Download some of our Thought Leadership articles
The following Thought Leadership articles are available as free PDF downloads. If you have questions about any of the articles then please do contact us.
Each of the titles links to the appropriate Adobe PDF document.
Articles |
Author |
Published |
|---|---|---|
Being more hospitableWhat are the key components for success for hotels in resort developments including integrated resorts? A Brains Trust from Hotel Solutions Partnership is quizzed by Geoff Hadwick |
Geoff Hadwick | Nov 2010 |
Do performance tests really work for management contracts?from hotelmatters no. 12Many international operators now offer owners a performance test in their own template form of management agreement. But are they useful? Find out more. |
Doug Wignall | March 2010 |
Renovate in an economic downturn?from hotelmatters no. 12You might be surprised to learn that the best time to renovate is in an economic downturn. Here are some questions you should ask yourself if you are considering renovating. |
Doug Fiedler | March 2010 |
Gain the competitive edgefrom hotelmatters no. 12I regularly see hotel sales and marketing 'Opportunities & Threats' review as part of a SWOT analysis, but rarely see one that I believe is doing an effective job for the business. Is it time to review yours? |
Frank Coan | March 2010 |
Resorts consultancy from Hotel Solutions Partnershipfrom hotelmatters no. 12Resorts nowadays (and this is even truer at the high-end) are expected to deliver the same (if not higher) level of services and design standards as urban and business hotels. |
Ian Graham | March 2010 |
Now under old managementfrom hotelmatters no. 12You won't have seen this sign hanging over a hotel recently but maybe you should have. Experience and knowledge developed over years is vital for good customer service |
Ian Graham | March 2010 |
Operating profits - the new mantrafrom hotelmatters no. 12Most of our clients tend to be hotel owners or hotel owner operators - and getting the right brand and the right operator in place are key to extracting value. |
Ian Graham | March 2010 |
15 tips for survival in difficult timesfrom hotelmatters no. 11People often complain about the impact of the recession on their lives and business. Developing new long-term strategies rather than short-term quick-fixes is the key. Take a look at the 15 tips outlined in this article |
Ewa Kossakowska | Jan 2010 |
Improving your sales and marketing SWOTfrom hotelmatters no. 11You may have carried out a hotel sales and marketing SWOT analysis, but is it really doing an effective job for the business? Is it time to review yours? |
Frank Coan | Jan 2010 |
EVA helps investment decision makingfrom hotelmatters no. 11The global economic crisis has revealed that decision makers need to focus on the fundamentals of business. This article looks at some of the essential elements of Economic Value Added (EVA). |
Ibrahim Koura | Jan 2010 |
What to do if swine flu visits your hotelfrom hotelmatters no. 10As the world gets smaller, the opportunity to spread viruses and diseases increases dramatically. Let's take a look at what hoteliers can do to contain the H1N1 (swine flu) virus and prevent it spreading further. |
Doug Fiedler | Sept 2009 |
Welcome to the 'new normal'from hotelmatters no. 10If you and your team are waiting for things to return to normal, then not even the best life-saving kit will help you. Here are a few indictors of the 'new normal'. |
Carl Donnelly | Sept 2009 |
Managing rates in a price-sensitive marketfrom hotelmatters no. 10Cheap last-minute deals can pull in customers - at least in the short term. But are they profitable and do they encourage customer loyalty? The answer to both these questions is 'yes'. But is this the whole picture? |
Chris Barlow | Sept 2009 |
Selling a management contractfrom hotelmatters no. 10Part of the 'old normal' was that hotel management companies could woo intermediaries and get a practically free ride into opportunities. In tomorrow's world such an approach seems to us much less likely to be a sustainable route to market. |
Ian Graham | Sept 2009 |
Digging yourself out of a holefrom hotelmatters no. 9Costs need close attention at all times - take marketing for instance. |
Alastair Stevenson and Frank Coan | June 2009 |
Insincerity is a reputation killerfrom hotelmatters no. 9How to help employees genuinely represent the brand. |
Duncan Macarthur | June 2009 |
Japanese lessonsfrom hotelmatters no. 9A recent trip to Japan afforded the opportunity to stay as a guest in Japanese ryokan hotels. |
Rosemary Jackson | June 2009 |
The moral compassfrom hotelmatters no. 9How a recent assignment was a reminder that reminded me that hotel companies must maintain their ethical standards. |
Ian Graham | June 2009 |
Riding out the stormfrom hotelmatters no. 8Hotel companies that radically reduce their staff numbers are likely to survive this recession in the short-term. |
Larry Bowman | March 2009 |
Bucking the trendfrom hotelmatters no. 8At a first glance, this looks like an awful time to even think about growing your business - but this may be a great time to expand |
