Trip Advisor and other expenses we don’t need

Trip advisor and advertising and expenses we don’t need

There is currently a push by the brands to use Trip Advisor business listings.   I see they are even pushing in the U.K. as well.    Now I have never had any good experience with Trip Advisor business listings and I’ve actually given them a try at several different hotels because the Owner thought it would be a sure money make because the brand was pushing it.

Sometime owner have to learn the hard way that the brand does what is good for the brand and not necessarily what is good for your hotel.  But I digress.

Trip Advisor tells you that you need four months before it starts paying off for you.  Really! What is the booking window at your hotel I’ll bet it not four months out.

Do the exit guides coupon books take four months before they have an effect?  If they did I don’t think we would be using them.   But it not just Trip Advisor I got a call today from AT&T wanting me to renew an ad for the hotel.  I did not and of course the sales person could not believe it. The hotel has always had an ad.   Why is my question have your ever looked for a hotel in the yellow pages?

The same thing with the BBB, sure you get a sticker to display where a guest can see it. You pay over $400.00 for this window cling.  When the last time is the BBB sold a room for you or has any prospect ever asked you; are you a member of the BBB?  Most hotels never even get a complaint from the BBB let alone any business.

The typical business should spend 15 to 20 percent on advertising or 12% of last year’s revenue minus rent or mortgage.  Hotels are not typical business but we seem to be trying to treat them as if they are.   If you’re a Plumbing company or heating and air conditioning company I would check to see if you were a member of the BBB and I might check AT&T or the yellow pages for your company but not a hotel.

You might want to take a close look at some of the things you are paying for and ask yourself why what’s the return on this am I doing because we always have?

After all your not a Heating & Air Conditioning company are you?

Why Sales should be out sourced

Sales management should be outsourced.  Most hotels especially independent do not have formal sales programs in place.  By that I mean having all the tools needed   Professional sales scripts PDF’s.  A formal program where all contacts are recorded all e-mails sent are recorded and daily recap is sent to the manager and ownership.   Gorilla sales is usually only done half hartley if at all.  Even thou it is one of the best methods there is for producing room nights on a consist bases.   Sales needs to be micro-managed and the general manager is usually not in a position to do so concisely day in and day out.  Plus it puts some distance between the general manager and the sale person.  The sales person’s performance is being reviewed daily by someone not on property.

 

Most sales manager at hotels are really just order takers and usually when you don’t need order taking.  When there is a big event in town and everybody and his brother wants a room.  You don’t need someone who during these times usually wants to offer discounts and says I had all these people wanting rooms but you said no.

 

In fact I would venture most general managers and especially owner have no idea what their sale person is supposedly working on, and if you asked the sales person you would get vague answers with no decision dates no real data phone number e-mail address etc.

 

With a professional sales program management by an outside company your sales person is held accountable on a daily bases.   Instead of attending meeting held by this group or that group which very seldom produce any rooms.  They are hitting 10 to 15 accounts on a daily bases.  Seeds are planted and watered regularly and you know

When an account has truly been cultivated and not just happen stance.  Plus the data is

Kept for the hotel and should the sales person leave you still have a record of every phone call every e-mail sent you know what the conversations were and you get to keep all of the contact information.