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Hotel tips to become a successful business

  Posted in Resources  Last updated 19/12/2023

Hotel tips: What are they?

Hotel tips are the pieces of knowledge and insight that professionals in the hotel and hospitality game build up over their time in the business, to eventually pass onto the hotel newbies and up-and-comers who might benefit from them.

Hotel tips come in many forms: hotel management tips, hospitality tips, housekeeping tips, financial tips, sales and marketing tips, and on-site bar and restaurant tips, to name but a few.

In this guide we’ll take a look at a few of the most valuable tips for successful hotel management, offered up by seasoned hospitality experts. And we promise that you’ll uncover some form of new and useful knowledge, no matter how deep or broad your hotel experience might be.

Table of contents

Why hoteliers need hotel tips

Hotels are the most multifaceted of organisations – in some ways they can be viewed as a number of different businesses brought together under the one roof.

Just look at the wide array of different workers a relatively standard, medium-sized hotel might employ: hotel managers, receptionists, admin staff, salespeople, maintenance workers, housekeepers, concierges, valets, bartenders, waitstaff, chefs, childcare workers and more.

When you run a hotel business you are faced with a sprawling array of responsibilities and tasks, and there is an optimal way to complete every one of them. But every hotel is different, so there’s no single playbook to work from. Nevertheless, you need to work to understand how to run your hotel in the most efficient, effective and profitable way possible.

This can be time consuming however; you might not know where to start or have enough awareness of all the different resources available to you.

Enter hotel tips. From hotel management tips for general managers to the best way to polish a glass at the bar, when you solicit tips for hospitality from experts in the field, you skip over the time-consuming trial and error phase and go straight to a better way of doing things.

That’s why we’ve created this blog: to point you in the right direction and let you know where you should be looking to find help and advice.

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Hotel tips for continuous growth in the industry

Where do you start your search for hotel tips? Sure, you could just look online, but this doesn’t offer a genuine competitive advantage, as this is exactly where your competitors will start their search. There are also far more, and more valuable, tips to be found than those seen in the first couple of results on Google.

In fact there’s a whole variety of specialised content within the hospitality industry that can help you to quickly learn and implement new skills or tactics at your property.

Some of the places you should be sourcing this knowledge is through:

  • Blogs
  • Books, ebooks, and cheat sheets
  • Infographics
  • Podcasts
  • Videos and webinars
  • Talks and conferences
  • Stats and data sites
  • Learning and training hubs
  • Tools and templates

What you pay most attention to could depend on your personal preferences in terms of how you learn best and what you find more engaging. Some people are happy to read for hours, while others prefer a ‘show and tell’ approach.

Let’s get started with some examples:

1. Hotel video lessons

Humans are quite emotional animals so it’s always good to engage with media in this way. We often want to put a face to a voice and considering that people remember 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, but 70% of what they hear and see, videos are a great way for you to soak up information.

With so many factors at play in marketing a hotel business, it can not only be hard to understand some of the concepts but also very time consuming to research and learn what your best options are. This is why watching video tutorials can be highly effective. Often, you can find YouTube videos that are quick and simple, either giving you a good general overview of an entire marketing plan or a concise definition and discussion of a particular topic.

2. Hospitality TED Talks

Some of the most interesting videos to watch are TED Talks because they always attract experts who know what they are talking about. You can learn a lot from your most successful peers, who understand what you’re going through and what you’re trying to achieve.

Although TED started in 1984 as a conference for technology, entertainment, and design, it now covers almost every topic and has been held annually since 1990.

TED attracts expert speakers in many fields to deliver powerful talks, with the aim of spreading innovative and influential ideas. The very premise is to be as engaging as possible and to help the people who are in attendance.

While TED talks directly related to the hotel industry have been sparse so far, there are some that stand out as very useful for hotel managers.

Here are some great hospitality TED talks for hotel managers:

Big data is better data

Speaker: Kenneth Cukier
Talk duration: 16 minutes

In this talk, Cukier breaks down exactly what big data is and its benefits. He asserts that big data can be used to analyse trends and learn more about customer behaviour. This can help hotel managers focus their efforts on the activities and features they know their guests will enjoy.

The ability to customise hotel offerings based on data could make a huge difference to the service they provide. For instance, giving guests wearable technology and collecting data could allow hotels to understand when the most popular check-in and check-out times are, or when most people go to the pool or book in for a massage.

