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Creating a Customer Service Culture with Micah Solomon In this episode, Susan is joined by Micah Solomon, a world-renowned consultant and trainer in customer service, consumer trends, and company culture. He is the author of IGNORE YOUR CUSTOMERS (AND THEY’LL GO AWAY): The Simple Playbook for Delivering the Ultimate Customer Service Experience (2020). “Company culture”… The post EP #41 – Creating a Customer Service Culture with Micah Solomon appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Crisis Management Strategist Melissa Agnes Understanding what it takes to be crisis-ready is essential for any organization, but in the hospitality industry, we are especially vulnerable to crisis and must proactively train our teams to be prepared for any and all foreseeable events. In this episode, Susan is joined by crisis management strategist Melissa Agnes.… The post EP #40 – Crisis Readiness for the Hospitality Industry appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

How To Create Defining Moments Without Breaking the Bank.   In a world full of cell phones, crystal clear video, and instant gratification, creating an impactful guest experience is harder than ever. The good news is there are still ways to create defining moments that connect with your guests, are cost-effective, and create memories and… The post EP #39 – The Power of Moments with Author Chip Heath appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

As a place of public accommodation, hotels have many legal obligations, as well as rights, when it comes to serving the public. We all have those burning questions about what our roles and rights are in the multitude of challenging and unique situations we face each day as hoteliers. As our guest on this episode… The post EP #38 – Legal Rights and Responsibilities of the Innkeeper appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Cleaning guest rooms with the door 0pen or closed? Hotel housekeeping can be a dangerous job.   A harmless ask. A simple delivery. General cleaning. Restocking rooms. Greeting guests in the hallway. These are all duties performed by hotel housekeeping staff every day in millions of hotels across the world. Tasks that seem routine and relatively… The post EP #37 – An Open and Shut Case for Cleaning Guest Rooms appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

AHLA’s GM of the Year, Craig Poole discusses his unique approach to maximizing hotel performance through community outreach and being a second chance employer where every employee is focused on creating an exceptional customer experience. “Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want… The post EP #36 – AHLA’s Hotel GM of the Year, Craig Poole appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Deirdre McGlone from Harvey’s Point Discusses the Importance of Service Culture. Have you ever wondered what is in the secret sauce of an award winning hotel? How do they manage to win awards year after year? Is it their picturesque location? Is it their finely appointed guest rooms? Or, is it the genuine hospitality that… The post EP #35 – Secrets to Running an Award Winning Hotel appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Celebrate Service Week at IHG with Jon Wakeman The week of May 22, 2017, marks the 8th year of Celebrate Service week at IHG.  It is a week dedicated to recognizing and celebrating hospitality providers across the globe. As part of the week-long celebrations at IHG properties, staff will participate in various activities that are… The post EP #34 – Celebrate Service Week at IHG with Jon Wakeman appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Preparing for Hurricane Season  – 2017 Update. ** SPECIAL NOTE:  This information has been updated based on May 25, 2017, predictions from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Planning and preparing your hotel for hurricane season each year can be a daunting task.  But with a solid plan in place and an early start to your preparations,… The post EP #2 – Preparing for Hurricane Season appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Seasoned hotel professional, Rocco Bova shares career advice for aspiring hoteliers. Whether you are new to the hospitality industry or have been working in the field for some time, if you want to advance your career, you will want to consider the career advice of someone who has already experienced great success and can share… The post EP #33 – Rocco Bova Shares Career Advice for Aspiring Hoteliers appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Effective Interviewing Techniques with Jody Rogers. The best candidate for the job takes more than just relying on your gut feelings or instincts.  Effective interviewing techniques are essential to making the right selection in the hiring process.  Your decisions can have long-lasting consequences, both good and bad.  With the right amount of planning, well thought-out… The post EP #32 – Effective Interviewing Techniques with Jody Rogers appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

If you could gain some hospitality career advice from the former Executive Vice-President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resort, what do you think you’d learn? You’re about to find out on today’s show! Joining us for episode 31 is Lee Cockerell, a man who worked his way from a banquet waiter at the Hilton… The post EP #31 – Career Magic In The Hospitality Industry with Lee Cockerell appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Jerry Williams discusses the impact social media has on hotel marketing. On episode 29 of Hospitality Academy Amanda Singer talked about the importance of digital marketing, and today we’re digging in even deeper with Jerry Williams of IHG on the topic of hotel marketing. Jerry is a former colleague of mine, and he is here… The post EP #30 – Social Media’s Influence on Hotel Marketing appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Amanda Singer discusses the digital marketing strategy for hotels from both franchised and independent properties. In today’s world of websites, Facebook ads, email campaigns, and the Internet, how has marketing evolved in the digital age? And how has digital marketing evolved for the hospitality industry? On this episode of Hospitality Academy, Amanda Singer formerly with… The post EP #29 – Digital Marketing For The Hospitality Industry appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

How confident are you that your hotel has the right policy in place with regard to ADA Laws on service animals?  Even if you think you are in compliance, you’ll want to listen to today’s guest, Soy Williams. Soy is an expert in the field of disability rights, and today she’s here to share the… The post EP #28 – Understanding ADA Laws On Service Animals in Hotels appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Thanks to social media, reviews are available to anyone almost anywhere at the touch of a button. But many hoteliers and management staff in the travel industry don’t know how to handle both negative and positive online guest feedback. Our guest today, Daniel Craig, has the answers! Daniel spent most of his career in the… The post EP #27 – Effectively Using Online Feedback and Reviews, with Daniel Craig appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

If you’ve been in hospitality for any length of time you’ve probably been told the keys to exceptional guest service are things like anticipating the guests’ needs, showing empathy, creating a connection, etc. Our guest today, Sarah Pittson, says those things are all true but there’s a component some hospitality establishments are missing. On today’s… The post EP #26 – Conquering The Leadership Gap In Hospitality, with Sarah Pittson appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

What lessons in hospitality can we learn from the vacation home rental industry?  When most of us think of hospitality we think of hotels and restaurants. But an area that has become increasingly popular is the vacation home rental market. In all of these industries – hotels, restaurants, and vacation housing rentals – the guest’s… The post EP #25 – Vacation Home Rental Hospitality, with Ross Twiddy appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

One of the latest trends in hotel management is fulfilling guests’ desires for an authentic and “locals” type experience. Couple that with the growing popularity of AirBnB, some hotels are moving into and investing in urban neighborhoods. I could think of no one better to speak to this topic than Imran Jivani of Hotel Chicago… The post EP #24 – Succeeding In Urban Neighborhoods, with Imran Jivani appeared first on Hospitality Academy.

Working in the hospitality industry we all know reviews are critical. But do you know the specific ways to go from 3-star reviews to 4-star and even 5-star? Or what it means if you are regularly receiving below 3-stars, and what you should be fixing in your hotel in order to improve guest reviews? On… The post EP #23 – The Complete Customer Experience, with Tony Bodoh appeared first on Hospitality Academy.