Jane L. Levere - The New York Times Media Group
NEW YORK
It may be a little late to the game, but business travel is now the subject of a variety of blogs.
In the past two years, companies in the travel business, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, have introduced blogs to promote their products and brand images, as have business travelers who want to narrate their experiences and gripes.
One of the newest blogs intended to appeal to business travelers is BoardingArea.com, a portal created by Randy Petersen, a frequent flier program expert and founder of the online forum Flyer Talk.
Now in beta mode, meaning that it is still being tested before its official release, BoardingArea is essentially a directory to blogs that address issues of interest to business travelers.
Forrester Research said that in the second quarter of 2007, 21 percent of business travelers who use the Internet read blogs, not just on business travel, but also on sports, business, finance and other topics.
''This indicates that organizing a portal for business travel blogs, especially with good content, means the site has potential,'' said Henry Harteveldt, a travel analyst for Forrester.
Tracy Gamble, vice president of business development for Propylon, a software company, has found travel blogs to be a great resource. Gamble, who is based in Dallas and spends half her time traveling, reads three or four travel blogs regularly, including the Informed Traveler, Cloud Travel and Gridskipper.
''I regularly consult these blogs before making client dinner reservations,'' she said. She also uses them, she said, to keep up on travel news like changes in security procedures.
Last autumn, she said she was too busy to visit her own doctor to get a flu shot. But after reading a post on Gridskipper, she learned that she could get a shot at a kiosk in O'Hare International Airport. So in November, when on a layover at O'Hare, Gamble went to the kiosk and was done in 10 minutes.
''It gave me peace of mind,'' she said. ''A week before I sat on a seven-hour flight with a lot of sniffing and coughing types. If I'd seen the kiosk without having seen it on the blog, I wouldn't have stopped.''
Hotels, airlines and other companies in the travel business have also harnessed blogs to build customer loyalty, promote their brands and offer insights from their employees.
One of the most prominent bloggers is J.W. Marriott Jr., chairman and chief executive of Marriott International, who began a blog, Marriott on the Move, a year ago. It includes four or five posts a month and podcasts.
Marriott said he had tried to make his comments as personal as possible; for example, his post Wednesday discussed his and his family's experiences in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
''I love it,'' he said. ''I read an awful lot of responses we're getting. It gives us a chance to communicate with the world and a chance for people to communicate back.''
The company considers Marriott on the Move a success now that it has attracted more than 345,000 visitors, almost a quarter from outside the United States. This year, the company plans to translate Marriott's posts and add the blog to its Web sites in Germany, China and Latin America. This month, it also started a second blog, Marriott in the Kitchen, written by Brad Nelson, its corporate chef.
Starwood started its blog, TheLobby.com, in April 2006 to provide information for participants in its Preferred Guest loyalty program. Chris Holdren, vice president of Starwood Preferred Guest and global Web services, said the tone of content had changed since the blog's introduction to allow the ''perspectives of the bloggers to be brought to life.'' These include four travel writers and some 70 Starwood employees.
Southwest Airlines has operated its staff-written blog, ''Nuts About Southwest,'' a name that refers to its in-flight snack of peanuts, since April 2006.
Blogs can also be a quick way for companies to gauge customer reaction to policies. Early last year, Bill Owen, a schedule planner at Southwest, wrote in a post that the airline sold its inventory only three months in advance. But after an outcry from customers, it changed its policy and now sells tickets at least four months in advance.
The blog had 500,000 unique visitors in 2007, said Linda Rutherford, vice president of public relations and community affairs at Southwest. Southwest expects that number to double this year.
Delta is one of the newer entrants to the blogosphere. It began blog.delta.com last August, which also has staff-written posts.
Delta is using the blog for market research. In the next month, it will post proposed screen shots for its ticket kiosks on the blog for feedback from travelers.
BoardingArea.com lists not only these travel company blogs and those published by daily newspapers, but also features nine blogs started by individual business travelers. Two of the nine blogs, View from the Wing and The Gate, had their start in Petersen's other frequent flier ventures.
Brett Snyder, director of new products for PriceGrabber.com, a comparison-shopping Web site, and author of the Cranky Flyer, one of the nine blogs featured on BoardingArea.com, hopes the portal will do more than earn him and Petersen money.
''It will help with exposure,'' Snyder said. ''Business travelers will be able to come and read not just my blog, but others. I'm a big fan of sharing traffic, getting conversations going across blogs.''
January 29, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Be Green: A Small Bag Change
Everyday a large number of consumers walk, bike, or drive to their local grocery store to purchase a variety of products. It seems that the local grocery store has now become the local buy anything and everything store.
The average household has a huge hoard of plastic grocery bags, flying out of every pantry and cupboard in their home. In recent years several provinces and states have put bans and controls on plastic shopping bags. These vary from a fee on each individual bag to discourage usage, to a complete ban on plastic grocery bags altogether.
Just recently there has been a few big moves which hopefully will have a large successful impact. One hopes these moves shall get people looking at the reality of a product that they are using and than disposing of without a thought.
China State Council has banned plastic shopping bags effective June 1st, 2008. In a recent story from CBC.ca on January 8th, 2008 CBC discusses the ban in China and other such related bans. The article states that worldwide on average, we throw away 500 billion plastic shopping bags annually that can take up to 1, 000 years to fully decompose.
The Oprah Winfrey recently aired January 3rd, 2008 a show called "It's Easy Being Green” . The episode discussed ways that we can help to have a clean environment. Just by making small changes in our day to day lives within and outside the household we can make the earth a healthier place for ourselves and the environment. The discussion talking about plastic shopping bags specifically stated that of the 500 billion plastic bags we thrown away in the world annually, 380 million of them are in the United States alone. It also discussed the fact that for a while people were trying to substitute paper bags for plastic ones, but in order to produce 10 billion paper bags we would have to be cutting down 14 million trees a year.
You might ask what's the best plan?
We need to use cloth, re-usable bags, no paper, and no plastic, because they're both damaging to our environment in different ways. If we opt to use cloth bags we are making a move to save our environment for the future. We quite possibly will save ourselves money. Even though we don't have bans on plastic shopping bags yet across North America and there will be a slight fee for every cloth bag that you purchased.
Oprah has made it possible for people to purchase a cloth bag from her website, the cloth bags are featured as the "O grocery bag". It is made of 100% organic cotton that no type of chemical was used during the production. But if you're not an Oprah fan, or don't care for making purchases over the World Wide Web, a simple re-usable cloth bag from your local dollar store will do the trick.
It makes sense; why not make this change for our environment? It will help ourselves, our kids and future generations. We can only be excited for something that will make such a great difference and yet is so easy to do. So make a difference and DO “a small bag change".
Mary-Jane Martin
Eco-Tourism Student Class of 2009
The average household has a huge hoard of plastic grocery bags, flying out of every pantry and cupboard in their home. In recent years several provinces and states have put bans and controls on plastic shopping bags. These vary from a fee on each individual bag to discourage usage, to a complete ban on plastic grocery bags altogether.
Just recently there has been a few big moves which hopefully will have a large successful impact. One hopes these moves shall get people looking at the reality of a product that they are using and than disposing of without a thought.
China State Council has banned plastic shopping bags effective June 1st, 2008. In a recent story from CBC.ca on January 8th, 2008 CBC discusses the ban in China and other such related bans. The article states that worldwide on average, we throw away 500 billion plastic shopping bags annually that can take up to 1, 000 years to fully decompose.
The Oprah Winfrey recently aired January 3rd, 2008 a show called "It's Easy Being Green” . The episode discussed ways that we can help to have a clean environment. Just by making small changes in our day to day lives within and outside the household we can make the earth a healthier place for ourselves and the environment. The discussion talking about plastic shopping bags specifically stated that of the 500 billion plastic bags we thrown away in the world annually, 380 million of them are in the United States alone. It also discussed the fact that for a while people were trying to substitute paper bags for plastic ones, but in order to produce 10 billion paper bags we would have to be cutting down 14 million trees a year.
You might ask what's the best plan?
We need to use cloth, re-usable bags, no paper, and no plastic, because they're both damaging to our environment in different ways. If we opt to use cloth bags we are making a move to save our environment for the future. We quite possibly will save ourselves money. Even though we don't have bans on plastic shopping bags yet across North America and there will be a slight fee for every cloth bag that you purchased.
Oprah has made it possible for people to purchase a cloth bag from her website, the cloth bags are featured as the "O grocery bag". It is made of 100% organic cotton that no type of chemical was used during the production. But if you're not an Oprah fan, or don't care for making purchases over the World Wide Web, a simple re-usable cloth bag from your local dollar store will do the trick.
It makes sense; why not make this change for our environment? It will help ourselves, our kids and future generations. We can only be excited for something that will make such a great difference and yet is so easy to do. So make a difference and DO “a small bag change".
Mary-Jane Martin
Eco-Tourism Student Class of 2009
Friday, January 25, 2008
Leadership - What Will Happen if Nothing Changes?
By Gregg Thompson
Many of us who lead organizations go through a very similar routine this time of the year. We start by admonishing ourselves for the mistakes of the past year -the projects left undone and the opportunities not seized. We grit our teeth, clean off our desks, start a fresh notebook and resolve to make significant changes in the way we will work in the coming year. Year after year, the same resolutions are made:
1 I've just got to get organized. ('If I can just create a better way of dealing with this relentless stream of email, improve my scheduling and sort out this mess of papers in my briefcase, I'll be able to spend more time doing the really important leadership stuff.')
2 This year, I will set priorities. ('I've got to stop doing a bunch of things, no matter how cool and interesting, and discipline myself to do only the strategic stuff.')
3 I promise to delegate more. ('If I can only get others to do the things I don't want to do and to work as hard and smart as me, I'll be free to do the high value-added stuff.')
I have news for you (and me). While these are worthy goals, the truth is we will all still be at the same spot next year, fussing about the way we are organizing, prioritizing and delegating. But what would happen if we were determined to make a real change in the way we lead our organizations this year? Perhaps we should ask ourselves the more compelling question... what will happen in our organization this year if nothing changes in the way we lead?
Here are seven leadership resolutions you might consider that will make a real difference in your organization in the coming year. Which ones will provide the biggest payoffs? Do all seven, and I promise that you will have the most rewarding year of your leadership career!
1. Craft A Big, Bold, Breath-Taking Story And Tell It Every Day
What is the most exciting, rewarding, and scariest future you can imagine? What great battles will be won, treasures found and people freed. Paint the story in full color. What does the future look like? How are we going to get there? How is tomorrow going to be much better than today? People want to be part of an important story. Tell it to them and help them find their own starring role.
2. Multiply The Strength Of Your Leadership Connections
Consider for a moment the 8-10 individuals with whom you share management and leadership responsibilities. How much more effective would your leadership team become if you dramatically strengthened your personal connection with every one of these people? You have probably created a mutually acceptable status quo with these individuals so change will not be easy. Are there some difficult conversations that you need to have? Try this: honor their uniqueness, share more of yourself, learn about them, ask how you can serve them. Be careful, this is very potent.
3. Act With Exceptional Compassion And Kindness
You are not the only one feeling a bit beaten up these days. The members of your organization are faced with many of the same challenges that you face...imperfect products, unpredictable markets, insatiable customers, disappointing staff performance. Seek out ways to show your humanity every day. Treat everyone in the organization with dignity and respect, especially those who are struggling. They will walk through walls for you, but do not do it for that reason. Do it because it is the right thing to do. We spend much of our waking lives inside organizations and you have the power to make these places where the human spirit can thrive or die. Use this power well.
4. Tell The Absolute Truth Stop Spinning, Sugar-Coating And Avoiding.
You'll be amazed at how many people start listening to you. Everyone wants to improve the communication throughout their organization but what about simply setting a new standard for honesty... starting with you. How much more effective would your organization be if the half-truths, positioning, sacred elephants and face-saving were eradicated? The tough part is that you cannot make this happen by mandating it. You must go first. You must model it.
5. Hold Everyone Accountable. Accountability Is A Very Good Thing.
It is not tyranny. The caring leader insists that people do what they say they will do. When you hold people accountable, you are saying that their work is important. You are saying that they are important. Every time you let a deadline slip or a deliverable go incomplete, you are discounting the person whose job it is to deliver on these commitments. Make it a habit to ensure that every piece of work is accompanied by a personal commitment. Measure. Give feedback. Initiate consequences. Celebrate being part of an organization that keeps its promises.
6. Confront Underperformance With A Twist
You know in your heart-of-hearts who is under-performing in your organization. Make a list. Commit to seeing that this performance changes early this year. Now here's the tough part. Before you take any action, ask yourself these questions - 'What is my part in this situation? How have my actions or lack thereof contributed to this situation? What do I need to do differently?' Approach the individuals in question and describe your responsibilities and personal commitments to change. Then, and only then, it's their turn. You may need to do nothing else.
7. Be Distinctively You
What would you get if you could put all of the leadership qualities of Bill Gates, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, George Washington, Jack Welch and Winston Churchill into one individual? Probably a bland, non-descript person indistinguishable in the crowd. These men and women made a difference because they had the courage to be themselves. Have you forgotten who you really are? What excites you these days? What are your passions? Your obsessions? Where do you want to make your mark? When you are at your best, what are you doing? Maybe it's time to figure out what is most important to you, tell everyone around you, and let this fuel your leadership.
Why not make this your best year ever as a leader. What will happen if nothing really changes?
Gregg Thompson is the President of Bluepoint Leadership Development, and the author of Unleashed! and The Leadership Experience. He can be reached by greggthompson@bluepointleadership.com, or at 513-289-0141.
Many of us who lead organizations go through a very similar routine this time of the year. We start by admonishing ourselves for the mistakes of the past year -the projects left undone and the opportunities not seized. We grit our teeth, clean off our desks, start a fresh notebook and resolve to make significant changes in the way we will work in the coming year. Year after year, the same resolutions are made:
1 I've just got to get organized. ('If I can just create a better way of dealing with this relentless stream of email, improve my scheduling and sort out this mess of papers in my briefcase, I'll be able to spend more time doing the really important leadership stuff.')
2 This year, I will set priorities. ('I've got to stop doing a bunch of things, no matter how cool and interesting, and discipline myself to do only the strategic stuff.')
3 I promise to delegate more. ('If I can only get others to do the things I don't want to do and to work as hard and smart as me, I'll be free to do the high value-added stuff.')
I have news for you (and me). While these are worthy goals, the truth is we will all still be at the same spot next year, fussing about the way we are organizing, prioritizing and delegating. But what would happen if we were determined to make a real change in the way we lead our organizations this year? Perhaps we should ask ourselves the more compelling question... what will happen in our organization this year if nothing changes in the way we lead?
Here are seven leadership resolutions you might consider that will make a real difference in your organization in the coming year. Which ones will provide the biggest payoffs? Do all seven, and I promise that you will have the most rewarding year of your leadership career!
1. Craft A Big, Bold, Breath-Taking Story And Tell It Every Day
What is the most exciting, rewarding, and scariest future you can imagine? What great battles will be won, treasures found and people freed. Paint the story in full color. What does the future look like? How are we going to get there? How is tomorrow going to be much better than today? People want to be part of an important story. Tell it to them and help them find their own starring role.
2. Multiply The Strength Of Your Leadership Connections
Consider for a moment the 8-10 individuals with whom you share management and leadership responsibilities. How much more effective would your leadership team become if you dramatically strengthened your personal connection with every one of these people? You have probably created a mutually acceptable status quo with these individuals so change will not be easy. Are there some difficult conversations that you need to have? Try this: honor their uniqueness, share more of yourself, learn about them, ask how you can serve them. Be careful, this is very potent.
