An ethical sales question for your consideration from HospitalityEducators.com

Think Tank Question

We provide questions on our site and our workshops to stimulate discussion about the way we do business. There is not necessarily only one “correct” answer – the reason for this question is to promote an awareness of how we might all improve our operations.

An ethical sales question for your consideration

Today’s Hospitality and Hotel Sales team has to face many situations and challenges each day.  They need to work with many stakeholders and yet fulfill their commitment to their employers.

Below is  hypothetical question for your consideration:

 Topic:   Over-booking situations

• You are the general manager of a 141 room, mid-sized hotel, with banquet space.
• You currently have 82 blocked or reserved rooms in an expected high demand period.
• You receive a call from the local convention bureau asking if you can take a last minute group from another city for 55 rooms.  It is a rooming list, the group will be prepaid and have two catered meals at your hotel. This booking will likely oversell you and you risk upsetting a small repeat client whom has 40 of the 75 rooms already taken.  The existing group is well within their cut-off period and anticipates they should pick up all or most of their 75 rooms.  The new group overlaps two of the already booked group’s stay but has one complete day with no overlap.
• Another factor is that your personal bonus will likely be assured with this new booking, because your bonus is based on revenues only.

1. What do you do?
2. Would your answer be any different if the call was from someone other than the CVB? What if the call came from your brand’s sales office?
3. What options are there?
4. If you were the hotel sales manager and not the general manager, would you approach the situation the same or differently? Would you handle it yourself or get the general manager’s input?
5. Is this an ethical or a business decision? Why do you feel that way?

I have used this particular exercise in sales orientation and training classes and I recommend it as an interactive, small group activity. Add other elements and watch how people think, anticipate and react.

Your comments about the Think Tank question, this column, training, hospitality education or operations are always welcome.  John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com

Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance. John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375 HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More   KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success. Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

A hint from HospitalityEducators.com| watch and hear the poem that motivated a nation that can inspire your hospitality business!

Invictus – this is the motivating poem that inspired Nelson Mandela during his 27 years of imprisonment.  What motivated a nation can be an inspiration at your individual hotel property and hospitality business. Click this link What message is being delivered to your associates?  We can assist you in refining your hospitality corporate communications and building effective team work.   Contact John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance. John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375 HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More   KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success. Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

A question from HospitalityEducators.com| How does your hospitality business deliver exceptional service?

How does your hospitality business deliver exceptional service?

 It can be a message, a smile, a gesture or a grand event – enjoy this illustration of team work in delivering memorable and personalized customer service in a commercial from SN Brussels Airlines

 

Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance. John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375 HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More   KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success. Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

SMART MANAGEMENT tips from HospitalityEducators.com

HospitalityEducators.com Founding Associate Dr. Marc Clark Shares Interviewing Tips in SMART MANAGEMENT

Smart Management

Dr. Marc Clark, CHA, CHRE, CHE, CHO

 Pre-Screening Phone Interview Questionnaire

The benefit of conducting a pre-screening phone interview is to save both the interviewer time and the company money. Such questionnaires help identify and qualify employment candidates in order to move them to the next lever of the recruiting process.

Questions should address goals, personal skills, talent, team issues and interest.

IMPORTANT:

• Be inquisitive.
• Ask pointed questions in order to generate specific responses.
• Hone for facts.
•  Look for weak links in information provided.
• Do not assume anything.

Listen 80 percent—Talk 20 percent!

Probing Questions

1. Provide me some facts pertaining to your current work situation:
2. How do your talents, skills, and knowledge fit into our current workplace needs?
3.  Describe the biggest contribution you have made to your workplace. Why do you feel that way?
4. Tell me about a team task you participated in that failed. Where did things go wrong? How did you rectify the situation?
5. Explain your concept of exceeding customer expectations.
6. What is most significant individual accomplishment (award or recognition) you have achieved up to this point in your career?
7.  Describe your strongest internal emotion and what it would bring to our workplace.

Think & Use Your Time Wisely

Quick Fact Finding Checklist
Collect the following information on each accomplishment for validation.

• Discuss accomplishment and specific clarifying example.
• Measure of success—When? Why? Impact? Statistics?
• Collect names of supervisors, direct reports, peers, dates of employment.
• Seek information on business, standards of performance, and quality of leadership.

 If candidate is applying for a management or supervisory position ask:

1.  “What were the greatest challenges involved in dealing with your assignments?”
2. “Describe the techniques you used to energize, bond and to build pride in your staff or team.”
3. “Why were you chosen for additional leadership responsibilities?”
4.  “How did you personally drive the business forward and contribute to the business’ bottom line?”
5.  “What have you done in the last year in order to grow personally? Professionally?”
6. “How did you grow or change as a result of this effort?”

