Google Maps to Feature Hotel Rates on Search Results
March 24, 2010 at 4:56 pm | Posted in In the News, Information | Leave a CommentTags: Google Maps
Google announced on Monday that it will feature hotel rates in the ‘balloons’ on Google maps. This is currently in the Beta stage.
Currently, they will seek rate feeds from advertisers and will be flagged as Sponsored Results. They will not pick up rates from the GDS and other distribution channels but rely on feeds from the hotels themselves. Below is an example of how it will look for a Search for hotels in NYC.
Google has stated that it will not change search results. This new feature will not change the way that hotels are ranked in Google Maps, the company says. Google Maps ranks business listings based on their relevance to the search terms entered, along with geographic distance (where indicated) and other factors, regardless of whether there is an associated price. (HotelMarketing.com, 3/24/10)
With this feature, when you search for hotels on Google Maps you’ll be able to enter the dates you plan to stay and see real prices on selected listings. You can click on the price to see a list of advertisers who have provided pricing information for that hotel, indicated by the “Sponsored” text, and click through to reserve a room on the advertiser’s site. (HotelMarketing.com, 3/24/10)
My concern is that this feature will only perpetuate competitive rate cutting and discounting, making the industry more rate driven than before. It may have an impact on rate parity and integrity and also become a threat to the aggregators who may feel they are in bed with the 500 pound gorilla named Google!
Let me know what you think!
Guerilla Pricing — Revenue Managers In the ‘War Zone’
March 16, 2010 at 1:21 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentIn an excellent article that appeared in HotelMarketing.com, Brij Cahkra of Preferred Hotels referred to the vicious cycle of rate cutting as Guerilla Pricing.
“In guerrilla pricing, hotels try and do price cuts in short window to pick up additional market share however if done too often this can lead to a dilution of revenues,” said Chachra.
In the battle for increased revenue and market share, Revenue Managers often have no choice but to engage in guerilla pricing within their comp set. But increased market share in a guerilla pricing war at best yields increased market share for maybe a weekend. The increased revenue is consumed by the cost of distribution and/or it is insufficient to generate enough flow through to be worth it.
Gureilla pricing becoems like an addiction from which RMs find it difficult to break free. RMs are under pressure froms senior management to engage in the ‘game’ — to generate revenue and to increase market share.
Everyone loses, noboby wins.
Corporate Demand on the Upswing — Balancing Act for Revenue Managers
January 28, 2010 at 9:16 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: hotel blog, hotel industry, hotel revenue management, hotel sales
It doesn’t take much to ignite optimism after the dismal year of 2009. There are now idications that cororate transient demand is creeping back up.
United and several other airlines are reporting an uptick in corporate travel for the quarter just passed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/27/AR2010012703852.html
In addition, STR reported that for the week ending 1/23 overall demand increased by .9% — not exactilly a bubble but PKF predicted demand in Q1 would increase by 1.9% nationwide so we are getting there!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/27/AR2010012703852.html
The usually pessimistic corporate execs at the ALIS Conference in San Diego this week are even feeling cautiously optimisitc — but all site the short lead times for both corporate reservations and group business.
http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles.aspx?ArticleId=2603
Now comes the delicate balance of recovering fragile demand and beginning to nudge rates upward — Revenue Managers, you now have a tough balancing act this year.
Good luck — we are all depending on you!
Shoes for Connor — Shoes for Haiti
January 20, 2010 at 1:59 pm | Posted in Events, Hotel Sales Training Issues, In the News, Information, Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: hotel blog, hotel industry, hotel revenue management, hotel sales, hotel sales issues, hotel training, hotel trends, motivation
The good thing about a relatively slow summer for buisness was the opportunity to launch the charity that we founded, Shoes for Connor that was inspired by a business trip to Africa. Log onto www.shoesforconnor.com to get the story behind this charity.
Now we have another another mission. We have already collected and sent 1200 pairs of shoes to needy parts of the world — this is an opporntunity for everyone to do a little more — dig into your closets and find those shoes that you are not wearing or your children have outgrown. Rally your hotel or company in an effort that everyone can assist with regardless of their means. We can provide suport in the way of flyers, a recorded presentation and distribution. If you want to help Soles4Souls reach their goal of 100,000 pairs of shoes for Haiti contact us at carol@carolveret.com. See below for more details.
Shoes for Connor – Shoes for Haiti!
