Make Your Hotel More Profitable | Tip #4 from HospitalityEducators.com = “Shoulder Seasons” are Sleeping Giants!

Posted on April 29, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

4. Expand Shoulder Seasons

Everyone understands peak demand periods, whether it is a certain season like spring break, or prime ski season or special events. It can also be one or more days of the week, that are always stronger than others and can command higher room rates.

One best practice for many sales people and hoteliers is to monitor the high demand periods using proven revenue management strategies. This is logical and should be continued. Another tendency for those same people is to attack the off-season, spending advertising and marketing funds and efforts to attempt to draw new clients to their location. These efforts usually include major discounting and a great deal of
effort that often yields very little measurable results.

The suggestion offered here is to carefully analyze your seasons or demand periods, so you can see where the peaks and valleys really are. For example, Manhattan was experiencing very high demand six nights per week, with Sunday the off night. Broadway already had supported the effort, with Monday being their dark night. Creative marketers in hotels packaged meals either in their hotel or with nearby restaurants, offered options for tours that appealed to social travelers and business center programs for business travelers. Room rates might have a slight discount overall when it included a Sunday night but
the concept was aimed at enhancing value, rather than promoting discounts. The same pattern followed in Las Vegas, with the big name entertainers performing on Sundays.

Shoulder seasons in locations that have high demand can target clients that might have flexibility. Families with school age children must adhere to the school calendars and cannot adjust their plans, but singles or seniors that might be drawn to the location could have flexibility and enjoy the experience without a concentration of children. It is a matter of research, which includes your own and that of the area visitors’ bureaus or other centers. Adding demand in the shoulder period can make a huge difference in revenues.

Sundays, for example, represent 14% of the total week and gaining as few as a dozen additional guests can make a substantial contribution to top and bottom lines. Adding a certain demand before or after special events or activity can keep your staff working longer and allow you a much better opportunity of gaining measurable results. It is not being suggested to ignore the off-season, but prioritize potentials. Use packages and
promote as many of your services as possible

This resource began with definitions of the words “profits” and “profitability. ” Shoulder seasons can be an enormous addition to profitability – IF people take the time to think about it more!

The HospitalityEducators.com site has many segments specifically dealing with this topic and offers a range of ideas on ways to extend your markets.

The full list of tips is available @ HospitalityEducators.com

: Dr. John Hogan working with clients at a recent workshop

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™ |Karl Ruether CHA, CFBE, International Hotelier

Posted on April 26, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

“Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™” includes interviews such as those found in our HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS, and and it also allows industry professional the opportunity to share their perspectives, values and opinions on additional areas and subjects that may not have been part of the planned discussion. This segment includes a wide range of hospitality professionals from all portions of the industry. We ask participants to answer at least five of the listed nine questions. Their responses will interest, sometimes amuse and definitely inspire you to consider how YOU might answer.

In this article, we contacted Karl Ruether CHA, CFBE , General Manager at Icicle Village Resort, located in the charming Bavarian themed village of Leavenworth, Washington State with accommodations at the Best Western Plus Icicle Inn or the Aspen Suites Condominiums and Icicle Village Resort Vacation Rentals. Karl opened the property as a single inn in the early 1990s. He has served as a Best Western Governor for more than 15 years.

Karl is an international hotelier with service in multiple countries. He shares his counsel and professionalism with many and has continued to evolve his hotel team’s and personal skills. He has always been committed to collaborating with others and during our years of interaction, he has consistently aimed at reaching excellence.

: Karl Ruether, CHA CFBE

“Karl Ruether” <karl@icicleinn.com> http://www.iciclevillage.com/ Icicle Village Resort 800-961-0162

Name your favorite hotel and why it is special to you

Sun Mountain Lodge in Washington State, the location is amazing with 360 degree views, relaxing (no TV) and the restaurant has great food and service.

