Doug Kennedy

As I write my monthly article for CoStar today, I find myself back at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort, in Lexington, Kentucky. This time as a guest at the place where my hotel career began 45 years ...

Those in the field of logistics refer to “the last mile” as the crucial, final leg of the supply chain, where goods are moved to the buyer’s doorstep.

Even with a slim 3-point lead, history was against the Indiana University Hoosiers football team last month as they found themselves in the final moments of this year’s Big Ten Conference ...

You have approved every request for new sales automation systems because salespeople report being overwhelmed with inbound leads. Now requests for proposals are responded to promptly, just like all ...

Although it seems more popular than ever, the word “vibe” has been part of contemporary vernacular for as long as I can remember. It’s a word I’ve often used in my hotel industry seminars, training ...

There’s no doubt that today’s hotel leaders have to be technophiles, embracing the ever-changing world of the business ecosystem and somehow managing to get all their API- connected tech to work in ...

Increasingly, prospects who are planning weddings, meetings and events are foregoing traditional site tours and instead meeting virtually with hotel salespeople. Even those who do come by in person ...

With all the constant, fast-paced changes to both paid and organic search engine optimization, and now the need to monitor your GEO (generative engine optimization), there’s no doubt your digital ...

Not only do hotel leaders in the luxury and ultra-luxury segments of the lodging industry need to deliver the hospitality and service style that their real-world guests expect, but they also have to ...

When you ask sales leaders what’s most important about replying to inbound requests for proposal and inquiries, the majority will mention some version of “responding promptly.”

The word “epic” has found its place in the vernacular of our daily lives. It’s the name of so many “epic” things, such as an Orlando theme park, an international ski pass, a company that produces ...

Despite the predictions of its demise, the voice reservations channel is alive and well. For decades now, pundits have predicted the death of voice as a booking channel. Yet the phones still ring.

Throughout my career as a hotel trainer and conference speaker, I have often had some version of this conversation when I meet new people in casual social settings when a polite conversation migrates ...

Despite how technology continues to replace the need for routine human conversations during a guest’s “cycle of service,” we as hoteliers still have plenty of opportunities to have meaningful ...

“The only people who still call to book a reservation are older folks who are not good with technology.”

Although the jobs of catering & event (wedding) sales manager and hotel group sales manager are often thought of as similar, the real-world skills needed are quite different.

As online bookings increase, the number of reservations inquiry calls decreases over time.

As part of our pre-training preparations, I get to look at the various service recovery training that our clients have in place, and I find they nearly always focus on showing empathy and ...

As my frequent readers know, I have often encouraged hotel industry leaders to train their frontline staff on the differences between “guest service” and “hospitality.”

In the lodging industry, we tend to think of our customers as “guests,” reflecting the foundational concept of, “treat our guests as you would those visiting your own home.” However, customer ...