Katrina Craig | March 2009 |
Evolution not revolutionfrom hotelmatters no. 8A well-run hotel business must invest in innovation throughout the economic cycle - and new brands are still being launched |
Ian Graham | March 2009 |
Know your guestfrom hotelmatters no. 8We talk a lot about listening to customers but it doesn't stop us thinking we know what they want. |
Rosemary Jackson | March 2009 |
Leisure club customers feel the pinch in their pockets as well as their waistlinesfrom hotelmatters no. 7Fit for now... fit for the future. Just what or who are leisure clubs competing against? |
Carl Donnelly | November 2008 |
Accidents happen - but you shouldn't lose existing customersfrom hotelmatters no. 7A cautionary tale for hoteliers. |
Rosemary Jackson | November 2008 |
IT - a source of significant savingsfrom hotelmatters no. 7Over the past few years, hotels and hotel companies have rightly invested heavily in information technology. How can IT costs be reduced? |
Mike Wrigley | November 2008 |
Cash is kingfrom hotelmatters no. 7Mismanaging cash can be unforgiving. Cash is the life-blood of any business - small or large, growing or declining, start-up or mature. |
Ian Graham | November 2008 |
Survival - lessons from the bushmenfrom hotelmatters no. 7Share some of our learning the bushmen of Namibia and how the hotel industry in a time of crisis can learn to survive from one of the oldest peoples in the world. |
Ian Graham and Rosemary Jackson | November 2008 |
The technology landscapefrom hotelmatters no. 6After a visit to HITEC, I came away excited by the evidence that the global hotel industry and its technology providers are working on the right issues. |
Mike Wrigley | June 2008 |
Choosing an operatorfrom hotelmatters no. 6When humans get married, we go through a lengthy courting process. Having been engaged recently by several clients to assist in the search and selection for hotel operators, what have we learnt? |
Ian Graham | June 2008 |
Delivering your value proposition to employeesfrom hotelmatters no. 6It makes sense to reduce the number of employees leaving through dissatisfaction. It makes even more sense to focus on the bulk of employees who are neither engaged nor disengaged. |
Larry Bowman | June 2008 |
Creating the futurefrom hotelmatters no. 6Creating the future is a leap of faith - and a good jump requires a solid foundation. What do we believe are the essential elements of an attractive business plan? |
Ian Graham | June 2008 |
Marketing plans that deliverfrom hotelmatters no. 5Like most processes at a well run hotel, developing and implementing a marketing plan requires ownership by the people that will deliver the plan. |
Alastair Stevenson and Frank Coan | March 2008 |
Ostrich attitudes to a recessionfrom hotelmatters no. 5Despite the financial melt-down, few politicians are yet admitting that their countries are in, or are even entering, recessionary times. How can hotels plan to survive, and indeed benefit, during a down-turn. |
Ian Graham | March 2008 |
Stairway to heavenfrom hotelmatters no. 5TThere can be no one way to maximise profitability. Is optimising RGI is a pretty good way to start? |
Frank Coan and Ian Graham | March 2008 |
Massaging returnsfrom hotelmatters no. 5Is now the right time to invest in a spa? In recent months, it seems as if hoteliers are adding spas to their offering. |
Katrina Craig and Carl Donnelly | March 2008 |
The guest is tomorrow's interior designerfrom hotelmatters no. 4As hotel guests have ever-increasing expectations, hoteliers struggle to know how to react or, indeed, what to provide. Guestroom 2010 project gives some clues. |
Mike Wrigley | Nov 2007 |
Are management agreements encumbrances?from hotelmatters no. 4When hotel owners negotiate a management agreement which restricts selling without transferring the agreement, owners should consider the effects of this both on the marketability of the hotel and also its value. |
Douglas Wignall | Nov 2007 |
On averagefrom hotelmatters no. 4Isn't it odd that, in this industry, key performance indicators are AVERAGE occupancy, AVERAGE room rate, AVERAGE RevPAR? |
Ian Graham | Nov 2007 |
Pride - a deadly sin for leaders?from hotelmatters no. 4Pride is traditionally thought of as the first of the seven deadly sins. And in business it can be VERY destructive. |
Rosemary Jackson | Nov 2007 |
Risk assessmentfrom hotelmatters no. 4Whether you are at the point of lending funds for a mixed-use facility, or other major development, you will be taking account of risk. |
Ian Graham | Nov 2007 |
Coaching to winfrom hotelmatters no. 3With coaching and mentoring being incorporated into development programmes for senior and other executives, this article looks at the roles of the coach and the mentor. |
Rosemary Jackson | Sept 2007 |
The end of budgeting?from hotelmatters no. 3As they return from their summer holidays, what's the impact on guest satisfaction of hotel management teams focusing on the annual task of preparing the annual budget? |
