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Economic Analysis: Uncertainty Can Be Good News: Tom’s Take

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Robert Frost said, “In 3 words I can sum up everything I have learned about life. It goes on.”

Friday I was reading that crisis in Greece continues to worry investors. RE market seems to have turned the corner in the US. Next article said RE market remains weak. Meantime, volcanic eruption in Iceland has royally screwed up airline flights. To point UK has sent ships to pick up stranded citizens in the Baltic. Stock market rallied. Wait a minute, it dropped Friday on news of yet another scandal.

What the heck (alright I tamed that down) does all of this mean? How do we make it work for our businesses?

The more I read the less I know. If I don’t like one analysis I can read a little more and get the opposite analysis. Economics has always been more art than science. Yet, people, or at least the media seem to be dwelling on economic predictions more than ever.

“At first I was uncertain, now I’m not so sure.” Anonymous

Those of us in business need to be aware of what’s going on in the world. But then move forward without relying too much on what’s going on. Another quote I like, “There’s nothing wrong with looking back, just don’t stare.”

There are certain things we know.

The world knows that natural resources are depleting and the population is exploding. Likewise, each of us should know what is going on in each of the communities we do business in. Which businesses are growing and which are contracting. But do we?

I was recently talking to a VP Operations who has been asking their hotel management teams:

When was the last time the GM’s asked their teams, specifically, which local businesses were growing or poised for growth? When was the last time the sales team visited those businesses to learn what their needs were?
When was the last time they attended Chamber of Commerce Meeting? Met with the local CVB? Had lunch with their peers from other hotels? Attended a Rotary or Kiwanis meeting? Were involved in another civic activity?

This VP was worried that the teams were concentrating on today’s business to the exclusion of future business. The VP was right. The GM’s had not been asking the first question. Attending a staff meeting it was quickly apparent Department heads were not getting into the community to learn what was coming. Most of the Department heads belonged to one or more organizations, but they rarely attended meetings.

Action Plan

Hotels had their sales teams calling on known accounts and local businesses. Department heads had to attend at least one civic function a month. By dividing up civic organizations, each hotel assured attendance at majority of meetings and functions. Things that should have been happening all along, but in the effort to get immediate business, things that were not being done systematically.

Results

First month hotel picked up 4 additional catering functions. Booked 3 small meetings for the next month. All a result of sales team calling on businesses they added to their list of prospects. Attendance at civic functions and meetings resulted in booking 3 wedding receptions, an anniversary party, role out party for expansion at local business, and events for 3 new businesses that were opening within 3 months. Plus over 20 leads for other business functions with potential for over 300 room nights.

VP’s prodding reminded Department heads they were all responsible for sales for their hotel.

Tags: business uncertainty, civic organizations, economic analysis, sales leads, Tom's Take
Posted in Economic Analysis: Tom's Take, Industry News, Leadership, Nagib's Corner, Operations, Revenue Generation, Sales & Marketing, Tom's Take | No Comments »

Tom’s Take: Innovations for Second Quarter

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Yesterday in Business is Better, Closing In On Good, But Not Great “http://www.securemploy.com/blog/2010/04/07/business-is-better-closing-in-on-good-but-not-great/” I indicated that most companies we have talked to did slightly better than planned for the first quarter. Some felt they were overly conservative in their projections. Others felt they didn’t get as big a “share” as they wanted. Etc. Bottom line: many companies are not as happy about first quarter as they should be. Congratulate yourself if you achieved NOP!

Innovative Thinking for Second Quarter.

Had a delightful conversation with a progressive thinking VP Sales & Marketing early this week. He really got me thinking. I asked if I could share his ideas. He agreed.

He introduced me to:

Zero Based Marketing & Sales Projections Increase Revenues 11%

All of us are familiar with Zero Based budgeting that was all the rage a few years ago. (Incidentally, a number of progressive management companies are still using the concept and seem to be beating the industry profit averages by 5-7% every year.)

This VP sits down with sales teams at each hotel, every quarter. They analyze all the booked business. What has been booked. At what rate. What additional services/products were added to the sale. What F&B is included. Then they go through a check list of 97 things they can offer to any group or guest to identify what they did not sell. Now they re-analyze each piece of business to identify how to get additional revenue from the group.

