We all need to up our social media game.  Why?  Because:

• 72% of online adults use social media (according to Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project).

• Researching >3,000 hotels revealed that having a social presence is a "must" (as noted in our recent article, Top Hospitality Industry Trends for 2015).

If you aren't on the "social" bandwagon or don't have a social media game plan, you now understand that you might be committing business suicide. Clearly, social media is where many of your customers are, and it is a platform for you to build your brand and reputation, engage more with your customers, drive more traffic to your website, and much more. How do you ensure that you are doing it right? Well, we have 4 great tips for you, thanks to a really good article and infographic that Huffington Post created in collaboration with American Express OPEN.

The surest way to grab a sale is to make a great impression from start to finish. To ensure you get it right through and through, if you simply follow our "5 Simple Steps for Sales Calls," you will have a head start on reaching the sales finish line.  Then, if you incorporate some intuitive skills, like positive energy, an engaging personality, and a genuine desire to discover and meet the customer's needs, your customer will always want to buy from you.  

Outstanding customer service is what drives success since it is what keeps your customers, and who they tell about you, coming back time and time again.  I know- you have heard this before from us, but we don't think you can hear it enough as having strong customer service skills can make or break you, and we want to keep your business thriving. You can't have enough tips and tricks in your customer service tool box, so we want to fill your box with more.

A key to longevity, success, and profitability is to stay on top of trends, and it's even more optimal to be the trendsetter.  We do market research and competitor analysis at >3,000 global hotels per year so we witness, see, and hear what initiatives are being implemented and what is trending in this fast-paced, highly competitive industry.  Here's our professional take on the top hospitality trends that you should capitalize on in 2015:

Customers come in all shapes and sizes, and we can probably all agree that the most difficult is the angry customer. This is someone who has been wronged (in his/her opinion) and is upset and emotional. We get it- mistakes happen, and you will have upset customers. Did you know that ~80% of dissatisfied customers tell 10 people and ~20% of dissatisfied customers tell 20 people? You don't want this negative publicity- NO WAY!  So as soon as it is apparent that your customer is upset or that there is a problem, it is absolutely necessary to deal with the situation ASAP.  Unlike the customer, you are not angry, you are in control, and your only problem at the moment is helping him/her with his/her problem so that the stories these customers tell are positive and ones that showcase proper service recovery instead of the other way around.

'Tis the season of giving, but rather than just giving during this season, shouldn't we "give" to our customers throughout the year? And in business, what exactly should we give? Naturally, especially during the holidays, we rack our brains to come up with an idea for a nice, hopefully meaningful, present to give to our customers. While the thought and gesture put into giving a tangible gift should no doubt be appreciated by our customers, we can escalate our spirit of giving for a far better impact on everyone, including ourselves, by giving more regularly. Now don't be a Grinch- engaging in regular "giving" is not hard. Piqued your interest?  Let me break it down for you...