The Power of Follow Up – High Tech or High Touch?

We all deal with technology daily, whether it is one of dozens of social media outlets, responding to a guest review, using an app as either a consumer or service provider or simply emails.

To those of us over 40, we may recall when we were promised computers were going to make our lives simpler and shorten our work week.   While we likely agree that technology has increased our capabilities, I do not know many of us that have found the work week to be anything but more complex, as those potential capabilities have added many more duties and activities.

This column is a snap shot message – the power of follow up.

Like most of us, I have more than one computer and my 17″ laptop Dell failed for a 2nd time over a 4 year period. Complete freeze – would not boot, and luckily for me, it was a back up unit and I had opted for  a service plan with Data Doctors after the 1st failure.   They analyzed the problem, offered several solutions and two days later returned it to me with a minimal bill for parts.   It is now almost completely rebuilt and things seem to be in order.

The follow up came today with a phone call from the tech who serviced my unit.   Without prompting, he called me to see if it was working as it needed to be.   This was a highly unusual event – the follow up from email evaluations accompanies most tech situations, but someone taking the time to reach out PERSONALLY was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

The cost to Data Doctors?    $000.00

The benefit to me?  The sense that someone actually cared about how their quality of work affected me!

Which was this – high tech or high touch?  The answer is both.

In hospitality, we need to remember this fact – guests want to be appreciated and valued, and that includes the sincere, genuine attention that cannot be scripted or mandated by a brand standard or rule.  It needs to come from us – the hotel owner, manager and associate!

There are many ways to identify those unique touch points, and we @HospitalityEducators.com can help you find them.

About John J. Hogan  

John J. Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO 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 and Chief Learning Officer of HospitalityEducators.com, which was founded in 2010 as a solutions center for hotel owners and managers. He is also the Principal of HoganHospitality.com, which offers hotel expert witness services and hospitality consulting.

Specific new services, workshops and keynote topics can be found at  johnjhogan.com , including

• WHAT THEY DON’T TEACH YOU AT HOTEL SCHOOL

•  IT’S THE SIZE OF YOUR IDEA, NOT THE SIZE OF YOUR BUDGET

He is currently working with his partner Kathleen Hogan and others on several new projects including the HOTELIERMASTERMIND series, an eBook series with Howard Feiertag on hotel sales, two new web sites and a fresh set of Keynote and Workshop programs, hospitality services and columns.

Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Certified Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS), Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Hotel Owner (CHO)

Contact: John Hogan John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com /              602-799-5375

Recommended Reading – Business History of a Technology Innovator

 I was surprised to see so many IBM retired and former employees reviewing and quoted in this book, but on reflection that makes sense. IBM for the past 100 years now has played a major role in the evolution of both US and global business history.

The book at times is a bit too anecdotal for the person who may not be a techie or who may not care about the details of some of the IBM story but overall it hits the mark.

In the three major sections, they cover:

1.   The science – this is the pioneering segment of how to move from the incredible basics to the foundations of meaningful technology for the every day person.

2.   Thomas Watson Sr had adopted the slogan “THINK” in 1911 and section 2 addresses the evolution of creating economic value from knowledge. IBM did not do everything “right” but they did help to create the concept of the modern corporation.

3.   Making the World Better completes the circle and shares global stories of balancing business, values, ethics and profitability while dealing with governments and greed.

Regardless of how one feels about certain kinds of computers or high tech, this is worth the read.

About John J. Hogan  

John J. Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO 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 and Chief Learning Officer of HospitalityEducators.com, which was founded in 2010 as a solutions center for hotel owners and managers. He is also the Principal of HoganHospitality.com, which offers hotel expert witness services and hospitality consulting.  Specific new services, workshops and keynote topics can be found at  johnjhogan.com 

He is currently working with his partner Kathleen Hogan and others on several new projects including the HOTELIERMASTERMIND series, an eBook series with Howard Feiertag on hotel sales, two new web sites and a fresh set of Keynote and Workshop programs, hospitality services and columns.

Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Certified Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS), Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Hotel Owner (CHO)

Contact: John Hogan John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com /              602-799-5375

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RECOMMENDED READING: POSITIVE INTELLIGENCE Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential AND HOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOURS

Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential AND HOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOURS
Stanford University Faculty member Shirzad Chamine lectures at on Positive Intelligence (PQ), where IQ and EQ are all part of the every day world of communication and interaction.    Chamine uses the terms of Sage and Saboteur and describes an internal battle struggle between the one who has access to your wisdom and insights (Sage) and the Saboteurs as internal enemies of us all.

