Guest empathy training is important because, more often than not, those who work in hotels have limited experience with travel. Chances are that they most likely think it’s always glamourous, fun and exciting.

As a hotel industry sales and guest services trainer, on average I experience six or more hotel stays each month. Once thing I have learned is that the level of authentic and genuine hospitality, which travellers treasure the most, has little to do with the number of stars or diamonds hanging on a plaque behind the front desk.

As a hotel reservations consultant and sales trainer, I'm often asked for my perspective on the current trends regarding the number of inquiry reservations call received vs. previous years.

With hotel brands so quickly copying each other's amenities, services and décor, just about the only point of differentiation is the human engagement delivered by the people we call colleagues.

As a hotel industry hospitality trainer, I surely have a more critical eye for detail than the average guest...

After trudging back to the desk, waiting in line, and reporting my frustrating experience, what I most often hear the colleague say is "okay sir, here you go!" or even worse, "no problem, I'll get you a new one".

Chances are that like most hoteliers this time of year you are busy formulating your financial game plan for 2018. If so, I'm pretty sure your owners or asset managers are looking for more revenue, as all owners seem to do every year.

If you're like most hotel managers, chances are you are highly focused on securing more direct bookings and thus reducing the costs of customer acquisition. If so, here are some train-the-trainer style tips for providing your reservations and/or front desk colleagues with the skills they need to covert today's over-informed, channel surfing callers.

Earlier this month I observed a difficult situation playing out at hotel where I was a guest, and it provided an invaluable reminder of just how important effective leadership is when things go wrong in the hotel business.

As anyone who has worked in the profession of hotel sales and catering sales for 10 or more years knows, the skill-set required to be a top performer is quite different these days. Today's sales superstars still have to have exceptional 'people skills', which today is more formally referred to as emotional intelligence.