American Resort Management

Creating The Best Personalized Guest Experience

American Resort Management — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 20:47:00 +0200

Welcome to the ARM Blog series on best practices.

Today’s guests are more demanding than ever and rightfully so. Guests are well educated and have many options when it comes to choosing their preferred hospitality partner. It is important to realize that it is no longer just about providing excellent guest service. Guests today want a positive, rewarding, safe and personalized experience. They want and deserve to be recognized and valued for placing their trust in an ARM managed property.

The personalized guest experience starts from the first message a potential guest ever receives regarding the property and continues throughout the guest experience. Every moment of interaction must be carefully thought out and executed flawlessly by a team of highly motivated and trained hospitality professionals. ARM associates are dedicated to providing the ultimate guest experience to every guest during every visit.

The direction, leadership and service culture provided by American Resort Management is paramount in achieving operational success and profitability. Enormous care, effort and support are placed upon our property leadership teams ensuring the highest level of professional “guest obsessed” service is consistently delivered. Thoughtful leadership, planning, organization and execution are the cornerstones to our success.

High levels of guest service and operational execution are developed and nurtured by assembling the right team of property leaders.

The Importance of Highly Skilled Property Leadership in Providing High Guest Service Levels

A highly skilled “leadership” team is carefully hand-picked and assembled to provide the day-to-day management and direction of the hotel, restaurant or resort (resort consisting of the hotels, indoor/outdoor water park, golf courses, F&B outlets and indoor/outdoor theme park). Individuals chosen for this team must possess the necessary skill set, experience and confidence to be an effective leader.

Leaders create a property specific Vision, Mission and Core Value philosophy with associates to communicate central themes and behaviors required of all associates based upon mutual respect, shared values and property specific priorities and goals.

ARM management teams utilize a hands-on approach and will spend the majority of their time directly communicating and interacting with guests and staff alike. The executive level managers inspire line level managers to be true leaders by acting as: manager, coach, mentor and cheerleader all at the same time.

American Resort Management provides the necessary leadership, coaching and training to ensure that the onsite team makes decisions that lead to positive actions. Managers act as role models demonstrating a consistent delivery of the “guest obsessed” service model and create positive work cultures where associates are valued and appreciated.

Guest experiences and sentiments are constantly evaluated by the management team by monitoring reviews and scores on all social media such as; Facebook, Twitter, Expedia, Trip Advisor and others as they pop up. Managers carefully evaluate, troubleshoot, and respond proactively to the feedback received by the guests and cover them in staff meetings as constructive guidance for future operations.

As such, property leadership must possess great listening and communication skills while displaying a collaborative servant leadership style in order to adapt and respond quickly to changing market conditions. The ability to manage and positively influence the needs of the guests, owners and associates is critical to maintaining consistently high level of guest service.

Hospitality Social Media Posting for Success

American Resort Management — Sat, 7 Sep 2019 12:00:00 +0200

Hospitality Social Media Posting for Success

One of the biggest issues that many forms of business have with social media is continuing to put out consistent and relevant content. It can be very difficult to continually come up with content that engages and builds your audience, and especially so within the hospitality industry. Does video work best? Pictures? Articles? Blogs? Where do you start? How do you post to social media as a hotel?

Fortunately, we have put together a comprehensive list of some of the best practices for posting to social media as a hotel. Whether you are a chain or privately owned, these strategies can be implemented at any kind of hotel. Here are our tips to posting to social media as a hotel.

1. Create unique and branded content.

One of the huge opportunities that many in the hospitality industry are currently missing out on is creating their very own content. Branded content is when a brand creates content specifically linked back to itself. Sounds strange right? Instead of focusing on the specific products and services that a hotel might offer it is more so based in the intangibles, E.g. “The most relaxing environment,” “The best views in the entire city.” Branded content also directly links back to the brand, so a post or picture will have the brands logo embedded in it, or there will be a physical link back to a web page for the brand. This is particularly smart because you always want to send traffic from one platform to another.

2. Engage your guests.

Current guests staying at your hotel provide another great opportunity for posts. Firstly, they are experiencing what you have to offer in real-time, and not just a review from someone who once stayed at your property. This is important because you can entice current guests to “check in” online, by using a geo tag. When someone tags your location, you get a notification, and can share what they have already posted.

Another smart way to engage current guests is to offer future discounts for reviews and/or traveler photos and videos. A guest showcasing themselves enjoying your hotel and it’s features is invaluable to building a brand, and can help grow your audience on social media.