3. Act With Exceptional Compassion And Kindness
You are not the only one feeling a bit beaten up these days. The members of your organization are faced with many of the same challenges that you face...imperfect products, unpredictable markets, insatiable customers, disappointing staff performance. Seek out ways to show your humanity every day. Treat everyone in the organization with dignity and respect, especially those who are struggling. They will walk through walls for you, but do not do it for that reason. Do it because it is the right thing to do. We spend much of our waking lives inside organizations and you have the power to make these places where the human spirit can thrive or die. Use this power well.
4. Tell The Absolute Truth Stop Spinning, Sugar-Coating And Avoiding.
You'll be amazed at how many people start listening to you. Everyone wants to improve the communication throughout their organization but what about simply setting a new standard for honesty... starting with you. How much more effective would your organization be if the half-truths, positioning, sacred elephants and face-saving were eradicated? The tough part is that you cannot make this happen by mandating it. You must go first. You must model it.
5. Hold Everyone Accountable. Accountability Is A Very Good Thing.
It is not tyranny. The caring leader insists that people do what they say they will do. When you hold people accountable, you are saying that their work is important. You are saying that they are important. Every time you let a deadline slip or a deliverable go incomplete, you are discounting the person whose job it is to deliver on these commitments. Make it a habit to ensure that every piece of work is accompanied by a personal commitment. Measure. Give feedback. Initiate consequences. Celebrate being part of an organization that keeps its promises.
6. Confront Underperformance With A Twist
You know in your heart-of-hearts who is under-performing in your organization. Make a list. Commit to seeing that this performance changes early this year. Now here's the tough part. Before you take any action, ask yourself these questions - 'What is my part in this situation? How have my actions or lack thereof contributed to this situation? What do I need to do differently?' Approach the individuals in question and describe your responsibilities and personal commitments to change. Then, and only then, it's their turn. You may need to do nothing else.
7. Be Distinctively You
What would you get if you could put all of the leadership qualities of Bill Gates, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, George Washington, Jack Welch and Winston Churchill into one individual? Probably a bland, non-descript person indistinguishable in the crowd. These men and women made a difference because they had the courage to be themselves. Have you forgotten who you really are? What excites you these days? What are your passions? Your obsessions? Where do you want to make your mark? When you are at your best, what are you doing? Maybe it's time to figure out what is most important to you, tell everyone around you, and let this fuel your leadership.
Why not make this your best year ever as a leader. What will happen if nothing really changes?
Gregg Thompson is the President of Bluepoint Leadership Development, and the author of Unleashed! and The Leadership Experience. He can be reached by greggthompson@bluepointleadership.com, or at 513-289-0141.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Online Reviews of Hotels and Restaurants Flourish
By JOE SHARKEY
Published: January 22, 2008
Many of the reader-generated reviews of hotels, restaurants, destinations and other travel services on the Web may have started their lives as independent blogs by travel buffs. But they have consolidated into major online businesses, taking an ever-growing piece of the market from print guides.
The major sites are TripAdvisor.com, owned by Expedia, and IgoUgo, owned by Sabre Holdings, which also owns Travelocity. Both Expedia and IgoUgo staked their first Internet claims as sites where travelers could research prices and directly book trips. They now operate the review sites as separate businesses.
Like their parent companies, TripAdvisor and IgoUgo are fiercely competitive. TripAdvisor claims by far the greater amount of content, including reviews that are mostly anonymous. Igo-Ugo, on the other hand, requires its contributors to register, and its travel forums and other review material are usually accompanied by member profiles.
IgoUgo pointedly says this differentiates it from TripAdvisor, on which people with vested interests can plant phony reviews.
TripAdvisor acknowledges that an occasional review or forum can be manipulated by a crafty hotel or restaurant owner. But it says the sheer volume of offerings — and the growing sophistication of Internet travel site users — mitigates the problem.
“It’s just very hard to stack the deck with this kind of volume,” said Stephen Kaufer, the co-founder and chief executive of TripAdvisor.com. “On my screen right now, I have 859 reviews of the Sofitel Hotel in New York.”
Traditional print travel guides, whether in book or periodical form, are usually written and edited by travel professionals — some of whom regard the growing online travel review sites as interlopers that barged onto their turf like boisterous day-trippers piling out of their Winnebagos and plopping down next to the members of a beach club.
But Mr. Kaufer argued that online sites have advantages over written guides, including the fact that the Internet reviews are often more immediate and tend to be punchier than guidebook listings.
One of the pioneers in user-generated travel guide information, Zagat Survey, was reported last week to be seeking a buyer. Zagat’s main business is selling print pocket guides with brief summaries of user-generated reviews of restaurants, hotels and other services. Last year, Zagat sold more than 5.5 million of its print guides around the world, but the company has also been aggressively expanding its online business.
A few weeks before the potential sale was reported, Tim Zagat spoke of the difference between the approach of online reviews and Zagat’s, in which thousands of reader-generated reviews are filtered by editors and boiled down to pithy, concise summaries, with ratings tabulated for quality, service, price and the like.
TripAdvisor and IgoUgo, he said, “put everything up raw.”
He added: “We edit the comments and try as nearly as possible to accurately synopsize the results of the survey. We try to make it nice and easy to read — in as few lines as possible.”
Some Internet companies, he said, “are running into the problem that anybody can throw up things on the wall, and after a while there are just too many people doing it.”
Right now, the online business is expanding rapidly, and may soon eclipse the book publishing business.
Both Mr. Zagat and Mr. Kaufer agree that guides printed on paper, being compact and easy to carry, still have a future in the travel review business, perhaps as components of a far more extensive online product.
TripAdvisor.com, founded in 2000, has user-generated reviews and interactive forums on hotels, restaurants, cruises, cities, attractions and even airline seats (through its Seatguru.com site). Like its online competitor IgoUgo, it also publishes photos and even videos from readers, and has sections for reader blogs and interactive forums.
Both sites make money when hotel, restaurant or other ads cause a reader to click through to make a booking. They generate revenue from banner ads and other forms of promotion.
Like IgoUgo, TripAdvisor has a core staff of employees and also employs specialists who “have a nose for sniffing out fraud and who literally read every review.” Both sites also use filters to discourage spam messages. And both are working to make it easier for users to simplify, index online or print out specific information for individual needs on a trip.
Mr. Kaufer of TripAdvisor said he initially worried that the reviews on the site would be overtly negative. “I thought, why would someone typically write a review other than they had a horrible time and they needed to vent,” he said. The opposite happened. People generally like to share good travel experiences, even if they tend to toss in caveats, he said.
Mr. Zagat said that investors in his company have told him, “ ‘Look, this is all symbiotic. We can do both.’ ”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/business/media/22reviews.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Published: January 22, 2008
Many of the reader-generated reviews of hotels, restaurants, destinations and other travel services on the Web may have started their lives as independent blogs by travel buffs. But they have consolidated into major online businesses, taking an ever-growing piece of the market from print guides.
The major sites are TripAdvisor.com, owned by Expedia, and IgoUgo, owned by Sabre Holdings, which also owns Travelocity. Both Expedia and IgoUgo staked their first Internet claims as sites where travelers could research prices and directly book trips. They now operate the review sites as separate businesses.
Like their parent companies, TripAdvisor and IgoUgo are fiercely competitive. TripAdvisor claims by far the greater amount of content, including reviews that are mostly anonymous. Igo-Ugo, on the other hand, requires its contributors to register, and its travel forums and other review material are usually accompanied by member profiles.
IgoUgo pointedly says this differentiates it from TripAdvisor, on which people with vested interests can plant phony reviews.
TripAdvisor acknowledges that an occasional review or forum can be manipulated by a crafty hotel or restaurant owner. But it says the sheer volume of offerings — and the growing sophistication of Internet travel site users — mitigates the problem.
“It’s just very hard to stack the deck with this kind of volume,” said Stephen Kaufer, the co-founder and chief executive of TripAdvisor.com. “On my screen right now, I have 859 reviews of the Sofitel Hotel in New York.”
Traditional print travel guides, whether in book or periodical form, are usually written and edited by travel professionals — some of whom regard the growing online travel review sites as interlopers that barged onto their turf like boisterous day-trippers piling out of their Winnebagos and plopping down next to the members of a beach club.
But Mr. Kaufer argued that online sites have advantages over written guides, including the fact that the Internet reviews are often more immediate and tend to be punchier than guidebook listings.
One of the pioneers in user-generated travel guide information, Zagat Survey, was reported last week to be seeking a buyer. Zagat’s main business is selling print pocket guides with brief summaries of user-generated reviews of restaurants, hotels and other services. Last year, Zagat sold more than 5.5 million of its print guides around the world, but the company has also been aggressively expanding its online business.
A few weeks before the potential sale was reported, Tim Zagat spoke of the difference between the approach of online reviews and Zagat’s, in which thousands of reader-generated reviews are filtered by editors and boiled down to pithy, concise summaries, with ratings tabulated for quality, service, price and the like.
TripAdvisor and IgoUgo, he said, “put everything up raw.”
He added: “We edit the comments and try as nearly as possible to accurately synopsize the results of the survey. We try to make it nice and easy to read — in as few lines as possible.”
Some Internet companies, he said, “are running into the problem that anybody can throw up things on the wall, and after a while there are just too many people doing it.”
Right now, the online business is expanding rapidly, and may soon eclipse the book publishing business.
Both Mr. Zagat and Mr. Kaufer agree that guides printed on paper, being compact and easy to carry, still have a future in the travel review business, perhaps as components of a far more extensive online product.
TripAdvisor.com, founded in 2000, has user-generated reviews and interactive forums on hotels, restaurants, cruises, cities, attractions and even airline seats (through its Seatguru.com site). Like its online competitor IgoUgo, it also publishes photos and even videos from readers, and has sections for reader blogs and interactive forums.
Both sites make money when hotel, restaurant or other ads cause a reader to click through to make a booking. They generate revenue from banner ads and other forms of promotion.
Like IgoUgo, TripAdvisor has a core staff of employees and also employs specialists who “have a nose for sniffing out fraud and who literally read every review.” Both sites also use filters to discourage spam messages. And both are working to make it easier for users to simplify, index online or print out specific information for individual needs on a trip.
Mr. Kaufer of TripAdvisor said he initially worried that the reviews on the site would be overtly negative. “I thought, why would someone typically write a review other than they had a horrible time and they needed to vent,” he said. The opposite happened. People generally like to share good travel experiences, even if they tend to toss in caveats, he said.
Mr. Zagat said that investors in his company have told him, “ ‘Look, this is all symbiotic. We can do both.’ ”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/business/media/22reviews.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Friday, January 18, 2008
A new hotel scheme for gouging the customer
Industry insider is frustrated over bogus, new cancellation policy
By Amy Bradley-Hole
Travel columnist
Tripso.com
updated 3:42 p.m. ET, Wed., Jan. 16, 2008
I'm interrupting my previously scheduled column to tell you about a hotel policy that really makes me mad. I don't know how long hotels have been doing this or who thought it up, but I think it's fairly new and probably the work of some greedy corporate vice president.
A few weeks ago, my friend Mary Ann made a reservation through the Holiday Inn Express Web site for a room at the Holiday Inn Express in her hometown. She was having some company and was afraid she might not have room for everyone at her house. After one of her visitors canceled his trip, she knew she could accommodate all the guests, so she called the hotel to cancel the reservation. Too bad, she was told. You booked a special rate online, and you can't cancel or change your reservation. Never mind that you called well in advance of the arrival date. You're going to be charged room and tax for all six nights of your reservation, to the tune of about $750.
After letting a few choice expletives fly, Mary Ann called me to see if anything could be done about the situation. At first, I didn't have much sympathy for her. I knew that despite her protestations to the contrary, there were probably several warnings about the cancellation policy on the Web site. And I was right. I checked the site, and there are notices about the policy, and they're fairly obvious, though they are full of industry jargon. Still, fail to read the fine print, and you have only yourself to blame!
I discouraged Mary Ann from disputing the charge through her credit card company, because she was clearly in the wrong. Instead, I suggested that she speak to the hotel's manager in person, admitting her mistake and begging for mercy. Maybe he would agree to some sort of compromise, perhaps charging her for only one night. Alternatively, I suggested she go ahead and check into the room even though she wouldn't be using it. At least that way, the hotel couldn't resell the room and make a double profit and she'd gain some small satisfaction from "sticking it to the man." Otherwise, I was afraid she was out of luck.
But the more I thought about it, the more I sympathized with Mary Ann. Anyone could have made her mistake and, besides, the policy is simply outrageous.
The first time I noticed a "no cancellation" policy like this was back in April, when I was booking a room online at a Doubletree hotel. I was cruising through the booking on Doubletree's Web site when I noticed this:
FULL PAYMENT REQUIRED AT TIME OF RESERVATION. CREDIT CARD REQUIRED AT TIME OF BOOKING AND WILL BE CHARGED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE STAY AS RESERVED. NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS FOR EARLY DEPARTURE, CANCELLATION OR NO SHOW. NO MODIFICATION ALLOWED ONCE RESERVATION IS CONFIRMED. GUEST MUST CHECK IN ON ARRIVAL DATE OR RESERVATION WILL BE CANCELED AND FULL PAYMENT FORFEITED.
They were going to charge everything upfront — no problem, this policy has been around for a while, and I can deal with it. No refunds or credits for early departure — again, this is a pretty standard policy, though many hotel managers will waive it under certain circumstances. But no refund for a cancellation? Hold up!
In the event of a cancellation, most hotels charge only for the first night's room plus tax — and only when the reservation is canceled on late notice. Faced with the Doubletree policy, I figured: Well, if I needed to cancel and didn't want to lose my money, I could just change my reservation dates to another time, or let a friend check in, right? Nope, this ironclad contract did not allow me to modify the reservation in any way. I went ahead and booked the room, however, because I had to be in that town for an appointment that had been planned for ages and could not be rescheduled, and I had to be there even if I was at death's door. And guess what? At the last minute, something almost forced a cancellation, and I almost lost my money.
When I nearly got stung by this policy, it irked me a little, but I didn't give it much thought. When Mary Ann got burned to the tune of hundreds of dollars, I gave it some more thought. I think this policy stinks, and here's why:
I've booked hotel rooms online for ages, and I've only noticed this policy in the past year, so I think it's fairly new. If a company makes major changes to the way it does business, it had better let its customers know about the change as quickly and as clearly as possible. In my opinion, hotels need to post any no-cancellation policy in huge print in a prominent position on their reservations pages. The Doubletree site does a good job of this. The Holiday Inn Express site does highlight some of its cancellation policy with red font, but many people would need a magnifying glass to read that font. Holiday Inn Express even has the nerve to begin its "Rate Description" section with the phrase "Special Savings!" It should read "Buyer Beware!" And almost all of the hotels' rates policies that I checked use industry jargon that many people might not understand.
The no-cancellation policy is not applied across the board. As far as I can tell, it applies only to certain bookings on the hotels' Web sites. If Mary Ann had called the hotel directly or gone down there to book in person, she would not have been charged for her cancellation; similarly, when I called the toll-free reservations number for a hotel company that applies this policy to online bookings, the operator mentioned only the standard 48-hour cancellation policy. If hotels choose to penalize online bookers, fine. But they need to clearly state on their Web sites that booking in other ways will allow guests to cancel their reservations under certain conditions. Also, if you look closely online, you will often find rates that are only slightly higher that do allow guests to cancel. Again, this should be more clearly explained. I shouldn't have to hunt around for a link to get an explanation of the rate structures.
