked ―management by slogan‖ and I gave them a 15 minute breakout to come back with classic Pub Talk Management clichés. They did and here‘s just some of the list they produced:

I‘m the boss – just do it!

Hmmm – I don‘t like that

I heard you...but....

Tried that, done that, not doing it again

Going forward/Action it/cascade etc.

It‘s out of my pay grade

That‘s just the way it is

Not him again!

I‘ll do it myself

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I wouldn‘t bother asking him

What would you expect?

I bet that‘s ―....‖ on the phone

They need more training

Sure you love doing cash don‘t you?

Get rid of them!

Maybe another time

Do us a favour and say this...

What are you talking about?

I could but I won‘t

No or no you can‘t

Keep your eye on the ball A New Year’s Thought When they were done and when the laughter was over, smiling faces turned a little dark. Of course they had just realised that they were energetically writing down the very things they themselves say. When the day was over this exercise had really stood out. In the end they realised just one thing. Slogans that are only good for Pub

talk have no place at work. Now that you‘ve read this article, perhaps you‘d agree too? Better still, avoiding Pub Talk Management Slogans might even be a powerful New Year‘s resolution.

Conor Kenny and Associates are experts in sales, marketing, sales training and people development. They help you to get the most out of your people and your business. Companies don‘t innovate; people do. Discover more: www.conorkenny.com

It's estimated that over two thirds of customers will fail to return if they feel unappreciated. This is the number one reason businesses lose customers. So are you doing enough to show your appreciation of your most loyal guests? Here are 5 things you could be doing if you‘re not already… 1. Ask for Feedback Never take your regulars for granted; ask for their feedback and resolve any shortfalls quickly. Problems or challenges are often your opportunity to shine and leave a positive lasting impression if dealt with positively. Now‘s a chance to exceed expectations. Face to face feedback will always win over a comments form or questionnaire. Ask them what they like and what disappoints them if anything, so you can learn from this and continually improve. Guests will be flattered if you ask for their opinions. Keep them updated with the changes they‘ve made to demonstrate that you have been listening. What better excuse to invite them back to show changes?

2. Show your Appreciation Show your appreciation of their custom with a simple thank you message. Naturally you‘ll do this in person. But follow up with a simple personalised thank you note a few days later to show your appreciation. Give them something to remember you by, especially if it is handwritten and tailored to them. Some think in this web based age this is out dated; how would your guests react to receiving something in the post, rather than clogging up their email inbox? 3. Remember Them Not only addressing your guests by name (although don‘t under estimate the impact when someone remembers your name especially when you aren't expecting it), it‘s also about remembering their preferences. Do they have any particular likes and dislikes, what is their favourite table or room, do they have any particular

requirements such as a late check in or special diet. How do they like their drinks mixed? Do we know their birthday or any special anniversaries? Remembering such details will always be appreciated. Record their personal details and any special requirements so whoever is on duty the welcome your guest receives is consistent. 4. Make them Feel Special Give them access to events, packages or facilities which are exclusive to them, and that have genuine benefits. How does it make you feel when you see promotions offering special deals for new customers that aren‘t available to you as an existing customer? Make your loyal customers feel valued. This not only demonstrates your appreciation of their custom, it potentially prompts additional bookings or sales.

5. Show you Care Be attentive to your guests‘ individual needs and specific circumstances. Listen, engage and take time to show your genuine interest in them. Take every opportunity to give spontaneous and unexpected little extras that they won‘t get from your competitors, pay attention to detail, be consistent, do that little bit extra when needed, so your guests always feel appreciated. Your guests will compare you with anyone else who delivers a service. So as long as you deliver a five-star service you‘re going to compare favourably with all your ‗competition‘.