They have been doing this for 9 months. On average they have increased revenue from existing bookings by 11%.

The VP takes this a step farther. Before each sales call the sales person studies the list of 97 items that can be sold and charged. Which will benefit this group or corporate account the most. They look at what will provide the most benefit to the customer. Not what will give the hotel the greatest profit margin. This VP understands the key to sustained long-term profits is to keep all the accounts. VP knows that only happens if you meet the clients needs first.

Can It Really Be This Simple?

VP Sales and Marketing said they learned early that they always left money on the table. Sales people are trained to close the sale. It’s tough to be in the middle of that process and remember everything you can sell. By analyzing what was missed, from the customers perspective, they can go back to the customer and help the customer better meet their needs.

I asked if the customer always “traded up.” The answer? “Almost always, but typically at a fraction of what we suggest.” It’s easy to identify ways a customer can significantly increase their results by spending 20% more. That’s rarely in the budget. “Customers always appreciate our suggestions, even when they don’t use them. They appreciate our thinking about their business. By concentrating on how our suggestions will benefit them, they “get” that we are not just trying to re-negotiate the deal.

Sweetening the deal.

Once in a while, the customer just can’t add anything. Before we make our suggestions the sales team at the property has identified 1-2 things they would be willing to “throw into the existing deal” to improve things for the customer. These customers are blown away by our offer. It stops them cold if they were thinking we were just trying to renegotiate after the deal was signed.

The Best Part-90% Re-bookings.

That’s right. This company has re-booked 90% of the business that has been exposed to the above. “Customer loyalty is the name of the game for any business. I always remind our teams that it’s easier to get additional dollars from existing customers than to find new customers. We all know it. In our zeal for additional business, I found we were pushing our sales teams so hard they were not giving our existing customers the attention they deserved.”

Tags: customer care, marketing innovations, more business from existing customers, sales innovations, sweetening the deal
Posted in Industry News, Leadership, Operations, Revenue Generation, Sales & Marketing, Tom's Take, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Tom’s Take: What Do Transient Guests Want?

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

We all assume we know what our guests desire when they stay with us. Do you really know or are you assuming you know?

Do you need more or less amenities?

Some hotels and companies do an excellent job surveying their guests. These hotels have advance knowledge on their customers changing tastes.

When was the last time you surveyed your guests when they checked in or out?

Start by giving guests a 4″ x 6″ card at check in that asks: Please indicate the 3 things we can do to make your stay enjoyable. Then have 3 lines. At bottom ask them if they would like you to remember these for their next visit. If so please enter their name and email address.

At check out give them a second 4″ x 6″ card asking them to list the 5 most important amenities you can offer. At bottom ask them if they would like you to remember these for their next visit. If so please enter their name and email address.

Giving guests blank cards enables them to tell you exactly what is most important to them. After the guest has left have your front desk staff indicate on the card whether the guest is traveling on business or pleasure. If possible identify the business the guest is in.

Several hotels are starting to survey their customers each time they check in. The hotels have developed follow-up mini-surveys for repeat customers. Better service starts by understanding each of our guests. The above program cost is typically less than $25 per month. If you don’t have the ability to print on 4″ x 6″ card stock, then use 8 1/2″ x 11″ 28 pound paper stock. Run it through your photocopier and cut it into quarters.

To run efficiently, we each need to apply “zero based” practices whenever possible. This means starting without preconceptions. Several hotels that have done this have found they could eliminate some of the room amenities they provide “as a matter of course.” Of course these hotels have to meet brand standards. They have also been able to suggest to brands that some amenities need to be available. That doesn’t mean they need to be in the room.

Tags: customer surveys, guest surveys, know your customers., Transient guests
Posted in Industry News, Leadership, Operations, Revenue Generation, Sales & Marketing, Tom's Take, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Tom’s Take: Best Places for Business Meetings

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Robert Half Management Resources recently ran on survey on “the best places to hold a business meeting” outside the company’s four walls.

Following are the results and few ideas on how hotels can drive revenues.