10 top time-saving tech tips

Speaker: David Pogue
Talk duration: 6 minutes

As we know, time is precious within the hospitality industry. The more time you can save the better your service will be, and the more revenue you can drive. Pogue says technology should be seen as something that can optimise your time, eliminating the time-consuming processes you’re used to doing manually.

Automation is the major advantage of technology systems at your hotel. He examines ways you can be more efficient at the front desk and in the hotel room, so your guests are always satisfied and your reviews are enhanced.

What’s next in service for the hospitality industry, a culture of care

Speaker: Jan Smith
Talk duration: 16 minutes

Maintaining a consistently high level of customer service is one of the most important considerations for a hospitality business. However, this can be difficult when staff are coming and going – or don’t have the necessary passion for their job. Some will overperform, but some will grossly underperform.

Creating constructive work conditions will help manage this. Here, Smith talks about the relevancy of how a culture of care can have a positive effect on both employees and customers in a hospitality environment.

Hostmanship: The art of making people feel welcome

Speaker: Jan Gunnarsson
Talk duration: 9 minutes

First impressions are everything at a hotel. When a guest walks through the door and checks-in, the experience they have in the first few moments will usually set the course for their entire stay. If it’s negative, any inconvenience in the future will be less tolerated.

Gunnarsson believes improving customer experience is not about implementing clever strategies and tactics, but rather about changing the attitude you bring. He discusses Hostmanship, a concept that deals with sharing a part of yourself and your knowledge with others to make them feel welcome. His philosophy is one that has the potential to provide new insights on how to deliver great service and care at your hotel.

Be a hospitalian

Stuckey is of the opinion that true hospitality has declined in many businesses. He tells the story of what it means to actually be hospitable to your guests and customers. It’s not about following through on what you offer, or performing the minimum requirements. It’s more about being receptive to your customers and responding to their needs.

Understanding how your customers feel and think at any given time allows you to serve them in the most personal way possible, giving them no reason but to enjoy themselves and visit your hotel again. Stuckey discusses the distinction between service and hospitality as he sets out to explain why they’re not the same thing.

3. Hotel eBooks

Hotel tips and advice are aplenty in eBooks. Ebooks are commonly for those who want comprehensive coverage on a particular topic. They can be at times more dense and complex than a blog but the hotel industry can be the same, so tackling some of your business strategies with the help of an eBook is very effective.

Downloading an eBook also gives you the advantage of having quick and easy access to it and you can read it in your own time whenever you need to. Other downloads similar to eBooks such as cheat sheets, checklists, and buyers guides hold the same flexibility.

4. Hotel learning hubs, tools, and templates

Sometimes it only takes 45 minutes to get the full rundown of a topic and consider yourself qualified to put your learnings into practice. Sometimes it’s as easy as using a template. At other times you can gain a lot of value from guided evaluation to choose the right tool for you.

You don’t always have to sink a lot of time into finding the right advice that is also fun to engage with. Masterclasses are usually run by bubbly personalities, templates can be taken and run with, while online tools are often fun to use.

Accomboost Academy

Join Katie from Accommboost as she takes you through some digital marketing masterclasses for your hotel, including social media, Facebook Ads, and website search engine optimisation. In less than an hour, you can start levelling up your skills and achieving more success at your property. Check out the academy here.

If templates are more your thing, she’s also created a free social media calendar for a full year! Simply plug in your content to more than 200 post ideas.

StayNTouch PMS evaluation scorecard

Choosing the right technology provider is a difficult process. Afterall, the management of your hotel depends on you making a good choice; you need robust tech that fulfils all your needs and is simple to use.

The scorecard provided allows you to easily rate and rank different providers, ultimately awarding them a score to make your final decision much easier.

Hopefully you now have a better idea of all the different resources at your disposal as you try to grow your business and become a better hotelier. To stay up to date with SiteMinder’s latest content, subscribe to the newsletter.

5. Hospitality industry events

It’s a good idea to put a priority on attending some industry events. They can be extremely valuable for meeting potential partners, providers, and experts that will help launch your hotel on a quicker and better path to profit. Here are some of the best events from around the world.

FITUR – Spain

FITUR is an annual meeting point for industry professionals to come together and discuss strategies on how to keep tourism moving forward. With numerous exhibitors and innovations on show, it’s the perfect place to see how your hotel can prosper into the future.

Travel Technology Europe – London

TTE has been running for 15 years and is one of the leading technology events for hotel and travel professionals. With plenty of guest speakers and exhibitors you’re sure to learn something new.

The Hotel Experience – New York

HX covers everything that’s trending and innovative in the hospitality industry, from front-of-house to back-of-house. The event caters to all, including hotel owners, general managers, and property executives.

