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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Is Your Pub, Inn or Guesthouse Energy Efficient?


ABOVE: This cartoon from xkcd.com completely captures the tech support I received from a well-known computer company today.. This webcomic made me chuckle!

Impacting Future Profit

Every hotel, motel, guesthouse, or inn owner I speak to expresses a desire to help the environment and become more eco-friendly. In some cases, this desire stretches to a willingness to invest heavily in the quest. This article, Blue Sky Thinking, by Daniel Pearce in The Publican is a great example of the extent some publicans are willing to go to in order to make an impact on both the environment and their future profit.

The article begins by stating, “Rising energy costs… You should have already taken steps to tackle them…through ensuring you are on the best energy tariff for you, by taking all the simple energy-saving measures across your business, and by ensuring that your staff are following them too.”

Taking Steps?

However, many of the publicans I talk to during meetings and on social networking sites just aren’t taking steps to cut costs and increase efficiency.

What steps has your company taken to reduce the need for paperwork and filing?

One of the simplest and most cost-effective methods of reducing paperwork is to invest in a booking system to:

Create new bookings
View and edit existing bookings
Records customer details
Manage room bookings and venue bookings
Control payment details

Plus, using a booking system makes it simpler to produce reports including, customer loyalty reports, customer payment reports, guest arrival reports, hotel accounting reports, room financial reports

So, remember… You don’t need to go to the extent of the pub owner in The Publican article I mentioned above. Simple steps can make a huge difference to your establishment and the environment.

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk for more information or to comment. I'll get back to you as a matter of priority. Thanks!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Do You Own a Hotel Booking System?



Do You Own a Hotel Booking System?

If you own or manage a UK-based hotel booking system, I’d like to hear from you!

In October, I ran a special offer on behalf of HotelSystems.co.uk and the response they received was overwhelming. Pub and inn managers (as well as hotel and motel managers) downloaded their free trials and the feedback I received was incredibly positive.

Comments about the hotel booking system included:


“Very easy to learn and use” – Anne, The White Horse, Essex

“This is the first system that has made me want to evolve from my paper diary” – Mr. Evans, The Swan, Hertfordshire

“I thought that using a computerised booking system would be difficult as I’ve never been good with computers. However, I was wrong. This system took no time to learn and was really easy to use. In fact, I think it was faster than my paper-based system” – Trevor, The Nags Head, Staffordshire


So, a big success for everyone concerned!


However, I’m keen to hear from alternative systems that feel they can compete with Hotel Booking Systems. I’m aware that different software suits different establishments, and I’d like to promote these systems to the appropriate clientele. Therefore, please do not hesitate to contact me with details of your system and the discount you’d like to offer my readers.

The best way to contact me is on my personal email address: eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Do You Run a Pub or Inn with Accommodation?




Are you the owner or manager of a pub or inn with accommodation?

Do you manage bookings with a notepad and pen?

Do you feel as though a computerized booking system is out of your price range?


SPECIAL OFFER FROM MY FAVOURITE UK BOOKING SYSTEM...


Well... I have been in contact with Hotelsystems.co.uk. This British booking company offers an in-house Windows based application to help you automate your day-to-day room bookings, leaving you time to actually run your business.

Their booking software is one of my UK favourites and includes functionality for room booking, maintaining a maintenance schedule and customer invoicing requirements.

This month only...


Hotel Booking Systems have agreed to offer publicans who read my blog a FREE 30-day trial followed by a 5% discount when they purchase the full version. Here's how:


Click on THIS LINK for your FREE 30-day Trial:


Then... To purchase the full booking system:


1) Click HERE

2) Complete the form at the bottom of the page remembering to enter the Site Code and the MID code from the computer that you wish to be licensed.

3) Enter the promo code HSYSTEMSFIVE (as it is shown) to ensure your 5% discount is applied

4) Finally, click the continue button to see the purchase summary and complete payment.

In return for this generous offer, Hotel Booking Systems want to know what you think!

They are continually looking for ways in which to improve their product and/or service; so, if you have any feedback or questions please email them on sales@hotelsystems.co.uk or call +44 (0)7811 872519.

Alternatively, let me know what you think of their system, and I'll pass on any criticism, advice, or ideas for improvement... Or, of course, any praise!

Thanks again for reading,

Emma

Please do not hesitate to contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk with any comments.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Save The Great British Pub



Above: Six pubs are going out of business every day on average, with hundreds more under threat of closure.

Save The Great British Pub

In my article on August 10th, I discussed the challenges currently being faced by British Publicans in the wake of the smoking ban. In the piece, I talked about the many options available to pub owners and supported a 'The Publican’ reader, Steve W’s, opinion that, “publicans must now TAKE RESPONSIBILITY and move their businesses forward to adapt to the new law, instead of just whining about it.”

One of the alternatives I offered was the option of developing the accommodation side of the business, something which doesn’t always come naturally to publicans due to the differences in customer demographics.

The Only Option?

After writing the article I used networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to discuss this option with pub owners in more detail and wasn’t surprised to discover many publicans see this as their only option. More than fifty per cent of the landlords and landladies I spoke to had either newly renovated rooms within their establishment to accommodation standard or had newly marketed the rooms they already had available.

My next question was, “how do you manage your bookings?”

And… Quel surprise… The standard answer was, “a diary and pen”.

What can I say? Wow!

I’m sure that a diary and pen is sufficient for writing a customer’s name and phone number in the correct date, however, surely it will never be anything more than sufficient. If an establishment is marketing to a reasonable standard and providing a sufficient service and is therefore making a reasonable profit, then that’s great. But why would any pub, motel, or guest house want to do a reasonable job when they can do an excellent job in less time and for very little investment?

This was my argument to pub landlords on the many, many networking sites I used, and, in general, publicans and guest house owners agreed.

This is why I was excited, but not surprised, when I returned from my tour of South East Asia and spoke to a number of my suppliers and clients within the hotel booking system industry. Over the last few months the customer demographics have changed enormously and the number of publicans purchasing booking systems to manage both their rooms and their customer base has more than doubled.

… This is great news for British pubs!


It means that publicans know that they must go above and beyond to build their customer base and satisfy their patrons. It means that they are focused on building their businesses by becoming customer focused, and it means one more thing…

It means that if you are a publican, landlord, landlady, or guest house owner, without a booking system to manage your accommodation, you are being left behind. It means that you need to follow the advice of Steve W writing on The Publican Forums… You must TAKE RESPONSIBILITY and move your businesses forward to adapt to the new law… Accommodation may be the only way to move your business forward… And accommodation requires a new level of customer relationship management… You need a booking system.

Thanks once again for reading,

Emma

For more information on
hotel booking systems for pubs and guest houses, don't hesitate to leave a comment here or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Back in Action


Left: Pagodas and temples in present-day Bagan, Burma

Back in Action


I’m back. Apologies to everyone for the extended absence, but after two years of continuous hard work, I was in desperate need of a long holiday (with a few moments of research thrown in for good measure) to completely unwind.

I was lucky enough to be able to fit in a month of Hong Kong, Thailand, and Myanmar, before heading back to the UK for a winter of research, consultancy, and product development… So now it’s full steam ahead!

I have already been in touch with two of my favorite hotel booking systems and have exciting news from both. I’m currently consulting for Hotel Booking Systems who have (yet again) surprised me with an amazing upgrade to their current system… More news to follow shortly!

