HOTELS

This morning I arrived into a meeting and was warmly welcomed by a fresh plate of happiness in the form of McDonald's Egg McMuffins.

 

Most people would be surprised at the sheer delight expressed by a group of luxury hoteliers as they arrived into the board room at 8 a.m.  Let's consider this: A very thoughtful team member (JP) understood that the team would be discussing some serious business topics that could benefit by a slice of surprise. When I asked her specifically for her motive behind the gesture, she stated, "I wanted to treat the group to something fun to help them wake up for the early meeting and thought this would make them happy."

What does your team need today? Do...Read More

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I believe the purpose of a useful blog is to share relevant and entertaining information when you find it.  This may mean giving credit to others on occasion.

I came across a very unique blog article that was written by a banquet manager that I wanted to share and thank him for sharing a unique trick that will only work this year:

Don't tell me your age; you probably wouldn’t tell the truth anyway, but your waiter may know! Did you know that doing a little “dinner math” your waiter, or banquet manager, can tell you how old you are. Try this to find out.

No cheating… ...Read More

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You just completed working a back-to-back shift entailing 18 hours. When you finally arrive home, you'll literally be too exhausted to sleep and you might muster enough energy to fill a cereal bowl with milk and cheerios. Why do you do this?

There are many other industries that you could be in and make more money and work less hours. Why do you do this?

I've seen many sacrifice relationships by moving six times in seven years and traveling home to family only once every other weekend. Why do you do this?

Some of my greatest mentors have chosen to be away from family for months at a time to pursue their careers. Weeks ago, my family and I went to a county fair in our area. A traveling carnival was part of the entertainment. While my kids were busy trying to break balloo...Read More

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Would you ever be able to have a hotel named after you? Have you been able to pass through all security check points to gain clearance required to be a brand yourself?

Most people are aware of their company's brand, but what about your personal brand?

I've seen companies use celebrity endorsements after success in a blockbuster movie, only to remove association once their celebrity is arrested for DUI. Think about the influence Tiger Woods has as the world's top ranked golfer and highest paid athlete to have an entire resort community with his name on it. There are no scandals or hidden secrets with Tiger. He even can sell clothes simply because his logo is etched upon them.  

What other brands do you now associate w...Read More

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Most people don't pick up the phone anymore to call a client back; they simply hit "reply".

Most people don't send handwritten notes anymore; they simply hit "send".

Most people don't compliment each other; they assume the other person knows.

Most people don't say "please" and "thank you;" they take things for granted.

Most people don't take time to celebrate together; they are inward focused.

Go the extra mile to be different, unique, and special.  If most people "don't" and you "do," you will automatically stand out and stand above the others. 

I saw this sign on my travels and was impressed by the person that "did" and went the extra mile (or extra mil...Read More

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Have you ever been driving down the street and noticed someone trying to catch your attention by wildly throwing around a sign above their head and around their body? When I was traveling back from vacation, I noticed one very talented young man on a street corner near a new housing development that was very good at the art of "spinning signs." I did some research on the idea of "human directionals" and uncovered some interesting information.

"Wade Swormstedt, editor of Signs of the Times, a trade magazine for the sign industry in Cincinnati, Ohio, explains that this is a variation of a technique long used in advertising. "Motion attracts attention," says Swormstedt, "which is why you will see chasing neon lights, signs that actually rotate, full-wrap transit vehicles and trucks whose only purpose is...Read More

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"Good day for fishing, but the catching is horrible" is a quote that I don't wish to hear again on my precious days off.

Do we fish where the fish are? What tools do we use?

This week I am on vacation celebrating a family tradition with 30 relatives from all over the country (from Pittsburgh, to Iowa, to Iraq--where my cousin was stationed). My father-in-law, my son and I went deep-sea fishing in the Delaware Bay. A deck hand of 30 years made that statement about fishing and catching.

The captain relies on two things when taking sunburned visitors to his favorite fishing spots:

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One day in 2010 in Washington, D.C., a young man named Joe was working as a dishwasher.

"Joe!" his boss boomed. "I thought I told you to clean those dishes an hour ago."

Joe could be a little lazy once in awhile, but his boss was going too far. Joe was not enjoying himself one bit.

"Sorry sir," he stammered. "I woke up late and I forgot to eat lunch."

"No more about you," interrupted his boss.

"Well, then, I will… quit."

Joe was heated with anger, but as he stepped outside into a cool wind, he was brushed with a disturbing thought: How would he pay for food and clothes?  He was in trouble.

Meanwhile, about 100 feet above the ground, a cargo plane started to shake.

"I...Read More

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How many of you have incredible memories? Can you remember the smallest of details?

Tim Ferriss, author of "The Four Hour Work Week,"  writes: "I trust the weakest pen more than the strongest memory."

Years ago, I was conducting one of our weekly sales meetings and noticed that several team members did not bring anything with them to the meeting. Instead of embarrassing the ill-prepared, I decided that we would play a game.

"Take out a piece of paper and write the word 'hotel' on it," I said. "Now see how many different words you can spell with the letters contained in the word 'hotel.' "

Anyone who could identify more than five words would get to leave early that evening....Read More

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Literally, are you in the basement? Is the sales office located in any of the below-ground levels? Never mind sales, are any of your executive offices located next to the garage?

This is an interesting point that I never have fully understood in our industry. We employ solid sales people to sell lavish ballrooms, spa services, and suites, but leave them confined in the dark depths of a building.

Are we sometimes so embarrassed by our work environment that we don't dare allow visitors to see our office space? Perhaps it doesn't bother some people as much as it bothers me.

When I first started my career in Pittsburgh, our office space reminded me of the environment of Tom Hanks' character in "Joe Versus The Volcano."  You don't ne...Read More

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How many of us do things for the right reasons? Are we honest with a client when we truly don't feel that our hotel would be a good fit for their needs? Do we try to make it work for the year 2011 because we'll get credit today and hopefully won't be around to handle the mess when the group arrives?

This week do something for someone else. Make an effort and direct it outward, not because you want to get ahead or get credit for something, but because it's the right thing to do. Last week we had about 20 colleagues volunteer at the National Institutue of Health's Children's Inn (www.childrensinn.org) here in the Washington, D.C. area.

The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health is a residential "place like home" for sick children and their families. Children come fr...Read More

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How many of you love sushi?

Japanese food is something that our entire family can enjoy--it offers enough variety so that each person is pleased. It is a special diversion from the chicken fingers and fries that our kids normally select from a children's menu. But the problem that I've encountered when going to many sushi restaurants is the lack of patience many servers have for customers.

Yes, they are experts on the variations, styles, accompaniments, etc., but many of us still want to learn and experiment. There may be times of frustration when customers want to order sushi in a customized manner: "inside out, cut in eights, no roe, with the mayo on the side." How many times would your California Roll arrive with those lovely, orange eggs when the texture is the last thing you'd require to make your meal enjoyable?

...Read More

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