It's not necessary. Don't get me wrong — I think cancellation policies are valid. If a hotel is sold out one night, and it turns down guests because it's sold out, and then people don't call to cancel their reservations, the hotel has lost business. The hotel shouldn't have to lose the revenue of unsold rooms just because lazy people can't be bothered to pick up a phone and cancel a reservation. But in theory, the hotel should invoke the cancellation policy only when it can't resell the room. If a guest cancels a reservation weeks, or even days, before the arrival date, the hotel has plenty of time to resell. Even if a guest cancels late, he should be charged only for the first night since the hotel has time to sell the room for the remaining nights of the stay. Only in rare circumstances, such as during huge events, should hotels keep all the money for a canceled reservation.
So now when you book a room through a hotel's Web site, you've got to make sure that the cheap rates don't come with restrictions that you might not be able to accept. You've got read the fine print every time you book, because hotels are making secretive changes that they don't want you to know about.
Does any of this story sound familiar to you? Does it sound like booking an airline flight, by any chance? Yes, it seems that hotels have now decided to charge rates and make policies just like the airlines do. Well guess what, hotels? People hate airlines. If you want to emulate a business model, how about one that makes lots of money by providing a great service and a great product, not one that makes money by screwing people over. Next thing we know, hotel chains will make us commit to staying at their hotels exclusively for two years. If we decide to go somewhere else, they'll charge us a $200 "early termination fee."
But here's the worst part, in my opinion, fellow travelers: We have let the travel industry do this to us. Every time we go searching for the absolute rock-bottom rate, we will get what we pay for. Every time we forget to cancel a reservation and then swear to our credit-card company that we did cancel it and the hotel is lying, the hotels will find even more ways to protect themselves. Just as businesses must be responsible and ethical, so must consumers.
The next time you book online, please read the fine print, even if you have to go searching for it. Question everything, and then decide whether the risk of highly restricted hotel rates is worth the reward of saving a few bucks.
Amy Bradley-Hole has worked in the hotel industry for many years in many different positions and at all types of properties — from small luxury boutique hotels to large resorts, both in the United States and abroad. E-mail her or read more of her articles on Tripso.com.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22686345/page/2/
By Amy Bradley-Hole
Travel columnist
Tripso.com
updated 3:42 p.m. ET, Wed., Jan. 16, 2008
I'm interrupting my previously scheduled column to tell you about a hotel policy that really makes me mad. I don't know how long hotels have been doing this or who thought it up, but I think it's fairly new and probably the work of some greedy corporate vice president.
A few weeks ago, my friend Mary Ann made a reservation through the Holiday Inn Express Web site for a room at the Holiday Inn Express in her hometown. She was having some company and was afraid she might not have room for everyone at her house. After one of her visitors canceled his trip, she knew she could accommodate all the guests, so she called the hotel to cancel the reservation. Too bad, she was told. You booked a special rate online, and you can't cancel or change your reservation. Never mind that you called well in advance of the arrival date. You're going to be charged room and tax for all six nights of your reservation, to the tune of about $750.
After letting a few choice expletives fly, Mary Ann called me to see if anything could be done about the situation. At first, I didn't have much sympathy for her. I knew that despite her protestations to the contrary, there were probably several warnings about the cancellation policy on the Web site. And I was right. I checked the site, and there are notices about the policy, and they're fairly obvious, though they are full of industry jargon. Still, fail to read the fine print, and you have only yourself to blame!
I discouraged Mary Ann from disputing the charge through her credit card company, because she was clearly in the wrong. Instead, I suggested that she speak to the hotel's manager in person, admitting her mistake and begging for mercy. Maybe he would agree to some sort of compromise, perhaps charging her for only one night. Alternatively, I suggested she go ahead and check into the room even though she wouldn't be using it. At least that way, the hotel couldn't resell the room and make a double profit and she'd gain some small satisfaction from "sticking it to the man." Otherwise, I was afraid she was out of luck.
But the more I thought about it, the more I sympathized with Mary Ann. Anyone could have made her mistake and, besides, the policy is simply outrageous.
The first time I noticed a "no cancellation" policy like this was back in April, when I was booking a room online at a Doubletree hotel. I was cruising through the booking on Doubletree's Web site when I noticed this:
FULL PAYMENT REQUIRED AT TIME OF RESERVATION. CREDIT CARD REQUIRED AT TIME OF BOOKING AND WILL BE CHARGED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE STAY AS RESERVED. NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS FOR EARLY DEPARTURE, CANCELLATION OR NO SHOW. NO MODIFICATION ALLOWED ONCE RESERVATION IS CONFIRMED. GUEST MUST CHECK IN ON ARRIVAL DATE OR RESERVATION WILL BE CANCELED AND FULL PAYMENT FORFEITED.
They were going to charge everything upfront — no problem, this policy has been around for a while, and I can deal with it. No refunds or credits for early departure — again, this is a pretty standard policy, though many hotel managers will waive it under certain circumstances. But no refund for a cancellation? Hold up!
In the event of a cancellation, most hotels charge only for the first night's room plus tax — and only when the reservation is canceled on late notice. Faced with the Doubletree policy, I figured: Well, if I needed to cancel and didn't want to lose my money, I could just change my reservation dates to another time, or let a friend check in, right? Nope, this ironclad contract did not allow me to modify the reservation in any way. I went ahead and booked the room, however, because I had to be in that town for an appointment that had been planned for ages and could not be rescheduled, and I had to be there even if I was at death's door. And guess what? At the last minute, something almost forced a cancellation, and I almost lost my money.
When I nearly got stung by this policy, it irked me a little, but I didn't give it much thought. When Mary Ann got burned to the tune of hundreds of dollars, I gave it some more thought. I think this policy stinks, and here's why:
I've booked hotel rooms online for ages, and I've only noticed this policy in the past year, so I think it's fairly new. If a company makes major changes to the way it does business, it had better let its customers know about the change as quickly and as clearly as possible. In my opinion, hotels need to post any no-cancellation policy in huge print in a prominent position on their reservations pages. The Doubletree site does a good job of this. The Holiday Inn Express site does highlight some of its cancellation policy with red font, but many people would need a magnifying glass to read that font. Holiday Inn Express even has the nerve to begin its "Rate Description" section with the phrase "Special Savings!" It should read "Buyer Beware!" And almost all of the hotels' rates policies that I checked use industry jargon that many people might not understand.
The no-cancellation policy is not applied across the board. As far as I can tell, it applies only to certain bookings on the hotels' Web sites. If Mary Ann had called the hotel directly or gone down there to book in person, she would not have been charged for her cancellation; similarly, when I called the toll-free reservations number for a hotel company that applies this policy to online bookings, the operator mentioned only the standard 48-hour cancellation policy. If hotels choose to penalize online bookers, fine. But they need to clearly state on their Web sites that booking in other ways will allow guests to cancel their reservations under certain conditions. Also, if you look closely online, you will often find rates that are only slightly higher that do allow guests to cancel. Again, this should be more clearly explained. I shouldn't have to hunt around for a link to get an explanation of the rate structures.
It's not necessary. Don't get me wrong — I think cancellation policies are valid. If a hotel is sold out one night, and it turns down guests because it's sold out, and then people don't call to cancel their reservations, the hotel has lost business. The hotel shouldn't have to lose the revenue of unsold rooms just because lazy people can't be bothered to pick up a phone and cancel a reservation. But in theory, the hotel should invoke the cancellation policy only when it can't resell the room. If a guest cancels a reservation weeks, or even days, before the arrival date, the hotel has plenty of time to resell. Even if a guest cancels late, he should be charged only for the first night since the hotel has time to sell the room for the remaining nights of the stay. Only in rare circumstances, such as during huge events, should hotels keep all the money for a canceled reservation.
So now when you book a room through a hotel's Web site, you've got to make sure that the cheap rates don't come with restrictions that you might not be able to accept. You've got read the fine print every time you book, because hotels are making secretive changes that they don't want you to know about.
Does any of this story sound familiar to you? Does it sound like booking an airline flight, by any chance? Yes, it seems that hotels have now decided to charge rates and make policies just like the airlines do. Well guess what, hotels? People hate airlines. If you want to emulate a business model, how about one that makes lots of money by providing a great service and a great product, not one that makes money by screwing people over. Next thing we know, hotel chains will make us commit to staying at their hotels exclusively for two years. If we decide to go somewhere else, they'll charge us a $200 "early termination fee."
But here's the worst part, in my opinion, fellow travelers: We have let the travel industry do this to us. Every time we go searching for the absolute rock-bottom rate, we will get what we pay for. Every time we forget to cancel a reservation and then swear to our credit-card company that we did cancel it and the hotel is lying, the hotels will find even more ways to protect themselves. Just as businesses must be responsible and ethical, so must consumers.
The next time you book online, please read the fine print, even if you have to go searching for it. Question everything, and then decide whether the risk of highly restricted hotel rates is worth the reward of saving a few bucks.
Amy Bradley-Hole has worked in the hotel industry for many years in many different positions and at all types of properties — from small luxury boutique hotels to large resorts, both in the United States and abroad. E-mail her or read more of her articles on Tripso.com.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22686345/page/2/
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Embassy Suites Hotels Launches New Hotel Restaurant Concept - Flying Spoons
Hotel Brand Creates New Hotel Restaurant Segment - Hip Casual
Part European-style café and part American coffeehouse, this new concept in hotel food & beverage expands upon the 'fast casual' concept made popular by Panera Bread and other bakery-cafes and creates a new segment: 'Hip Casual.' Embassy Suites is accommodating the changing needs of guests by providing a range of convenient, fresh dishes and beverages to fit a variety of schedules: from eating on the go to eating smaller, more frequent meals.
'For three years we've been studying guests' changing eating habits: guests who eat on-the-run, guests who replace meals with a specialty coffee drink and even those who eat at non-traditional times of the day,' remarked Jim Holthouser, senior vice president, brand management, Embassy Suites Hotels. 'We've taken these habits into consideration and have beta-tested a variety of new layouts, dishes and restaurant concepts in a sampling of hotels throughout the brand. Flying Spoons is the evolution of that research and we think we've created exactly what guests have been requesting.'
This new concept was first introduced as 'Marketplace' in 2006 as a part of the brand's new Design Option III prototype. Flying Spoons is the evolution of that concept and is designed to meet the needs of developers and owners looking to give business and leisure guests a complete food & beverage solution for every situation and hotel location, from airport to suburban and urban/city center hotels. The new concept offers hotel developers flexibility and cost efficiencies not afforded with a traditional hotel restaurant.
Flying Spoons will be strategically located in the hotel lobby and shares space with the brand's complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and Manager's Reception, a reduced labor model and reduced square footage. The restaurant will cost an estimated 30 percent less to develop than a traditional atrium restaurant. The brand's first Flying Spoons will debut in late 2008 at the Embassy Suites Jackson-North/Ridgeland, Miss., which will also be the brand's first Design Option III prototype to open.
'We worked very carefully to make sure this restaurant offered developers flexible options and cost efficiencies by sharing the hotel's back-of-house facilities and equipment and a reduced labor model,' added Holthouser. 'From a development standpoint, this is definitely a more viable F & B alternative for markets where guests have a plethora of dining options right outside the hotel's door or is a part of a mixed use project.'
Design Elements and Menu Offerings
The new hip casual restaurant segment created by Flying Spoons offers guests a social environment in the hotel lobby where guests can check e-mail, connect with others or just 'be.' Signature design elements include:
• Display of Fornasetti dinner plates: Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988) was known for decorating everyday objects with fanciful motifs. The most famous is the 19th-century black-and-white magazine image of a woman's face, which he adapted for a series of dinner plates.
• Comfortable, casual furniture: Custom-made pieces include an access lamp with power ports and other free-standing elements, rather than built-in pieces, portraying a more residential feel.
• Variety of Seating Styles: Bar-height /transactional seating for people on the go, traditional restaurant seating with tables and chairs, wing-back chairs and ottomans with custom lamp and power ports for people who want to settle in for a relaxing dining experience.
• Inviting décor: The interior design of Flying Spoons encompasses a warm color palette of dark gray, light gray, chocolate brown, burnt orange and robin's egg blue. The ottomans featured in each hotel showcase the famous verse from the Declaration of Independence: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
• Flexible packages for developers: Hotel developers can choose from three design levels to meet their hotel's specific needs, from complete turnkey package to a smaller-scaled version.
Innovative menu items being offered at Flying Spoons feature lighter fare such as fresh soups, salads and gourmet sandwiches, to more sophisticated dinner options like salmon, scallops and lobster enchiladas. The menu will also feature a rotating selection of pastries and desserts, along with specialty coffee drinks, teas and boutique soft drinks.
Flying Spoons will offer convenient hours of operation for guests, no matter the travel schedule. The restaurant will be open from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m.
This article comes from Restaurant News Resource
http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article30756.html
Part European-style café and part American coffeehouse, this new concept in hotel food & beverage expands upon the 'fast casual' concept made popular by Panera Bread and other bakery-cafes and creates a new segment: 'Hip Casual.' Embassy Suites is accommodating the changing needs of guests by providing a range of convenient, fresh dishes and beverages to fit a variety of schedules: from eating on the go to eating smaller, more frequent meals.
'For three years we've been studying guests' changing eating habits: guests who eat on-the-run, guests who replace meals with a specialty coffee drink and even those who eat at non-traditional times of the day,' remarked Jim Holthouser, senior vice president, brand management, Embassy Suites Hotels. 'We've taken these habits into consideration and have beta-tested a variety of new layouts, dishes and restaurant concepts in a sampling of hotels throughout the brand. Flying Spoons is the evolution of that research and we think we've created exactly what guests have been requesting.'
This new concept was first introduced as 'Marketplace' in 2006 as a part of the brand's new Design Option III prototype. Flying Spoons is the evolution of that concept and is designed to meet the needs of developers and owners looking to give business and leisure guests a complete food & beverage solution for every situation and hotel location, from airport to suburban and urban/city center hotels. The new concept offers hotel developers flexibility and cost efficiencies not afforded with a traditional hotel restaurant.
Flying Spoons will be strategically located in the hotel lobby and shares space with the brand's complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and Manager's Reception, a reduced labor model and reduced square footage. The restaurant will cost an estimated 30 percent less to develop than a traditional atrium restaurant. The brand's first Flying Spoons will debut in late 2008 at the Embassy Suites Jackson-North/Ridgeland, Miss., which will also be the brand's first Design Option III prototype to open.
'We worked very carefully to make sure this restaurant offered developers flexible options and cost efficiencies by sharing the hotel's back-of-house facilities and equipment and a reduced labor model,' added Holthouser. 'From a development standpoint, this is definitely a more viable F & B alternative for markets where guests have a plethora of dining options right outside the hotel's door or is a part of a mixed use project.'
Design Elements and Menu Offerings
The new hip casual restaurant segment created by Flying Spoons offers guests a social environment in the hotel lobby where guests can check e-mail, connect with others or just 'be.' Signature design elements include:
• Display of Fornasetti dinner plates: Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988) was known for decorating everyday objects with fanciful motifs. The most famous is the 19th-century black-and-white magazine image of a woman's face, which he adapted for a series of dinner plates.
• Comfortable, casual furniture: Custom-made pieces include an access lamp with power ports and other free-standing elements, rather than built-in pieces, portraying a more residential feel.
• Variety of Seating Styles: Bar-height /transactional seating for people on the go, traditional restaurant seating with tables and chairs, wing-back chairs and ottomans with custom lamp and power ports for people who want to settle in for a relaxing dining experience.
