Here at Hotel Management we track closely what you're reading about in our pages, on our site and in our enewsletters, and operations topics continue to be in high demand. Here's a rundown of our most-popular hotel operations articles:
• Social media 2.0: If this article were a book, it would be flying off the shelves and we wouldn't be able to keep it in stock. This look at what hotels are doing right (and wrong!) to translate social media into sales includes some interesting takes from industry social media experts about who should be managing these functions at your hotel. Here's a hint: Your tech-savvy, recent college grad isn't necessarily the best pick to head up your social media program. (published June 11)
• 2012 Franchise Fees Guide released: Conversions, reflags and product-improvement plans have dominated hotel brand news this year, so the results of our annual Hotel Franchise Fees Guide is proving to be a valuable resource so far in 2012.(published June 1)
• Benchmarking the guest experience--globally: First-quarter results from the Market Metrix Hospitality Index include guest feedback results from global hotel brands for the first time, and the results show there really are differences between U.S. hotels and their neighbors across the pond. Overall, the Americas outscored Europe and Asia in key metrics: customer satisfaction, net promoter and value. But hotels in Europe took top honors for “Quality of Food and Beverage.” Asian hotels scored higher for making guests feel "pampered,” “elegant,” “sophisticated” and "hip/cool.”(published June 22)
• Pros, cons of outsourcing housekeeping: Ahh, the oldie-but-goodie. Hotel Management first published this look at, well, the pros and cons of outsourcing housekeeping, back in 2010 and it consistently rises to the top of our most-clicked articles, proving that the issue still is a timely one, as hotel management continue to look for ways to maximize on-property efficiency. The article explores the role a union presence plays when considering outsourcing housekeeping, as well as the costs, pros and cons involved. (published 2010)
• Sales Clinic: How to social network productively: Sales Clinic columnist Howard Feiertag reminds salespeople that it's not about who has the most friends or the most tweets--it's about who closes the most business. And hey--if you liked Social media 2.0, you need to read this one. (published June 18)