3. Events at/around your hotel

This one is kind of a no brainer right? Featuring the area where your hotel is located is essential to attracting new and repeat guests. A festival going on in the local town, a themed weekend at your property, or a special event going on nearby are all ways to feature your location. Now more than ever people travel for a certain event, or a specific destination. Keep that in mind when hashing out social strategy.

4. Employee accolades and hotel awards

So your staff worked extremely hard this year and you got a high rating across all review sites. Now is your time to brag. Create a post thanking the site where the award came from and everyone who contributed to your high rating, including guests and staff. Let’s say your hotel got something like “Top 10 resorts in East Michigan.” You can now advertise your property as “One of East Michigan’s Top 10 resorts, according to guests just like you!” This is something that definitely catches the eye, and can attract a lot of attention.

5. Special rates at your hotel

Posting specials and promotions is also a valuable part of having social media as a business. This part can be tricky however. Balancing “asking” for business in your posts, with all of the other content we have covered is very important. When you begin to “ask” too much, your followers and audience will take notice and you will see your engagement and brand awareness begin to fall drastically.

How much is too much? Never at any point should you have back to back posts featuring a special, or asking the viewer for business, or to check out a promotion you are running. A good strategy to stick to would be one promotional/special rate post to every three posts of one of the other kinds featured on this list.

Remember, posting consistent and relevant content is the key to posting to social media as a hotel. Always take into account the viewer’s perspective and keep in mind that no one likes to be sold to. If you put these tips and tricks for hospitality social media posting into practice, your account will be a booming place in no time!

Guest Expectations in 2019

American Resort Management — Tue, 7 May 2019 00:00:00 +0200

To say that the hospitality industry has come a long way in the past 10 years is a gross understatement. From the technology involved to the platforms used, the amenities expected to the environment provided, so much has changed. Staying on top of what each and every guest wants and needs in a home away from home are essential to being a successful player in the hospitality industry. Continue reading to find out our best tips on what guests are looking for in 2019.

Lead with Technology

In 2019, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who does not have a smartphone. With this information, every business in the hospitality industry needs to understand that the gateway to finding and retaining customers is through mobile. To start, each prospective hotel should have not only a presence in the form of a website, but also social pages, as well as utilizing as many OTA’s (Online Travel Agent – think Expedia) as they see fit. But this is only to get the customers attention, once you have their attention, keeping it and driving them to book is the ultimate goal. To entice potential customers further, remembering the technology driven world we live in, hotels should offer at least these few things: Free WIFI is already a norm, and built in business centers, smart TV’s, digital room keys linked to your phone, smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, and online check ins will all be accepted as the standard in a few short years.

Platforms to Success

Since an average of 39% of guests already use OTA’s to book their hotels, it is wise to be present on as many as are smart for your hotel. Guests do a lot of research when it comes to booking a place to stay. This is common knowledge across the industry. But cutting out any barriers that make finding you and booking that stay can be a make or break for your business. Airbnb has quickly become a major competitor within the OTA market. The numbers are staggering, but over 150 million people have used Airbnb. 700,000 companies use Airbnb. Over 100 million arrivals will result from Airbnb this year. There are also many other OTA’s with massive user bases as well including Priceline Group, Expedia Group, Trivago, and Groupon to name a few. The point is that guests are searching through these platforms because they are easy and save time. One of the biggest selling points to a guest is always the smoothest path to their end result, and if that means it is through an OTA, they will use one 10 out of 10 times. https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/airbnb-statistics/

The Right Amenities

Once a guest gets to your establishment, the focus becomes on evaluating their decision to book with you. Did they make the right choice? What do you have to offer them? There are definitely a few things that are absolute musts, with one of those being free WIFI. Why are we mentioning this again? Because it is that important. Other amenities that guests have come to expect include comfortable and clean bedding, quality shampoos, body wash, lotions, soaps etc., complimentary refreshments and branded gear. A water bottle with your name on it, notepads, pens, and even coffee cups can all be a welcoming addition to a guests experience, and in most cases they are expecting to have the majority of these things upon arrival.

Welcome Home

The last thing that guests have come to expect in 2019 is an unforgettable environment and guest experience. American Resort Management is dedicated to successful results achieved through dedication to the Guest Experience. Call or email us today to learn more.

American Resort Management
Email: info@americanresortmanagement.com
Phone: 814.833.2631

What Makes a Good Waterpark?