• Inviting décor: The interior design of Flying Spoons encompasses a warm color palette of dark gray, light gray, chocolate brown, burnt orange and robin's egg blue. The ottomans featured in each hotel showcase the famous verse from the Declaration of Independence: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
• Flexible packages for developers: Hotel developers can choose from three design levels to meet their hotel's specific needs, from complete turnkey package to a smaller-scaled version.
Innovative menu items being offered at Flying Spoons feature lighter fare such as fresh soups, salads and gourmet sandwiches, to more sophisticated dinner options like salmon, scallops and lobster enchiladas. The menu will also feature a rotating selection of pastries and desserts, along with specialty coffee drinks, teas and boutique soft drinks.
Flying Spoons will offer convenient hours of operation for guests, no matter the travel schedule. The restaurant will be open from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m.
This article comes from Restaurant News Resource
http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article30756.html
Friday, January 11, 2008
Managing Emotions in the Workplace: Do Positive and Negative Attitudes Drive Performance?
You know the type: coworkers who never have anything positive to say, whether at the weekly staff meeting or in the cafeteria line. They can suck the energy from a brainstorming session with a few choice comments. Their bad mood frequently puts others in one, too. Their negativity can contaminate even good news.
"We engage in emotional contagion," says Sigal Barsade, a Wharton management professor who studies the influence of emotions on the workplace. "Emotions travel from person to person like a virus."
Barsade is the co-author of a new paper titled, "Why Does Affect Matter in Organizations?" ("Affect" is another word for "emotion" in organizational behavior studies.) The answer: Employees' moods, emotions, and overall dispositions have an impact on job performance, decision making, creativity, turnover, teamwork, negotiations and leadership.
"The state of the literature shows that affect matters because people are not isolated 'emotional islands.' Rather, they bring all of themselves to work, including their traits, moods and emotions, and their affective experiences and expressions influence others," according to the paper, co-authored by Donald Gibson of Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business.
An "affective revolution" has occurred over the last 30 years as academics and managers alike have come to realize that employees' emotions are integral to what happens in an organization, says Barsade, who has been doing research in the area of emotions and work dynamics for 15 years. "Everybody brings their emotions to work. You bring your brain to work. You bring your emotions to work. Feelings drive performance. They drive behavior and other feelings. Think of people as emotion conductors."
In the paper, Barsade and Gibson consider three different types of feelings:
• Discrete, short-lived emotions, such as joy, anger, fear and disgust.
• Moods, which are longer-lasting feelings and not necessarily tied to a particular cause. A person is in a cheerful mood, for instance, or feeling down.
• Dispositional, or personality, traits, which define a person's overall approach to life. "She's always so cheerful," or "He's always looking at the negative."
All three types of feelings can be contagious, and emotions don't have to be grand and obvious to have an impact. Subtle displays of emotion, such as a quick frown, can have an effect as well, Barsade says. She offers this example: "Say your boss is generally in very good humor, but you see him one day at a meeting and his eyes flash at you. Even if they don't glare at you for the rest of the meeting, his eyes have enunciated some valuable information that is going to have you concerned and worried and off center for the rest of the meeting."
Barsade suggests that while some people are better than others at controlling their emotions, that doesn't mean their coworkers aren't picking up on their moods. "You may not think you are showing emotion, but there's a good chance you are in your facial expression or body language. Emotions we don't even realize we are feeling can influence our thoughts and behaviors."
The researchers' paper discusses a concept known as "emotional labor," in which employees regulate their public displays of emotion to comply with certain expectations. Part of this is "surface acting," in which, for instance, the tired and stressed airline customer service agent forces himself to smile and be friendly with angry customers who have lost their luggage. That compares to "deep acting," in which employees exhibit emotions they have worked on feeling. In that scenario, the stressed-out airline worker sympathizes with the customer and shows emotions that suggest empathy. The second approach may be healthier, Barsade says, because it causes less stress and burnout, particularly emotional exhaustion from having to regulate one's emotions and "play a role."
But is there a downside to being too authentic? If the company is losing money and experiencing the effects of downsizing, should the manager, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, convey his despair to his workers? Or should the manager try to appear cheerful and act as if nothing is wrong? Barsade says it's possible for the manager to convey emotions that are both authentic and positive, saying something like, "I know you're worried. Things aren't looking good, but you know, we have a way out of this and we can work [on it] together." The employees will appreciate the honesty and take comfort in the optimism, she says.
Emotions as Valuable Data
Emotional intelligence -- buzz words already familiar in psychology and education -- is now talked about in business circles as well, Barsade says. Business schools are teaching executives how to be emotionally intelligent, and how to manage the emotions of their employees.
"The idea behind emotional intelligence in the workplace is that it is a skill through which employees treat emotions as valuable data in navigating a situation," according to the authors. "Let's say a sales manager has come up with an amazing idea that will increase corporate revenues by up to 200%, but knows his boss tends to be irritable and short-tempered in the morning. Having emotional intelligence means that the manager will first recognize and consider this emotional fact about his boss. Despite the stunning nature of his idea -- and his own excitement -- he will regulate his own emotions, curb his enthusiasm and wait until the afternoon to approach his boss."
Barsade says research suggests that positive people tend to do better in the workplace, and it isn't just because people like them more than naysayers. "Positive people cognitively process more efficiently and more appropriately. If you're in a negative mood, a fair amount of processing is going to that mood. When you're in a positive mood, you're more open to taking in information and handling it effectively."
While you can't necessarily change your coworkers, people can take steps to avoid catching a negative mood, according to Barsade. They can tell themselves before attending a staff meeting that they are not going to be bothered by the person who shoots down everyone's ideas, or that they are not going to let that person become the focus of their attention at the meeting (reducing the possibility for contagion). Or they can change their office routine. Barsade gave the example of a manager who was dragged down at the start of every day when passing by the desk of an employee who either grunted or gave no acknowledgement. The manager took control and simply started following a different route through the office.
Barsade's research has taken her into a variety of workplaces, most recently long-term care facilities. Her research found that in facilities where the employees report having a positive workplace culture -- she calls it a "culture of love" -- the residents end up faring better than residents in facilities with a less compassionate and caring work culture. The residents reported experiencing less pain, made fewer trips to the emergency room, and were more likely to report being satisfied and in a positive mood.
Overconfidence Online
E-mail, instant messaging and video conferencing have introduced new challenges to the workplace, Barsade adds. E-mails and instant messages can be misunderstood because they are devoid of facial expressions, intonation and body language -- cues that help convey emotions. Some people, she says, work hard at making their emails neutral, with the downside of sometimes sounding curt. On the other hand, while some writers may add a smattering of exclamation points, question marks and capital letters in an attempt to convey more emotion, this can also be a dangerous route, particularly when attempting humor or sarcasm to drive home a point.
"How can emotions be best conveyed via these media?" the paper asks. "What is the effect of conveying emotionally charged messages via text, when these messages are more likely to be misconstrued? How must we re-think emotional contagion and other social processes in an organizational world in which many meetings take place online?"
The paper cites a study showing that people tend to be overconfident about their ability to convey the emotion they wish in an e-mail, particularly when they are trying to be funny or sarcastic. "Video conferencing, also increasing in its use, has more cues, but it is also not yet the same as interacting face to face, particularly in group situations. Given that these technologies continue to grow as a primary means of communication within the business world, it is crucial that we understand how the interpretation and communication of affect occurs in these contexts," the paper says.
Workplaces need to get smart about the best use of e-mail, Barsade states. Her advice is that "if something is important, and you know that the emotional context is going to be an issue, then pick up the phone; don't just rely on e-mails." And even the phone may not be good enough. "Sometimes, if it is really important, you just have to fly to where they are and meet them face-to-face to get the message across."
This article is reprinted with permission from Knowledge@Wharton.
This article comes from Hotel News Resource
http://www.hotelnewsresource.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article28535.html
"We engage in emotional contagion," says Sigal Barsade, a Wharton management professor who studies the influence of emotions on the workplace. "Emotions travel from person to person like a virus."
Barsade is the co-author of a new paper titled, "Why Does Affect Matter in Organizations?" ("Affect" is another word for "emotion" in organizational behavior studies.) The answer: Employees' moods, emotions, and overall dispositions have an impact on job performance, decision making, creativity, turnover, teamwork, negotiations and leadership.
"The state of the literature shows that affect matters because people are not isolated 'emotional islands.' Rather, they bring all of themselves to work, including their traits, moods and emotions, and their affective experiences and expressions influence others," according to the paper, co-authored by Donald Gibson of Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business.
An "affective revolution" has occurred over the last 30 years as academics and managers alike have come to realize that employees' emotions are integral to what happens in an organization, says Barsade, who has been doing research in the area of emotions and work dynamics for 15 years. "Everybody brings their emotions to work. You bring your brain to work. You bring your emotions to work. Feelings drive performance. They drive behavior and other feelings. Think of people as emotion conductors."
In the paper, Barsade and Gibson consider three different types of feelings:
• Discrete, short-lived emotions, such as joy, anger, fear and disgust.
• Moods, which are longer-lasting feelings and not necessarily tied to a particular cause. A person is in a cheerful mood, for instance, or feeling down.
• Dispositional, or personality, traits, which define a person's overall approach to life. "She's always so cheerful," or "He's always looking at the negative."
All three types of feelings can be contagious, and emotions don't have to be grand and obvious to have an impact. Subtle displays of emotion, such as a quick frown, can have an effect as well, Barsade says. She offers this example: "Say your boss is generally in very good humor, but you see him one day at a meeting and his eyes flash at you. Even if they don't glare at you for the rest of the meeting, his eyes have enunciated some valuable information that is going to have you concerned and worried and off center for the rest of the meeting."
Barsade suggests that while some people are better than others at controlling their emotions, that doesn't mean their coworkers aren't picking up on their moods. "You may not think you are showing emotion, but there's a good chance you are in your facial expression or body language. Emotions we don't even realize we are feeling can influence our thoughts and behaviors."
The researchers' paper discusses a concept known as "emotional labor," in which employees regulate their public displays of emotion to comply with certain expectations. Part of this is "surface acting," in which, for instance, the tired and stressed airline customer service agent forces himself to smile and be friendly with angry customers who have lost their luggage. That compares to "deep acting," in which employees exhibit emotions they have worked on feeling. In that scenario, the stressed-out airline worker sympathizes with the customer and shows emotions that suggest empathy. The second approach may be healthier, Barsade says, because it causes less stress and burnout, particularly emotional exhaustion from having to regulate one's emotions and "play a role."
But is there a downside to being too authentic? If the company is losing money and experiencing the effects of downsizing, should the manager, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, convey his despair to his workers? Or should the manager try to appear cheerful and act as if nothing is wrong? Barsade says it's possible for the manager to convey emotions that are both authentic and positive, saying something like, "I know you're worried. Things aren't looking good, but you know, we have a way out of this and we can work [on it] together." The employees will appreciate the honesty and take comfort in the optimism, she says.
Emotions as Valuable Data
Emotional intelligence -- buzz words already familiar in psychology and education -- is now talked about in business circles as well, Barsade says. Business schools are teaching executives how to be emotionally intelligent, and how to manage the emotions of their employees.
"The idea behind emotional intelligence in the workplace is that it is a skill through which employees treat emotions as valuable data in navigating a situation," according to the authors. "Let's say a sales manager has come up with an amazing idea that will increase corporate revenues by up to 200%, but knows his boss tends to be irritable and short-tempered in the morning. Having emotional intelligence means that the manager will first recognize and consider this emotional fact about his boss. Despite the stunning nature of his idea -- and his own excitement -- he will regulate his own emotions, curb his enthusiasm and wait until the afternoon to approach his boss."
Barsade says research suggests that positive people tend to do better in the workplace, and it isn't just because people like them more than naysayers. "Positive people cognitively process more efficiently and more appropriately. If you're in a negative mood, a fair amount of processing is going to that mood. When you're in a positive mood, you're more open to taking in information and handling it effectively."
While you can't necessarily change your coworkers, people can take steps to avoid catching a negative mood, according to Barsade. They can tell themselves before attending a staff meeting that they are not going to be bothered by the person who shoots down everyone's ideas, or that they are not going to let that person become the focus of their attention at the meeting (reducing the possibility for contagion). Or they can change their office routine. Barsade gave the example of a manager who was dragged down at the start of every day when passing by the desk of an employee who either grunted or gave no acknowledgement. The manager took control and simply started following a different route through the office.
Barsade's research has taken her into a variety of workplaces, most recently long-term care facilities. Her research found that in facilities where the employees report having a positive workplace culture -- she calls it a "culture of love" -- the residents end up faring better than residents in facilities with a less compassionate and caring work culture. The residents reported experiencing less pain, made fewer trips to the emergency room, and were more likely to report being satisfied and in a positive mood.
Overconfidence Online
E-mail, instant messaging and video conferencing have introduced new challenges to the workplace, Barsade adds. E-mails and instant messages can be misunderstood because they are devoid of facial expressions, intonation and body language -- cues that help convey emotions. Some people, she says, work hard at making their emails neutral, with the downside of sometimes sounding curt. On the other hand, while some writers may add a smattering of exclamation points, question marks and capital letters in an attempt to convey more emotion, this can also be a dangerous route, particularly when attempting humor or sarcasm to drive home a point.
"How can emotions be best conveyed via these media?" the paper asks. "What is the effect of conveying emotionally charged messages via text, when these messages are more likely to be misconstrued? How must we re-think emotional contagion and other social processes in an organizational world in which many meetings take place online?"
The paper cites a study showing that people tend to be overconfident about their ability to convey the emotion they wish in an e-mail, particularly when they are trying to be funny or sarcastic. "Video conferencing, also increasing in its use, has more cues, but it is also not yet the same as interacting face to face, particularly in group situations. Given that these technologies continue to grow as a primary means of communication within the business world, it is crucial that we understand how the interpretation and communication of affect occurs in these contexts," the paper says.
Workplaces need to get smart about the best use of e-mail, Barsade states. Her advice is that "if something is important, and you know that the emotional context is going to be an issue, then pick up the phone; don't just rely on e-mails." And even the phone may not be good enough. "Sometimes, if it is really important, you just have to fly to where they are and meet them face-to-face to get the message across."
This article is reprinted with permission from Knowledge@Wharton.
This article comes from Hotel News Resource
http://www.hotelnewsresource.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article28535.html
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
MARRIOTT HOTELS & RESORTS OF CANADA AND WESTERKIRK CAPITAL SEEKING TO PARTNER AGAIN IN HALIFAX
January 7, 2008
Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada and Westerkirk Capital today announced an agreement with Aspotogan Sea Spa Limited to evaluate the feasibility of acquiring and completing the Sea Spa Nova Scotia property at Aspotogan.
If this study is successful, the property is slated to become a Marriott-managed, full-service hotel, complete with spa, conference and banquet services.
"We are excited about this opportunity because it represents new investment in the high end of the tourism sector in Nova Scotia. It's a largely untapped segment for this market. Should this prove successful, this new property will provide an economic benefit to the local economy through new jobs, group meetings and events, and higher margin travellers," said Scott Allison vice president, sales and marketing for Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada.
The Sea Spa was originally designed as a medical spa, but was never completed. Since the original property was built, the surrounding area has been developed with residential lots.
Marriott Hotels and Westerkirk have partnered together before. In March of 2005, they opened the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront to capacity bookings. This property was Marriott's 50th in Canada and the first full-service Marriott hotel in eastern Canada. The company continues to support the success of the Harbourfront property with capital renovations.
