Archive for February, 2012

Back to basics

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

With so much attention on getting income up and costs down, have we lost sight of some of the basics?

In my recent interviews with a number of prominent hotel professionals in my series “How to Give Your Hotel a Competitive Edge”, one of the messages that kept coming up over and over was about getting the basics right. Whilst most hotels get most tings right, most of the time, it only takes one little slip up before we end up with a disgruntled guest. These are some of the points raised:

 

The Welcome

Do your guest always get greeted with a smile and made to feel special?

  • How well do your staff anticipate guests needs before they ask for things?
  • Do you give attention to detail and have any special little touches for guests?
  • Do you know what constitutes a good welcome for your guests? Do they like to be fussed over, or would they prefer to be left to their own devices?
  • When staff service a room do they routinely put everything back to the standard layout, or leave things the way guests have laid them?

 

The condition and cleanliness of all areas

Do you have a strict audited cleaning programme in place? And does this ensure that the bedroom and bathroom are spotlessly clean (including under the bed, on top of wardrobes, under the basin)? And when was the last time anything saw a lick of paint? Take a look with a fresh pair of eyes and check whether anything looks tired and in need of a facelift. It’s a good idea to walk the customer journey at least once a week to check this out.  Better still ask others to do this on a rotating cycle; different people will pick up on different things, and even if you can’t address everything at once, at least you’ll know where needs attention and can schedule it into your maintenance plan and budget.

And when it comes to refurbs do you go all out on one or two rooms, or do you spread your budget to the benefit of all areas? There’s no one answer to this question, but think about the impact on your guests, your staff and your business as a whole. Is upgrading just one room benefiting only a very small proportion of your business, whilst other areas visible to all guests are left wanting?

 

The practicality

Image of a hotel room

How practical are your hotel rooms? Unless you experience a night’s stay for yourself you wont be able to see what works and what doesn’t. I recently stayed in a very snazzy hotel, and it looked great, but when I met with my colleagues at breakfast we were all complaining that none of it was practical. Definitely a case of form over function on that occasion.  Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do I have to strip the desk or dressing table of marketing bumf before I can put anything down?
  • Is there anywhere to hang the hand towel? Or hang the bath towel so it can be reused?
  • Is there anywhere to put down my toiletries in the bathroom, or put my makeup down where I can reach it and still see in the mirror?
  • Does the kettle lead reach the socket without having to put the kettle on the floor, and still leave free power sockets accessible if I need to plug in my laptop or phone charger?
  • Does the showerhead and water pressure give a decent shower?
  • Is there anywhere to hang my dressing gown – either in the bathroom or bedroom?
  • Can I see myself in the mirror whilst holding the hairdryer?
  • Can I sit comfortably at the desk without banging my knees, and have enough light at the desk to read by without sitting in my own shadow?
  • Can I open a window without using brute force?
  • Can I comfortably watch TV from the chair?
  • Do I have to strip off half a dozen unnecessary pillows before I can get into bed (and make extra laundry into the bargain)?
  • Do you have to get out of bed to switch out the light?

 

A good night’s sleep

When was the last time you slept in one of your own hotel beds? Even if guests don’t make use of the hotel facilities or get up early enough for breakfast, the one thing that all your guests will expect is a good night’s sleep. So check out your beds. A good quality mattress and base is key; and unless you check your beds regularly you wont know when they need replacing.

A good night’s sleep will also be affected by light, noise and temperature.  Do the curtains meet in the middle and cut out street lighting and the sunrise?

Is there any noise from outside such as bottle disposal from the bar, air-conditioning units, traffic, your own bar or other local bars?  Or internally from lift shafts, banging pipes, neighbouring rooms. I remember one sleepless night being disturbed by music throughout the night, only to discover it was from a radio in the night manager’s office in the adjoining room.

And how is the room temperature? Is the air conditioning or heating system clear to adjust without having to call reception?

 

Perceived value for money

All of the above, of course add to the perception of value for money, but value for money will mean different things to different people. So how well do you understand what is important to guests? Is what they receive as good as or better than what guests are expecting?

You should be constantly looking for ways to add value for guests, and particularly look for items that are low cost to you, but high perceived value to your guests. Is everything provided that would be expected at the price point your guests have paid? People’s expectation of what’s included at breakfast, for example, will be very different if they are paying £12.95 rather than £4.95. Do you let guests know everything that is included in their rate? And do you include everything they might expect to be included, such as free WiFi.

Value for money also means a clear and transparent cancellation policy – having to pay for something you have not used will not be seen as good value!

Consider how you compare with your competition, and if you are competing with brands and budget hotels focus on the personal touches that you can add that they can’t offer.

Do your hotel guests suffer from buyers’ remorse?

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

So you’ve got the booking. All you do now is wait for your guests to arrive. Right? No.

I’m sure you, like me, have made purchases – maybe bought a new pair of shoes, ordered a new car, or booked a holiday – only to reflect afterwards if we’ve done the right thing.