Caroline Cooper is an author, trainer, and consultant on customer services and loyalty helping businesses to get more sales through their existing customers. She is founder of Naturally Loyal and author of The Hotel Success Handbook. Discover more: www.naturallyloyal.com

As our thoughts turn to the budgeting process, we will be busy in January reviewing the financial performance for the new fiscal year of 2014/15. As ever, I will be speaking to our General Managers about ways to obtain some growth within the business. This is particularly critical as we, like most businesses, are facing ever increasing costs. If we are to protect and improve the profit performance of the business we simply need more top line sales. So how do we do this? I always use the adage that ―if you always do what you‘ve always done, you always get what you‘ve always got‖ and it is never truer than in this case. Hotel management is not complex, nor is the process needed to make things work, however growing sales is always a challenge. Within our operations we are often in the mind set of doing the same things, day in day out and clearly this will always achieve the same

result. There are a number of ways to grow your business, often this is done through physical changes such as building, converting more space to bedrooms and introducing new facilities, but this is often brings capital expense and a major shift. What I‘m talking about here is lots of little things to ―create the change‖. Some ways of creating increased sales are fairly elementary; the introduction of new services, a push around the conversion of sleepers to diners and creating more room service covers are all perennial favourites but these will not win the day. Growing significant sales needs much more innovation and thought than that. We have recently looked at this challenge within our business and have made just a couple of subtle changes to make a difference. The introduction of additional tables into our restaurants on busy Fridays or Saturdays when the demand is there, rather than always doing the same number of

set tables is one example – sounds basic but it works! We have also looked at ways to increase the productivity of our spa spaces at peak times. Our spas, like our restaurants, are often sold out on Saturdays but demand is always high so squeezing more out of the spaces available is key; starting staff earlier and finishing later are obvious moves. The message here is not necessarily the ideas themselves but introducing a change of approach, a different way of thinking about your business and taking the time out to spring clean your strategy. Taking your teams on the journey with you is essential for a supportive buy in, rather than just dictating a change which is often just seen as extra work and effort for no gain. I don‘t have the answers on all of this but what I urge everyone to do is take a fresh look at the way they do things, as it‘s often a number of small changes that ―create the change‖.

It‘s 2014 - Do you know about latest advancements in mobile technology for hotels? A Monscierge innovations and technology specialist will co-host a discussion panel during London‘s Hospitality Technology Europe, Feb.5th 2014, highlighting the newest features in mobile technology being implemented throughout hotels this year. The panel members of the Maximising App Power in Hotels forum seek to engage in discussions on various topics from marketing and promoting your hotel app, to guest utilisation of

app features, monitoring spending behaviours, and quantifying guest satisfaction results, as well as discussing other areas of app functionality. Monscierge was selected for the panel because of a persistent dedication to improving guest experiences and hotel staff efficiency - for continually seeking technology advancements that both inspire customer loyalty and increase property revenue. We are excited about discussing mobile apps that feature full functionality in multiple languages, control at a brand level with unique property highlights and local

recommendations, and an app for hotel staff that answers guest requests and monitors guests‘ feedback in real-time. Delivering this level of technology with your brand and design in a few weeks across hundreds of properties is what we do; innovative collaboration such as that from Hospitality Technology Europe is where we look to combine strengths for tomorrow‘s technology. If you miss the show, please contact us for information, ideas, thoughts or questions. Monscierge UK+44 78 1000 3838 USA+1 (405) 633 0070 www.monscierge.com

HRS is the world‘s largest online corporate hotel booking portal, offering business and leisure travellers access to over 250,000 hotels in 180 countries across the world. The site is fee free, and offers a price guarantee with a money back promise if bookers find the same room cheaper on another site. It is this transparency, combined with its depth of hotel content that keeps the site‘s 12 million visitors returning month after month.

HRS is widely regarded amongst corporate bookers, with over 35,000 companies booking via HRS. For hotels looking to maximise this market, HRS is an ideal partner, with a superb platform. The site facilitates rich content, translated into over 32 languages and has over 5million independent reviews. Hotel results are based on search criteria and not by advertising, enabling a level playing field for independent and chain properties. HRS also works with hotels to optimise their content, providing statistical data on how a hotel should best display itself– whether by changing descriptors or sharing more

photographs, for example. Its vast resources of data mean HRS can recommend tactical changes in order for hotels to increase conversions. For hotels looking to attract significant business travel traffic and to see a real return on these bookings, HRS is ready to hear from you and find out more. HRS Corporate – The Hotel Solutions Provider 0208 846 0643 www.hrscorporate.com

TSS Card Locks use RFiD Technology to give you trouble free performance partnered with high customer confidence and satisfaction from our Electronic Hotel Locks. You too can benefit from the advanced management our Hotel Lock systems offer whilst reducing maintenance overheads and removing customer frustration with older Hotel Card locks and key systems.