Westerkirk is committed to continuing its sizable financial and economic commitment in Nova Scotia.
Westerkirk is also working on a third project in Halifax with one of Marriott's largest development partners in Canada and the United States, Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company. The two companies have submitted a bid with Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada for a Marriott Courtyard at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. This bid is in response to an RFP from the Halifax International Airport Authority.
Concord Hospitality entered Canada aggressively in August of 2002, with five Marriott-branded hotels in the Greater Toronto Area and has subsequently opened an additional five Marriott-branded hotels in Canada. This deal marks its first venture in eastern Canada.
Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada was also named one of Canada's 50 Best Employers in 2007.
www.marriott.com
Author: Natalie Little
Organization: Fleishman-Hillard for Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada
E-mail: natalie.little@fleishman.ca
Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada and Westerkirk Capital today announced an agreement with Aspotogan Sea Spa Limited to evaluate the feasibility of acquiring and completing the Sea Spa Nova Scotia property at Aspotogan.
If this study is successful, the property is slated to become a Marriott-managed, full-service hotel, complete with spa, conference and banquet services.
"We are excited about this opportunity because it represents new investment in the high end of the tourism sector in Nova Scotia. It's a largely untapped segment for this market. Should this prove successful, this new property will provide an economic benefit to the local economy through new jobs, group meetings and events, and higher margin travellers," said Scott Allison vice president, sales and marketing for Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada.
The Sea Spa was originally designed as a medical spa, but was never completed. Since the original property was built, the surrounding area has been developed with residential lots.
Marriott Hotels and Westerkirk have partnered together before. In March of 2005, they opened the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront to capacity bookings. This property was Marriott's 50th in Canada and the first full-service Marriott hotel in eastern Canada. The company continues to support the success of the Harbourfront property with capital renovations.
Westerkirk is committed to continuing its sizable financial and economic commitment in Nova Scotia.
Westerkirk is also working on a third project in Halifax with one of Marriott's largest development partners in Canada and the United States, Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company. The two companies have submitted a bid with Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada for a Marriott Courtyard at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. This bid is in response to an RFP from the Halifax International Airport Authority.
Concord Hospitality entered Canada aggressively in August of 2002, with five Marriott-branded hotels in the Greater Toronto Area and has subsequently opened an additional five Marriott-branded hotels in Canada. This deal marks its first venture in eastern Canada.
Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada was also named one of Canada's 50 Best Employers in 2007.
www.marriott.com
Author: Natalie Little
Organization: Fleishman-Hillard for Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Canada
E-mail: natalie.little@fleishman.ca
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Web 2.0, Learning 2.0, Travel 2.0, Marketing 2.0
What are Social Media and the 2.0 phenomena? If it is here to stay, how do we deal with it?
January 3, 2008 is the Nova Scotia Community College: Tourism Management “Industry/Faculty” professional development day. In May of 2007 we invited industry participants to join faculty in gaining insight to a tourism management business simulation. As a follow up to this event we decided that efforts would be made to search for further joint professional development opportunities.
This topic presented itself for selection. As faculty we had noticed over the past few years the arrival of the ubiquitous cell phone usage by our students and in more recent times in class text messaging and the computers logged on to Facebook or MySpace. The more we spoke of it, the more we also started to hear about the phenomenon in the media and from our students. When we discussed the topic in industry they seemed to express the same concerns and interest in finding our more about Web 2.0.
After researching this topic there is little doubt that social media is here to stay. This will be a dynamic process with some of its players coming briefly to the forefront and then vanishing as quickly. This does not change the underlying value proposition that this interactive communal activity brings to society and specifically for our purposes to the travel industry. Equally there is no question that it calls for a paradigm shift in how we think and that it will have significant unintended consequences.
As a tourism educator, who is a digital immigrant, I am excited by the possibilities of web 2.0 and aware of the risks and challenges inherent in learning new tools. However we must be also aware of the responsibility of educating students to be discriminating users of the 2.0 world and that quick (wiki) has its benefits and drawbacks.
Please add your comments on this blog and on today’s session .
http://akerleychatss.blogspot.com/
January 3, 2008 is the Nova Scotia Community College: Tourism Management “Industry/Faculty” professional development day. In May of 2007 we invited industry participants to join faculty in gaining insight to a tourism management business simulation. As a follow up to this event we decided that efforts would be made to search for further joint professional development opportunities.
This topic presented itself for selection. As faculty we had noticed over the past few years the arrival of the ubiquitous cell phone usage by our students and in more recent times in class text messaging and the computers logged on to Facebook or MySpace. The more we spoke of it, the more we also started to hear about the phenomenon in the media and from our students. When we discussed the topic in industry they seemed to express the same concerns and interest in finding our more about Web 2.0.
After researching this topic there is little doubt that social media is here to stay. This will be a dynamic process with some of its players coming briefly to the forefront and then vanishing as quickly. This does not change the underlying value proposition that this interactive communal activity brings to society and specifically for our purposes to the travel industry. Equally there is no question that it calls for a paradigm shift in how we think and that it will have significant unintended consequences.
As a tourism educator, who is a digital immigrant, I am excited by the possibilities of web 2.0 and aware of the risks and challenges inherent in learning new tools. However we must be also aware of the responsibility of educating students to be discriminating users of the 2.0 world and that quick (wiki) has its benefits and drawbacks.
Please add your comments on this blog and on today’s session .
http://akerleychatss.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Commentary: An Ethical New Year: Three Resolutions
by Rushworth M. Kidder
http://ethicsnewsline.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/commentary-an-ethical-new-year-three-resolutions/
The other day a newspaper editor rang up. She was writing a preview of the coming year and wondered what ethical hotspots I saw emerging in 2008.
Great question. But as I thought about her request, I realized that ethics is less about places and events than about characters and ideas. The real question is, What overarching ethical trends are developing in 2008, and what moral qualities will be needed most as we move forward?
What New Year’s resolutions can we commit to for 2008? Here are my three:
Civility. This coming year will require a willingness to outgrow the shallow notion of ethics as right-versus-wrong and replace it with a thoughtful clarity about right versus right. During his confirmation hearings, U.S. attorney general Michael Mukasey quoted Supreme Court justice Robert H. Jackson, who wrote that “the issue between … a right and a wrong … never presents a dilemma,” but that “the dilemma is because the conflict is between two rights, each in its own way important.” The challenge to ethics in public and corporate life is to replace a rule-bound, compliance-based, right-versus-wrong way of thinking with a values-based, right-versus-right reasoning. Resolution: I won’t resort to a rule when a value will make the point. And I will refuse to reduce the great debates of our day to the polarizing, I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong language of talk radio and blogosphere rant.
Vigilance. We’ll need watchfulness coupled with moral readiness. To spot ethical temptations but have no way to resist their subtle allure leaves you dangerously exposed. But never to recognize temptations in the first place is, in effect, to give your consent to them and be manipulated by them. Don Imus, the quick-witted, sharp-tongued talk-show host who was sacked in April from his $10-million-a-year job by CBS, apparently was so acclimated to personal slurs and moral slights that he failed to withhold his consent when an egregious insult about the Rutgers women’s basketball team tripped off a colleague’s tongue and then his own. Resolution: I won’t merely drift along with the passing moral currents. Instead, I will maintain control of my own conscience and have the moral courage to stand up against unethical behavior.
Fairness. We’ll be called upon to express new levels of equity, expressed through the principles of democracy. The test of a nation’s character lies in how it treats its aged and teaches its young. The growing disparity of income between the rich and the poor effectively shrinks resources toward the middle-aged and away from both the young and the aged. Resolution: I will not replace deep compassion with benign neglect, genuine respect with ritualized hand-wringing, and individual responsibility with buck-passing collectivism. Instead, I will argue at every turn for the ethics inherent in democracy, and for the democratizing power of ethics, not only at home but around the world.
Those are my three. What are yours?
©2007 Institute for Global Ethics
http://ethicsnewsline.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/commentary-an-ethical-new-year-three-resolutions/
The other day a newspaper editor rang up. She was writing a preview of the coming year and wondered what ethical hotspots I saw emerging in 2008.
Great question. But as I thought about her request, I realized that ethics is less about places and events than about characters and ideas. The real question is, What overarching ethical trends are developing in 2008, and what moral qualities will be needed most as we move forward?
What New Year’s resolutions can we commit to for 2008? Here are my three:
Civility. This coming year will require a willingness to outgrow the shallow notion of ethics as right-versus-wrong and replace it with a thoughtful clarity about right versus right. During his confirmation hearings, U.S. attorney general Michael Mukasey quoted Supreme Court justice Robert H. Jackson, who wrote that “the issue between … a right and a wrong … never presents a dilemma,” but that “the dilemma is because the conflict is between two rights, each in its own way important.” The challenge to ethics in public and corporate life is to replace a rule-bound, compliance-based, right-versus-wrong way of thinking with a values-based, right-versus-right reasoning. Resolution: I won’t resort to a rule when a value will make the point. And I will refuse to reduce the great debates of our day to the polarizing, I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong language of talk radio and blogosphere rant.
Vigilance. We’ll need watchfulness coupled with moral readiness. To spot ethical temptations but have no way to resist their subtle allure leaves you dangerously exposed. But never to recognize temptations in the first place is, in effect, to give your consent to them and be manipulated by them. Don Imus, the quick-witted, sharp-tongued talk-show host who was sacked in April from his $10-million-a-year job by CBS, apparently was so acclimated to personal slurs and moral slights that he failed to withhold his consent when an egregious insult about the Rutgers women’s basketball team tripped off a colleague’s tongue and then his own. Resolution: I won’t merely drift along with the passing moral currents. Instead, I will maintain control of my own conscience and have the moral courage to stand up against unethical behavior.
Fairness. We’ll be called upon to express new levels of equity, expressed through the principles of democracy. The test of a nation’s character lies in how it treats its aged and teaches its young. The growing disparity of income between the rich and the poor effectively shrinks resources toward the middle-aged and away from both the young and the aged. Resolution: I will not replace deep compassion with benign neglect, genuine respect with ritualized hand-wringing, and individual responsibility with buck-passing collectivism. Instead, I will argue at every turn for the ethics inherent in democracy, and for the democratizing power of ethics, not only at home but around the world.
Those are my three. What are yours?
©2007 Institute for Global Ethics
Friday, December 28, 2007
What To Expect in 2008
A reasonably strong economy, a growing labour shortage, and changing demographics will make next year very interesting for employers and employees. Here are ten trends (good and bad) to watch for in 2008:
Forget about hiring the ideal candidate. The labour shortage in virtually all sectors means it will be increasingly difficult to hire the perfect candidate for the job. Long gone are the days when employers could have the pick of the litter from three or four well-qualified candidates that all want the job. Instead, employers will hire the person who comes closest to the definition of the ideal candidate and then "train-up" that individual through internal mentoring, external coaching, and formal training programs.
Decline in customer service. Customer service has been in a steep decline for several years and unfortunately you should expect this to continue in 2008. Apathy seems to be running at an all-time high. Whether it is automation, or complacency on the part of workers who know they can easily get a job somewhere else, or simply a lack of trained workers, your patience will likely be tested next year as you attempt to purchase goods and services. Not all is lost though. Most customers will demonstrate their preferences with their wallets and those companies and individuals who display levels of respect, courtesy and compassion toward others will thrive.
Younger managers will be in over their heads. Changing workplace demographics means upwardly mobile individuals will be promoted into management positions at a much younger age but without the requisite grooming to assume such responsibility. These new managers will face workplace situations they have never encountered before and their inexperience will lead to mistakes and failures. They say good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment. Let's hope these new managers learn from their mistakes.
Workplaces will get healthier. For several years employers have talked about the need for healthier workplaces but did nothing about it. This is now changing. Employers are finally beginning to understand that healthy, happy workers actually leads to increased productivity, and more and more companies will take steps to ensure employees have access to health and wellness programs, flex-time, additional vacation, better benefits, and safe and comfortable work spaces.
More workday flexibility. The line between work and home is becoming blurred due largely to new technologies, like Blackberrys, and the 24/7 global environment we work in. That's the bad news. The good news is that employers are recognizing this and allowing employees more flexibility through the regular workday to attend to personal matters, ranging from kids' school concerts to car appointments to yoga classes. If employers give respect and trust beyond what the employment contract states, employees will reward them with loyalty and productivity. Work/life balance has become whole life balance.
Employers will go to extreme lengths to determine 'fit' before hiring. Despite the shortage of qualified candidates, employers are investing more time and resources on assessing the personal qualities of applicants prior to hiring. 'Fit' has always been important but in 2008 it will become critical. The cost of a hiring mistake is too high and the availability of new candidates too low. For middle-to-senior level jobs, candidates should be prepared for a battery of assessments, multiple interviews, and extensive references throughout the selection process.
Less demand for education, more demand for training. While I personally support formal education as a necessary tool for a successful career, we will continue to see a move toward more job-specific training in 2008. This training, delivered primarily through community colleges, trade schools, and outside consultants, is targeted exclusively at the short-term occupational needs of employers. As long as the economy remains strong and workers at a premium, this trend will continue.
Disharmony among the generations will persist. For the first time ever, there are four distinct generations working side by side: seniors, boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y workers. Each of these groups holds very different views on just about everything work-related whether it is authority, autonomy, hierarchy, conduct, dress, language, or work ethic. This lack of understanding among the generations is creating a huge rift and even resentment between co-workers. Fortunately, this issue is starting to receive a lot of attention in the workplace. I'm hopeful more harmonious relationships will emerge eventually.
Job dissatisfaction will continue to grow. Many more people are unhappy in their jobs, than fulfilled by them. Everyday I meet people who hold well-paying, highly respected jobs yet possess no passion for their work. Employers would be well served if they stop blaming their employees, and look honestly at themselves and ask how they contribute to this malaise. If nothing is done, the economic consequences of this trend could be staggering.
Too much information, not enough thought. Access to information is at an all-time high. With a few keystrokes, reams of information, on just about anything, is at our fingertips instantly. However there's a growing problem. That's the inability of employees to analyze, interpret, synthesize and apply this information. And, that's the most important part. This trend has been emerging for several years and unfortunately I expect no material improvement in the coming years. If only all employees could manage information like newspaper reporters, who have the ability to select, refine, or shorten stories based on their relevance. We can all learn from their skills.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerald Walsh, CMA, is the President and Founder of Gerald Walsh Associates Inc., an executive search, career transition and executive coaching firm.
http://www.geraldwalsh.com/resources_articles.html
Forget about hiring the ideal candidate. The labour shortage in virtually all sectors means it will be increasingly difficult to hire the perfect candidate for the job. Long gone are the days when employers could have the pick of the litter from three or four well-qualified candidates that all want the job. Instead, employers will hire the person who comes closest to the definition of the ideal candidate and then "train-up" that individual through internal mentoring, external coaching, and formal training programs.
Decline in customer service. Customer service has been in a steep decline for several years and unfortunately you should expect this to continue in 2008. Apathy seems to be running at an all-time high. Whether it is automation, or complacency on the part of workers who know they can easily get a job somewhere else, or simply a lack of trained workers, your patience will likely be tested next year as you attempt to purchase goods and services. Not all is lost though. Most customers will demonstrate their preferences with their wallets and those companies and individuals who display levels of respect, courtesy and compassion toward others will thrive.
Younger managers will be in over their heads. Changing workplace demographics means upwardly mobile individuals will be promoted into management positions at a much younger age but without the requisite grooming to assume such responsibility. These new managers will face workplace situations they have never encountered before and their inexperience will lead to mistakes and failures. They say good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment. Let's hope these new managers learn from their mistakes.
