Stay with the Partner that Brought You to the Dance
David M. Brudney, ISHC, a nationally recognized spokesman for hotels and a veteran with four decades of experience, is the principal of David Brudney & Assoc. of Carlsbad, CA |
By David M. Brudney, ISHC April, 1984
Hotel and motel operators throughout California are optimistic that
1984 will be a strong year for the industry. Many are counting on four
major events the Golden State will host this year -- the XXIIIrd Olympic
Games in Los Angeles, Super Bowl IXX in Palo Alto and the Democratic National
Convention and the All-Star baseball game in San Francisco -- to carry
the industry back to better times.
It’s easy for operators and marketing people alike to get a little carried
away in the excitement of packaging our products in order to secure our
share of this potential windfall of new business. Prospects of thousands
of new foreign and domestic visitors combining long vacations around the
convention and sporting events, motoring up and down the state with new
money to spend, has seen the most conservative operators in a state of
readiness and high expectations.
No mistake about it, these four events are important for our industry’s
recovery in 1984, The national and international media exposure alone will
put California in the spotlight much of the year. The events will attract
"first time" visitors who will return home regaling friends and family
alike about the great times they had and how well they wee treated. We
can ill afford to put anything but our best foot forward in hosting these
important visitors this year.
We must recognize, too, that since these events are so glamorous, it
will be more exciting working on them rather than the "the routine business"
we deal with all year. Even though the events occupy less than one-twelfth
of the year, we’ll probably devote more time than we should to planning,
packaging, promoting, selling and servicing business related to the events.
It’s time now, more than ever, to make certain we are taking care
of the good, steady business that has carried us so far.
Those little commercial accounts we’ve been taking for granted on week
nights. The demanding tours that must have rooms in the summer -- at lower
rates -- but never forget us in the shoulder or off seasons. And let’s
remember, too, the social, fraternal, trade and professional groups who
use our guestrooms and function space on weekends. Remember those important
markets especially when the demands for space are high this summer. Don’t
leave them out in the cold. They’ve earned special consideration.
Al McGuire, NBC-TV’s analyst on NCAA basketball coverage, has a great
line he uses judiciously. In close games, in the final minutes, McGuire
points out quickly when a team fails to get the ball in the hands of their
best scorer. "They’re making a mistake," he shouts. "You’ve got to stay
with the partner you brought to the dance!"
His philosophy is quite simple. Every good basketball team has one or
two players who score most of the team’s points. They usually are the best
shooters on the team. McGuire is saying that when a game is on the line
a good team has to find a way to get the ball into the hands of those one
or two offensive stars. You have to depend on the players who have won
for you before; brought you this far.
We should heed McGuire’s basketball philosophy/warning in our own game
of operating successful hotels and motes. We must stay with the business
that has "won for" us before. Now is not the time to show any indifference
at all toward those basic markets that have carried us this far. That’s
going to be a real challenge for operators in Greater Los Angeles where
for three weeks 80 percent of almost everyone’s inventory has been committed
to the Olympics.
How those operators honor their commitments to the Olympics and still
satisfy the demands of their "regulars" will be interesting to observe.
Most will be confronted by a "no win" situation.
So now is the time -- before the events -- to take the time and prepare
our staffs for what’s in store. Let’s keep these big events in proper perspective.
And let’s take extra good care of those valuable markets that have fed
us good business all along.
Here are some suggestions:
-
Be sure our sales people are spending the necessary time now to solicit
more business from our regular markets.
-
Be sure our entire staff is recognizing and providing excellent service
for those guests.
-
Now is the time for owners and operators to be seen by our regulars...in
the lobby, at the front desk, by the front door, thanking those important
guests...reassuring them of how important they are to our success.
-
Let’s see our owners and operators showing up at those small group meetings
on weekends just to say hello...making a point to be at the front desk
when important commercial accounts have early evening check-ins. Being
there to say hello, letting them know who you are and asking them how their
trip was. Be there on the mornings those key tours check out. Get on the
bus personally and tell the group how much you enjoyed having them stay
with you. And don’t forget to personally that the escort or tour guide.
Details of those experiences always seem to get back to the tour operator
and or wholesaler.
We should be doing all of that now when it appears business is getting
better. Don’t wait until business gets bad again. Do it now. You won’t
be sorry. If you’ve never done things like that before, you might be surprised
at the positive response you’ll receive. It should be fun for you. Who
knows, it might be just the tonic to "rejuvenate" your enthusiasm about
being in this business.
Let’s all try and remember that after the big events are over those
special customers will be gone and we will return to "business as usual."
Let’s be sensitive to the needs of all those customers we expect back.
They are the ones that "brought you to the dance." We can’t forget them
now. If we do, we stand a good chance of losing them for good.
Aging Playboy Analogy
Taking care of our regular business is as important as money is to an
aging playboy who takes a wife thirty years his junior. You remember the
story. The aging playboy decides to marry a beautiful, young woman. On
their wedding night he dares to ask, "darling, would you still love me
if I lost my fortune?" "Oh, no, my dear," she replies, "I will still love
you...but I will miss you!"
Innkeepers can ill-afford to have its good, solid, steady customers
missing because they were neglected by management’s preoccupation with
new, more exciting business.
About David Brudney & Associates
David M. Brudney, ISHC, is a veteran hospitality sales and marketing professional concluding his fourth decade of service to the hospitality industry. Brudney advises lodging owners, lenders, asset managers and operators on hotel sales and marketing "best practices" and conducts reviews of hospitality (as well as other industry) sales and marketing operations throughout the U.S. and overseas. The principal of David Brudney & Associates of Carlsbad, CA, a sales and marketing consulting firm specializing in the hospitality industry since 1979, Brudney is a frequent lecturer, instructor and speaker. He is a charter member of International Society of Hospitality Consultants. Previously, Brudney held hospitality sales and marketing positions with Hyatt, Westin and Marriott.
Contact: David M. Brudney, ISHC, Principal
David Brudney & Associates
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Phone: 760-476-0830
Fax: 760-476-0860
Email David Brudney
Web Site: www.DavidBrudney.com
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