I have also been surprised by the change of customer demographics for both of these companies and look forward to reporting more about this.

Who’d have guessed that so much could change in just a month!

I will of course be writing more regularly again and am looking forward to keeping you up to date with the ever-evolving world of hotel booking software.

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Please feel free to leave your comments below or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Monday, August 10, 2009

And So the Debate Rages On...



Above: Yet another hilarious cartoon drawn on the back of a business card by Hugh MacLeod!

And So the Debate Rages On...

The debate amongst British publicans and landlords rages on… The same argument that has been a hot topic of conversation since July 2007… Should smoking be banned in pubs?

Nowhere is this debate more alive and more relevant than on the blogs and forums presented by The Publican, a popular online magazine for pub and inn owners who are ‘Proud of Pubs’.

The main argument is that the smoking ban is having an extremely detrimental effect on pubs in the UK and that banning the use of a legal substance goes against our human right (and democratic right) to choose.

However, the other side of the coin is that the ban is in place and publicans must accept this, take responsibility for their businesses, and find ways to use the ban to their advantage.

My Views

To make it clear at this point, I am neither strongly for nor against the ban. I am a non-smoking, pub-loving individual who regularly frequented such establishments prior to the ban on smoking and will continue to do so post ban. I DO like waking up the next morning without my hair stinking of stale smoke… But I DO NOT like what the ban stands for. I am a firm-believer in freedom of both personal speech and action and if a ban on smoking is imposed now, what will be next.

But is the Ban the ONLY Cause of Pub Bankruptcies


However, many publicans are blaming the ban for the failure of their establishment but fail to recognize that every pub is in the same position, and every landlord or landlady has the same opportunity to adapt and evolve their business to overcome the hardships created by the ban.

As Steve W from The Publican forums says, “The law has changed, plain and simple, so we have to adapt and work in new ways within the law.”

I must admit to liking and supporting Steve W’s opinions. In one of his postings he argues that, “Smoking indoors has been banned so publicans must now TAKE RESPONSIBILITY and move their businesses forward to adapt to the new law, instead of just whining about it. I've never claimed my location isn't an advantage, that would be stupid, BUT I pay handsomely for such a location (obviously) so, relatively speaking, I have little advantage over any other pub ( a pub only 2 minutes walk from me, but off the high street, pays £30K less rent) and the point I've made in the past is that your location guarantees nothing; the previous lessee was almost bankrupt - in exactly the same pub in exactly the same location - you have to work the pub to take full advantage of its location, wherever it is.”

Here here, Steve W!

Creating an attractive seating area outside is, of course, one way to take responsibility. However, many publicans are creating ‘outside smoking areas’ which are unattractive and uninviting. Why not create an outside area which is attractive to all patrons and ensure that each table includes an ashtray? Why does it have to be an ‘outside smoking area’? This caters to all pub goers and creates both a smoker and non-smoker friendly environment.

Alternatives...

Another alternative has been to increase the amount of attention placed on food within pubs and inns, however, Pete Robinson makes a good point on The Publican forums when he says,

“Let's imagine all wet-led pubs decided to 'move their businesses forward', i.e. concentrate on food. I'm sure that many closed pubs have already gone that route only to discover it's no guaranteed ticket to survival. They would be moving into a shrinking market when competition is at an all-time high - a recipe for disaster. Since pubcos targeted the food sector it's reached such saturation point they can't even find decent catering staff. Read this short report in The Recruiter

So what’s left?

One option for many pub and inn owners is to concentrate on the accommodation side of business. However, many publicans are inexperienced within this highly customer service oriented sector and are unable to provide guests with the level of stay they require. Especially considering the demographics of a typical inn accommodation customer (female, 30 to 45, university educated, looking for a romantic break) vary considerably from the typical demographics of a regular pub goer!

Also, many of the pub and inn owners that I have met over the past year or so have had little experience with managing bookings. Any publican serious about evolving this side of business must throw away his or her notebook and pencil booking system and invest in a customer relationship management system (CRM) and also an effective booking system.

Despite initial reactions of, “we can’t afford an investment like that”, a booking system doesn’t have to be expensive. Take, for example, the booking system offered by Hotel Booking Systems, a UK-based company that focuses on the needs of small hotels, pubs, inns, motels, and guest houses. They offer a FREE 30-day trial by clicking HERE and an extremely affordable, and simple to use, system once you’ve decided to take the plunge.

So, if you’re a pub or inn owner with the means to offer accommodation, then surely this is the way to TAKE RESPONSIBILTY and evolve your business in order to survive this difficult time.

And, if you need any advice with regards to CRM systems, booking systems, or training for your inn, pub, or guest house, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks for reading and best of luck,

Emma

Please feel free to leave your comments below or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

How Do You Communicate With Customers?


Above: Another great cartoon drawn on the back of a business card by Hugh MacLeod.

How Do You Communicate With Customers?

I love this Josh Bernoff quote from “Why Marketers Have Trouble with Full-Duplex Social Technology” (June 30th 2009):

“The people in charge of talking are in the marketing department. The people in charge of listening are in the research or service or sales department. They hardly ever talk to each other, let alone have full-duplex conversations with customers.”

No truer word has ever been said. And it’s the companies and marketers who have realised this and are making changes in order to bridge this gap that are booming, often thanks to social media.

Have you ever received a marketing email from a company telling you how important you are and how much they value your opinions; only to discover that the email is ‘do not reply’?… Unless of course you want to place a huge order with us right away, in which case, click here.

Companies like Threadless have bridged the gap between supplier, customer, and marketer by allowing the customer to converse with the supplier in order to get the exact t-shirt design they want. You often see comments asking for a different colour t-shirt or for the designer to move the image an inch to the left and half an inch up. Potential customers then get to vote on the design and whether they would actually purchase it… This message then goes straight to the marketers who have the most popular designs printed.

That is full-duplex social technology at its best.

So how do you communicate with your customers? Are you asking for their opinions but not really listening? Is it a one way communication? Are the messages of your customers getting to the right people within your organisation? In fact, are the right people within your organisation having the right conversations with the right people?

Whether you’re a hotel manager, a motel owner, or a hotel booking system supplier, you need to be having full-duplex conversations using social media. That means using Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, Flickr, etc, and actually engaging in meaningful conversations with the people that matter… Your customers!

For a great explanation of social media, take a look at THIS presentation called “What the F*ck is Social Media: One Year Later” by Marta Kagan from Brand Infiltration

Thanks once again for reading,

Emma


For more information on hotel booking systems or corporate training for the hospitality industry, don't hesitate to leave a comment here or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

How Often Are You Told What You Want?


The cartoon above is an absolute favourite of mine from the cartoonist/creative genius, Hugh MacLeod. Take a look at his artwork and musings on the website: Gaping Void

How Often Are You TOLD What You Want?

As a customer, how often are you told, rather than asked, what you want or need? It’s not something that you ask yourself very often; however, if you think about it, we are told what we want every day.

Microsoft tries to insist that we need auto correct. Record shop chains tell us that we want to buy the top 40 hits; hits which are decided upon by twelve to fifteen year olds. Would you let a twelve year old decide what you watch on television or what clothes to wear? And every day, in hotels around the world, guests are being told that they want breakfast included or that they want a complimentary drink in the hotel bar.

