by Alan Campbell, Featured Contributor
CHOICES
TODAY WE have been involved in training workshops concerning choices that we make at hotels. Why we make them and for what reason? We divided the group in to 4 categories and assigned each one of them a hotel segment.
- First Segment: Economy
- Second Segment: Mid-Scale
- Third Segment: Upper Segment
- Forth Segment: Luxury Segment
Each group consisted of 15 participants and they had to make a choice of what hotel brand they would pick based on their segment. They had to explain why they picked the particular brand. What was it based on, what criteria was used, and why. The groups were mixed according to what segment of the industry they work in. In the groups there was representation of all segments, no one group was from a particular segment. We had luxury managers paired with economy managers and so on. When clients search the internet for accommodation’s it comes down to choices that will influence their decision. Will it be economy, mid- scale or luxury? And why they make that choice. Why they choose one brand over another? What is the deciding factor for the choice they made?
Economy Sector: Choices from group where: Roadway, Suburban Inn Motel 6, Studio 6, Howard Johnson, Microtel, Super 8, and Travel Lodge. After reviewing all of the factors these were the results for this group.
1. Microtel simply because it is newer brand and has today’s amenities in place.
2. Suburban Inn was chosen for location and family accommodations.
3. Roadway in chosen for price.
4. Motel 6 for having them in more locations.
Mid-Scale Segment: Best Western, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Candlewood Inn, Hawthorne Suites
1. Best Western toped the survey for most recognizable brand
2. La Quinta Inn for curb appeal.
3. Hawthorn Inn for its suites type rooms.
4. Quality Inn for location and price
Upper Mid-Scale: Best Western Plus, Country Inns, Clarion Suites, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn express.
1. Best Western Plus for price and quality of rooms.
2. Country Inns for unique style of property
3. Hampton Inn for price guarantee, and breakfast set p
4. Holiday Inn express for value
Luxury Segment: Four Seasons, Ritz, Waldorf Astoria, Peninsula Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt Hotels.
1 Four Seasons hotel overall price for services received
2. Waldorf Astoria Historical landmark impeccable service
3. Mandarin Oriental hotel luxury at its best
4. Hyatt Hotels value price.
5. Peninsula Hong Kong Best service overseas.
These choices were probably made by the groups own personal experience with what they considered the brand in each segment. No one group was limited to any particular brand or segment. These were the choices they made either based on own experience or on what friends that stayed at these mentioned brands have stayed. We as hoteliers must remember that the guest has a whole lot of choices when it comes to choosing where to stay. Hoteliers must do all that is possible, so that their particular brand is the one that the guest will most likely choose. The trick is how to accomplish that?
How do we convince the guest that our brand is better than that of the other brand? What will it take? These and other questions must be addressed if we are to succeed. Why do some hotel perform better that others in the same segment? Well the workshop was very interesting as we discussed the answers and how they came to those conclusions. These conclusions were based on each individuals own perception of what they consider to be the hotel in each segment.
