What is the key to a hotel’s success? Great hotel management.
The location, decor and luxury level of a property are factors in success, for example, but surprisingly they aren’t the decisive factors.
Not everyone can afford a perfectly located, luxury hotel. Not all guests pay strict attention to the decor and design of a hotel.
But everyone pays attention to how smooth and welcoming their experience was. Everybody remembers how they were treated. People won’t forget the general feel of a hotel.
Those are all aspects of hotel management.
There is no singular way to define great hotel management, but it is known that excellent hotel management is the key to any hotel’s success, no matter the size or scope of the property.
What are some examples of great hotel management? What should you be looking for, asking for, when it comes time to choose a hotel management company?
Here are a few points to help you answer those questions:
Up-to-Date
A hotel can’t hope to impress and please guests if it doesn’t have guests to begin with. How can your hotel management group help the hotel attract more guests, groups, and business? By being on top of, aware of, and ahead of the marketing trends of the modern day. Social media savvy. To keep this point simple – choose a hospitality management group that is up-to-date on all things hospitality. Naturally hospitality management groups might not be social media gurus themselves, but if they’re innovative and forward-thinking then they’ll have marketing and social media expert partners and advisors on the team.
Modern, But Classy
In a similar vein as above, you want the management group to be modern. Yet, not too modern. What does that mean? You need management who sees long-term rather than short-term. Sure, you want guidance on how to get the most bang out of your buck when it’s renovation time, but you don’t want your advisors to strictly be trendy. Trendy is nice until the trend is over. Well, trends start and end every.single.day. Stick with advisors who advise you wisely.
You may enjoy: You’ll Love These Secret Revenue Ideas for Hotels
Outside-The-Box-Thinkers
Innovation is everything. So many hotels in the industry are followers. Only a handful of hotels are guided by truly innovative management companies, and those hotels experience great success. Whichever methods the innovative hotel introduces, you can bet thousands of other hotels will mimick. But mimicking doesn’t always work out, so you want to be the hotel that is innovative first. Excellent management strives to consider new avenues of operation. You want a management company that wants to help you introduce new tactics and procedures, not parrot the same cycled-through ideas everyone else is using.
Management That Knows The Power of People
Going back to that initial idea we introduced – what matters most to guests is how they were treated. A great hotel management group understands that the true success of any hotel lies in its team. Hiring, firing and training are of the utmost importance, and the management group for you knows that, and will advise you accordingly. They will help your managers learn how to manage in a way that leaves the team feeling inspired, cared for, and encouraged to reach higher levels.
You may also enjoy: The Ingredients for a Successful 2016 Budget Plan Are Easier Than You Might Thing
Future-Forward
Management that knows how to stay one step ahead. It’s all well and fine to experience success today, but what’s the strategy to keep that success going indefinitely? Are there emergency plans in place for bad economies, natural disasters, political unrest and more? Life is never certain, and a great management company is well-aware of that. You need a company that refuses to sit on their laurels when times are good, but rather is constantly working to ensure future success.
How do you apply the above five points when choosing a management company? Have a conversation with your potential management group. Ask them plenty of questions regarding each point. Let them know what you expect and discuss if their tactics and strategies are in alignment with your goals and needs. Ask for references, do your due diligence and find out how the hotels under their management are faring. Chances are the perfect management company is ready for you, you just have to find them!
HMG Hospitality has been advising and managing hotels for decades. They are committed to making sure every property under their management reaches its full potential, and becomes an industry leader. To get started on your hotel’s goals today, contact HMG Hospitality.