The recent survey by Robert Half Management Resources.

When asked, “Other than in the office, what was the location of your most successful business meeting ever?,” here’s what 1,400 finance execs replied:

restaurant (36%)
trade show or conference (25%)
sporting event (4%)
golf course (3%)
in a car (1%)
on a trip/plane (1%)
nowhere else (24%), and
other/don’t know/refused (4%).

To increase your revenues:

-Call local businesses and offer your restaurant for business meetings between meal periods. Let them know that 1400 financial executives surveyed indicated this is the number one source of business meetings outside of their own offices. If they need larger area, sell them meeting space. Long term benefit: Local businesses will become aware of services you offer and will tell vendors that visit them. As employees of these companies become aware of your hotel they can refer visiting friends or social business to you. Collect business cards to establish communication paths.

-Trade show or conference. When there is trade show for any industry in your town or city, do you attend? This is one of the best opportunities to discover all the vendors that come to your town/city. You have a captive audience. Ask them where they are staying. If not at your hotel, exchange business cards so you can cultivate them.

-Sporting Event. Check with local golf courses, country clubs, and casinos to see when they have events/tournaments scheduled. Visit them to collect business cards from people that can use your hotel and facilities the next time. A half day at these functions can generate 50 or more leads for future business. Tournaments attract vendors, spectators and participants. All can be your customers.

We all talk about people who “think outside the box.” Any of your employees who are doing the above are demonstrating these abilities. Take care of these employees. Need more employees like this? That requires you to think “outside the box.” We can help. There are inexpensive ways to recruit, call Securemploy at 800-935-5280. We’ll be glad to share what we hear from successful companies.

Posted in Finance, Industry News, Leadership, Sales & Marketing, Tom's Take | No Comments »

“Less Worse”-Most People’s View of 2010

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Thanks to Jim Higley and HotelNewsNow.com for the excellent summary on where people think our industry is heading in 2010.

Blog: These conferences reveal some interesting trends
Posted by Jeff Higley at 12:00 AM

The best part of back-to-back conferences at the beginning of the year is they provide a gauge of what’s in store for the months ahead. It was no different last week as the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in San Diego and the Hotel Brokers International annual meeting in Las Vegas provided more than just a glimpse of what’s going on in the hotel industry:

“Less worse” is how most people are looking at 2010. It’s not going to be great, but it will be less worse than 2009.
Insurance companies such as Pacific Life are beginning to dip their toes into the hotel-lending space, and that’s a good sign there’s at least something positive starting to happen. Of course, these loans will mostly be for big-box hotels that at one time had a value of more than US$100 million. Therefore, we’re still waiting to hear of a mass of lenders interested in jumping in for properties previously valued at US$20 million to US$80 million.
Regional banks will start foreclosing on hotels this year as they will get pressure from FDIC regulators to shore up their books.
A number of companies, including HEI Hotels & Resorts and Richfield Hospitality, have money to lend to hotel owners who have troubled assets. The companies want to lend what essentially is mezzanine financing, but instead of having the money paid back, the companies want an ownership stake in the troubled asset.
In general, as long as hotel owners are meeting their operating expenses and can meet debt interest obligations and have a penny to pay the bank, they won’t receive too much chin music from the bank.
Any banks lending money are requiring 50 percent equity for the discussion to even get started.
There’s belief that the long-awaited increase of the Small Business Administration loan limit to US$5 million is around the corner. The increase has been talked about for more than a year. The limit currently is US$2 million. When it is increased, lenders such as PMC Commercial Trust (which hasn’t stopped giving SBA loans during the downturn) will find plenty of borrowers in line.
Regardless of the reason for gathering—a general session, a panel discussion, networking events or late-night rendezvous at the lobby bar—there is a firm belief that the industry has hit bottom. No one is sure if there’s going to be a W recovery—which will mean an increase then a decrease—but there’s a strong belief that the bottom has been reached in operating performance and transaction activity.
Most executives I talked with are budgeting for RevPAR to be between -6 percent and +3 percent. The more optimistic groups are convinced there will be a huge uptick in the industry following a tough first quarter. Those with a more pessimistic view think the comeback won’t start until late in the year.
One of the more interesting approaches to what the recovery might look like was presented by a couple of attendees who said they expect it to look like a square-root sign. That’s some ups and downs and then a long flat recovery. I tend to think it will have the look of a Nike swoosh—a steady gain in momentum beginning late in the third quarter of this year.
Hotels took a beating during request-for-proposals season as clients were looking to save money any way they could. A number of people told me they took the approach of, “Hey, we can make this cut now, but if we do this for clients, we won’t be here next year. So, for long-term considerations, don’t try to squeeze every cent out me for rates.” Most of the people said the clients were understanding. My question: When good times return, will we remember those clients when we’re raising rates?
In pre-ALIS polling, 38 percent of attendees said a turnaround will occur in the third quarter of this year, Jim Burba told attendees. Seventy-five percent said it will come sometime this year. What’s more encouraging is that 60 percent said their companies will grow this year.
The biggest worry for conference attendees clearly were the lack of debt and the lack of group business.
A stark statistic from Mark Lomanno’s Smith Travel Research presentation: On an average day, the hotel industry sells 215,000 fewer rooms (US$42 million in revenue) than it did 18 months ago.
Also from Lomanno: High-end hotels were affected by rate more than demand, and low-end hotels were affected more by demand than rate.
The quote that best sums up the transaction environment comes from Arthur De Haast of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels: “There’s a lot of stress on the system, but not as much distress, and that’s what the buyer is looking for.”
It was no surprise when the 1,001-room Hilton Orland-Bonnet Creek and the 498-room Waldorf-Astoria Orlando took home the Development of the Year honors at ALIS. The US$550-million project developed by KUD International LLC and Brooksville Development Corporation was among the most impressive hotel projects that opened last year. … Other ALIS award winners included the US$44.24-million purchase of the iconic 322-room Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the winner of the Single Asset Transaction of the Year Award. The Berger Company and Crow Holdings paid about US$137,422 per room to Orient Express Hotels for the property. … Ron Danko, executive vice president of CBRE Hotels, won the Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year Award. … And Randy Smith, founder and CEO of STR, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Hospitality Consultants at ALIS.
There is some sentiment that top assets in certain markets are ready to start pushing rate.
There is more demand than ever for a broker’s opinion of value—especially as more banks take back hotels. They’re looking for some consistent valuation, and it appears brokers can provide that stability for lenders looking to unload assets from their balance sheets.

Posted in Finance, Industry News, Leadership, Operations | No Comments »

Billionaire-Owned Hotels and Resorts

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Forbes magazine (www.Forbes.com) published info about hotels and resorts owned by billionaires. Web sites make fun viewing:

Hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones bought 350,000 acres in Tanzania.His Singita Grumeti Reserves feature air-conditioned tents and other amenities to provide a luxury experience.

http://www.singita.com

William Cook restored French Lick Hotel & Casino in Indiana. It includes golf, 12 eating venues and the casino.

www.FrenchLick.com

Kuwait’s richest man, Nassar Al-Kharafi owns Port Ghalib Resort, close to Egypt’s pyramids. Three resorts in one. Great beach and scuba diving.

http://portghalib.orientory.com

Donald Trump’s Trump International overlooks Central Park.

http://www.trumpintl.com

New York’s Plaza Hotel is owned by Israeli titan Yitzhak Tshuva. It’s Central Park and Fifth Avenue location is premier.

http://www.fairmont.com/thePlaza

Topping the list of billionaire owned hotels is Steve Wynn’s Wynn Las Vegas. While staying there you can check out the cars at the Ferrari-Maseratie dealership, or the multi-million dollar art collection.

www.wynnlasvegas.com

Sheldon Adelson took his concept of the Venetian in Las Vegas to unparalleled heights with the Venetian Macau. It is the equivalent of 56 football fields and includes a 14,000 seat stadium.

http://www.venetianmacao.com/en/

Hasso Plattner, Germany’s richest man owns Fancourt Hotel and Country in South Africa. It offers 3 rated golf courses, 6 gourmet restaurants, and lush tropical wilderness garden.

http://www.fancourt.co.za/

Las Ventanas in Mexico is owned by Beanie Baby creator Ty Warner. It features 71 suites overlooking the Sea of Cortez.

http://www.lasventanas.com/en/

Ritz Carlton Chicago is owned by Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm.

http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagorc/

The Carlton Hotel in St Moritz is owned by Swiss retail mogul Carl-Heinz Kipp. It is certainly one of the most prestigious ski resorts.

http://www.carlton-stmoritz.ch/de/17/carlton_hotel.aspx

Ready to plan your next vacation?