Do these companies ever stop to question whether they are giving their customers what they truly want?


I read an article on ehotelier.com today about this subject. Yeoh Siew Hoon’s article discusses the idea that hotels shouldn’t offer a free breakfast and assume that this adds value to the guest’s stay; in fact, the free breakfast may actually cause more frustration than satisfaction. A better idea would be to offer guests a choice; do they want a free breakfast in the morning or would they prefer free internet access.

I’ve experiences many similar situations in hotels around the world. The constantly irritating example is when inedible food is placed in front of you; a smiling waitress delivers a freezing cold burger surrounded by a centimeter of oil and burnt fries. You politely explain that you will not accept it, and the response you receive is, “I will exchange it for you.” A complaining customer hates to be TOLD what will happen in response to their complaint; they want to be in control.

Customer service staff need to be trained to ask the right questions and then offer the customer choices. “I’m sorry, sir. Do you have time to wait for a replacement?” Followed by, “Thank you, sir; and would you like us to remake the same dish or would you prefer to change your order?”

They shouldn’t be saying, “I’ll bring you a free drink with your meal, I’m sorry for the wait.” They should be asking whether the guest would like a free drink or a free dessert. When a customer is given options they are far more likely to leave satisfied with the result.

I agree with Steve Jobs, who said, “You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new.” However, you can, and SHOULD, give your customers choices.

The concept is the same if you are providing a booking system to hotels, motels, or guest houses...

Don’t tell the customer what they want… Ask them!


Obviously, full customization has to come with a price tag, but offering simple choices in date layout, taxation standards, and room names or numbers is a simple and effective way to give the client what they actually want rather than what you think they .need

Ask yourself this: when did you last ask a client what they needed? If you can’t remember, do it today.

Thanks for reading,

Emma

If you have any questions or comments regarding corporate training for hotels or hotel booking systems for small to medium sized hotels, motels, and guest houses, please leave your comments here or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Monday, June 29, 2009

To Tweet, Blog, or LinkIn... That is the Question!

As a hotel, motel, or guest house owner, it’s becoming more and more difficult to know where to advertise, which social and business networks to join, which message systems to use, which social bookmarking sites to take advantage of, which blogs to follow and which blog platforms to post from.

Business Social Networks

LinkedIn is obviously the number one business social network, but what other business social networking sites should you be using? Facebook and Xing both have a huge number of professionals and industry experts at your fingertips, but how do you turn these numbers into tangible business contacts? Plus, developing leads and creating business opportunities is time consuming on both of these sites.

Twitter on the other hand creates a lot of high quality conversation, produces leads, and encourages information exchange without being time consuming. How long does it take to answer the question “what are you doing?” twice per day, thus informing potential guests of your news, unique selling points, and current promotions?

... And Advertising?

And where should hoteliers advertise nowadays and which online booking websites are the most popular with prospective guests? The choices are growing out of control!

Today, I was reading the 2009 National Travel Monitor by Ypartnership and Yankelovich.

In their report they state that “sixty-six percent of leisure travelers now use the Internet to plan some aspect of their travel (versus 35 percent in 2000), while 56 percent now report making reservations online… Travelers visit search engines such as Google, Yahoo or MSN first when considering vacation destination alternatives. The websites of specific countries or destination boards are visited next, followed by online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity.”

The most popular websites for travel planning (according to the 2009 National Travel Monitor) are as follows:

Visit first when selecting a destination:
Search engine (Google, Yahoo, MSN) 34 percent
Website of national tourist office/CVB 23 percent
Online travel agency like Expedia, Travelocity 22 percent
Website of hotel chain 8 percent
Web site of individual hotel or resort 7 percent
Blog 1 percent

However, search patterns for selecting accommodation are understandably different. Consumers first visit the websites of online travel agencies; brand-specific sites are not the most popular when selecting lodging. Meta search engines that compare room rates are visited first by just over 1-out-of-20 travelers when selecting accommodation:

Visit first when selecting hotel/resort:
Website of online travel agency
(Expedia, Travelocity) 31 percent
Search engine (Google, Yahoo, MSN) 26 percent
Website of specific hotel chain 21 percent
Website of individual hotel/resort 10 percent
Meta search engine that compares rates 5 percent

So, what do I advise my clients?

I recommend that they adopt a selection of the aforementioned networking, advertising, and booking tools in order to optimize their visibility to consumers.

There is no need to waste valuable hours posting from every blog platform, networking in every available social networking site and updating your activities in each and every message system… Your message will get lost and you’ll stop to take a breath and wonder where your life has gone; it’s just too time consuming. So, stick to the tools and the methods that produce proven results:

1) Twitter twice daily to inform your prospective guests of news, great reviews, current promotions, and things that YOU find interesting.

2) Join relevant groups on LinkedIn to ask advice from industry experts.

3) Ensure that your hotel, motel, or guest house website is optimized to guarantee that you are listed within the top three results for your key words on search engines such as Google.

4) Connect with your local tourist information and the national tourist office to make certain that your hotel information is listed on all related websites and in all associated publications. Offer promotions, gifts, and prizes for tourists directed by these sources.

5) Keep your website up-to-date and conduct regular market research to discover what guests think and feel about your accommodation based upon what they see and read.

And finally...

Never underestimate the power of a strong and wide-spread network. Whether the network is physical or purely an online presence, it is and will continue to be invaluable for research, advertising, and producing precious leads.

For further information on the National Travel Monitor, please visit the publications section of YPartnership

Thanks for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Friday, June 19, 2009

How Do You Build Trust?

How do you convince prospective guests that you are a trustworthy hotelier and that they can believe what they read about your hotel and service? How do you know that you can trust your suppliers? How do you know that you can trust the hotel booking system provider that you’ve found on the website?

No doubt your customers look at dozens of hotels before they choose yours and you search tens, if not hundreds, of suppliers before you choose your booking system or cutlery supplier.

But why do your guests choose you, and why do you choose your suppliers?

It all comes down to trust.

When I originally researched booking software companies I was bombarded with thousands of badly designed websites, plastered with Google advertising, offering ridiculously low prices, ‘the best’ software available, and free twenty four-hour technical support. Naturally, these elements did little to entice me, in fact, quite the opposite; they sent me running to the hills.

So, what was I looking for?

When I stumbled upon Hotel Booking Systems I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh, clean, and simple website that was easy to navigate; a great start. Refreshingly, the website contained no Google ads and no ‘50% off if you buy today’ incentives; the prices quoted were the actual prices. Instantly, the company earned my trust.

As it turns out, I picked the right hotel systems company; both professional and reliable.

You make the same decisions

As a hotelier, you are faced with the same decisions, and without even knowing, you are making assumptions based upon very similar criteria. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to buy a hotel system from a software developer unable to create a simple and functional website.
These companies don’t appear to be trustworthy, and from experience I can tell you that appearances are not deceptive in this industry; they are not trustworthy companies and they are not run by trustworthy individuals.

... So do your guests!

You need to learn from the lessons you are taught when searching for suppliers because your guests’ minds work in an identical manner. Does your hotel or guesthouse portray your establishment as a trustworthy one and, in turn, are you perceived to be a trustworthy individual.

You don’t tolerate suppliers who ‘lie a little bit’ or ‘or try too hard, so neither will your prospective guests.