We will configure the system to your own requirements so you will have no steep learning curve to climb. The Hotel Locking System will operate the way you do. All our systems can be installed into a live Hotel if required, with the minimum of disruption to guests and staff. Our system support gives you total peace of mind. Your system will be backed up by 24 hour telephone support direct to an engineer, free dial in support, Annual Maintenance visits and free refresher training for staff members. We can offer you a cost-effective

Hotel locking solution designed to meet your high standards in conjunction with convenient payment options if required. Call us today to discuss how we can help. TillSecure Systems 0844 99 33 253 www.tss-locks.co.uk

Many of us at iTesso come from the hospitality business. Most of us got frustrated with the PMS and CRS systems out there. So we decided to create our own. One we know works for the job that needs to be done. The system we created is much more than another PMS or another CRS. It is hospitality technology the way we as hotelier would like to have it at our disposal. With mobile apps, both guest-facing and staff-facing; With dashboards showing information that

is there to support your next decision; With a user-friendly design; software that makes sense. To learn all about all the benefits of the iTesso Enterprise Lodging System, visit us at Hospitality Technology Europe, booth H256. iTesso 020 70965920 www.itesso.com

Vax Commercial cares for more than just your floors. Cosy sofas, carpets and soft furnishings all help make a room more comfortable and relaxing, but it can be a challenge to keep them thoroughly clean and hygienic. Vax Commercial‘s VCW-05 quick-drying spray extractor makes it easy, as its powerful suction removes embedded dirt and stubborn stains from carpets and upholstery, leaving them thoroughly clean and smelling fresh. It has excellent drying times, so your carpets are ready to walk on in no time. For a really hygienic clean of professional kitchens and bathroom surfaces, including windows, ovens, taps and tiles, Vax Commercial‘s VCST-01 steam cleaner is ideal for almost every surface around the premises. This multi-purpose cleaner switches easily between functions for steam cleaning and sucking up wet

spills. In steam mode it heats up in just 90 seconds to produce 4.5 bar of hot steam that sanitises and deodorises without chemicals for a thorough, hygienic clean. The VCW-05 spray extractor is available from January and VCST-01 steam cleaner from February 2014. A leading brand from one of the world‘s largest floorcare manufacturers, Vax Commercial‘s product range includes robust and upright vacuum cleaners, scrubber dryers, floor sweepers, carpet washers and cleaning detergents. Based in the heart of the UK, Vax Commercial has an excellent support and distribution network, plus unrivalled after sales support 7 days a week to help you with any query – big or small. Vax Commercial For more a free demonstration, training or further information, please email: sales@vaxcommercial.co.uk Follow us on Twitter @vaxcommercial

Bookings are up and attendee calibre is higher than ever for the 2014 Hotel Summit – an event supported by Hotel Industry Magazine. Now in its 15th year, the Hotel Summit, being held on the 12 -13 May at Heythrop Park Resort in Oxfordshire, puts its continuing success down to the attention paid to matching the requirements of delegates and suppliers alike, condensing months of work into under 2 days. With 4 months still to go until the summit, over 60% of delegate places have been booked. ―I was delighted with the quality of appointments, far from being unworkable. I found each delegate to be receptive and willing to engage in meaningful dialogue with a view to progressing a business relationship‖ said by Andy Garside, the Business

Development Manager at DHL International Planning for Success Forum Events Sales Director Sarah Hendy puts The Hotel Summit‘s success down to the level of research and planning put into each event: ―From both the delegate and supplier perspective, we ensure every attendee gets the most from the Summit. Delegates attend knowing that they will only meet with supplier companies they have requested, and in turn, the suppliers are aware that their meetings are matched with delegates who have an avid interest in the products or services they are promoting.‖ Throughout the event, delegates have the opportunity to attend industry related seminars presented by leading professionals. These inspirational,

motivating and educational 45 minute sessions will cover topics that are pertinent to their role within the Hotel industry. Delegate registration for the 2014 Hotel Summit is totally complimentary and includes meals and refreshments throughout the event, a place at the evening gala dinner on the 12th May, plus overnight accommodation at Heythrop Park Resort. Hotel Summit For further information please contact Emma Fludgate on 01992 374068 or email e.fludgate@forumevents.co.uk For supplier availability & costs contact Sharron Fothergill on 01992 374072 or email s.fothergill@forumevents.co.uk