Ian Graham | Sept 2007 |
Mine hostfrom hotelmatters no. 3Outsourcing data storage and application hosting lets IT systems enable all users access the best application for each separate business need. |
Ian Graham | Sept 2007 |
Small is beautifulfrom hotelmatters no. 3This article looks at some of the urban myths abounding in the hotel industry. |
Katrina Craig | Sept 2007 |
Developing leadersfrom hotelmatters no. 2People are often appointed as leaders on the strength of their success in different and previous circumstances. But what did they learn and how can they apply that learning? |
Rosemary Jackson | June 2007 |
Educating trainersfrom hotelmatters no.2A lot of hotel owners and operators are training avoiders. A large number of employers do not give training and technical skills a high priority. |
Ian Graham | June 2007 |
Investing in the operatorfrom hotelmatters no.2Whatever your view on where value is to be added in hotel development, successful investors invest in the people that lead and manage the brand and the operator. |
Katrina Craig | June 2007 |
Minimising carbon footprintsfrom hotelmatters no.2We aim to provide consultancy with a very low carbon footprint by buying appropriate carbon offsets when we travel. |
Ian Graham | June 2007 |
Resurgence of the Eastfrom hotelmatters no.2With China and India are now the world's biggest economies, they will influence future growth in the hotel and leisure sectors. |
Ian Graham | June 2007 |
Revisiting revenue managementfrom hotelmatters no.2With the increasing focus on revenue management as a core element of hotel management. RevPAR and RGI as goals in themselves ignore at least three issues. |
Ian Graham | June 2007 |
Dwelling on tourism's successes and vulnerabilitiesMalcolm Bell, chief executive of soutwesttourism, reflecting on the results of recent market studies of visitors to the region, warns that, unless first time visitors can be 'wow-ed', they may not return. |
Ian Graham | 21 September 2007 |
Developing Bahrain's tourism executives - excelling in service deliveryDelivered by Larry Bowman at UN World Tourism Organisation meeting in Bahrain, this presentation focuses on creating an understanding of excellent customer service |
Larry Bowman | 15 May 2007 |
Developing Bahrain's tourism executives - excelling in growthDelivered by Ian Graham at UN World Tourism Organisation meeting in Bahrain, this presentation focuses on feasibility studies and looks at factors such as demand, seasonality, channels of distribution, brand, market share, competition, price, costs, etc., |
Ian Graham | 11 May 2007 |
Profits are droppingHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic'. |
13 February 2007 | |
All changeIn this article, some of the issues that arise when hotel owners and operators decide to change the hotel brand are explored. |
Ian Graham and Doreen Boulding | 10 October 2006 |
Closing a hotel during refurbishmentHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
10 October 2006 | |
Introducing a loyalty card schemeHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
12 July 2006 | |
Valuing hotelsIn this presentation given at Profithotel, a conference for hotel investors in Warsaw, Ian Graham looks at what assets contribute to value, methods used to value hotels and the areas of valuation which need special attention. |
Ian Graham | 25 May 2006 |
Choosing an on-line reservation systemHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
Doreen Boulding | 12 May 2006 |
Uniformly wrongIt is 80 years since the New York hotel association first sponsored the uniform system of accounts. Why do I think it's time for the industry to think again and perhaps recognise that the uniform system's sell-by-date has passed.As published in Hotel and Motel Management magazine |
Ian Graham | 6 March 2006 |
Thinking square meterageHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
20 February 2006 | |
Reducing utility costHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
5 January 2006 | |
Competing against a new budget lodgeHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
15 December 2005 | |
Implications of a hold investment strategyHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
1 December 2005 | |
Strategy for reducing wasteHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
8 August 2005 | |
Securing investment for private hotel projectsHotel Solutions Partnership offer expert advice in the Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine's 'strategy clinic' |
23 June 2005 | |
Pre-opening process mapA unique model for the international hotel industry |
Ian Graham | 8 December 2004 |
From share of revpar to share of walletBuilding market share is far more valuable than just increasing occupancy... |
Ian Graham | 7 December 2004 |
Is that I.T.?Using technology in the global hospitality industry to respond to a changing world |
Ian Graham | 5 May 2004 |
Indian Tourism - Unlocking the strategic opportunityAn article based on an address given by Ian at 'World Travel India'. |
Ian Graham | 5 February 2004 |