We have all been deeply touched and troubled by the situation in Haiti following the earthquake. Following a news broadcast last week I logged onto Soles4Souls web site www.soles4souls.org and emailed Morgan Evans, our contact with them. See below her reply:
Hi Carol!
It is very sad what had happened the other day and we are committing to send 100,000 pairs over there. Thank you so much for your hard work with your past shoe drive! I also want to thank you for making an extra effort for more shoes to send to Haiti. We appreciate all that we can get during a time like this. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Morgan Evans, Donor Program Specialist
Soles4Souls, Inc.
Remember Soles4Souls does not collect shoes. They rely on organizations like us to collect the shoes so that they can distribute them through their channels – they have responded to other disasters and gotten shoes where they are needed. As mentioned on their site, when the immediate needs of food, water and medicine are addressed there will still be a tremendous need to protect little feet from the debris left by the earthquake. People are becoming ill from cuts and abrasions left untreated — we can try to protect their feet!
If you have been thinking about getting organizations that you belong to involved in a shoe donation for Shoes for Connor now is the time to do it. Let’s help Soles4Souls reach their goal – contact me at carol@carolverret.com for info and support on how if we all dig a little deeper into our closets we can make a difference for all of the little Connors in Haiti!
www.shoesforconnor.com www.soles4souls.org
How the Recession has Changed the Sales Game
January 6, 2010 at 11:15 pm | Posted in Hotel Sales Training Issues, In the News, Information, Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: hotel blog, hotel industry, hotel revenue management, hotel sales issues, hotel training, hotel trends, recovery for hotels
Think back to the sales processes that you were using in mid 2007.
Perhaps you were mining the database for new business — if you are doing that now you are getting a much lower return that you were then. Perhaps you were waiting for the phone to ring as it often did with inquiries and if you closed a percentage of them– you could make your goals. Perhaps you were making cold phone calls and now and again a live human would answer the phone — not anymore.
Maybe you were using ‘reader board’ reports for prospects having meetings at competing hotels — still not a bad idea. Maybe you were using Google searches to locate the web sites of security facilities that you couldn’t personally cold call — still not a bad idea but search has/is changing big time!
Than if you got a group booking, it had to be cleared with the Revenue Manager to make sure that it fit with the rate strategy — the higher the rate the better! You paid for information on an account on a platform like Hoovers — now you can find sites that give you that info for free. The client was often grateful to get the space and was ready, willing and able to plan coctail receptions, VIP dinners, restuarant dine arounds — remember those?
In the very short time period of the recession, the sales game changed. The verticals in the database became less prominant and strapped for cash — for example, if Financial was was your vertical market there was a long dry spell but it is is starting to show signs of life. Government per diem is beginning to look pretty good and now the entire comp set is competing for goverment transient and meetings.
Advanced search is the new Google tool as are Google maps and earth — Tweets are beginning to appear on search on results. Eighteen months ago Twitter wasn’t part of the game. Facebook pages are becoming the new web site and connecting with LinkedIn is the new way to contact a potential client. Social networks now have a section in the Marketing and Sales Plan!
The recession’s impact on the sales process has made some sales people uncomfortable but for those that embrace the changes — it makes sales fun!
PS. Where did those inquiries go and did you notice, no one is planning dine arounds or VIP dinners — YIKES!
Forget Resolutions It’s Time for Results
December 30, 2009 at 5:37 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: hotel revenue management, hotel sales issues, hotel training, motivation
This subject line appeared on an email this morning from my favorite and essentiial guide for motivation, Tony Robbins.
It is estimated that most New Year’s Resolutions are abandoned or forgtotten by the end of February or March. This applies to business resolutions as well as the usual self improvemnt resolutions!
What makes Tony Robbins my motitivational guru is that he advocates massive action to change your life or your business world. Adjust your attitude, focus on your vision and goals and MOVE!
A bad plan executed well is infinitely better than a great plan executed poorly or not at all! You can always make adjustments, your past does not determine your future and keep your eyes on where you want to be not the things you are worried or frightened about!
In his little book, Notes From a Friend, Tony gives an example of a race car lesson. When you go into a skid don’t keep your focus on the wall you are about to hit but on the track where you want to be. Tony’s race car instructor would physically turn his head around to focus on the track and away from the wall!
When you do this, everything in your mind, body and reflexes adjust to take you where you are focused and want to be.
Happy New Year and remember resolutions are hollow without a massive plan of action!
Tony’s Notes From a Freind is a little book in small chapters that I refer to every morning when I need my attitude ramped up — it is avialable on Amazon! Well worth the $9.95.
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