Many thanks for reading

Emma

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

What Does Your Company Logo Say?

I am going to go off on a complete tangent today, purely because I’ve had a day of interesting debates about marketing with business and hospitality peers.

To give you some background…

I am currently developing my own training and marketing focused company here in China. The market research is complete, the business plan is written, and now the brand, logo, and website are being debated and designed. I spent last week talking to a designer who asked lots of questions about the company values and culture. And, it seems that he really listened to the answers, because he presented me with a logo which I believe is all-encompassing and totally captures the image I want for the company.

Guinea Pigs

So, the next step was to find some guinea pigs to gauge their reactions to the logo. I explained the company objectives and services to them, and tried to provide them with some insight into the values we hold. I then showed them the logo and on every occasion was asked, “Should I find some meaning in there?” “Am I missing something?” and “It doesn't conjure any understanding of what your company is about.”

Their reaction has led me to ask myself how much of a story a logo should tell about the products and services of the company it represents.

A Logo Should Embody the Culture

In my opinion, a logo should embody the culture of a company, not the product or service. The first logo that comes to mind is Apple. Apple sells music players, laptops, and mobile phones but is represented by an apple with a bite taken out. The logo is very fresh and clean, which is an honest representation of the company and its culture, but in no way represents actual Apple products and services. The same is true of Coca Cola, McDonalds, BP, and Nike, to name but a few. Nike doesn’t use the image of a trainer and McDonalds doesn’t have a burger in the logo!

The argument offered by my guinea pigs in return has been, “but how will your prospective customers know what you do?”

I had trouble answering this at first, but have come to the conclusion that I don’t need people to know what the company does from the logo alone. How often will they see the logo on its own? The logo will be on business cards, on the website, on posters and flyers, all alongside a greater marketing message displaying the services the company offers.

Represents Values

Take for example the Sheraton logo; a golden S inside a laurel wreath. The Sheraton doesn’t need the logo to show a hotel in order for its guests to know that it is a hotel chain; they need the logo to represent their values. A laurel wreath is known to represent victory, nature, and the continuation of life from year to year.

Despite many debates and opposing opinions, I am still of the firm belief that a great logo portrays aspirational ideas, rather than literal ones!

What Do You Think?

I would be interested to hear which direction you went in for the logo of your hotel or hotel booking system . Does your logo actually show a hotel? Or have you opted for a logo which portrays your company’s visions? If you have any views or comments please email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk or leave your comments below.

Many thanks for reading,

Emma

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Hospitality Innovation News

As my passion of travel and hospitality grew ten years a go, so did my interest in hotel marketing. My research into hotel marketing then developed until I became fascinated by hotel systems and began working with system developers and delivering training within hotels in Asia.

Slowly, my interest in hotel systems has expanded to encompass all things of a technical nature within the hospitality industry; particularly the nerdy innovations that could be considered superfluous by some but I consider to be ‘funky enticements’.

Latest Innovative Announcement

The latest techy announcement comes from Starwood , who have entered into a partnership with Zinio , a company that digitally published printed magazines. Starwood will now offer a Digital Newsstand to guests in Four Points, Element, and Aloft hotel properties, for free!

My understanding is that the Digital Newsstand will be accessible in guest rooms and at kiosks in the lobby.

The Starwood press release states:

“The digital newsstand, … will offer participating titles including: Caribbean Travel & Life, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Field & Stream, Golf Fitness Magazine, Kiteboarding, Macworld, mental_floss, Outside, Outside's GO, PC World, Saveur, Ski Magazine, Skiing, Spa Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Wakeboarding and Working Mother.
Also, Starwood will be the first hotel company to offer VIVmag, the first interactive digital women's luxury-lifestyle magazine, conceived and designed exclusively to be read digitally.

To access the digital newsstand during your stay, you click through from the internet portal page (on your laptop in your room or on a lobby kiosk) "to the private-label newsstand where free single issues will be featured," pick the magazine you want to read, register for Zinio, and read mags to your heart's content.”


The digitized magazine titles will include animated graphics, easy to read text, account registration, and simple navigation.

You can expect to see the digital newsstands in Element hotels by the end of May and hopefully we will see them at Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton properties later this year. Whether this includes Asian hotels is not clear, but I do hope to see them in at least large cities by the end of the year.

Yet another example of innovation from the Starwood group of hotels!

If you know of any innovative hotel booking software or hotel technology, I would love to hear your comments and reviews. Please get in touch via the ‘comments’ link below or by emailing me at eharradine@hotmail.co.uk.

Thanks for reading (and for your feedback)

Emma

Sunday, May 24, 2009

How to Drive Guests to Review Your Hotel Online

In a previous article I mentioned the importance of encouraging your guests to review your hotel online on Travel Search Engines, such as Trip Advisor or Kayak.

Since writing the article, I have received four or five emails plus a comment on this site asking for more information on exactly HOW to encourage guests to write reviews.

The general trend appears to be that if guests are extremely unhappy then they are more likely to post a negative review on a travel search engine. Guests who have been unhappy with their stay and have not received a suitable outcome after a complaint are the most like to use a bad review to express their emotions, often in a non-factual way. As unfortunate as these occurrences are, and as harmful as they can potentially be for your business, they don’t have to be so.

The Positives of a Negative Review

Not only is a bad review an opportunity to look inwards at the quality of your service and product, and therefore grow and improve, it is also an excellent chance to respond in a professional manner. It is your chance to show empathy and understanding, explain your point of view, and publicly right any wrong doings. Who could ask for better free PR?

Excellent Example

I remember a great example on Trip Advisor in January 2008. A guest wrote a terrible review of the Sofitel Galaxy Hotel in Nanjing, describing the poor service, terrible food, and low quality of the room fixtures. Within four days the GM responded to the criticisms in a delightfully professional manner, apologizing where necessary, whilst politely pointing out that he had video evidence completely contradicting the guest’s unsubstantiated claims. Excellent! His reply filled me with joy and reminded me of how much I love this industry!

However, I digress…

Special Offers and Gifts

My hotel and guest house clients have been successful in getting customers to write reviews by giving a special offer to all those who do. A simple 15% discount or a free bottle of wine on their next stay if they write a review after this stay is enough to encourage your guests.

Reminder Cards

I have suggested to a number of hoteliers that they create inexpensive business cards to hand to their guests at check-out that ask them to review their property at whatever travel search engine they favour. This can, of course, incorporate the idea above by including a coupon on the back of the card. Due to their size guests can easily place them in their wallet and be reminded to write the review at a later date.

Asking your guests for help is, in my experience, usually well received and they are more than willing.

Create a Forum

You should also consider developing a forum for guest to discuss the hotel and surrounding area online; recommending nearby restaurants or sights worth visiting, for example. Again, from experience, I have noticed that people are much more likely to forward websites to friends when they are featured on it.

If you have any further suggestions you’d like to share with me or fellow hoteliers and guest house owners, please add your comments below or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk.

Many thanks for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Monday, May 18, 2009

Hotel Management Resources

Firstly, please accept my apologies for the lack of posts of late; I have had some serious issues accessing Blogspot. However, after uninstalling and reinstalling programs, changing my antivirus software and firewalls, and playing with my internet options, I finally discovered that the reason is completely unrelated to me or my laptop… It’s China! China has decided to block access to Blogger and to Blogspot at great inconvenience to the blogging community. I have, however, found my way around this block and hope that business can now go back to normal.