Workplaces will get healthier. For several years employers have talked about the need for healthier workplaces but did nothing about it. This is now changing. Employers are finally beginning to understand that healthy, happy workers actually leads to increased productivity, and more and more companies will take steps to ensure employees have access to health and wellness programs, flex-time, additional vacation, better benefits, and safe and comfortable work spaces.
More workday flexibility. The line between work and home is becoming blurred due largely to new technologies, like Blackberrys, and the 24/7 global environment we work in. That's the bad news. The good news is that employers are recognizing this and allowing employees more flexibility through the regular workday to attend to personal matters, ranging from kids' school concerts to car appointments to yoga classes. If employers give respect and trust beyond what the employment contract states, employees will reward them with loyalty and productivity. Work/life balance has become whole life balance.
Employers will go to extreme lengths to determine 'fit' before hiring. Despite the shortage of qualified candidates, employers are investing more time and resources on assessing the personal qualities of applicants prior to hiring. 'Fit' has always been important but in 2008 it will become critical. The cost of a hiring mistake is too high and the availability of new candidates too low. For middle-to-senior level jobs, candidates should be prepared for a battery of assessments, multiple interviews, and extensive references throughout the selection process.
Less demand for education, more demand for training. While I personally support formal education as a necessary tool for a successful career, we will continue to see a move toward more job-specific training in 2008. This training, delivered primarily through community colleges, trade schools, and outside consultants, is targeted exclusively at the short-term occupational needs of employers. As long as the economy remains strong and workers at a premium, this trend will continue.
Disharmony among the generations will persist. For the first time ever, there are four distinct generations working side by side: seniors, boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y workers. Each of these groups holds very different views on just about everything work-related whether it is authority, autonomy, hierarchy, conduct, dress, language, or work ethic. This lack of understanding among the generations is creating a huge rift and even resentment between co-workers. Fortunately, this issue is starting to receive a lot of attention in the workplace. I'm hopeful more harmonious relationships will emerge eventually.
Job dissatisfaction will continue to grow. Many more people are unhappy in their jobs, than fulfilled by them. Everyday I meet people who hold well-paying, highly respected jobs yet possess no passion for their work. Employers would be well served if they stop blaming their employees, and look honestly at themselves and ask how they contribute to this malaise. If nothing is done, the economic consequences of this trend could be staggering.
Too much information, not enough thought. Access to information is at an all-time high. With a few keystrokes, reams of information, on just about anything, is at our fingertips instantly. However there's a growing problem. That's the inability of employees to analyze, interpret, synthesize and apply this information. And, that's the most important part. This trend has been emerging for several years and unfortunately I expect no material improvement in the coming years. If only all employees could manage information like newspaper reporters, who have the ability to select, refine, or shorten stories based on their relevance. We can all learn from their skills.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerald Walsh, CMA, is the President and Founder of Gerald Walsh Associates Inc., an executive search, career transition and executive coaching firm.
http://www.geraldwalsh.com/resources_articles.html
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas
We wish all of you a very blessed Holiday season full of love ,family and happiness.
SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL !!!
SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL !!!
Spotlight on Generation Y
Although the definition can vary, the term “Generation Y” generally refers to people born between 1978 and 1989, or those aged 18 to 29. Whether you call them Echo Boomers or Generation Y, they are without doubt a major, surprisingly different, customer segment. However, does Quebec’s Generation Y travel? If so, what are its favourite activities when travelling, and in general? What is the best way to appeal to these complex new consumers weaned on technology? The following report was prepared by Maïthé Levasseur of the Tourism Intelligence Network of the ESG-UQAM Chair in Tourism (University of Quebec at Montréal):
Profile of the Echo Boomer market segment
In 2005, Generation Y represented 20.3% of the Quebec population 18 years and over. They account for a similar proportion of the travel market, constituting 18.8% of the province’s domestic travellers and 19.5% of its international travellers during the past year.
According to the Print Measurement Bureau (PMB), 42% of young Quebeckers in Generation Y have travelled within Canada in the past year, while the rate is 46% among the entire population aged 12 years and over (Table 1). Nearly one-third of them made at least one trip within Quebec and 10% visited Ontario.
Table 2 lists the most popular international destinations among Generation Y travellers in the past three years, noting the percentage of those who made at least one trip to each destination, as compared to the entire Quebec population. Though this demographic group visited the Northeast United States and France in greater numbers than did the overall Quebec population, it was not as fond of Cuba as other customer segments were.
Figure 1 illustrates the percentage of young people aged 18 to 29 who take part in certain activities while travelling in Canada, compared to the number of participants from the overall Quebec population. Members of Generation Y are more likely to practise sports activities, hiking and skiing, and engage in shopping and nightlife than other travellers. However, they are less likely to attend cultural activities like museums, art galleries and events.
Here are some more pertinent facts taken from the PMB with regard to the travel behaviour of Quebec Generation Y travellers in Canada:
85% travel by car, 9% by bus and 10% by plane
78% travel for only a few days, 22% for one week and only 7% for two to three weeks
their favourite type of accommodation is with friends and family (40%), followed by hotels (34%), motels (18%), campgrounds (18%), cottages (17%) and, rarely, B&Bs (5%)
When travelling outside the country:
41% travel for a few days, 44% for one week, 27% for two to three weeks and 12% for one to two months
76% travel by plane, 36% by car and 10% by bus
Other than their favourite activities while travelling, what interests this clientele? What are its favourite hobbies and leisure activities? Figure 2 illustrates the percentage of this generation that engaged in various sports and leisure activities over the past year.
Compared to the overall population, young people aged 18 to 29 have a higher participation rate in a greater number of sports and activities (cycling, dance, photography, running, canoeing, amusement parks, etc.). Nightlife is especially popular, with 46% of young people having gone out to bars in the last year.
As illustrated in Figure 3, some Quebec events are quite popular with young people in Generation Y: for example, 15% attended the Montréal International Jazz Festival last year. Other Quebec attractions are popular too, with one out of five Quebeckers aged 18 to 29 having visited La Ronde, a proportion that is twice that of the overall Quebec population.
Looking beyond the numbers
With personalities and behaviours that differ from those of preceding generations, Echo Boomers are a challenge for the companies who would like to attract them. However, they are not unreachable, and the following information may help you understand them better.
For this generation, travel offers a sense of accomplishment and pleasure; it is a tool of personal development, a way to discover new lands and an enriching experience, both personally and socially. Traditional sightseeing activities, guided tours and museums are not attractive to them. They prefer adventure tourism, sports tourism, the latest forms of entertainment and outdoor activities.
Professionally, the children of Baby Boomers do not want to be like their parents. While the latter are often workaholics, Generation Y aims for a better balance between work, family and one’s personal life. Not particularly loyal employees, these people look for work that they can be passionate about, rather than something stable and well paid. They do not like hierarchical organizations.
Though often big consumers, they are also savvy, experienced buyers. As a customer segment, they are demanding and hard to predict. Because they often have limited budgets and many have a high debt ratio, the quality-price ratio is key to them (they often travel with only one credit card). In addition, they are very skilled at searching the Web for the ideal destination and price. The Internet now offers tremendous information transparency and Generation Y is certainly the generation that takes full advantage of this.
Technology is part and parcel of their lives and the internet holds few secrets for them; they navigate easily and confidently, whether searching for information or making online reservations.
Unlike other customer segments, Echo Boomers are not afraid of innovation. On the contrary, they enjoy surprises, adapt quickly, and like to get off the beaten path to discover new horizons, new destinations and new activities.
In terms of marketing, it is vital to remember that they have been immersed in advertising since birth and, as a result, are less sensitive to it or even immune. Therefore, they can be difficult to reach through traditional media and more easily reached through the internet. However, viral marketing, search engine referencing and online public relations are more effective than conventional advertising banners. Furthermore, the advent of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook means that marketing efforts must “listen” in order to identify, target and reach Generation Y. Members of this generation like to talk about themselves and their lives (their trips, friends, photos, etc.) on personal pages and blogs.
Remember that they share a lot. Thanks to social websites, cell phones, online chatting and Skype, they are instantly up to date with whatever their friends are doing, no matter where or when. This is why well-executed viral marketing campaigns can be so effective.
The most powerful hook for them is probably a sense of humour, or even sarcasm. Strategies that can make them (and their friends) laugh will win points. Some marketing campaigns have used humour to great effect, even with limited budgets.
In short, they are skilled negotiators, ambitious and nonchalant, and they question everything. They are also wholehearted hedonists, sensitive to the fate of the planet and keen to learn more about the world. Full of ideas, these people are inspiring.
http://www.corporate.canada.travel/corp/media/app/en/ca/magazine/article.do?path=templatedata\ctx\magArticle\data\en\2007\issue11\marketing\8_generation_y
Profile of the Echo Boomer market segment
In 2005, Generation Y represented 20.3% of the Quebec population 18 years and over. They account for a similar proportion of the travel market, constituting 18.8% of the province’s domestic travellers and 19.5% of its international travellers during the past year.
According to the Print Measurement Bureau (PMB), 42% of young Quebeckers in Generation Y have travelled within Canada in the past year, while the rate is 46% among the entire population aged 12 years and over (Table 1). Nearly one-third of them made at least one trip within Quebec and 10% visited Ontario.
Table 2 lists the most popular international destinations among Generation Y travellers in the past three years, noting the percentage of those who made at least one trip to each destination, as compared to the entire Quebec population. Though this demographic group visited the Northeast United States and France in greater numbers than did the overall Quebec population, it was not as fond of Cuba as other customer segments were.
Figure 1 illustrates the percentage of young people aged 18 to 29 who take part in certain activities while travelling in Canada, compared to the number of participants from the overall Quebec population. Members of Generation Y are more likely to practise sports activities, hiking and skiing, and engage in shopping and nightlife than other travellers. However, they are less likely to attend cultural activities like museums, art galleries and events.
Here are some more pertinent facts taken from the PMB with regard to the travel behaviour of Quebec Generation Y travellers in Canada:
85% travel by car, 9% by bus and 10% by plane
78% travel for only a few days, 22% for one week and only 7% for two to three weeks
their favourite type of accommodation is with friends and family (40%), followed by hotels (34%), motels (18%), campgrounds (18%), cottages (17%) and, rarely, B&Bs (5%)
When travelling outside the country:
41% travel for a few days, 44% for one week, 27% for two to three weeks and 12% for one to two months
76% travel by plane, 36% by car and 10% by bus
Other than their favourite activities while travelling, what interests this clientele? What are its favourite hobbies and leisure activities? Figure 2 illustrates the percentage of this generation that engaged in various sports and leisure activities over the past year.
Compared to the overall population, young people aged 18 to 29 have a higher participation rate in a greater number of sports and activities (cycling, dance, photography, running, canoeing, amusement parks, etc.). Nightlife is especially popular, with 46% of young people having gone out to bars in the last year.
As illustrated in Figure 3, some Quebec events are quite popular with young people in Generation Y: for example, 15% attended the Montréal International Jazz Festival last year. Other Quebec attractions are popular too, with one out of five Quebeckers aged 18 to 29 having visited La Ronde, a proportion that is twice that of the overall Quebec population.
Looking beyond the numbers
With personalities and behaviours that differ from those of preceding generations, Echo Boomers are a challenge for the companies who would like to attract them. However, they are not unreachable, and the following information may help you understand them better.
For this generation, travel offers a sense of accomplishment and pleasure; it is a tool of personal development, a way to discover new lands and an enriching experience, both personally and socially. Traditional sightseeing activities, guided tours and museums are not attractive to them. They prefer adventure tourism, sports tourism, the latest forms of entertainment and outdoor activities.
Professionally, the children of Baby Boomers do not want to be like their parents. While the latter are often workaholics, Generation Y aims for a better balance between work, family and one’s personal life. Not particularly loyal employees, these people look for work that they can be passionate about, rather than something stable and well paid. They do not like hierarchical organizations.
Though often big consumers, they are also savvy, experienced buyers. As a customer segment, they are demanding and hard to predict. Because they often have limited budgets and many have a high debt ratio, the quality-price ratio is key to them (they often travel with only one credit card). In addition, they are very skilled at searching the Web for the ideal destination and price. The Internet now offers tremendous information transparency and Generation Y is certainly the generation that takes full advantage of this.
Technology is part and parcel of their lives and the internet holds few secrets for them; they navigate easily and confidently, whether searching for information or making online reservations.
Unlike other customer segments, Echo Boomers are not afraid of innovation. On the contrary, they enjoy surprises, adapt quickly, and like to get off the beaten path to discover new horizons, new destinations and new activities.
In terms of marketing, it is vital to remember that they have been immersed in advertising since birth and, as a result, are less sensitive to it or even immune. Therefore, they can be difficult to reach through traditional media and more easily reached through the internet. However, viral marketing, search engine referencing and online public relations are more effective than conventional advertising banners. Furthermore, the advent of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook means that marketing efforts must “listen” in order to identify, target and reach Generation Y. Members of this generation like to talk about themselves and their lives (their trips, friends, photos, etc.) on personal pages and blogs.
Remember that they share a lot. Thanks to social websites, cell phones, online chatting and Skype, they are instantly up to date with whatever their friends are doing, no matter where or when. This is why well-executed viral marketing campaigns can be so effective.
The most powerful hook for them is probably a sense of humour, or even sarcasm. Strategies that can make them (and their friends) laugh will win points. Some marketing campaigns have used humour to great effect, even with limited budgets.
In short, they are skilled negotiators, ambitious and nonchalant, and they question everything. They are also wholehearted hedonists, sensitive to the fate of the planet and keen to learn more about the world. Full of ideas, these people are inspiring.
http://www.corporate.canada.travel/corp/media/app/en/ca/magazine/article.do?path=templatedata\ctx\magArticle\data\en\2007\issue11\marketing\8_generation_y
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Bare Necessities of Good Service
Found in the Dishrag
www.starchefs.com
by Anna Mowry
December 2007
Earlier installments of this column featured show-stopping luxurious service, like theatrical tableside touches or candlelit dinners atop plush beds at beachside resorts. But even the most glittery razzle-dazzle will fizzle if basic professionalism is lacking. We know that back-of-house demands may have unintentionally moved your focus on service to the back burner, so we’re sharing a refresher from Beth Casey, who recently held a seminar on service at the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs national conference in Newport, RI. A hospitality instructor at the California Culinary Institute in San Francisco, Casey has tips that include service fundamentals as well as extra flourishes that will raise your restaurant’s service to the high standard that every diner deserves.
Positive initial contact between a restaurant and customers is crucial and can largely determine diners’ overall impressions of the meal. Prominently display your venue’s phone number on your website, and be sure that customers can navigate it with ease. (We’re amazed at how many restaurant sites we come across that don’t have the phone number on the homepage!) Employ hostesses and reservationists who have proper phone conduct. Educate waitstaff on nightly specials so that they can spout polished dish descriptions after their guests are seated.
Diners can vividly recall how their meal started and finished, so make those moments stand out. Treat your customers to more than just bread: Perigee of Toronto gives every table a seasonal snack (right now it’s a mix of sugared almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries). After their plates have been cleared and the check dropped, present customers with an edible parting gift. Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park sends his guests away with breakfast pastries in a to-go box which guarantees they’ll be thinking about their dining experience again the next morning. Complimentary items also curb the shock that’s brought on by the bill for a not-so-complimentary meal.