Posted in Industry News, Just for Fun | No Comments »

Andrew Freeman & Co. presents hotel, restaurant trends for 2010

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Andrew Freeman’s Trends for 2010 are a must read. Excellent ideas for all types of business.

San Francisco, CA—November 16, 2009. Available exclusively to media today, Andrew Freeman & Co. (AF&Co.), a leading hospitality and restaurant consulting firm, is releasing their 2010 Trend Watch List. Tapping into the pulse of top restaurant and hotel trends to expect in the coming year.

The 2010 Trend Watch List was developed by AF&Co., from a combination of close industry observation, coast-to-coast travel, discussions with industry experts, meetings with hotel and restaurant clients, press contacts, conferences attended and media sources.

An industry veteran, prior to opening Andrew Freeman & Co., Andrew worked at legendary New York venues including Windows on the World, the Russian Tea Room and the Rainbow Room. Eventually Andrew left New York for San Francisco to become the Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Partnerships for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. He spent ten years with Kimpton, launching over 40 hotels and restaurants as well as the global brand. While there Andrew was responsible for strategic development and execution of all public and media relations activities.

AF&Co.’s annual Trend List, now in its third year, has quickly become an industry standard in anticipating market demands and consumer feedback. Read on to review the complete list:

WHAT ARE THE TOP TRENDS FOR 2010 ACCORDING TO ANDREW FREEMAN?

Putting Off the Ritz – Keep it simple! Forgo the finery for now. Keep ambiance, service, and menu items simple and comfortable. Hotels can lose some of the in-room amenities; restaurants take a more casual approach with less white linen, simpler tableware and less decoration. Less is more, but choose wisely.

Examples: 400 thread count sheets are fine, and when it comes to relaxation, a good cotton robe goes a lot farther than a silk throw.

The Magic Touch – Hotels and restaurants operate touch-screen interfaces for check-in, placing orders end user-guided guest education. Everything is paid for with the swipe of a card. Reach out and touch someone.

Examples: Incentient electronic winelist at SD26 (New York, NY) and for in-room guest service in-face Ritz Carlton in Moscow; Virgin Air snackbar; Stanford Court Hotel touchscreen tourist maps (San Francisco, CA)

Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner – Create cache by offering guests something special and inviting. Celebrity yoga instructors, chefs, actors, singers, masseurs, bartenders and designers visit and do what they do well. Restaurants host Guest Chef Nights and visiting bartenders come in once a week or for a week at a time. Pop-up restaurant appearances expand outreach and help build support. Guest experts are great for sales and public relations.

Examples: The Tides Zihuatanejo’s Yoga Retreats with celebrity instructor Tom Morley (Zihuatanejo, Mexico); Tastemaker Dinners at étoile at Domaine Chandon (Yountville, CA)

Reality Bites – Bring reality TV to real life whether it is culinary showdowns in restaurants or behind the scenes glimpses into running an outlet in the hospitality business.

Examples: Sommelier Smackdown at Fifth Floor (San Francisco, CA); Deathmatch dinners (Portland, ME)

There Is Such a Thing as a Free Lunch– Bring in guests by giving out. Hotels offer added services at no charge. Restaurants drink up the profits by keeping guests on site and happily hydrated from beverage purchases.

Examples: River Terrace Inn offers guests complimentary DVD rentals, bikes and bottled water (Napa, CA); Palio D’Asti provides free pizza during happy hour (San Francisco, CA)

Everything Old is Indeed New Again – It’s the revival. Old-school ambiance rich with historical significance enrich hotels. While restaurants return to “classic” salad dressings and dips: blue cheese, green goddess, thousand island and louis dressing or pimento cheese and onion dip. Let’s go retro.

