As a hotel manager, how close are you to accomplishing these priorities in 2024?
Priorities that revolve around matters of importance include People, Product and Profits. Congratulations to all those managers who have addressed the following or given serious thought towards converting good intentions to action. To those still at the starting line, here’s some thoughts to consider:-
Margin control: For many hotel managers, hotel costs are a constant worry, requiring regular monitoring and a second look to avoid unnecessary and inefficient drain on the bottom line. Compounding matters is the escalating energy and food prices including fluctuating spending habits of customers.
As the markets continue to progress in a post-COVID environment and rate and occupancy, sooner or later flattens out, hotel managers need to be intently focused on preserving margin. The momentary surge of ADR growth will eventually even out, and unwary hotel managers will be left with a stack of fixed costs and labour expenses, that will need to be off set with resourceful expense and labour management to improve margins.
Assemble the right team: A digitalized society, artificial intelligence together with ever-changing guest expectations has created seismic changes in our industry. However, what has remained consistent is the importance of human contact in delivering exceptional guest service. Prioritize the recruitment and retention of talented individuals through extensive training and development initiatives. Retaining talented people is tough, but finding their replacement is tougher.
An on-going priority for any hotel manager has to be on how to continually motivate his or her associates. They will need to know each and every member of the team and work with them, to gain their trust and to get them to believe in hospitality’s mission of taking care of people. A manager must not only know the way, he must show and go the way.
The challenge of AI: Generative Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of hospitality technology heading into 2024. AI is changing the world – and one of the main areas it will affect in the short-to-medium term is the workforce.
The remarkable capabilities of artificial intelligence are clear the moment you try it. But remarkableness is also a problem for managers. Working out what to do with a new technology is harder when it can affect so many activities; when its adoption depends not just on the abilities of machines but also on humans. What machines do well is tactical; what humans do well is strategic. The right balance between AI technology and human interactions and the ability to thread this needle with ease, can result in exceptional guest service while delivering excellent outcomes.
Focus on the customer: Reinforce the organization’s focus on end-to-end customer journeys that seek to understand what drives satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy, in order to acquire and retain and attract the best customers. Hospitality is a unique human act. Keeping guests at the heart of what we do is paramount to creating remarkable experiences, and technology can be the great enabler.
Guest reviews provide a perspective influenced by individual experiences and expectations – what the hotel promised vs. what was delivered. While this personal insight can be valuable, it introduces variability that can make comparisons more challenging. Understand though, that a guest’s perception of a hotel can be significantly influenced by their personal preferences and expectations, which may not align with those of other travelers.
Ilzaf Keefahs is a freelance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry
|
|
|
|
