Hotel Manager Talk podcast

I was recently introduced to a wonderful podcast for hotel employees.

Hotel Manager Talk is a podcast where you can get the latest in hospitality news and download it for your MP3 player. This is a terrific way to keep up on things while driving to your hotel, while working out, or any time in your day where you could stand a little more productivity.

I have found these podcasts to be just perfect for a busy hotel manager.
The best part about it is, the articles are presented by an experienced hospitality professional. So, you know the information is truly applicable and current.

Check it out and give it a listen.
I think you will like it as much as I do.

Housekeeping Inspection

I have finished my booklet "A General Manager's Housekeeping Inspection Program."

This booklet describes a manager inspection program that works very well at improving and maintaining the highest quality in guest room cleanliness.

It is available through this link
or through Amazon.com

More FREE Goodies

I just made two more items from my Hotel Manager's Toolbox CD available on the "FREE Goodies" page of my website.

You will find there a sample General Apology Letter that I found to be very effective.
And, I added a Debit Card Notice. This is in a PDF form and can be used to inform guests that funds held on a debit card can take up to seven days after check-out to return to their bank account.

Check them out.
If you decide to use them, be sure to make necessary changes to fit your hotel and your situation.

Thanks.

Recognition Idea

As GM I would give my staff members small thank you cards. They were about the size of a business card with a word of encouragement on the front and blank in the middle. G-neil Company carried some of these cards.

I would sit at my desk and write supportive messages inside the cards. Messages like "You are doing a great job. Thanks" or "I am so glad you are on our team." Then I placed the cards inside their envelopes and carry two or three in my pocket. When I would see an employee doing something right I would take out a card and write their name on the envelope. I did this with housekeeping especially, since they are the hardest working department with the least amount of recognition.

The employees thought the card was a planned recognition just for them. They saw their name on the envelope and imagined me selecting the little card just for them and writing the message with them in mind, then searching the property to deliver their card personally. They didn't know I had a pocket full of prepared cards.

It didn't matter, they felt appreciated and that was the point.

Find ways to show appreciation for your staff and they will take care of your guests.

Next Book

My next book is going to be more of a booklet.

Early in the general manager part of my hospitality career I was told about a room inspection program by my boss, the director of operations, Kent White. This program worked extremely well.

Over the years I modified the program to a form that worked best for me. I quickly developed the reputation of having a clean hotel wherever I was managing.

The booklet I am working on is a description of that program.

It is my hope that this inspection program will help more hotels improve their service to the guests.

Stay tuned. This book should be available within the next few weeks.

Horrible Service Story

My very good friend, Eugene, experienced what could be described as one of the worst service attitudes ever. He took his car to the local dealership to arrange for an oil change. He walks into, what was called, the service department only to find an empty room with a counter. Eugene stood at the counter for a few minutes when a mechanic walks in from the shop area behind the counter. The mechanic stopped, looked, then turned to pick up a clipboard from the desk and walked back into the shop. Didn’t say a word or acknowledge that anybody was standing at the counter. A few moments later another man came through the door from the shop area and stood there, looking at Eugene for a few seconds and finally took the three steps to reach the counter. The two looked at each other for an awkward moment and Eugene broke the silence by saying that he wanted to set up an oil change. The other man, wearing the ‘manager’ badge, laughed at him. He actually broke into a laugh. As his laughing subsided he said “today? We are way too busy today.” Then he turned and walked back into the shop area.

This service manager was in dire need for some instruction of what service really is. Not only did he lose a lifetime customer, he also lost the potential business of the twenty people Eugene told about the situation. The dealership lost future car sales from Eugene, the type who buys a new car every two years, and those twenty people with whom he shared the story. Was this so called service manager showing any hospitality at all? No, he wasn’t. Eugene didn’t say he wanted to get the oil change that day; he just wanted to make the arrangements, set up an appointment to get the oil change done. The manager was not cordial; he was not generous in his disposition and treatment of his guest at that particular instance.

We all have a story similar to Eugene’s story. The problem is that we all have a story similar to Eugene’s story. Bad service attitudes are so common we almost expect it every time we walk into a place of business. The guests who walk in our hotels often feel the same way. Since we are in the hospitality industry we need to fully understand what hospitality really is. As hospitality professionals it is important that we project the right hospitality attitude toward all our guests. Hospitality managers have the responsibility to teach the entire hotel staff the importance of a proper hospitality attitude.

Joe Vitale

One of his most powerful talks ever.