American Resort Management — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0200

In a world where guests consistently demand more of their leisure time, venues providing fun and entertainment need to go above and beyond to ensure they deliver the memorable experiences that keep guests coming back. Waterparks, both indoor and outdoor, face challenges in these regards. With outdoor waterparks, the seasonality of their business, as well as the risk for further off-days due to weather, leaves them a very narrow window in which to earn the favor of guests for both that year and moving forward. Indoor waterparks, while they do not suffer from seasonality, must be built to deliver warm, summer climate year-round, while also being fun and exciting enough that people want to swim and play despite colder seasons.

So what is the recipe to success for these waterparks? Surely while all waterparks are different, there are some standard systems that should be implemented. Our team discussed some of the key points of planning a waterpark.

Programming

Obviously, the slides, rides, and attractions matter. But that’s not where it ends; there’s a lot at play here beyond imagining the wildest slides. How do we make this park accessible to everyone who wants to enjoy it? How can we reimagine classics, like the lazy river? Guests will wait in line to try the slides you’ve created. If the slides aren’t worth the wait, however, you’re going to see them get used less and less, and people aren’t going to stick around nearly as long, which will bring down your reputation and your sales. The ideal waterpark will have a healthy mix of slides “from mild to wild,” as well as unique twists on classics, and an unparalleled children’s area.

Layout

Speaking of sales, waterparks need to do more than just have amenities for guests. They need to be convenient, and they need to be strategically placed so that guests are most likely to see them, walk up to them or into them, and purchase something. Whether it’s a snack, a meal, or a memory, if your waterpark doesn’t make purchasing from these outlets as easy as it can possibly be from the very start, you’re wasting potential and wasting money. Furthermore, guests only have a tolerance to stay in the water for so long. By paying special attention to ancillary areas throughout the facility, your guests will feel comfortable staying longer. For a more detailed look at these ancillary areas, see our recent post on the subject.

Service

In Hospitality, great service is our first language. The needs of guests come before everything, and creating an environment where they can relax and have fun is the staff’s primary focus. With the sheer volume of people, it can become difficult to create that personalized experience for each guest, but make it a priority in staff-training to ensure that each and every guest is not only helped, but served to the best of their abilities. Your waterpark’s reputation and guest return rates depend on stellar service.

Management

The right management team makes an extraordinary difference. You can have the best waterpark imaginable on paper and in person, but if it isn’t managed and maintained properly, it will never reach its highest potential. Properly managed maintenance, finance, and marketing efforts will ensure the long-term success of your waterpark that will keep it a prominent piece of the community for years to come. American Resort Management’s experience with waterparks nationwide creates environments that put guests first and drive results for owners and investors.

Conclusions

So many waterparks open all over the country, but often, we see many sold or closing far too soon. Waterparks add a special element to the communities they serve, and in order to best serve guests from that community and beyond, waterparks must be thoroughly and meticulously planned and revised far before a shovel hits the ground. The programming must fit the identity of the community and target demographics, and provide an ideal of attractions for guests and families of all ages. The layout must make every ancillary area, from gift shops to bars to arcades not only easily accessible but as inviting and visible as possible. The service provided by the staff of your waterpark must be warm and contribute to the relaxing and fun environment your waterpark strives to create. Lastly, put the right management team to work for your waterpark to help it reach its full potential.

Improving Guest Satisfaction Through Feedback

American Resort Management — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0200

Guest satisfaction will always be priority #1 within the Hospitality Industry, and keeping it high and elevating it further among our top goals. Achieving superb guest satisfaction directly translates to more rooms booked, tickets sold, higher brand awareness, better reputation, and can even increase the value of your rooms and improve your bottom and top lines.

In order to best exceed guest expectations and continue to maintain high levels of guest satisfaction, it’s crucial to keep a pulse on both your current and prospective guests. The best way to achieve this is to create a funnel of feedback that will give you insights into exactly they want.

Obtaining Feedback

Guests always have feedback, but the type you get and where you get it will (and should) vary. There are several ways to be proactive in receiving this feedback. A simple conversation upon guest checkout can give early insights and show that you care. Also, follow-up with guests via email and ask them about their stay. The more opportunities guests have to give feedback, the larger sample size you will have to draw conclusions from.

Of course, not all feedback comes back directly. Cheers and jeers listed online on sites like Yelp!, Facebook, Twitter, and various message boards carry significant weight. Make monitoring these a priority, and look for trends so that you can determine what needs addressing and what (or who) deserves praise.