Examples: Hotel Shattuck Plaza (Berkeley, CA); Shrimp cocktail with green goddess dressing at PorterHouse New York (New York, NY)

Get Your Game On – The lobby as living room concept goes more casual and fun with pinball, pool tables, foosball or with theme nights like Movie Nights, Makeover Madness, “Dancing With the Stars” and “American Idol” viewing parties. Restaurant make dining fun with activity oriented events.

Examples: Pillar & Post (Niagra on the Lake, Ontario); “Golf & Grill” twilight golf games and dinners at Wente Vineyards (Livermore, CA)

Values Driven Incentives – Guests choose hotels and restaurants based on like-minded values. Hotels will donate a percentage of group business from group stays to the charity of choice, while building a strong relationship and being able to reach out to like minded businesses. Restaurants attract guests with conscious concerns seeking restaurants that reinforce their views.

Examples: Kimpton Hotels Shared Values Program; River Terrace Inn sponsors the Napa Valley Land Trust

HOTELS
The Discovery Channel – Guests are in search of experience vacations that allow them to get involved. Wise hotels bring the true taste to the table, or the farm. Farm stays, winery bootcamp programs, voluntourism, and cooking classes. Escape to an alternate reality.

Examples: Feather Down Farms (multiple locations, Europe); Stony Creek Farm (New York, NY), Liberty Hill Farm (Rochester, VT)

The Loyal Treatment – Guest loyalty programs give more out, more often, in efforts to boost business and keep a strong relationship.

Statistics: Loyalty is up 19% in a tough economy (Hospitality Technology)

I Heart Art –Say it with flowers and you’ll have to say it again and again. Art speaks volumes and doesn’t have to be replaced every week. It saves money, it can be a source of community involvement and it looks good. Art is smart.

Examples: Hotel Palomar, Art in Motion (multiple locations); rotating local art work at The Lodge at Sonoma (Sonoma, CA)

One Size Does Not Fit All – Small and quirky hotels offer a unique experience; often at a more budget friendly price. Loose the traditional hotel accoutrements and replace with an alternative vibe. Airstream trailers, unusual property conversions, small but funky is the rule.

Examples: Pod hotels, Micro Hotels, Hotel Airstream (Newport Beach, CA), hip/funky hostels.

Outside the Box - Open air or outdoor lobbies, independently situated bungalows or guest units set amongst landscaped areas. Outdoor massages and exercise programs. Urban adaptations feature mini-rooftop gardens. It’s the great, great outdoors.

Examples: Cottage Suites at The Lodge at Sonoma (Sonoma, CA), Bardessono (Yountville, CA), Apple Farm (Philo, CA)

The New F Words – Form. Function. Flair. Hotel guests demand fully functional work and relaxation spaces; from practical desks, focused lighting, adequate bathroom counter space, plenty of plugs and the latest tech equipment. Don’t let design be a detriment.

Examples: ergonomic chairs, spare desk-side outlets, wireless speaker phone, and in-room connection ports with USB outlets including direct connection capabilities to sync a laptop with the 32” flat screen TV at Wyndham Phoenix Hotel (Phoenix, AZ)

Let’s Get Really Personal – Show the love and appreciation with a completely personalized experience. Customization goes to the next level to create the at-home feeling. Design at every touch-point is being personalized.

Examples: Pre-loaded digital images of family photographs, customized playlists and magazine selections in every guestroom for return guests.

RESTAURANTS

Coming to America – International influences are ingrained. Sriracha (rooster sauce) is the new salsa, which replaced the old ketchup. Vietnamese Banh Mi is the new Ham & Swiss; and Middle Eastern spices and spreads go mainstream as pizza makes way for pide. Forget chicken noodle soup, it is pho; pho sure.

Examples: Short rib sliders with Sriracha aioli at E&O Trading Co. (San Francisco, Larkspur and San Jose, CA); Sourdough bread and lavash with feta walnut spread and Caspian tapenade at Zare at Fly Trap (San Francisco, CA)

This Is a Stick Up - Small foods on a stick. Skewers, satay, and yakitori; no ifs, ands or kebabs about it.