However, I don't apear to be able to add images or links with ease, so please bear with me until I find a way around this too. I'll add these as soon as possible.

The extra free time I’ve had has been great for research purposes and for gaining greater insight into groups and resources aimed at hoteliers and the hospitality industry.

Insightful LinkedIn Group

The first interesting resource I’d like to focus on is a LinkedIn group called the Hotel Online Distribution & Hotel Revenue Management Professionals Group.

I found this group to be particularly insightful due to the high level of usage and content turnaround. For example:

The discussions are always both current and perceptive; the discussions highlighted at this moment include forecasting issues and Egencia by Expedia. There have been 18 new discussions in the last 7 days.

The news is always highly relevant to the industry (How to use the downturn to your advantage. Twitter ROI.) and there have been 42 news articles in the last 7 days.

The number of well-targeted group members is high and growing fast; 53 members in the last 7 days and 2,533 in total.

I cannot recommend this LinkedIn group enough for those interested in booking systems, channel management, online distribution, and general hotel management issues.

Useful Hospitality Website

The second useful resource was introduced to me by the company’s CEO, Errol Lawrence, via the LinkedIn group I mentioned above.

It’s Hospitality is a free networking, marketing, job and search site for the hospitality industry which offers a newsfeed and electronic catalogue to help promote people, products, and services.

It’s the aim of It’s Hospitality to create one single community for all participants in the hospitality industry including hotels, travel, restaurant conventions, and supporting industries and suppliers. And, with more than 2,600 members from over 25 different countries it is definitely well on its way to achieving this goal.

Summary

So, if you are a small to medium sized hotel, motel, or guest house, or a provider of hotel booking systems, then these are two resources that you should become familiar with now. Both websites are provide you with invaluable information, news, and networking opportunities that I wish I had discovered sooner.

Many thanks for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Who Are You Marketing To?


Above: Are you marketing to Generation Y?

Who Are You Marketing To?

Market analysis during an economic crisis provides an astonishing opportunity to observe changes in consumer behaviors and attitudes.

A well-respected travel industry research authority projects that the total U.S. travel market will decline 11% in 2009, returning the industry to pre-2006 levels. This decline reflects a dramatic shift in consumer demand levels and provides valuable insight into the changing behavior of the modern traveler.

Whether you’re the owner of a small to medium sized hotel, motel, or guesthouse, or whether you’re the GM of a luxury establishment within a multi-national hotel chain, you would be wise to observe these changes and customize your product and marketing to target this emerging market.

Generation Y

Twenty-five to thirty-four year olds are spending the most per household on travel and tourism. Plus, eighteen to thirty-four year olds are considerably more likely than older age groups to indicate that they plan to travel more this year. The forty-five to sixty-five age group is spending the least per household on travel and is also the most likely to reduce travel spend this year.

Online Travel Agencies

Due to an ever-growing and increasingly loyal customer base, online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Orbitz will outperform other channels in year over year despite their recent bout of fee cuts and revenue-eroding promotions.

Online Travel is Not Yet Saturated

Consumers that spend the most on travel still use a mix of online and offline methods, therefore, there is still an opportunity to grow your customer base using your own online methods.

Travel Search Engines

Over a quarter (28%) of travelers now use travel search engines, such as TripAdvisor, when shopping for travel destinations and places to stay. This concept is not new; however, it looks as though websites such as Kayak have become mainstream elements in the travel planning process and are here to stay.

In order to increase customer base, hotels must focus on impressing current guests and encouraging them to write about their stay on travel search engines.

The information and statistic for this article were taken from PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report. This highly-informative report uncovers the detailed behaviors and attitudes of the U.S. traveler and helps companies understand how consumers are adjusting travel behaviors and reacting to market trends. The report is available for purchase at www.phocuswright.com.

Many thanks for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Hotel & Travel Innovations


Above: My personal favourite innovation within the hotel industry. W Hotels have introduced the Whatever/Whenever service to their already extensive list of luxury services.

Hotel & Travel Innovations

Today I have been looking back over the last three years, and reading travel articles I’d written for both business and pleasure; I cannot believe how much the travel industry has changed. Obviously, dramatic changes occurred after the events of September 11th; however, it’s changes unrelated to this event that have made the biggest impact. Technological changes have made the most noticeable difference; the web; hotel booking systems, and low cost operators have rendered the travel agent virtually obsolete.

Hotel booking systems have changed dramatically. Many of the small to medium-sized hotels I originally consulted for were using nothing more than a pen and note paper to record bookings; many didn’t see the necessity for a computerized system. And even then, the systems that were available didn’t even have graphical booking calendars let alone the ability to create reports. Now, systems include financial reports, maintenance schedules, and invoice options.

Booking Systems

And what does the future hold? Booking systems aimed purely at small to medium-sized hotels, motels, guest houses, and inns are evolving into web based booking systems to allow potential customers to enquire on room availability.

And within other areas of the hotel and travel industry:

Despite the struggling economy, airlines appear to be looking to the future; upgrading business class to the point that it looks like a luxury hotel and airport lounges so that they resemble fine dining restaurants. So what’s next? Will we have private bath and shower areas and individual lockable rooms in first class? Economy class changes will be interesting to monitor as well; self check-in seems to finally have caught on and pay TV appears to be growing in popularity. How about more comfortable seating and the ability to get from your window seat to the aisle without disturbing fellow passengers?

Shanghai and London have led the way in terms of innovative airport transportation. The Maglev (a magnetically levitated train) is a definite ‘must-do’ when in Shanghai and the Heathrow Express (the most expensive train journey in the world per mile) is a definite ‘don’t-do’ when in London. But of course, companies selling over priced on-airport parking shudder at the though of inexpensive and innovative airport transportation, so I wonder where their futures lie? Is there room for innovation within airport parking? I hope so!

What about hotel innovations? The concept of budget hotels has extended the term ‘budget’ to include new ‘miniature hotels’. Miniature hotels take the idea of ‘no frills’ and run with it; no frills means no TV, no windows (unless you’re either lucky or willing to pay extra) no phone (excellent, no calls from prostitutes at three in the morning!) and no toiletries, but of course, they’re extremely cheap; catering to guesst who couldn’t normally afford the luxury of travel.

At the other end of the scale, high-end hotels have added new luxuries to their already extensive list; bath butlers, personal butlers, elevator wi-fi, to name but a few. My personal favourite luxury innovation is Whatever/Whenever by Starwood’s W Hotels. Their advertising reads:

“Birthday Party at 35,000 feet? Wedding Dress Pickup by Helicopter? Bath of Hot Chocolate? At W Hotels, your wish truly is our command with our Whatever/Whenever service. We’ll make your special moment magical, and transform your dreams into reality. Whatever you want. Whenever you want it (as long as it’s legal!)”

At this precise moment, I’m trying desperately to think of the most original and difficult to achieve Whatever/Whenever possible. Any ideas?

If you have an idea for a crazy Whatever/Whenever or have heard of a crazy hotel/travel related innovation, I’d love to hear from you. What’s your favourite travel innovation from the last three years?

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Please leave your comments here or email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Saturday, May 2, 2009

24 Hour Customer Support



Above: The testimonials offered by Hotel Booking Systems are a good example of positive ‘customer support’ feedback.