The author identifies ten Saboteurs

1. Judge
2. Stickler
3. Pleaser
4. Hyper-Achiever
5. Victim
6. Hyper-Rational
7. Hyper-Vigilant
8. Restless
9. Controller and
10. Avoider

The author claims that one can improve your PQ considerably in as little as three weeks, which the recognized period to change habits. He claims that with an improved PQ, both individuals and teams in a range of areas from leaders to salespeople perform 30-35% better on average, and be less stressed as well.

The book is organized follows:

• Part I: What Is Positive Intelligence and PQ?
• Part II: First Strategy: Weaken Your Saboteurs – discusses ways to decrease the power the negative voice(s) have so that you are less likely to be sabotaged by your own thoughts and perceptions.
• Part III: Second Strategy: Strengthen Your Sage
• Part IV: Third Strategy: Build Your PQ Brain Muscles
• Part V: How to Measure Your Progress
• Part VI: Applications
• Appendix A: PQ Brain Fundamentals

Charmine claims to show how anyone can take tangible steps to unleash the vast, untapped powers of the mind and develop new brain “muscles,” by accessing untapped powers with energizing mental “power” games.

We all have have habits that inspire to demotivate us . Chamine highlights and remind us that it is those habits and practices that may be the blockage that is limiting or group or individual growthI find that PQ has definite, real value, and the statistics in the book are appealing, but I also recall it remains a blend of PQ, EQ and IQ that all impact results

Self-help books are inspiring, yet as I read this I am not certain if there really is anything new here or is it the same stuff as many other similar books but with different names.

I try to be a common sense person and feel the need to step back and read this book slower than I read most books to see for myself if the 21 days can make the difference and change habits

About John J. Hogan

   John J. Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO 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 and Chief Learning Officer of HospitalityEducators.com, which was founded in 2010 as a solutions center for hotel owners and managers. He is also the Principal of HoganHospitality.com, which offers hotel expert witness services and hospitality consulting.    Specific new services, workshops and keynote topics can be found at  johnjhogan.com  

He is currently working with his partner Kathleen Hogan and others on several new projects including the HOTELIERMASTERMIND series, an eBook series with Howard Feiertag on hotel sales, two new web sites and a fresh set of Keynote and Workshop programs, hospitality services and columns.

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Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Certified Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS), Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Hotel Owner (CHO)

Contact: John Hogan John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com  / 602-799-5375

The Most Important Words for the Workplace or “A short course in human relations”

Several years ago, a  famous athlete was being inducted to his sports’ hall of fame and in his remarks, he commented on the need and value for team work. He quoted the often used phrase “there is no I in team” but he added there is an I in “win”.

An online search for the author of the following short piece does not bring a definite answer – there are slight variations but the message is fundamentally the same:

6. The six most important words:      “I admit I make a mistake”

5. The 5 most important words:           “You did a good job”

4. The 4 most important words:          “What is your opinion?”

3. The 3 most important words:           “If you please”

2.  The 2 most important words:          “Thank you!”

1.  The 1 most important word:           “WE”

The least most important word: “I”

This past week another sports team reached a new pinnacle.  The message in this link is not about sports but how the practice of Leadership and Team made a difference.       5 lessons Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots can teach you about leadership

Tom Peters in many of his writings states “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders. “

What are you doing at your hotel today to Build Your Great Team?

All rights reserved by John J. Hogan and this column may be included in an upcoming book on hotel management. This article may not be reproduced without the expressed permission of the author.

About John J. Hogan

   John J. Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO 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 and Chief Learning Officer of HospitalityEducators.com, which was founded in 2010 as a solutions center for hotel owners and managers. He is also the Principal of HoganHospitality.com, which offers hotel expert witness services and hospitality consulting.    Specific new services, workshops and keynote topics can be found at  johnjhogan.com  

He is currently working with his partner Kathleen Hogan and others on several new projects including the HOTELIERMASTERMIND series, an eBook series with Howard Feiertag on hotel sales, two new web sites and a fresh set of Keynote and Workshop programs, hospitality services and columns.

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Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Certified Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS), Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Hotel Owner (CHO)

Contact: John Hogan John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com  / 602-799-5375