Negative Feedback

Negative feedback gets a bad rap, and it’s easy to see why. We pour our hearts and souls into what we do, and when we disappoint a guest or feel they got the wrong idea of us or our property, it can be easy to get defensive. But the fact is, negative feedback is unmined gold. It will keep you improving and ahead of your competition. Don’t waste it.

Implementing Feedback

As you gather feedback, look for common, recurring trends. If enough guests are commenting on something, begin developing a plan to address it. And don’t forget about the great PR and marketing opportunities that can coincide with resolving guest concerns. Room remodels and re-imagined menus are great examples of marketable changes you may have had to make anyway. By publicizing these, whether it be with a press release, advertisements, or social posts, it shows guests that you are evolving and addressing their concerns.

Guest satisfaction is the most crucial aspect of our industry, and the best way to understand how not to just meet it, but exceed it, is to gather as much feedback as possible. Analyze trends your guests present you, make informed changes with their help, and you’ll likely see more positive feedback, better online reviews, and more guests walking through your doors.

The Importance of Message: Crafting Campaigns in the Hospitality Industry

American Resort Management — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0200

Piggybacking on our last post regarding branding in hospitality, planning and executing your marketing messages are crucial steps to take in order to complete a successful campaign.

No successful business just throws money at advertising outlets without significant thought and planning, in Hospitality, how we represent ourselves through the numerous mediums paints a vivid picture of who we are, what we can provide, and what our brand embodies. Whether your target outlet is print, digital, social, radio, television, sponsorship, or any combination of these or other mediums, there are several important steps to take before you sign any advertising contracts.

Analyze Your Target Markets

Without knowing your audience inside and out, your chances of a successful marketing campaign are abysmal. Take time to research your market, where and how they live, and what they enjoy doing. This information is invaluable when crafting your marketing message because the most effective campaigns speak directly to your prospective guests.

Develop Goals for Your Campaign

Don’t go in blind. Before crafting your message (and certainly before you spend a dime on advertising costs), clearly understand what you’re setting out to accomplish. What will define success? Failure? Are you looking for more rooms rented? More media engagement on social channels? How many and how much? Take time to place goals, and implement tracking methods so you can efficiently analyze what worked, when it worked, and how it worked.

Understand and Stick to Your Budget

Your advertising dollars may bring in new business, but if you significantly outspend all of that incoming revenue, then what was truly gained? Understand your limitations, and be sure the campaign you set out on is a realistic one.

Decide Which Channels the Campaign will Run Through

Every medium has strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your property and what makes it attractive and enticing to guests will guide you in choosing the proper places to allocate your advertising dollars. Oftentimes, advertising within multiple mediums (re-consult step 3) through an Integrated Marketing Campaign will lead to even greater campaign success. By utilizing the strengths of numerous mediums and maintaining a consistent message, your advertisements will have significantly higher reach and more staying power that running full-steam ahead with just one medium

Craft Your Message

When crafting your marketing message, the mantra “keep it simple, stupid” is incredibly useful. Do not beat around the bush—immediately make it known who you are and what you provide to guests. Go back to your goals, and experiment with ways to transform those into messages your audience will relate to, understand, and get excited about. Keep it fun, warm, and welcoming. Tweak it to every medium, but do not make entirely separate messages for each of them. The overall message for the campaign should be the same everywhere.

Consistency is Key

Once you decide on your marketing message, it’s important for that message to be consistent not just with your brand, but within every piece of advertising published/broadcast through every medium you use. The advertisements sent out in print and television, for example, should immediately and easily be identifiable as yours. Maintaining this consistency increases the effectiveness of your Integrated Marketing Campaign, heightens your brand awareness, and paints the best picture of your property to prospective guests.

Review Results

With advertising, return on investment is the name of the game. Follow-up on the systems you put in place as you approach the end of your campaign. What worked and what didn’t? What goals did you accomplish, and where did you fall short? Evaluating results after spending time and effort on a campaign is the most critical (and often most overlooked) part of running a campaign. If your campaigns aren’t working, don’t fall into the trap of continuing to spend money without significant change.

Integrated Marketing Campaigns are useful all over the Hospitality Industry, whether it be to showcase food and service at restaurants, luxurious rooms and incredible amenities at hotels and resorts, or slides, rides, and family fun at waterparks and amusement parks. By taking the proper steps to pieces together these campaigns, you will give yourself the best chance to see ROI and increase your property’s bottom and top lines, as well as its impact within the community.