INDABA – South Africa

INDABA is a must visit event for tourism marketing. It showcases a wide variety of products and attracts buyers and media from across the world, helping businesses in the industry achieve success.

BTL – Portugal

BTL is a great meeting place for hoteliers looking for a show with a strong and consistent presence. In addition to hundreds of travel and hotel exhibitors from all over the world, the BTL includes theme workshops, destination and cultural presentations.

To discover more, take a look on SiteMinder’s event page.

Image representing hotel tips

Hotel tips for general managers 

A lot of effort goes into making a hotel successful, and much of that responsibility falls into the lap of the hotel manager. Regardless of the size or location of a hotel, the hotel manager needs to work cohesively with other team members to get the job done.

If you manage a hotel, you are probably always seeking advice on ways that you can improve your skills and become a better manager. We have compiled some tips and tricks to help you better manage a hotel and improve the operations at your property.

Hotel tip 1: Be a motivator for your hotel staff

Successful hotel management relies heavily on a manager being able to motivate staff members to accomplish their own individual tasks and goals with gusto.

The best hotel managers are able to recruit top staff members for available positions, and continue to motivate them to do well by listening to them, evaluating their performance and rewarding them when they exceed expectations.

One of the best ways to motivate hotel staff members is to be a manager who leads by example. Always be willing to do the work necessary to get the job done, even when it lies outside your normal range. This will earn their respect and admiration.

Hotel tip 2: Be confident and make informed decisions

The hotel manager is required to make the most important decisions at the hotel, and it’s necessary for you to be able to take quick, decisive action at a moment’s notice.

As the leader, it is up to you to be able to make informed decisions that will produce the best results possible for the hotel.

A lack of confidence or displaying doubt in front of staff will lower morale and trust, leading to a decrease in performance that flows onto the guest experience.

Hotel tip 3: Always focus on the big picture

It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day details of running a hotel property, and it is important for hotel managers to stay informed of daily activity at the hotel. However, it’s also the role of the manager to focus on the big picture while letting staff members take care of their daily responsibilities.

You should be creating short-term goals for your team members that lead to long-term results, such as increasing revenue year over year, boosting direct bookings and improving the conversion rate on the hotel website.

Hotel tip 4: Use the right technology at your hotel

Modern technology and software will help you at both ends of your business. On the guest side, the latest technology is expected and if you’re not making their lives easier they’ll make yours harder when they review their stay.

Five examples include:

  • High definition televisions (HDTVs)
  • High speed internet access (wired and wi-fi)
  • MP3 docking station and alarm clocks
  • Remote lighting and climate control
  • Convenient power, charging, and connectivity sources

“Some may see technology as a way of minimising human interaction with guests, but we rely on that interaction to be a point of difference and make each guests’ stay truly memorable,” says Greg Brady, General Manager of Sofitel Sydney. “We have the challenge of balancing new technology and the appropriate level of human interaction to ensure we have the opportunity to give our guests an unforgettable stay.”

On the hotel side, you can benefit significantly from doing away with the pen and paper approach and installing smart, cloud-based technology. 

“In a large five star hotel with multiple outlets the role of technology and IT is critical,” Brady explains. “Multiple platforms are deployed that facilitate many aspects of the operation that improve efficiency and our ability to be responsive to guests. For example; room cleaning, maintenance tasks, communication.” 

Other examples of the implementation of smart software solutions include:

Hotel tip 5:Stay informed of industry trends and news

A good hotel manager is a knowledgeable hotel manager. You should create time in your daily routine to consume news from the most reliable industry sources. You could spend 30 minutes in the morning over a cup of coffee reading blogs, browsing Twitter feeds and catching up on industry news

Knowing current trends and understanding the opinions of trusted experts will ultimately have a big impact on the decisions you make regarding the long-term success of your hotel.

Hotel tip #6: Spend time at the hotel grounds

It’s easy to spend endless hours in the office, but it’s important that you don’t become disconnected from your property.

After the morning staff meeting, make it a point to spend time in the lobby greeting guests and discussing feedback with them. Regularly visit the kitchens, the laundry facilities and the common areas.

By being present in your hotel, you will have a better understanding of what needs to be done to make it a successful property.

In many ways, hotel management is an art form. Balancing your own unique approach with industry trends and technology is a delicate task, but these are all things you need to rely on to be successful.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of SiteMinder, the leading technology provider delivering hoteliers unbeatable revenue results. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at SiteMinder. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance and value for accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations achieve their goals.

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