Hotel Operations

📰 In Salt Lake City, Utah, the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) selected Yipy as a preferred provider through the Leading Strategic Sourcing (LSS) program. This collaboration aims to enhance service consistency and individuality across LHW’s global network. Yipy offers platforms to operationalize service excellence, reducing training time and improving guest satisfaction. The LSS program, developed with DayBlink GPO, connects LHW member hotels with value-driven partners in operations, technology, and guest experience.

📡 Shep Hyken highlights common customer service issues, emphasizing that the problem often lies in systems, not personnel. Key issues include hard-to-find contact information, reliance on AI without human agents, lack of self-service options, ineffective self-service, long hold times without call-back options, unreturned messages, and poorly trained representatives. Companies should brainstorm solutions to address these system failures and enhance customer experiences.

💸 Hotels seeking to boost ancillary revenue should focus on mobile ordering for F&B services, as it offers significant potential. Deployment of QR codes, covering guest touchpoints, can capture orders 24/7. IRIS, a leader in digital F&B platforms, reports hotels using mobile ordering technology can boost revenues by 20%. The strategy includes upselling, multi-lingual support, and creative marketing. Since 2010, thousands of hotels globally have utilized IRIS technology to enhance guest experiences and streamline operations.

🏨 In the 1920s, Great Britain had roughly 30,000 butlers, but today there are only about 5,000 trained butlers in the UK. The Lanesborough Hotel in London has assigned butlers to each guest since the early 1990s. The Ritz-Carlton and other luxury hotels like The St. Regis Rome and The Savoy London enhance guest experiences with butler services. This service increases average daily rates (ADRs) but requires highly trained staff, highlighting a competitive edge in the luxury hotel market.

🚧 In 2023, a study showed burnout among hotel workers leads to high turnover. During COVID, hotels cut staff intending to rehire post-pandemic, but 80% still report vacancies in 2025. Chronic understaffing impacts guest experience, property maintenance, and staff well-being, leading to increased costs. Replacing staff costs between $5,000 to over $25,000 per person. Solutions include rehiring past employees, cross-training, and prioritizing well-being. Short-term savings from understaffing often result in long-term financial losses.

🛌 ChatGPT recommended a family-friendly hotel in Malta. The website disappointed with outdated design and poor copy. Age categories were oddly precise: "Children: 2–11.99 years" and "Babies: 0–1.99 years (always free)". This lack of professionalism impacts trust. Effective family pages should have impeccable copy, clear structure, and relevant visuals. Visibility attracts visitors; credibility secures bookings. Want to boost family bookings? Follow these guidelines!

📍 1912 Hotels has taken over operations of Hotel Raphael in Vienna's 6th district, located at Wallgasse 23. The hotel, with 78 guest rooms, is ideally situated near the Raimund Theater and Mariahilfer Straße shopping area, catering to both leisure and business travelers. The company will manage daily operations and strategize the hotel's future positioning. This acquisition strengthens 1912 Hotels' presence in the DACH region, aligning with their mission to offer unique hospitality experiences.

💸 In 2026, net revenue in hospitality involves subtracting direct sales deductions from gross revenue. For example, a hotel with $100,000 gross revenue from 500 room nights at a $200 average daily rate subtracts $5,000 for returns, $3,000 for discounts, and $2,000 for allowances, resulting in $90,000 net revenue. Tracking is facilitated by reconciling daily through Property Management Systems (PMS) and using spreadsheets or revenue software for automation.

🏨 Recently, upon entering a hotel lobby, I observed a front desk agent engaged in phone scrolling, with little customer interaction. This highlights leadership issues: absence of service standards, lack of training, and no engagement culture. Effective leadership is key to correcting this. Leaders must set expectations, train staff, and recognize successes. Great hospitality is cultivated, not accidental. Leaders must ask themselves: in 30 seconds, what message does their front desk convey? #Leadership #Hospitality

📰 Founded in 2022, "It’s Personal Stories," led by David Kong, Rachel Humphrey, and Lan Elliott, launched a redesigned website featuring nearly 300 interviews with global hospitality leaders. The platform has garnered 750,000 YouTube views by offering free, experience-based leadership insights. Each 30-minute interview provides practical wisdom on themes like imposter syndrome, work-life harmony, and leadership habits. The podcast, named a "Top Hospitality Podcast," promotes authentic storytelling to inspire career growth.