Customer support: number three on the list

“Customer support – 24 hours” came third on the list of requirements when sixty small-to-medium sized hotel, motel, and guest house owners and GMs were questioned about their hotel booking system requirements. However, when asked about their reasons for swapping their booking software supplier, “Lack of continuing support” was number one on the list. This did not come as a surprise to me.

An effective hotel system must be usable in any country, with any currency, and any tax system. It is for this reason that free fields are required (as opposed to drop downs) and programs must be fully customisable. Most (but certainly not all) companies have realised this and therefore offer full customisation; however, with complicated systems and full customisation, there needs to be an option for twenty-four hour support; something that, yet again, most companies (seem) to realise.

However, I have come to question the support offered by these hotel booking system providers. I have lost count of the number of unanswered calls, week long waits for email replies, and voice mail messages I have left… All to no avail. And once I receive such terrible support once, I no longer have faith in the supplier and no longer recommend their product to my clients. It’s as simple as that! If a customer is promised support as part of their software package, then that promise needs to be fulfilled.

Respondents agree

It seems that my questionnaire respondents agree:

“I have come to trust software providers that request additional payment for support. Any company that has told me they can answer my emails or calls 24 hours for free has let me down one hundred per cent of the time.” – Simon, Hope Hotel, USA

“I’m getting too old to understand the ins and outs of a complicated booking system. I want to be told how to use it and get on with using it from day one. Once something goes wrong, it’s not like I can figure it out for myself; I need help. And if there is no one to help me for over a week, what am I supposed to do meanwhile?” – Anon, UK

“I’d like to send some of these people on a customer support course to teach them how to deal with real people. I sometime wonder whether they know their own software because they certainly don’t know how to explain it to me. I need quick, supportive, answers to my questions.” – Anon, UK

“I don’t mind waiting two days for a reply as long as I know it’s going to be two days! Don’t promise me the earth and give me a ping pong ball, I’ve learnt enough in this industry and won’t be taken for a mug anymore!” – Peter, Swan Inn, Yorkshire, UK


Testimonials

As a consultant within the industry, I have found testimonials mentioning excellent customer service and support are of utmost importance when promoting your software. I expect to see two or three testimonials from establishments of a similar size to the hotel, motel, guest house, or inn, I am consulting for. Excellent testimonials (that can be checked) can make or break my decision to use a system provider and I am sure that this is true of establishments searching for their own booking software.

I wish to also convey the importance of this to the hoteliers reading my blog: ALWAYS ask for testimonials and ALWAYS ask whether you can check their validity. If a supplier cannot provide positive feedback from previous clients and/or seems reluctant for you to contact the person, DO NOT trust the supplier. I learnt my lesson the hard way, there is no reason for you to do the same.

I hope that hoteliers and hotel booking software suppliers have found this, and previous, posts useful. If so, please add your comments to support my ideas, completely disagree with my thoughts, to advertise your own hotel/software, or to ask any questions you have.

Thanks for reading,

Emma

Please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk for further information or advice.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Light at the End of the Hospitality Tunnel


Left: The Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley Hotel & Towers: My local hotel, office, gym, bar, restaurant... Well, everything really! The Sheraton brand of hotels is an industry leader when it comes to innovation and resourceful marketing.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Whether you are in the hospitality industry and trying to ensure your hotel or motel keeps its head above water, or in the software development industry and desperately searching for hotels and motels to purchase your booking system, there looks to be light at the end of the tunnel! It may only be a small and flickering light, but at least it’s no longer a never ending pitch black tunnel of doom.

Now is the time to withdraw your ostrich-like head from the hole you have created in the sand and take stock of your current situation and take charge of your future opportunities. It appears that the upside of our current economic downturn is not too far off and you want to be (read ‘need to be’) the first hospitality business to switch from ‘survival mode’ to ‘all stations are go’.

A changed market

As you step into the sunlight, you will see that your market has changed considerably; and with it, your competition. Your prospective customers have a new attitude to spending, and the companies they work for are still holding on tightly to the spending reins; their values have altered; they now expect the best value, complete price transparency and uncompromised honesty.

No longer will they pay slightly above the odds purely for the convenience or to save time. No longer will they put up with receiving slightly less than they’d expected purely because it’s time-consuming to complain.

Also, many of your less market-savvy competitors have disappeared never to return; so, now is the time to embrace your new market and the new ideals of your customers and expand your market by adapting to these changes.

Rewarding loyalty

Start by rewarding your loyal customers; those that stayed in your hotel or bought your booking system during difficult times. Any marketing initiatives or reward schemes that were put on hold because of the recession; now is the time to put them into action. Ask for feedback, listen intently, and respond promptly; make them feel special and make them feel appreciated.

Let customers know you've done more than survive

You also need to increase advertising, once again. Let previous customers and prospective customers know what your plans are for the future, and how you have changed. Do you have an upgrade to your software package? Have you renovated your rooms? Now is the time to spread the word. Tell the world that not only have you survived these difficult times, but you’ve improved and grown! Tell the world before your competitors do; don’t blend in; be one step ahead. Shout about your achievements.

Train, train, train

Finally, if you didn’t continue to do so during the downturn (which I hope you did!) invest again in employee Training and Development. Your employees will be unsure about the market and even more unsure about their future; they need to be reassured and motivated. Without the reassurance that you are investing in their future, they are likely to head for the hills, or worse, your competitor. You need highly motivated staff to deliver your message to the market and promote your excellence; with lack of motivation and training, this just will not happen.

Be one step ahead

After so many months of cutting costs, putting initiatives on hold, freezing marketing budgets, and improving resourcefulness, it feels irresponsible and risky to start expanding and adapting to an improving market; but do it. You must stay two steps ahead of your competition in order to survive, and they are only one step behind you in firing on full cylinders… So, put your foot down and see where this exciting new road might take you.

In my next post, I will be providing you with more detailed findings from my booking system research. Watch this space for more information.

Best of luck!

Emma

If you are a small to medium sized hotel, motel or guest house, or a hotel booking system developer, in need of independent advice from an industry expert, please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk. Even if I’m unable to offer you the exact advice you need, I can put you in contact with a company that can.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Hotel Booking System Results - Now In!


On Monday April 13th, I posted an article titled, “A New Dawn?” which mentioned my customer research involving fifty owners and GMs of small to medium sized hotels, motels and guest houses. Since I posted the article, a further ten people have come forward offering their thoughts and expertise, which has boosted the validity of my data immensely.

Thank you very much to those of you who took part; your participation was invaluable.

I am pleased to announce that the data has now been collected and analyzed and the results will be published here over the following days and weeks.

I will start today by offering you the top ten requirements of hotel, motel and guest house owners when looking for a hotel booking system:

1) Accessibility
2) Ease of use – Intuitive flow through
3) Customer support – 24 hours
4) Software customization and upgrades – Regular upgrades and ad-hoc customization upon demand
5) Required functionality
6) Value for money
7) Positive company reputation
8) Real time updates on internet availability searches
9) Recommendations from previous buyers – Reliable and trustworthy sources
10) Company longevity – One or two years just isn’t enough

As I predicted, ‘software customization and upgrades’ is close to the top of the list. However, I have rarely met a hotel owner that hasn’t wanted to customize their software in some way, shape, or form, so I am surprised that this was not in the top three.