With a car it may have been an over zealous salesman, and now you start to see the car everywhere, or you hear tales of unreliability. When you’ve bought that new pair of shoes (I’m addressing the ladies here!) and you wonder if you will ever get any wear out of them. And with the holiday you start to read of poor experiences or learn that you have to fly from some remote airport that means leaving home at some forsaken hour to get your flight.

So what has this to do with your hotel guests? Why would they ever feel remorse?

Well, let’s think about that period between making the booking and arriving at their room.

Do your guests get:

A stony silence for the intervening period?

…..Or do you:

  • Send a personalised confirmation email summarising their booking
  • Send details of the events and activities happening locally during their stay so they can plan ahead
  • Offer to make dinner, theatre or event reservations for them
  • Send them directions and journey times from their home postcode to reach you (this also helps reduce the risk of stressed late arrivals)
  • Advise of the best and most cost effective routes from the airport or railway station

Frustrated at having to make a detour due to the local roadworks, missing the turn into the car park or finding the car parking full?

….Or do you:

  • Advise them of any traffic problems by email or text
  • Allocate ample parking for your expected guests opposed to the car park being full of employees’ vehicles
  • Warn guests in advance if you have limited parking and advise of the alternatives
  • Ensure the hotel entrance and car park are well sign posted and lit so guests can easily find the entrance
  • Tell guests in advance of any security measures needed to enter the car park

A poor first impression

….Or do you ensure:

  • The car park is clean, tidy and well lit
  • The route from the car park to reception is well sign posted
  • Staff on breaks, waste bins, and delivery areas are all out of sight
  • The walk to the entrance is easy to navigate with heavy bags (and potentially the pouring rain)
  • The main entrance is clean (including any signage), welcoming, and obvious from the street and the car park
  • The first thing guests see as they walk in the door is a smiling welcoming face…

A disappointing welcome

….Or do you ensure:

  • Staff are warm, friendly and welcoming to guests – no matter what their role
  • The route from reception to their room is easy (eg lift working correctly, clear signs, clear of discarded room service trays, key cards work properly)
  • The room is fresh, well maintained and at a comfortable temperature
  • The bathroom is spotlessly clean

…..and if there are any problems your team are trained and work as a team to address these and deliver great customer service.

If you are in any doubt about any of these areas, take the customer journey, reviewing all potential routes; and encourage your team to do the same, as they may well notice things that you have become oblivious to.

The way your guests perceive you before they arrive and the welcome they receive will be a key factor in influencing the overall guest experience.  A poor perception is likely to cause them to pick fault with everything, looking for confirmation of their first impression.

Always remember you only have one chance to make that first impression. Make sure it’s a good one.

Please follow this link to get more ideas to help  www.zealcoaching.com/hotel-marketing-workshop

Caroline Cooper

25 essentials to controlling food costs

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

With so much focus on increasing sales, are we remembering to keep tabs on our costs too?
Here are my 25 essentials to controlling food costs.

I’m sure there are many more ideas, but these are the basics…..

  1. Plan menus around seasonal availability
  2. Create costing cards for every menu item, and update ingredients costs as they change
  3. Include methods for all recipes, train chefs and provide the right tools to follow these methods
  4. Establish yields of all recipes, and check these are being achieved though production and sales controls
  5. Check suppliers prices before ordering, and adapt menu if costs reduce margin
  6. Only ever order what you need – chef will only be tempted to use more if it’s there, or it goes to waste
  7. Negotiate drop discounts with your main suppliers – if they can save on delivery costs they might be willing to negotiate
  8. Only ever buy products on offer if you know you can incorporate into the menu without it affecting your sales or margins
  9. Check invoice prices against list prices
  10. Don’t accept expensive substitutes for out of stock items
  11. Check all deliveries are complete, adequate shelf life and in good condition – never accept anything which is not to standard
  12. Keep stores tidy, with everything having its own place – its far easier to control
  13. Keep stores locked, with access only from those who need it
  14. Ensure stock rotation to avoid spoilage
  15. Take stock regularly, weekly if possible, but as a minimum monthly – to get accurate stock consumption figures (this also encourages low stocks and good rotation)
  16. Keep your menu choice limited to avoid low stock turnover – customers usually perceive this anyway with very extensive menus
  17. Keep records of patterns in menu popularity to help planning and ordering
  18. Batch cook as orders come in to meet demand
  19. Check what comes back on plates – and ask if wastage is due to poor quality or too big a portion?
  20. Keep a wastage book to track all wastage – you’ll be amazed how much goes in the bin and for avoidable reasons
  21. Investigate cost of blast chiller if you don’t already have one – it could pay for itself in short space of time
  22. Ensure all chefs/service staff are trained in portion control

23. Supply the right size serving equipment for a standard portion – if a portion of chips is 8 oz and you provide a 10 oz scoop that’s 25% over and your margin gone

24. Educate staff in the budgets and margins involved in the businesses – if they think you make a fortune on each dish they wont respect food costs

25. Have guidelines for staff meals and what they can and cant eat or drink

 

….And a bonus point…

 

26. Accidents do happen – but ask staff to let you know when there has been anything out of the ordinary to affect wastage

Why reinvent the wheel. I have a range of costing tools and other business management resources, which can be found here.