3. Where do you vacation the most often?

I don’t have a regular spot but have been in Ixtapa Mexico now twice and really enjoy that area.
4. What is your favorite charity or cause?

I am a member of Rotary International and I belief in what they do worldwide, as well as their 4 way test which works really well in any situation.

Here it is

Is it the truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Often times when faced with a difficult situation, I refer to this test and it has helped me make better decisions personally and professionally.

Name your pet service peeve, why and any ideas you may have to address it

That is pretty easy – I do not like when employees and their personal affairs are more important than serving the customer right in front of them. The only way this can be addressed is by constant training and close supervision.

Who was the most important mentor in your life and why?

This is very difficult to answer because I was lucky enough to have more then one, but the one thing that stood out was “Leading by example”

In the last five years, what has been your most memorable meeting or convention experience and why?

For several years I was working with others to affect a change by making training a very important aspect of the companies’ business plan for success and now I can this coming to fruition.

What is the one piece of advice you would offer to a graduating student with a hospitality degree?

I actually have two:

Seek out a respected Mentor and learn as much as possible from this person.
Always practice what you preach.

9. What is the one question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview today?

How are you and your family? Show a genuine interest in the prospective employee.

______________________________________________________________

We have asked dozens of people involved in hospitality businesses around the world to answer up to nine questions in this special section of HospitalityEducators.com. If you would like to participate, please contact John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com

Dr. John Hogan, MeetingsQuest November 2010 Working with clients - Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Chicago

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

From A Baker’s Dozen of Strategies to Make Your Hotel More Profitable Now| Tip #5 Monitor and Control Operational Costs -Focus on Your Top 5.

Posted on April 26, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

Monitor and Control Operational Costs -Focus on Your Top 5.

Payroll and utilities are almost always the highest single areas and they are addressed in Strategies #6, 7 and 11.

There are a number of ways to address costs, but it first requires identifying the largest categories and suppliers.

Using your income statement and the detail work accompanying it, find the top 5 operational costs you spend the most money on each month. It could vary over time and you need to analyze at least three months to understand the overall situation.
Operational costs include paper goods, certain amenities, food items (even if you are a rooms only hotel offering complimentary breakfast), a certain line item in linens, office or department supplies, etc.
Once you have identified them, the assignment is to research ways to reduce costs on each one of them.
Contact your suppliers to find out if there is a similar or better product that is available at a lower cost.
Consider other suppliers if need be, or consider using fewer suppliers if there are guaranteed savings and quality assurances.
Review your buying patterns with suppliers and order certain items (such as linens) on an annual basis with drop shipments several times over the year. This guarantees a volume to the supplier and a better purchase price.
Create and use a detailed inventory system on at least the top 5 to 10 cost items so you can carefully track usage and to use your buying power to find the best values.

These actions will very likely save a minimum of several percentage points in discounts over the years that will translate into measurable savings.

This resource began with definitions of the words “profits” and “profitability. ” Those words and sentiments are not for hotel owners and managers alone. The HospitalityEducators.com site has segments specifically dealing with this topic and all 13 strategies.

The full list of tips is available @ HospitalityEducators.com

: Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA working with attendees at the award winning TH&LA Short Course

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

Understanding the Value of Qualified Cross-Links in the World of Social Media and Online Awareness

Posted on April 21, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

Cross links catch the attention of the online search engines via search engine optimization (SEO), but it also requires thoughtful planning and analysis. Not every cross link makes sense, nor does simply a large number of cross-links add value

Because the hospitality community has so much to offer, we believe we have a perfect spot to include a link to your website for many hospitality entities

For the right match, we offer to cross link our sites @ HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com., as well as a direct a hot link to and from your website

Please go to the “Contact Us” page on our site, click on LINK EXCHANGE in the subject box, complete the basic information and submit. You will be contacted directly.