Note this information from every candidate:

• Applicant’s Name & Contact Number (Print)
• E-mail Address
• Position Applying For:

• Interviewer:
• Date:

Dr. Marc Clark, CHA, CHRE, CHE, CHO,
 President & CEO at SmartBizzOnLine.com

 Available in the Store at www.HospitalityEducators.com

Using this kind of tool can allow a focused interviewer to listen for inconsistencies or missing information in the resume or CV.  The goal is to find the best match for both candidates and your hospitality business, so be certain to actively listen to the responses and follow up with the most promising candidates.

Success does not come by accident or chance.

Contact us for assistance.

John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375

HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More  

KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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.

www.HoganHospitality.com
Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

HospitalityEducators.com presents: What’s The Problem™? How to deliver consistent service excellence in changing markets

What’s The Problem™?

How to deliver consistent service excellence in changing markets

Discover the secrets of world-class leadership!

 

For more insights and specifics, see The Solution Is™  on this topic @ HospitalityEducators.com

The secrets of world class hospitality service

Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance. John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375 HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More   KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success. Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

Guest Columnist@HospitalityEducators.com offers Insights on Contractor v. Employee Definitions

US Department of Labor “Takes on Small Biz” in Hospitality|

The DOL has increased their budget and the number of compliance officers to target small businesses who have individuals classified as contractors v. employees. It seems great to not pay the taxes and the benefits and all of the headaches of having employees but it is a risk because it is illegal. Here is a checklist to see if you are compliant:

1.  Profit or loss. Can the worker make a profit or suffer a loss as a result of the work, aside from the money earned from the project? (This should involve real economic risk-not just the risk of not getting paid.)
2. Investment. Does the worker have an investment in the equipment and facilities used to do the work? (The greater the investment, the more likely independent contractor status.)
3. Works for more than one firm. Does the person work for more than one company at a time? (This tends to indicate independent contractor status, but isn’t conclusive since employees can also work for more than one employer.)
4. Services offered to the general public. Does the worker offer services to the general public?
5. Instructions. Do you have the right to give the worker instructions about when, where, and how to work? (This shows control over the worker.)
6. Training. Do you train the worker to do the job in a particular way? (Independent contractors are already trained.)
7. Integration. Are the worker’s services so important to your business that they have become a necessary part of the business? (This may show that the worker is subject to your control.)
8. Services rendered personally. Must the worker provide the services personally, as opposed to delegating tasks to someone else? (This indicates that you are interested in the methods employed, and not just the results.)
9. Hiring assistants. Do you hire, supervise, and pay the worker’s assistants? (Independent contractors hire and pay their own staff.)
10. Continuing relationship. Is there an ongoing relationship between the worker and yourself? (A relationship can be considered ongoing if services are performed frequently, but irregularly.)
11. Work hours. Do you set the worker’s hours? (Independent contractors are masters of their own time.)
12. Full-time work. Must the worker spend all of his or her time on your job? (Independent contractors choose when and where they will work.)
13. Work done on premises. Must the individual work on your premises, or do you control the route or location where the work must be performed? (Answering no doesn’t by itself mean independent contractor status.)
14. Sequence. Do you have the right to determine the order in which services are performed? (This shows control over the worker)
15.  You will want to mitigate the business risks to avoid fines.

Gary Wheeler, SPHR, GPHR, CCP, CBP

Gary is a business owner, HR Consultant and business coach. Gary is the founder and owner of The Virtual HR Director. The Virtual HR Director is a boutique HR consulting firm which works with large, medium and small organizations, helping them with their human capital solutions.Gary also serves as a senior consultant and facilitator for PRISM International, Inc. PRISM International is a leading provider in delivering diversity, compliance and cultural solutions for Fortune 500 companies.
He is also a board member for The Global Diversity and Inclusion Foundation and is the Chair Person for The Global Diversity and Inclusion Certification Institute.Prior to becoming a business owner in 2004, Gary spent 24-years at United Parcel Service (UPS) working in various assignments that include strategic planning, operations, Industrial Engineering and Human Resources. Gary received a B.S in Human Resources and an MBA from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). He also holds a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University and holds several HR certifications    http://www.linkedin.com/in/thevirtualhrdirector      http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-virtual-hr-director

Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance. John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375 HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More   KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success. Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

For your Consideration: Put Your Employees First | Observations from HospitalityEducators.com

How will hospitality businesses address the future of their organizations at a time when many hotels, restaurants, spas and clubs are all combating the danger of becoming a commodity?

Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies, Ltd., explains how inverting the management pyramid leads to superior organizational performance.

This video shows contrasting results from different approaches to respecting associates/employees sincerely, through genuine accountability and not slogans or commercials that do not reflect the real culture of companies.

This video uses examples of the impact that the staff of Signapore Airlines has on customers every flight, as compared with the experiences of many customers of many US based airlines

Put Your Employees First | Observations from HospitalityEducators.com

One of many learning tools available at HosptalityEducators.com

Success does not come by accident or chance.

Contact us for assistance.

John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375

HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More  

KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.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 www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers 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.

www.HoganHospitality.com
Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.