be a successful hotelier

The race to have the world’s largest hotel never stops. There is no finish line, since someone with more money and more investors is always around the corner, waiting to take the prize of #1. Soon to take top honors, by room count at least, will be the Abraj Kudai, a 10,000-room ring of 12 towers not far from the holy center of Mecca. Charting your own rise to the top of hotel management begins with some basics and not-so-basic insider tips. 

 

Act as if You are #1

Do you think for one moment the thousands of staff of Malaysia’s First World Hotel, for some time #1 in the world at just over 6,000 rooms, showed the slightest hint that they have been unseated by the MGM Grand in Las Vegas? Sure, the MGM had nearly 1,000 more rooms, but even if you are a 5-room boutique hotel, convey to every guest that you are “the best,” in everything your hotel does. Still feeling bad for the First World Hotel? In 2015 it added another 1,286 to reclaim the title, and now has 7,351 rooms. 

Arcade HotelEmbrace the New

Amsterdam’s new The Arcade Hotel caters to gamers, with dozens of rentable games playable on Atari, N64, Game Cube and other gaming platforms. While the look is 50s to 70s retro, touches like a comic library, handheld controllers strewn around the bar, and gaming nights set the 36-room hotel apart and give it international attention. As a hotelier, you look for ways to set yourself apart from the rest. From smart design to clever twists, stay current or be left in the proverbial hotel laundry hamper. 

Use Technology

According to Software Advice, a staggering 25 percent of hoteliers, from outdated Mom-N-Pop motels to the most chic boutiques, perform part of their work with paper and pencil. In the 21st century to not seize the competitive edge of computerized services will make your hotel a relic. Another 16 percent of hotel managers work with no computer system at all. Only 21 percent track guests using software; only 14 percent use computers to help with maintenance management. This helps explain the hit-or-miss we have all had of calling for repair service on a hotel room’s broken air conditioning unit, television or shower. 

Guests are People

Gerry Chase, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, offers some advice for hoteliers to balance the modern view that everything boils down to numbers:

  • New CastleBe respectful—Fellow employees, bosses and guests are all people deserving of respect, even in the most difficult situations...especially in the most difficult situations
  • Take the blame but share the credit—The manager who shoulders responsibility and shares glory will be respected by staff members and appreciated by guests
  • Be humble—You are part of team, so while having big ambitions and being proud of your hotel are good internal drivers, you need not be the center of attention in your work

Chase also recommends learning as much about all phases of the hotel operations as you can, because as a manager, assistant manager or front desk clerk, you may have to move outside your job description to keep a guest happy. 

Work While Others Play

A good hotelier works very hard at making other people’s play seem effortless. This means services—the pool, the weight room, the business center—are available, not hidden behind “Out of Order” signs. This means creative solutions to budget woes, like guest perks that cost almost nothing: enthusiastic greetings and warm conversation, a free apple at check-in or a small lending library. 

Anthony Melchiorri, known for hosting Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible, offers aspiring hoteliers his own take on success: 

  • Forget long hours—How many hours you put in is less important than how hard you work in the time you put in; be determined, have skills, and apply common sense
  • Don’t complain—Solve problems, find answers, soothe ruffled feathers
  • Listen and learn—Eerily similar to Chase, Melchiorri reminds hoteliers that every other person’s job is important; every employee can teach you something

Keep Your Google Eyes Open

Hotel guests have so many platforms for venting their anger online, your hotel cannot depend on check-out surveys. Monitor major hotel forums to provide prompt answers to negative reviews. Keep in mind you are not necessarily attempting to woo back the disgruntled guest, but you are preventing damage to your establishment’s reputation. Write so that readers imagine you had a smile on your face when you typed. 

Learn Your Craft: Become a Hotel Manager

To begin a career in hotel management, you need a solid education that provides real-world examples and 21st century skills. Enroll in ECPI University’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality Management degree program and you could earn your degree in as little as 2.5 years. Contact ECPI today to learn how you can be a part of the global hospitality industry—it could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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