I am positive that number eight, ‘real time updates on internet availability searches’ would not have appeared in the top ten a year a go, which proves that the need for software developers to be constantly evolving their hotel booking systems is vital.

I have A LOT more data and information to bombard you with over the coming months, and hope that it is useful for both developers and hotel owners searching for the perfect system.

Thanks again for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Off Peak Discounts


Offering an ‘off-season’ discount is a concept that I’m sure you, as a hotel owner or GM, are all too familiar with. In fact, as you’re clawing your way out of a difficult off-season right now, I’m sure you’re keen never to return to such depths. You know your product is first class and your service top rate, so why should you have to lure guests with huge discounts and extra perks?

Well, I believe that off-seasons are a thing of the past. Off-seasons are the times when prospective customers least like to travel and therefore are much less likely to stay in your hotel, motel, or guest house. To entice these customers, hoteliers have turned to internet booking agents to offer unbeatable discounts as a last-ditch attempt to improve occupancy levels, but this has done little good for RevPAR.

So, what if you use your marketing skills to ensure that potential guests want to travel and yearn for a stay in your hotel. Sounds difficult? It doesn’t have to be…

It’s all about targeting; targeting exactly what within your hotel or surrounding area will attract your prospective guests; and targeting the correct words to use on your website and advertising to optimize your visibility within search engines.

Let’s start with the former marketing skill: targeting what amenities you can take advantage of in order to attract guests…

I’m searching on the internet for a guest house during the summer; a beautiful little cottage appears. I look at the amenities and discover that it is close to the beach, has a swimming pool, and is within easy walking distance of the local town, which has outside terraces and beachside bars. Perfect!

I’m searching on the internet for a guest house later that year. It’s snowing outside. I discover the same little guest house and check out the amenities. I’m told once again that there’s a beach, a pool, and outside catering. No thank you very much! It’s far too cold; I’d rather stay at home.

Actually, the guesthouse was close to a mountain with great winter sports and hiking available. There are lodges nearby with spas, which serve good hearty winter roasts, and the guesthouse has a great indoor sauna area… But I wasn’t told any of this. The guesthouse owners have marketed themselves as a great summer getaway and in the process have marketed themselves an off-season.

Your marketing must be constantly evolving in order to attract guests through each ‘high-season’ available to you. This might mean finding seasonal activities for every season and highlighting the benefits of avoiding the crowds, but no matter how you do it, you’ve got to give them a reason to want to travel off-peak.

Next, we’ll tackle the second marketing skill: optimizing your visibility in search engines to attract the right guests for the right seasons; another ever-evolving task.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click Ads (PPC) are vital tools if you’re going to attract guests all year round. And, there is no excuse for hit and miss website marketing anymore. With analysis tools, such as Google Analytics, it is easy to see which key words generate the most traffic to your site and pinpoint consumer trends during certain times of the year.

Once you have analyzed the data and know what consumers are looking for, it becomes easier for you to emphasize your unique selling points (USP) during each season and give your guests exactly what they want, not just what you think they want.

To summarize, it is possible to manipulate seasonality in order to gain conversions, and if you use your website marketing strategically, you can make the concept of an ‘off-season’ completely obsolete. Just don’t expect to build a website and be able to leave it untouched for a year… As the market evolves, you need to as well.

Thanks again for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Monday, April 20, 2009

Photosynth for Hospitality Industry



Ensuring that your hotel, motel, or guest house is enticing to prospective guests is vital. I know of a number of occasions when a hotel has been well situated and has received rave reviews, but guests have been reluctant to book due to the terrible photographs on the hotel website. The photographs make the bedrooms look small and dingy, the carpet grimy, and the bathroom moldy. Would I like to stay there? No thank you!

However, it is also important to be realistic. How many times have you looked forward to the bright blue, luxurious, fifty meter pool only to discover a ten meter bathtub upon arrival?

When consulting a small to medium sized establishment on marketing and customer service, one of the first items on the agenda is the website, and most importantly the way in which the hotel or guest house is portrayed by the website.

If the photographs do not tell the real story, I source a photographer to provide the hotel with the shots they need to advertise their product and services, and to entice guests with ease. However, this can be expensive; the shots can still be unsuccessful, and the true story is rarely ever told. Whether we like it or not, photography has its limitations.

Until now…

I have been playing with a gem of an idea called Photosynth by Microsoft Live Labs. It allows you to share places and things using the cinematic quality of a movie, the control of a video game, and the detail of the real world. With a collection of photos, Photosynth creates an amazing new experience for your prospective guests.

Photosynth provides the ability to reconstruct a scene or object from flat photographs, and then uses technology to bring that experience to virtually anyone over the Internet.

The Photosynth website says,

“Using techniques from the field of computer vision, Photosynth examines images for similarities to each other and uses that information to estimate the shape of the subject and the vantage point each photo was taken from. With this information, we recreate the space and use it as a canvas to display and navigate through the photos.”

At the moment the technology still feels somewhat infantile, and I’d love to hear if there is more advanced software out there, but I really do believe that this could be the answer to a hotel marketers prayers.

Take a look for yourself here!

Best regards

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Monday, April 13, 2009

A New Dawn?

















I’d like to start by acknowledging the increasing stream of emails I have received over the past two months requesting advice on ‘what clients want’ from their hotel booking systems. Thank you very much for your thoughts and comments; your emails have not gone unnoticed! As I type, a further wash of emails are flooding my inbox; emails from the exact clients you have spoken of; hotel, motel, and guest house owners.

I have contacted fifty previous customers, friends, peers, and acquaintances to gather the exact information software developers are looking for, and 75% have been returned already; within three days… I’m both amazed and grateful.

I am filled with a sense of optimism at the thought that system developers actually want to know what their buyers want and need. I have seen too many badly developed systems over the last three years and although I have seen a steady improvement (not usually from the industry leaders) I am ecstatic that this might be about to change.

If you are a hotel, motel, or guest house owner and would like to participate in this survey, please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk for further information. Thank you.

In my opinion, the option of customizing the system and upgrading regularly is of optimum importance. I’ll be interested to see whether the information I collect from these surveys will correlate with my beliefs.

I would also like to acknowledge the other end of the spectrum. A steady backlog of emails from hotel and motel owners / managers is building up. Emails requesting further information about what they should be looking for and where to find the best systems on the market. If I am yet to reply, please accept my apologies; I will be replying to everyone this week and plan to offer the same advice within this blog at a later date.

Thanks again for reading,

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Why Do We Read Blogs?


Today’s post is going to differ slightly from previous posts. I have spent a great deal of time over the last few days, reading other business and hospitality blogs, making comments, and generally getting involved in the blogging stratosphere. It has been both fun and informative.

However, when making a judgment about a blog and deciding whether or not to bookmark the site, I discovered that my thoughts were heavily related to whether or not I liked the writing style AND whether I liked the person doing the writing.

As I have become more involved in conversation with business blog peers, I have formed definite opinions on whose ideas I trust, who can provide me with useful information, and which writers I think are genuinely decent people. It’s a blog that ticks all three boxes that gets bookmarked, commented on, and reviewed.