“Customers are starving for personal contact,” says Casey. “Make repeat diners feel valued by knowing their names, along with their favorite dishes and wine.” Take a trip to the dining room and chat up a few guests (but don a clean jacket and get rid of any dirty towels from your apron strings before your grand entrance). Collect a few names and mailing addresses from Open Table and send thank you notes; giving patrons the extra attention increases the chances of a return for another meal. Just be sure that servers don’t stray into overly casual territory: servers who address their guests as “you guys” are a common pet peeve among diners.
Of course, it’s impossible for you to monitor your servers’ appearance and manner constantly, so Casey recommends occasionally hiring a personal shopper to come in and report on service.
Recommended Reading on the Subject of Service:
Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter by Edmund Lawler
Setting the Table: the Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer
www.starchefs.com
by Anna Mowry
December 2007
Earlier installments of this column featured show-stopping luxurious service, like theatrical tableside touches or candlelit dinners atop plush beds at beachside resorts. But even the most glittery razzle-dazzle will fizzle if basic professionalism is lacking. We know that back-of-house demands may have unintentionally moved your focus on service to the back burner, so we’re sharing a refresher from Beth Casey, who recently held a seminar on service at the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs national conference in Newport, RI. A hospitality instructor at the California Culinary Institute in San Francisco, Casey has tips that include service fundamentals as well as extra flourishes that will raise your restaurant’s service to the high standard that every diner deserves.
Positive initial contact between a restaurant and customers is crucial and can largely determine diners’ overall impressions of the meal. Prominently display your venue’s phone number on your website, and be sure that customers can navigate it with ease. (We’re amazed at how many restaurant sites we come across that don’t have the phone number on the homepage!) Employ hostesses and reservationists who have proper phone conduct. Educate waitstaff on nightly specials so that they can spout polished dish descriptions after their guests are seated.
Diners can vividly recall how their meal started and finished, so make those moments stand out. Treat your customers to more than just bread: Perigee of Toronto gives every table a seasonal snack (right now it’s a mix of sugared almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries). After their plates have been cleared and the check dropped, present customers with an edible parting gift. Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park sends his guests away with breakfast pastries in a to-go box which guarantees they’ll be thinking about their dining experience again the next morning. Complimentary items also curb the shock that’s brought on by the bill for a not-so-complimentary meal.
“Customers are starving for personal contact,” says Casey. “Make repeat diners feel valued by knowing their names, along with their favorite dishes and wine.” Take a trip to the dining room and chat up a few guests (but don a clean jacket and get rid of any dirty towels from your apron strings before your grand entrance). Collect a few names and mailing addresses from Open Table and send thank you notes; giving patrons the extra attention increases the chances of a return for another meal. Just be sure that servers don’t stray into overly casual territory: servers who address their guests as “you guys” are a common pet peeve among diners.
Of course, it’s impossible for you to monitor your servers’ appearance and manner constantly, so Casey recommends occasionally hiring a personal shopper to come in and report on service.
Recommended Reading on the Subject of Service:
Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter by Edmund Lawler
Setting the Table: the Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Musings at the end of Semester
December 19, 2007 Marc Simard NSCC Tourism Faculty
I have been teaching at the Nova Scotia Community College since January of 1995. In just one month I will reach my thirteenth anniversary. Even after all these years officially away from industry I still feel very much part of the "real world" and struggle to stay connected and stay up to date with industry and the changes it is experiencing .
The great thing about teaching is that one gets the sense of both dealing with the future but also of having an impact on that future. You see when you work at a hotel you can have some impact on that hotel but as a teacher one can hope to change in some small way all the hotels one's students will work at. In my thirteen years I have taught and become engaged with more than 500 students.
In the last few years we have all dealt with an increasing wave of change. I know that we as an industry have always faced change, new bosses and new technology but now there seems to be both, more change and it seems to be happening more quickly.
I have tried to discern my response to this change, whether the world is faster or if I am just slowing down. I suspect a little bit of both is the case, but as I took the time to read, explore and reflect on change I thought that in my first tourism management blog the discussion of some of these tourism trends would make a good beginning for this blog. So here goes. Consider the trends that we as an industry are facing. ( By no means an inclussive list)
1. The retiring baby boomers are coming. We as an industry face not only the retirement of a generation of managers but these boomers are at their peak earning years and love to travel
2. The electronic age is upon us. I don’t know if any of us know what that really means but it will impact us I suspect in almost every way. People not only book travel on-line but blog about it and research their travel opportunities on-line. Then, is the in-house technology on the way everything from new property management systems, loyalty systems to perhaps the disappearance of the front desk as we know it and even the guest room key. Let’s face it if we can have ticket less airline travel what do we need a key for?
3. Web 2.0. I know this is part of the electronic age but it seems to me to be so much more. Not only are our clients and those who don’t choose us on-line finding out and sharing about us.So are our employees, potential employees and our competitors. Social Media whether a force for good or evil is a reality that may change its name from facebook to something else but is not likely to go away. Right now many of us are at the denial stage, a few are aware and even fewer are playing the Web 2.0 game recognizing its potential. Oh yeah and don’t forget the opportunities for collaborative learning both in the work place and as part consumer behavior and the purchase cycle. By the way e-mail is old fashioned , in fact is considered by our students or young employees asthe communication method of the system ( what we used to call “The Man”)
4. Cultural Diversity. I used to think that this meant that we had to learn to deal with immigrants and their cultural values in the workplace. After all immigrants where the answer to the rising employee shortage. Well I’ve had a couple of epiphanies about that over the last two years. The first is that most immigrants (other then refugees) to Canada have more education than I . Thy are not coming here to have a career as a house person or room attendant. Not that this awareness of diversity isn’t an important part of our industry as our guests are international and oh yes we will have to recruit workers internationally at least on short term visas. The next epiphany is worth it’s on section so please read number 5
5. Millennials. Along the way discover that I was an immigrant as well, a “Digital Immigrant”. This I think is having an increasing impact on industry as we discover that we are suffering not only from a generation gap but perhaps more importantly a paradigm shift into the way they work and look at life. Yes I know that each generation has speaking of the failure of the next generation to come up to expectations since the beginning of societies. I remember first running across this concept as a youth while reading “The Satyricon” which was written by Platonius during the reign of Emperor Nero nearly 2000 years ago . None the less no previous generation has had the internet embedded in their lives. This generation shares with the world (FaceBook, MySpace, MSN etc…) everything (even those things we would never) and expects to find answers at their fingertips. Lets face it will all Google things. ( Imagine how quickly that became a verb). Wikipedia now has more pages and words in than the Encyclopedia Britannica and is considered to have equal weight by the millennials. So how do we communicate to them? By this I mean how do we find them and reach then where they are?
6. Education. At least in Nova Scotia we have spent fifteen years being inclusive in our education system and preparing most everyone for University. While a laudable goal. I think a society that can’t keep it toilets running is likely to be in trouble before long. The ramifications of these decision are manifold and worth a future blog of their own. Certainly the ramifications are important for business and society.
7. Demographics. The bottom line is that there are fewer young people than old people. The implications of this are huge from increased wages, a lack of workers and increased expectations from the under 25 workers. This means that we may have to become better employers, look for non-traditional employees, change the way we work and the way we manage. This is only the beginning and I suspect worthy of many future blogs ahead of us.
Well that is enough for one rant. I hope you will add to the list. It would be wonderful to see a dialogue on these issues from industry and students alum and those simply with a point of view. There is no question that as Tourism professionals these are issues we are going to have to solve, or at least cope with in the years ahead.
It is not the New Year yet but my new year’s resolution for next year is to blog about our industry, about applied education and the challenges facing faculty/industry teaching/training in the Tourism industry.
May you all have a blessed Christmas, happy holidays and the very best in the New Year!
I have been teaching at the Nova Scotia Community College since January of 1995. In just one month I will reach my thirteenth anniversary. Even after all these years officially away from industry I still feel very much part of the "real world" and struggle to stay connected and stay up to date with industry and the changes it is experiencing .
The great thing about teaching is that one gets the sense of both dealing with the future but also of having an impact on that future. You see when you work at a hotel you can have some impact on that hotel but as a teacher one can hope to change in some small way all the hotels one's students will work at. In my thirteen years I have taught and become engaged with more than 500 students.
In the last few years we have all dealt with an increasing wave of change. I know that we as an industry have always faced change, new bosses and new technology but now there seems to be both, more change and it seems to be happening more quickly.
I have tried to discern my response to this change, whether the world is faster or if I am just slowing down. I suspect a little bit of both is the case, but as I took the time to read, explore and reflect on change I thought that in my first tourism management blog the discussion of some of these tourism trends would make a good beginning for this blog. So here goes. Consider the trends that we as an industry are facing. ( By no means an inclussive list)
1. The retiring baby boomers are coming. We as an industry face not only the retirement of a generation of managers but these boomers are at their peak earning years and love to travel
2. The electronic age is upon us. I don’t know if any of us know what that really means but it will impact us I suspect in almost every way. People not only book travel on-line but blog about it and research their travel opportunities on-line. Then, is the in-house technology on the way everything from new property management systems, loyalty systems to perhaps the disappearance of the front desk as we know it and even the guest room key. Let’s face it if we can have ticket less airline travel what do we need a key for?
3. Web 2.0. I know this is part of the electronic age but it seems to me to be so much more. Not only are our clients and those who don’t choose us on-line finding out and sharing about us.So are our employees, potential employees and our competitors. Social Media whether a force for good or evil is a reality that may change its name from facebook to something else but is not likely to go away. Right now many of us are at the denial stage, a few are aware and even fewer are playing the Web 2.0 game recognizing its potential. Oh yeah and don’t forget the opportunities for collaborative learning both in the work place and as part consumer behavior and the purchase cycle. By the way e-mail is old fashioned , in fact is considered by our students or young employees asthe communication method of the system ( what we used to call “The Man”)
4. Cultural Diversity. I used to think that this meant that we had to learn to deal with immigrants and their cultural values in the workplace. After all immigrants where the answer to the rising employee shortage. Well I’ve had a couple of epiphanies about that over the last two years. The first is that most immigrants (other then refugees) to Canada have more education than I . Thy are not coming here to have a career as a house person or room attendant. Not that this awareness of diversity isn’t an important part of our industry as our guests are international and oh yes we will have to recruit workers internationally at least on short term visas. The next epiphany is worth it’s on section so please read number 5
5. Millennials. Along the way discover that I was an immigrant as well, a “Digital Immigrant”. This I think is having an increasing impact on industry as we discover that we are suffering not only from a generation gap but perhaps more importantly a paradigm shift into the way they work and look at life. Yes I know that each generation has speaking of the failure of the next generation to come up to expectations since the beginning of societies. I remember first running across this concept as a youth while reading “The Satyricon” which was written by Platonius during the reign of Emperor Nero nearly 2000 years ago . None the less no previous generation has had the internet embedded in their lives. This generation shares with the world (FaceBook, MySpace, MSN etc…) everything (even those things we would never) and expects to find answers at their fingertips. Lets face it will all Google things. ( Imagine how quickly that became a verb). Wikipedia now has more pages and words in than the Encyclopedia Britannica and is considered to have equal weight by the millennials. So how do we communicate to them? By this I mean how do we find them and reach then where they are?
6. Education. At least in Nova Scotia we have spent fifteen years being inclusive in our education system and preparing most everyone for University. While a laudable goal. I think a society that can’t keep it toilets running is likely to be in trouble before long. The ramifications of these decision are manifold and worth a future blog of their own. Certainly the ramifications are important for business and society.
7. Demographics. The bottom line is that there are fewer young people than old people. The implications of this are huge from increased wages, a lack of workers and increased expectations from the under 25 workers. This means that we may have to become better employers, look for non-traditional employees, change the way we work and the way we manage. This is only the beginning and I suspect worthy of many future blogs ahead of us.
Well that is enough for one rant. I hope you will add to the list. It would be wonderful to see a dialogue on these issues from industry and students alum and those simply with a point of view. There is no question that as Tourism professionals these are issues we are going to have to solve, or at least cope with in the years ahead.
It is not the New Year yet but my new year’s resolution for next year is to blog about our industry, about applied education and the challenges facing faculty/industry teaching/training in the Tourism industry.
May you all have a blessed Christmas, happy holidays and the very best in the New Year!
Strengths-Based Coaching
- By Lyn Jeffress
Have you ever noticed that when you're doing something that comes naturally to you, you lose track of time? You forget to eat or take breaks - and when you've finished the task, you actually have more energy than when you started?
Now imagine that you can harness that kind of motivation and commitment in your team, and create consistent, near-perfect performance as a result. That's what strengths-based coaching is all about.
When people do things that come naturally, it creates energy. So if people understand what they do well, it becomes self-generating - they want to perform, and perform well. Conversely, when people push themselves to do things that don't come naturally, it drains energy. They are less motivated and less productive. Strengths-based coaching means capitalizing on peoples' talents and abilities, rather than trying to improve their weak areas.
As trainers, we may find this counterintuitive; isn't it our job to improve weak areas? Not according to the folks at Gallop, who used their study of more than two million people to determine how natural abilities could be translated into personal and career success. The job of the trainer (or manager, or coach) is to develop talent - a naturally occurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior - into strength, through the application of knowledge and skills. It is from that strength that we get performance.
Of course, no talent stands alone. Most projects or tasks require a combination of strengths, and therefore a combination of people. When you put the right combination of people and strengths together, you create synergy - and a much happier team than if those same individuals were forced into less natural roles. It is the very essence of the Service Profit Chain: Engaged, committed employees are more productive. What better way to create engaged employees than by helping them discover their strengths and use them every day?
The first step, then, is discovery. The Gallop Organization has identified 34 separate strengths, along with a process for discovering them (Now Discover Your Strengths, Buckingham & Clifton, 2001; the online 'StrengthsFinder' profile is included with the purchase of the book). Those strengths can then be divided into four unique 'themes,' and when you can identify a person's primary theme, you can determine how best to work with him - and with whom he can most productively work.
Mobilizers, for instance, can readily take control of a situation and make decisions - and they're skilled at recognizing and cultivating the potential in others. Reflecters, on the other hand, need to collect all available information and consider every factor that that might affect a situation. Mobilizers might become impatient with Reflectors, but they also need them working behind the scenes.
Energizers have certain unchanging core values that both define them and enable them to quickly turn thoughts into action. They, too, can be impatient, and their self-assurance makes it difficult to resist following them.
Finally, Connecters are the glue of any team. They are aware of and sympathetic to the needs of others and try to make everyone feel included. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.
Once you've discovered the strengths within your organization, the real work begins: Strengths-based coaching requires a culture shift for managers who are used to assigning projects based on demonstrated ability, rather than natural talent. And that's where we trainers come in - since we have a 'natural talent' for changing culture.
Lyn Jeffress, Jack in the Box
References:
Flow, Csikszentmihalyi, 1990.
First Break All The Rules, Coffman & Buckingham, 1999.
Now Discover Your Strengths, Buckingham & Clifton, 2001.
Follow This Path, Coffman & Gonzalez-Molina, 2002.
Good Business, Csikszentmihalyi, 2003.
Thriving in Mind, Benziger, 2003.
How Full Is Your Bucket, Rath & Clifton, 2004.
Character Strengths & Virtues, Peterson & Seligman, 2004.
Have you ever noticed that when you're doing something that comes naturally to you, you lose track of time? You forget to eat or take breaks - and when you've finished the task, you actually have more energy than when you started?
Now imagine that you can harness that kind of motivation and commitment in your team, and create consistent, near-perfect performance as a result. That's what strengths-based coaching is all about.