Overcome your guests’ challenges

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Listen to all the reasons people give for NOT staying, or limiting their stay with you. What other services you can provide that might just tip the balance in favour of that night out, overnight stay or weekend away. Think of the challenges your guests face, and how easily you could solve their problems:

  • No baby sitter – can you offer a babysitting service
  • What to do with the dog – recommend kennels (or allow dogs)
  • Poor transport network – provide a free taxi service to and from the station or airport
  • If I stay away another night I’ll miss my gym session and end up eating more than I should – a common concern for business users, so set up temporary membership arrangements at the local gym, and provide a healthy option light or calorie counted meal
  • The kids will want their bikes, but we don’t have a bike rack – offer bike hire or team up with a local hire shop ~
  • There’s nothing to do if the weather is bad – set up a kids’ play room and indoor entertainment area, and provide games and indoor activities
  • I don’t have time to do my laundry, get my hair cut or legs waxed – provide a laundry and pressing service, or offer complimentary or discount vouchers for your own spa or a local beauty or hair salon

You could take the attitude ‘that’s not my problem’ or you can see these ‘problems’ as great opportunities for additional services. Without having to think too hard or spend too much, people can have a ready-solved problem if you’ve put together a package ‘just for them’.
For more articles and resources

Be flexible and offer hotel guests alternatives

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

You can’t bow to every request a hotel guest ever makes. But don’t be so bound by the rules that any request is met with a hostile ‘jobsworth’ attitude! If you cannot meet your guests’ initial requests, look at offering an alternative:

  • A guest wants an early breakfast, before your kitchen staff normally arrive – offer a continental breakfast or a tray instead, or at the very least a take away cup of fresh coffee.
  • You receive a request just 10 minutes before service for an alternative to the set menu for a big party – you don’t have a choice, but listen to what the guest needs to avoid and offer an alternative combination without this item.
  • Your weekend guests ring ahead and say they haven’t been able to get a dog sitter. You don’t take dogs, but can you find a local kennel who can accommodate the dog?
  • Your guest asks for a particular brand of whisky for an important client he is entertaining. You don’t stock it, so do you refuse, or phone your neighbouring hotel or pub to see if they have it in stock.

Encourage your staff to get into the mindset of looking for an alternative solution, even if the initial question has to be answered with a ‘no’, it can be followed by ‘but I can do x for you’, or ‘I know someone who could do this for you’.
For more articles and resources

Offer your hotel guests and restaurant customers a choice

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Give your guests choice. This does not mean having 100 items on your breakfast menu or 40 types of pillow – but do give them a choice you can cope with. Again listen to what your customers tell you.

  • In your restaurant, how often do people tell you they are too full for a dessert? Serving huge portions may be appealing to some, but others may be put off having a starter or dessert if they think the portion sizes are too big. Why not provide a taster version, for a slightly lower price, to ensure the sale? That way the waiting staff don’t need to make a judgement call or check with the kitchen if this can be done; it’s already in the system, and the kitchen don’t have to guess the portion size.
  • Can you offer a choice of rooms in terms of features or facilities? Even if the rooms are all a standard layout, can you offer people a choice of outlook, proximity to reception, in-room amenities etc?
  • How often do you get asked what time is check out? Can you be flexible to allow later check-outs (for an additional cost or as part of a promotional special) so guests have the opportunity to make the most of their last day before they head home?
  • Do your guests come to you to celebrate special occasions? If so do you have one room, which is very special in its own right, or where you can include extra services? What else can you add to your standard offer to make a deluxe version to sell at a premium price?

Become your own hotel inspector, or train your staff to become your personal team of hotel inspectors giving you valuable and objective feedback where ever and whenever you want http://www.zealcoaching.com/products-resources/the-customer-journey/

Listen to your guests and turn ‘no’ into ‘yes’

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Have you ever stayed in a hotel or eaten in a restaurant where the staff and management have been so hell bent on the rules that it’s impossible to get what you want? I’m sure we all have. And will we ever go back there? I doubt it.

But allowing the attitude that anything goes can be damaging to your bottom line, especially if you are a small hotel. And it can be confusing for staff. So how do you strike the balance?

Over the next few days I’ll be exploring the options to show we are listening and responding to our guests needs and helping to build loyalty and trust.

Anticipate their needs

Start by identifying customers’ needs in advance. Identify your perfect customer and identify the things that will be important to each category of guest. Put yourself in their shoes or ask them directly what they want from their stay with you.

  • Are they business users who need a phone re charger, restaurant or theatre bookings make, access to a printer to print their boarding pass, a quick no frills breakfast before their meeting, or an express check out?
  • Do you cater for families, who may want equipment for infants and small children (and staff who look happy to see them!), child friendly menus, and something to entertain the kids?
  • Do you cater for a lot of celebrations when people may want birthday cakes, flowers, or gifts? If you know there is a likelihood something will be asked for, build this into your services as a norm, that way it can be planned for and staff can be get the right training to deal with the situation.

For more articles and resources