Take, for example, The Happy Hotelier

The Happy Hotelier, also known as Guido J. van den Elshout, operates something between a luxurious B&B and the suite floor of a luxurious hotel called Haagsche Suites (i.e. Suites of The Hague). Guido writes a blog that entertains, informs and guides, whilst driving traffic to his hotel site. He updates his blog regularly, is the CEO of another company, runs the aforementioned hotel, and still had time to reply (within a day) to my comment on his site:

“Hi Emma,
Thank you for coming by.
I know your site.
Wanna know how? because of your comment to the Vibeagent blog shout out to my version of the T-List
As a matter of fact you are researching an area that I’m interested in as well.
As every hotelier knows, finding the right software is always of importance to enhance your business. Go on and enlighten us please.
Greetings!”


I cannot recommend The Happy Hotelier enough, and it is for this reason that I have bookmarked his site and would like to urge others to do the same.

It is also for this reason that I’ve decided to share a little more of myself with you HERE.

I hope by finding out a little more about me you’ll be motivated to read my blog and leave your comments.

Once again, thanks for reading!

Emma

I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Can Your Lobby Replace the Common Shopping Mall?


Today, I read a fascinating article in The Week, titled The Vanishing Shopping Mall. I won’t ruin it for you by quoting large sections; instead you should give it a read yourself.

The article discusses the idea that malls, which were once blamed for killing high streets and downtown shopping districts, are quickly becoming an endangered species. Even before the economic crisis set in, shoppers were spending less time in malls and more of their free time in places where there are options other than shopping. Now, during this downturn, shoppers are not spending money on discretionary items… And, unfortunately, it’s only discretionary items that are sold in shopping malls.

Instead, shoppers are choosing to spend their time in places where there are alternatives to shopping. Shoppers are visiting places that The Week describes as “lifestyle centers”. They say that the amenities “draw the consumer in for reasons other than to just purchase items.”

So, is the failing of the shopping mall an opportunity for hoteliers? Is it possible to develop your hotel to entice the newly evolved general public? Is this your chance to drive traffic from outside the hotel into your lobby?

Starwood, once again, are ahead of the game in this respect. Their W boutique hotels have built their brand entirely around this concept. Starwood say,

“W Hotels are unique and individual expressions of modern living, reflected in the brand’s sensibility to a holistic lifestyle experience with cutting-edge design, contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experiences, and signature spas.”

Hotels that are able to lure the general public to their lobby for food, a few drinks, a coffee, a lunch meeting, or a party, whilst being able to purchase tickets or have their hair cut, are the hotels which will survive this recession.

Personally, I have a meeting every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, which never takes place in my office. Every week I meet my business associate in a Starwood hotel. Why? The answer is simple; the convenience! The convenience of being able to order any train tickets or flights I need from their travel centre before heading for a spot of lunch. After lunch I can grab a coffee from their lobby bar to drink during the meeting. I can use their free wi-fi after the meeting to complete my emails and write this blog before heading back down to collect my tickets. By then it’s six o’clock and I can head to the bar for a couple of after work drinks during happy hour. It really is a “lifestyle centre”.

In parts of Asia and the Middle East, hotel lobbies with a number of bars and restaurants are not uncommon. So, is it not conceivable that lobbies will (or at least can) become the recreation spot of choice throughout the West also?

Large hotels need to create an outdoor element to their hotel if possible. Is there a barbeque area or a place for patrons to walk? Could you introduce a band to bring life to your lobby bar in the evening? Is it possible to create a technologically advanced open area for patrons to plug in their laptops and charge their iPods whilst enjoying a martini?

This concept was bought home to me by the GM of the Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley a week a go. I have never actually stayed in the hotel, but after bumping into her for the fourth time that week, she asked, “do you live here?” In truth, the answer is almost yes; it’s a place to work and relax even though I am not staying in the hotel.

Think about your hotel, motel, or guest house. It may be small, but is there an opportunity for you to open it up to non-guests? Do you have a restaurant that you could advertise to the surrounding community? Could you open up your gym facilities to the outside world? How about massages or a coffee shop? Find a way to become the new centre of your community.

There is a world of opportunity out there. It’s up to you to seize it!

Thanks for reading,

Emma


I am still on a search for the best hotel booking system for small to medium sized hotels. If you know of hotel booking software that can beat HotelSystems.co.uk for ease of use and functionality then please contact me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

How to Succeed in a Difficult Economy


Hotel occupancy is suffering...

In my last entry, I discussed the current trends in RevPAR and HPI. Occupancy is suffering, and this deterioration looks determined to continue for some time. In fact, I read on Travel Daily News last month that,

“PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates 2009 average U.S. hotel occupancy will fall to 56.5% - a decline of 5.2% from 2008 and the lowest in more than 20 years. More importantly PwC projects RevPAR to decline 11.2% this year. It is hard to imagine any hotel getting through this year unscathed.”

Therefore, now is the time to ensure that your hotel stays one step ahead of the competition. The economic situation will hurt your competitors as well, and they may not ever see the light at the end of the tunnel. You need to guarantee that you do; but how will you accomplish this?

It’s all to do with your internal and external marketing…

Many hotels have begun to slash room rates in an attempt to fill rooms. However, you must remember that this tactic can be easily copied by the competition. If you and your five competing hotels all slash prices, or even offer additional nights for free, the impact on RevPAR will be significant. Plus, once you have dropped your room rates, it will be difficult to restore them once the economy improves.

So, don’t slash your prices for dramatic effect; increase price flexibility and be prepared to add value to your guest’s stay. Consider working with outside businesses, such as car rental or day trip companies, to create packages that will ‘wow’ your guests.

In the same way that many companies have cut training, a large number of hotels are now slashing advertising. Ensure that you have a large online presence by improving your hotel’s website and conducting search engine optimization; you need to be listed on the first page for any keyword searches related to your hotel and your area.

Make sure that every page of your website and every word of your hotel blog communicates value. Your prospective guests need to know that they are getting maximum value from every pound they spend. Remember that comfortable surroundings during difficult times make your hotel worth every penny your guests spend.

Customer Relationship Management...

Managing your relationship with your customers is extremely important right now; you need to establish loyalty. Hotels with the most loyal customers are also the most profitable.

Your competitors will most likely focus on attracting new customers. You need to have a more balanced approach toward customer acquisition and retention and actively manage your customer relationships to build loyalty.

However, managing customer relationships has become sophisticated and requires a remarkable amount of coordination. It is all about the movement of prospective guests through the customer lifecycle from awareness to loyalty. This can start with your hotel website, blog, and any other form of advertising you use, all the way through to the up-selling used by employees and the hotel booking system that you use to store guest information.

Remember that loyalty comes as a result of:

1) Using advanced CRM and Hotel Booking Software which has become extremely affordable, even if you are running a small hotel, motel, or guest house.

2) Ensuring your advertising and added value are highly personalized and individually targeted. Remember that your message must be relevant to your stressed and financially-burdened guests.

3) Creating a strong emotional bond with your guests. There may be years between visits but loyal guests do return and give you referrals. Everything from the first view of your website, through the moment they make a booking, to the moment they check out must feel personal. Guests want to feel wanted.

If you take this advice on board, you stand a greater chance of staying ahead of your competitor. Now is the time to implement the new CRM and booking system that you’ve been considering. If you properly implement these systems you will significantly enhance your chance of success during difficult times.

Don’t forget that loyalty is the key to success!

Good luck to you all,

Emma