Our industry links include:

Education
Employment
Finance
Franchise Associations
Government
Hospitality Associations
Hospitality Law
Insurance
Professional Services
Publications
Training

______________________________________________________________

John Hogan and Kathleen Hogan of HospitalityEducators.com on the Value of Cross Marketing on Phoenix Talk Radio

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

“Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™” | Professor Jennifer Calhoun, MBA CHE | Director, Prince George’s Community College’s Hospitality and Tourism Institute

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

“Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™” includes interviews such as those found in our HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS, and and it also allows industry professional the opportunity to share their perspectives, values and opinions on additional areas and subjects that may not have been part of the planned discussion. This segment includes a wide range of hospitality professionals from all portions of the industry. We ask participants to answer at least five of the listed nine questions. Their responses will interest, sometimes amuse and definitely inspire you to consider how YOU might answer.

In this article, we contacted Jennifer Calhoun, MBA CHE a Founding Associate of HospitalityEducators.com, and former Director of Seminar Programs leader at the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Professor Jennifer Calhoun, MBA CHE | Prince George’s Community College’s Hospitality and Tourism Institute

Professor Calhoun was honored for her work as director of the Prince George’s Community College’s Hospitality and Tourism Institute. She received the 2010 American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s Lamp of Knowledge Award for Outstanding US Educator at the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s Summer Summit in June 2010.

She is responsible for leadership, program planning, marketing, recruiting, and determining the Institute’s goals and curriculum development priorities. She is the primary liaison between businesses, government agencies, and professional associations.

3. Where do you vacation the most often?

We love Bermuda with it British charm and great beaches

5. Name your pet service peeve, why and any ideas you may have to address it

Indifference by service providers; I pay a personal compliment to them and their attitude usually will change.

6. Who was the most important mentor in your life and why?

My mom, her faith in God that made the impossible, possible.

8. What is the one piece of advice you would offer to a graduating student with a hospitality degree?

Develop a plan of action for employment that includes research about the organization(s) where you would like to work

9. What is the one question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview today?

How would you define success for yourself?

Professor Calhoun’s full bio is available at Founding Associates at HospitalityEducators.com

Contact information:Ph: 301-386-7596 www.jjcalhoun.com | calmor@aol

We have asked dozens of people involved in hospitality businesses around the world to answer up to nine questions in this special section of HospitalityEducators.com. If you would like to participate, please contact John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com

______________________________________________________________


Dr. John Hogan Crowne Plaza Chicago, MeetingsQuest Oct 2010

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

What’s the Problem™? Solving them with solutions from HospitalityEducators.com

Posted on April 17, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

What’s the Problem™?

Too small a budget to find new hotel and hospitality marketing approaches or are there options?

We have all seen good ideas at various businesses we interact with, yet we seldom think about ways we might make them work at our hospitality businesses.

Action Steps

Look at this short video and ask your team at the next meeting to identify three ideas from companies they interact with.
Create a mini contest among the team and introduce at least two ideas this month from the best of their suggestions.
In less than six months, you could have as many as a dozen new approaches in operations, marketing, purchasing or training that could cost little more than time.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM™? is a new section at www.HospitalityEducators.com addressing specific problems that launched in late March 2011. This feature will share specific problems submitted by members and readers or identified from HospitalityEducators.com associates’ consulting.

The problem will be stated in industry terms and there will be at least one potential solution discussed.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM™? will be open to visitors and members.

More detailed options and responses will be in the MEMBERS ONLY section titled “The Solution Is™”

These areas will include input from a wide range of hospitality professionals from all portions of the industry. If you would like to participate, please contact John.Hogan@hospitalityeducators.com

Consulting Expertise and Research Interest

Sales Management and training
Turn-around and revenue management
Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual
Customer Service
Making Cultural Diversity Real
Developing Academic Hospitality programs
Medical Lodging Consulting

If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention.

www.HoganHospitality.com

Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations

http://www.linkedin.com/in/drjohnhoganchache

CONTACT

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375

www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com

How does your hotel provide memorable customer service? (Part 2)

Posted on April 15, 2011 by John J. Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com

About five months ago, I wrote a column that highlighted one of the most memorable service codes ever offered in hospitality – the Statler Hotel Service Code. I included the original wording (penned in 1916) and gave readers the opportunity to receive a training powerpoint I created that is an updated version of the Statler Service Code, using current terms and approaches. This offer generated close to 100 requests from around the world, in all six continents and from hospitality businesses ranging from a small airline in Scandinavia to tour guide services in South Africa. Hotels and management companies representing luxury to mid-range brands and independent hotel owners and managers shared their goals and (at times) frustrations with motivating their staff.