Examples: Satay at Pranna (New York, NY); Anticuchos at La Mar Cebicheria Peruana (multiple locations worldwide)

Use Your Noodle – Asian noodles including ramen, soba and pho; from basic broths to high-charged broths with barbecued meats and all sorts of additions.

Examples: Big Bowl (multiple locations, ILL, VA, MN)

Sandwich Smorgasbord – Enjoy a globally inspired buffet of sandwich style options including Scandinavian open faced, Indian Kati rolls, PLTs with pancetta or pork belly, international grilled cheeses and tricked out Mexican tortas bursting at the seams. There’s a reason why delicous begins with Deli.

Examples: The Sentinel (San Francisco, CA); Take a Bao (Century City, CA)

Love Shack Baby– Seafood shacks go upscale and mainstream, even in inland areas. Old favorites like oysters, fried clams, fish ‘n chips, lobster rolls, crab cakes and clam chowder, as well as fish tacos, clam bakes, lobster boils and all encompassing fish frys. We’re hooked.

Examples: Nettie’s Crab Shack (San Francisco, CA); Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll (multiple locations, East Coast)

School of Fish – Pristine local organic produce is no longer enough, chefs and guests are casting their nets beyond small, local, sustainable and organic farming to demand sustainable seafood certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood watch and other eco-conscious organizations. So long snapper; make way for mackerel.

Examples: Area 31 (Miami, FLA); Fish (Sausalito, CA)

Dinner Theatre – Interactive entrees, apps and desserts create an experience not just a dish. From simple tableside preparations, mix it yourself tartar, sauces added at the table, build your own sundaes and ingredients that pop in your mouth; dinner is the show. We’ll all work for food.

Example: Cote de boeuf pour deux served and sliced tableside at Grand Cafe Brasserie and Bar, (San Francisco, CA); at home dessert kits from Mi2Sweets (San Francisco, CA)

One Plate Wonders – The carte du jour is combined for speed, efficiency, cost-savings and fun. It’s a completely fresh take on the blue plate special.

Examples: TV dinner at FIVE (Berkeley, CA); Quadrifoglio at SD26 (New York, NY), Red plate special at Red Star Tavern and Roast House (Portland, OR)

Suit-Your-Size – One size doesn’t always fit all. Entrees available in small and large sizes lets guests tailor the experience to size. Call it the shrinking waste-line.

Examples: Perbacco (San Francisco, CA) and Poggio (Sausalito, CA) offer pastas in half and full sizes; Hobson’s Choice (Williamstown, MA) offers most entrees and the Mudd pie dessert in full and half sizes.

Downsizing – Small is now smaller. With smaller budgets and more flexible menus we’ll see the equivalent of cocktail hors d’oeuvres; something to nibble with your drink before (or in lieu of) a full meal. Mini tacos, snack sized empanadas, finger sandwiches, sliders, and riblets. Equally approachable for the waistline and wallet these are the new essential handheld devices.

Examples: Best-O-Burger (San Francisco, CA); “Three bites and a flight” three mini tacos and a flight of paired wines Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar (Sonoma, CA)

Paint My Plate – Restaurants and art galleries merge as restaurants with art galleries attached open and art galleries bring in chefs and food for artistic food-focused events.

Examples: 18 Reasons (San Francisco, CA); Mua (Oakland, CA)

Garden Tap – Sausages and suds under the open sky. Beer gardens with good grub are spreading like Teutonic plague.

Examples: Charlie’s Kitchen, (Cambridge, MA) Café Berlin, (Denver, CO)

Eat Street – It’s the food truck tweet-up, a mash-up of narrowly focused food purveyors clustered together and sharing a communal seating area. Consider it the new block party.

If You’re Happy and You Know it… – Extend happy hours; start early, go late and offer a second late night shift. How happy can you get?

