Topic - Management

For decades now, some hoteliers and many hotel tech providers have been pushing hotel guests to embrace self check-in procedures. I first heard of this concept as a budding young entrepreneur floating my business plan for a hotel industry training company to the top minds in lodging. The year was 1989 and my proposed company name was Check-Inn Training. I remember one industry icon in particular who, upon seeing the name on my binder, said 'Bad idea young man.' He proceeded to hand me a copy of an article from what was then called Hotel & Motel Management, in which a headline read 'Front Desk Staffs To Be Replaced By Kiosk Check-in Machine.' continue reading →

This already violent year now carries the ugly scars of two more mass shootings, this time in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, which killed more than 30 people and inflicted devastating wounds on dozens more. The shooter in each instance respected no place and no one. Their bullets ripped through victims of all ages, genders, races and origins. continue reading →

A night of playing board games has become a visit to the escape room, going to the park with the kids has become a trip to the climbing gym, and beers out with friends has turned into themed tours of local pubs, notes Forbes. Though millennials’ insatiable desire to do things rather than collect things has led the surge in the experience economy, the desire for experiences certainly isn’t limited to just one generation. continue reading →

When a modern-day crisis unfolds, gone are the days where executives can assemble in a war room to assess the potential damage and then take their time to formulate a response to appease the media and, more importantly, assuage the fears of their loyal customers - their most treasured asset. continue reading →

Deloitte study reveals that 85 percent of professionals want to hear 'thank you' in day-to-day interactions. continue reading →

Human trafficking, a form of modern slavery, has grown to become one of the largest social issues facing humanity today. It is defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary as organized criminal activity in which humans are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited by being forced into prostitution or involuntary labor. continue reading →

When those in the hotel industry talk about selling hotel rooms, the conversation frequently turns to a diatribe on direct bookings - the great need for them, how to get them, how much money to spend on them, and how to keep them. If this industry is to evolve, the direct-booking debate also must change. continue reading →

Amazon frequently receives credit for successfully employing machine learning to engage consumers and drive sales with its well-known recommendation engine, which generates 35% of the company’s revenue, according to McKinsey. However, competitor Walmart has a surprising amount of machine learning activity going on behind the scenes. continue reading →

We hear too often that CEOs delegate responsibility for crisis management to subordinates, including legal, operations, HR and public relations staff. CEOs who delegate rationalize that their subordinates are strong leaders who can handle crises without them. But, as history has shown time and again, there is a direct relationship between how quickly a CEO takes ownership of a crisis and preservation of the organization’s reputation. continue reading →

The growing frequency of political protests and counter-demonstrations creates security concerns for event venues, including convention centers, hotels, colleges and university campuses. With the next general election cycle on the horizon, increased public protests are a certainty. continue reading →