Following this column, I included an illustration of what I meant by sharing a lunch experience at a national, mid-priced US restaurant chain with these observations:

The hostess sincerely welcomed us
We were offered several options on where we might prefer to sit
We were given the name of our server and were encouraged to ask anyone on staff for anything needed

A major point of distinction in this experience was at our departure and this remains a major point in Statler’s Service Code. As we left the restaurant, at least three people on staff who were not part of our service team went out of their way to offer a sincere “thank you, please come again!” Their appreciation of our business had little to do with what we ordered or how much we spent.

Recently, we went to another brand of this same ownership group. We were warmly welcomed and promptly seated. The server was introduced and offered a sample of the wine of the day. We liked the flavor and ordered two glasses. Service was good (but not great) and the hostess sort of threw a corporate questionaire on the table as she walked by.

At the same time, our check indicated the cost of each glass of wine was higher than each of our lunch entrees – a bit of a surprise, as it was also higher than anything seen on the table menu as well. I completed the questionaire, attached my business card and handed it to the host or manager as we left, making sure to make eye contact.

It has been two months now. No communication from the restaurant and by the way, no return visits from us.

Hm…. should I have “complained”?

Or should someone from this very large chain taken the time to read what they clearly said they wanted – feedback?

I’d like to open the topic to readers of this short column:

How does your hotel provide memorable customer service?

How does your hospitality business team provide exceptional and memorable customer service?

Recent blog postings on memorable service standards have prompted high levels of reader interest. I am reaching out to top hoteliers for examples of how to deliver exceptional service that builds customer loyalty. We all recognize the need to avoid being viewed as a commodity.

Please limit each submission or idea to a paragraph or less and send them no later than May 5, 2011. I will share your responses with readers in a future column. Thank you in advance!

Feedback or ideas for future pieces are welcome. Contact me at info@HoganHospitality.com

www.HospitalityEducators.com

www.HoganHospitality.com

Service is global in nature!

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic mentors delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing the hospitality industry. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES. If readers would like to contribute to the site, please submit your material for consideration to Kathleen@hospitalityeducators.com. We are interested in expanding our global networks and resources as we support our membership.

John J Hogan of HoganHospitality & HospitalityEducators Blog

Making Your Hotel More Profitable! Your Resource for Hotel Owners, Innkeepers, Managers and Hospitality Associations

Monthly Archives: April 2011

Make Your Hotel More Profitable | Tip #4 from HospitalityEducators.com = “Shoulder Seasons” are Sleeping Giants!

Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™ |Karl Ruether CHA, CFBE, International Hotelier

From A Baker’s Dozen of Strategies to Make Your Hotel More Profitable Now| Tip #5 Monitor and Control Operational Costs -Focus on Your Top 5.

Recommended Reading from HospitalityEducators.com |Have a Little Faith: A True Story

“Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™” | Professor Jennifer Calhoun, MBA CHE | Director, Prince George’s Community College’s Hospitality and Tourism Institute

Recommended Reading from HospitalityEducators.com – Effective Listening: Your Key to Career Success

What’s the Problem™? Solving them with solutions from HospitalityEducators.com

How does your hotel provide memorable customer service? (Part 2)

Recommended Reading from HospitalityEducators.com – Think Big, Act Small:How America’s Best Performing Companies Keep the Start-up Spirit Alive

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