Examples: Postrio happy hour 2:30pm – 6:30pm (San Francisco, CA), Grand Cafe Brasserie & Bar happy hour 4pm – 7pm (San Francisco, CA)

Hot Foods:
Eggs: deviled, pickled and deep fried
Sous vide fruit, jam packed fruit with jolly rancher intensity
Pasta: ramen, soba and spaghetti
Legs & feet
You silly rabbit
Cassoulet and crock pots
Fritters and croquettes
Ceviche (moving east), fried chicken (moving west)
Polenta and grits
More than just your token tofu

Cool Drinks
Iced tea is the new water
Retro sodas
Red, white or orange – natural wines
Hard ciders and cask aged beers
Dessert drinks and spiked shakes
All tapped in: wine on tap
Beer cocktails
Flower power: rosewater, crème de violette and hibiscus syrup
Foam art and branded drinks on cocktails and coffee
Bitter cocoa and coffee tinctures in cocktails

This article is from Nov 17, 2009 HotelWorld Network. To subscribe:

http://www.hotelworldnetwork.com/magazines/hotelworld-network-subscribe

Posted in Industry News, Leadership, Operations, Revenue Generation, Sales & Marketing | No Comments »

Determine the Data You Need to Protect

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Cyper security is tough to keep up with. David Meizlik is web data security expert. This article identifies the 5 questions to answer before determining what security is needed.

Protecting essential information such as intellectual property and customer data is critical for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses deal with many of the same regulatory compliance demands as large enterprises, such as HIPAA, PCI, SOX, and state laws governing the protection of individuals’ personally identifiable information—but with far fewer resources than their big business counterparts. Before beginning a data security strategy, businesses must first decide how important data security is in relation to other IT goals, and define exactly what types of data need to be protected.

First, determine how important data-loss prevention is in comparison to other security concerns by asking the following questions:

1. What regulations involving confidential data must we comply with?

2. Do we know where all copies of confidential data are stored?

3. How is sensitive information being used and shared inside and outside our organization?

4. How do our employees exchange critical data with business partners and customers—and are these channels secure?

5. What would happen to the sales, customers, and reputation of our business if a data breach occurred?

Second, define what data are deemed sensitive. Once data protection is deemed a priority, the second step is to define what exactly constitutes sensitive data for your business. The definition of sensitive data can vary greatly across industries and will not be the same for a local credit union as for a midsize retail chain. Sensitive data can include customer lists, company financial data, trade secrets, intellectual property, marketing plans, credit-card numbers, employees’ social security numbers and more. It’s critical to review all functional areas—including legal, finance, human resources, marketing, sales, and others—to determine what types of data are essential to each area of the business and need to be protected.

Only after businesses have taken these initial steps can they begin to set policies that will protect their sensitive data, yet not impede their business processes. Ultimately every organization, no matter its size, must protect the information that is essential to its business.

David Meizlik
Director of Web and Data Security
Websense
San Diego

Article from Nov. 5, 2009 AH&LA Smartbrief ahla@smartbrief.com

Posted in Industry News, Leadership, Operations | No Comments »

Nagib’s Corner: Credit Crisis Continues To Affect U.S. Pipeline

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

Nothing new here, just an update to statistics on forecasted opening, FYI. I have attached their earlier projections from July.

Key highlights:
1. Transaction volume in 2009 is expected to be just 25% of what it was at the peak in 2007, with selling prices down by 50%.
2. Pipeline guestroom totals are down 34% YoY and 11% QoQ
3. Approx 153K new rooms scheduled for 2009
4. Approx 112.6K new rooms scheduled for 2010
5. Approx 75K new rooms scheduled for 2011.
As we know, irrespective of what the statistics state, the real impact is if new supply enters into YOUR market. If that is so, declining rates mean little. If new supply in your market has been postponed or cancelled, then it has real meaning. No matter what the case, you have the advantage of forewarning in, whichever the case. That is the leverage to maximize.

Either way, new supply in your market requires a pro-active and aggressive response – a response that should start well in advance of the opening. You can mitigate some of this impact by a well planned and thoughtful series of steps that position you positively with your clients as well as strengthen the relationship you have with each of them. It does not have to be a devastating occurrence, merely a call to pro-active intervention.

Take care.
Nagib Lakhani
nagib@RevenueMaxConsulting.co
RevMax Hospitality Consulting Service
O: (425)677-7866 C: (425)445-7750 F: (866)508-7866

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