When people do things that come naturally, it creates energy. So if people understand what they do well, it becomes self-generating - they want to perform, and perform well. Conversely, when people push themselves to do things that don't come naturally, it drains energy. They are less motivated and less productive. Strengths-based coaching means capitalizing on peoples' talents and abilities, rather than trying to improve their weak areas.
As trainers, we may find this counterintuitive; isn't it our job to improve weak areas? Not according to the folks at Gallop, who used their study of more than two million people to determine how natural abilities could be translated into personal and career success. The job of the trainer (or manager, or coach) is to develop talent - a naturally occurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior - into strength, through the application of knowledge and skills. It is from that strength that we get performance.
Of course, no talent stands alone. Most projects or tasks require a combination of strengths, and therefore a combination of people. When you put the right combination of people and strengths together, you create synergy - and a much happier team than if those same individuals were forced into less natural roles. It is the very essence of the Service Profit Chain: Engaged, committed employees are more productive. What better way to create engaged employees than by helping them discover their strengths and use them every day?
The first step, then, is discovery. The Gallop Organization has identified 34 separate strengths, along with a process for discovering them (Now Discover Your Strengths, Buckingham & Clifton, 2001; the online 'StrengthsFinder' profile is included with the purchase of the book). Those strengths can then be divided into four unique 'themes,' and when you can identify a person's primary theme, you can determine how best to work with him - and with whom he can most productively work.
Mobilizers, for instance, can readily take control of a situation and make decisions - and they're skilled at recognizing and cultivating the potential in others. Reflecters, on the other hand, need to collect all available information and consider every factor that that might affect a situation. Mobilizers might become impatient with Reflectors, but they also need them working behind the scenes.
Energizers have certain unchanging core values that both define them and enable them to quickly turn thoughts into action. They, too, can be impatient, and their self-assurance makes it difficult to resist following them.
Finally, Connecters are the glue of any team. They are aware of and sympathetic to the needs of others and try to make everyone feel included. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.
Once you've discovered the strengths within your organization, the real work begins: Strengths-based coaching requires a culture shift for managers who are used to assigning projects based on demonstrated ability, rather than natural talent. And that's where we trainers come in - since we have a 'natural talent' for changing culture.
Lyn Jeffress, Jack in the Box
References:
Flow, Csikszentmihalyi, 1990.
First Break All The Rules, Coffman & Buckingham, 1999.
Now Discover Your Strengths, Buckingham & Clifton, 2001.
Follow This Path, Coffman & Gonzalez-Molina, 2002.
Good Business, Csikszentmihalyi, 2003.
Thriving in Mind, Benziger, 2003.
How Full Is Your Bucket, Rath & Clifton, 2004.
Character Strengths & Virtues, Peterson & Seligman, 2004.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Eleven Dining Trends for 2008
Forecasted by Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co.
December 5, 2007 - Restaurant consultants Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. have forecast eleven major dining trends that impact how Americans will eat in the year ahead.
Their predictions and buzzwords for the year ahead:
1. SPEED TRUMPS EVERYTHING: Say hello to The Portable Generation. No one has patience anymore; in-and-out is being replaced by not even in. Millions of people will be ordering food to go via their cellphones. A harbinger: A flock of fast feeders are taking text-message orders that are paid for via the same web-enabled devices, promising the have orders ready when you arrive. About a third of cellphone orders already come from people in their cars.
Table service restaurants and supermarkets are getting into the act, packing up your orders and delivering them to you curbside – so you can show up looking like a slob. And if you’re sitting down, restaurants want you out faster, so they’ll be swiping your credit card tableside and you’ll get your bill just the way you do at Hertz or Avis – while waiters watch how you calculate their tips.
Dining with colleagues at your desks? -- about 50% of office workers do this every day! A web-based startup will take everyone’s meal choices from their individual computers, consolidate them and shoot a single order to a restaurant that you collectively select, along with pre-payment. No more frantic secretaries juggling which sandwich gets the mayo and which the horseradish.
2. EXPLOITING THE NICHES: We call them “slivers” – food outlets with highly focused menus that explore interesting niches in the market (the explosion of coffee bars is a recent example). Hotels with dull lobbies should especially take note of this!
We’re seeing ceviche bars that specialize in the raw seafood dishes of Peru. Steakhouses are sprouting charcuterie bars. Chocolaterias all over the country are pushing hot chocolate spiked with chiles and pink peppercorns, chocolate coated corn and parmesan cheese, chocolate martinis with glasses rimmed in hot fudge – all of them betting that the publicity about bitter chocolate being good for your health (damn the fat and calories) will keep customers coming.
Then there’s the cupcake phenomenon, proving that people will line up for mediocre food if there’s enough press support. In Colorado, a two-unit company specializing in variations of melted cheese sandwiches is trying to colonize the rest of America. In New York, a couple of players hope to make it big serving nothing the macaroni and cheese.
There’s a mozzarella bar in California, mimicking an idea that’s hot in Rome. Falafel joints in the US, Holland and Australia are trying to sell franchises. Several outfits selling breakfast cereals appear to be thriving, especially in college towns. Rice pudding shops just won’t go away.
We’re watching new kebab/yakitori/satay specialists, leading us to believe there’s a live-fire wave coming.
Finally, a couple of Korean upstarts (and now lots of imitators) have taken frozen yogurt back to its roots -- as an acidic treat rather than something sweetly masquerading as ice cream. They’re boasting of no additives, nothing artificial and no high-fructose corn syrup. It began in California but has spread so quickly that the big frozen yogurt chains are changing their merchandising.
3. GASTRO-BARTENDERS: The folks concocting drinks at your favorite bar have gotten titular promotions: They’ve been elevated to “mixologists” as they search for ever more enticing ways of getting you looped. This coming year, they’ll be especially concerned about your health, of all things. Trendy bars, restaurants and clubs will formulate cocktails from organic fruit juices, vegetable purées, and vitamin-filled sports drinks instead of gooey syrups on the dubious premise that if you’re drinking anyway, you may as well also get your antioxidants.
Cocktails are being “enhanced” with herbs like rosemary, basil and lavender, and bartenders are playing with bergamot oil (think Earl Grey tea) and even saffron.
Superfruits – pomegranate, acai, goji berries – that last year were hot in health food stores are now so mainstream that they’re appearing in alcoholic cocktails.
Bartenders also are creating desserts, in tandem with pastry chefs, so you’ll be able to eat your cocktail. Some loopy scientists have discovered that adding alcohol to strawberries and blackberries increases their antioxidant capacity. So watch for them, and other highly colored elixirs (like watermelon juice) to subliminally lure customers into thinking that the latest Cosmo variation is good for their health.
Of course, all this nonsense may encourage more drinking, but none of it addresses tomorrow’s hangover.
4. NUTRITIONAL SCORING: With health and diet concerns at the top of every consumer trend lists, watch for a flock of competing and overlapping systems for rating the good-for-you-ness of food products. There’s a 1-100 scoring system coming from the Yale Prevention Research Center that deals with both good and bad stuff; another system being pushed by food manufacturers that somehow seems less disinterested; plus individual companies are emblazoning their own packages with arbitrary names that have little or no comparative meaning. Once again, consumers will get confused because the government won’t do the work. But all these claims will put pressure on restaurant and hotel businesses – consumer will start asking why, if they can get scoring systems in supermarkets, they can’t get any information on menus.
5 INNARDS AND ODD PARTS: Consumers have discovered that their wonderful steaks and chops come from animals that have heads and tails as well … and now there’s a growing fascination with the odd parts that people used to reject. In part this stems from TV hoopla of “extreme eating” shows, but it also indicates that people are increasingly willing to eat food that comes far away from their zip codes. You can see this across the US as more and more people shop in ethnic markets.
We seeing tails, shanks, flaps, bellies and cheeks cropping up on middlebrow menus. Ravioli and cabbage leaves are being stuffed with all sort of unmentionable parts of animals. Increasing numbers of people are flocking to “testicle festivals” held in otherwise obscure hamlets, all in search of gastronomic thrills. Is tongue the next lamb shank?
6. THIS TREND MAY GO NOWHERE -- DESSERT RESTAURANTS OPENED BY PASTRY CHEFS: Celebrity dessert chefs, no longer content to see their names just at the bottoms of some menus, are opening their own restaurants – largely, but not entirely, featuring pastry. They’re popping up in New York, California, Japan, the UK, Barcelona, and as far away as Singapore. The trouble is: These chefs are straining for show-off dishes that leave typical restaurant-goers scratching their heads. Foie gras with bitter chocolate?; peanut butter and pears ?; mackerel with avocado, watermelon, black olives?; smoked trout caviar with rosemary biscuit and corn-crème fraiche ice cream?; pink peppercorn ice cream in red wine sauce?. Call us old fogies, but we don’t think these will fly very far.
7. WACKY ICE CREAMS: Maybe this one has more legs than the bizarre stuff above … for oddball ice creams are showing up in unlikely combinations, some of them rather intriguing. Tuna tartare with wasabi ice cream almost makes sense. Cantaloupe sorbet with lavender-cured pork also might in the hands of a genius chef. Foie gras terrine with foie
gras ice cream probably shouldn’t be attempted outside a laboratory, but sweet corn ice cream with a grilled chocolate sandwich starts to sound yummy – even if it never makes the Baskin-Robbins hit parade. There’s valid history behind these ice creams, since Italians have been consuming parmesan ice cream for ages, and no one laughed when Escoffier dabbled with asparagus ice cream.
Here’s one to take seriously if you’re near a Mexican enclave: Paletas are Mexican ice pops in such awesome flavors as mango-and-chile, sweet corn, strawberry-rice, and spicy cucumber-mango-jicama-orange – usually with chunks for fruit and spaces; ole, we say!
8. GASTRONOMY FOR CHILDREN: Food for children is the next gastronomic frontier. There’s a raft of cookbooks for young people, including Kids Cook 1-2-3, a big hit in the US, England and Germany, whose author, Rozanne Gold, coined the term “gastro-pups.”
Also very hot: Kids cooking classes are erupting in restaurants and hotels across the country as chefs seek out ways to connect to entire families – and to fill their restaurants during off-hours.
At the same time, parents are rebelling against so-called kids menus – the ones with fried chicken fingers, greasy fish sticks, and gummy spaghetti. Because more and more kids are joining parents at restaurant dining tables, they – and their parents – want real food. That means child-size portions of regular menu items.
Other startups are franchising cooking academies for young people, and websites are devoted to kids and their food. There’s a store in New York selling only kids’ food, and an interesting new venture is selling pre-packed breakfasts, sandwiches and snacks to parents who only have time to shove ready-made components into a lunch bag. Several supermarket chains are selling kid-oriented dinners-in-a-bag as part of their prepared foods offerings.
Watch as beverage companies they try selling their “enhanced” high-priced waters to your children. Crayola – along with a clutch of cartoon characters -- has licensed its name for flashy-colored vitamin waters; Honest Tea is pushing pouches of fruit-flavored teas (called Honest Kids) for children; and some companies are packing waters in bottles that can be reused as toys, doing everything possible to make simple tap water appear uncool.
9. HAMBURGERS GO OVER THE TOP: They’re becoming fancy and fanciful – and therefore very exciting – transforming a mundane, generic item into a luxury special. It began, probably, with Daniel Boulud’s extravaganza burger with braised short ribs and foie gras. Jars and bottles are now out: Chefs are pickling their own vegetables, making their own sauces, grinding their known meat. Lamb is a strong alternate to beef, and there are suckling pig burgers mixed with chorizo. Chefs are making fanciful combinations of chuck and short ribs, brisket and flap meat, all adding succulence.
And there are more Kobe beef burgers sold today than there are Kobe cattle. We’ve even seen this combination platter: Kobeburger, fries … and a foie gras milk shake! Who eats these things? High-rollers in gambling joints, guests in luxury hotels, and Wall Streeters impressing their buddies.
But the concept is trickling down. Wendy’s made the newspapers with its Baconator Burger, McDonald’s joined the fray with its 13-pounder, and Hardee’s plopped a Philadelphia Cheese Steak atop its hamburger. Several build-your-own-burger chains are expanding, one claiming 300,000 possible variations, including one with bacon, cheese, a slice of pineapple topped with a fried egg … don’t ask!
10. SMALL IS STILL BIG, BUT FOR HOW LONG? The small plates phenomenon keeps on rolling – especially mini-desserts -- but tapas-style restaurants in a handful of cities have to reverted to conventional menus as customers discover they’re actually spending more and often getting less. Look for more menus trying to have it both ways -- with small- and large-size portions.
11. ETHICAL EATING AND GETTING THE JUNK OUT OF FOOD: The British government formally linked artificial colors and preservatives to hyperactivity in children this past September. Now food manufacturers and retailers in the UK and Europe are purging their products of everything that sounds like chemicals. Inevitably, we this will spill over to US retailers who will trumpet “junk-free” food.
As consumers here rebel against the “unnatural”, fast food and casual dining chains will be pressed to reformulate what they’re serving and what they say about it. Meanwhile fancier restaurants will increase talking the talk about buying locally-produced products, humane slaughter of cattle, sourcing fair trade coffee and chocolate, serving whole grains, reducing their energy footprints – all with higher menu prices.
So here’s the irony: As food companies scour the world for “natural” preservatives and flavor enhancers, avant-garde chefs who worship in the Temple of Molecular Gastronomy are adding more and more chemicals to their bizarre creations, hoping to teach old food new tricks.
And: There’s a potential backlash against bottled water, which comes in plastic containers that clog our landfills and that often are shipped half-way around the world for no particular reason. Watch for increasing numbers of restaurants to scrap bottled water and begin charging for filtering their local water.
BUZZWORDS FOR 2008:
“Gastro-travel” – more and more families are organizing vacations around food experiences. And they’re booking hotels based on what experiences are on offer – tours of local markets, cooking classes, interaction with local residents, chances to learn about history and geography.
Outrageously expensive look-at-me desserts and cocktails, $100 and up.
US government pushes for lower salt in prepared foods, meanwhile OKs pumping chickens full of salt water. Big attack on high-fructose corn syrup.
The battle for breakfast widens. Two years ago we predicted the war for breakfast as fast food chains geared up to steal Starbuck’s’ customers. Now big hotel companies are joining the fight, featuring extravaganza early-morning buffets. Their reasoning: It is the meal that most guests eat at a hotel, so that’s the best time to impress them. Eat enough and call it lunch.
Pressure on restaurant chains to buy more “ethically”.
Shochu – a lower alcohol vodka-like beverage, currently outsells sake in Japan and is gaining a big following here; new “superfruits” being discovered around the world, appearing as additives in beverages and desserts (and soaps and cosmetics); sparkling gin, vodka and rum for people too lazy to open separate bottles.
Rose wines from around the world.
Poached eggs appearing on more and more dishes – salads, Asian noodles, steaks and burgers.
Korean food – we’re just starting to get comfortable with this cuisine.
Latino food is on a roll – bolder flavors and brighter colors closer to home will begin to edge out Med-Rim. Look for increasing emphasis on cuisines from specific regions.
Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. creates high-profile restaurants around the world for hotels, restaurant companies, major museums and other consumer destinations. Their projects include the late Windows on the World, the Rainbow Room, the world’s first food courts, and five three-star restaurants in New York.
They also run trend seminars for large hotel and restaurant companies.
December 5, 2007 - Restaurant consultants Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. have forecast eleven major dining trends that impact how Americans will eat in the year ahead.
Their predictions and buzzwords for the year ahead:
1. SPEED TRUMPS EVERYTHING: Say hello to The Portable Generation. No one has patience anymore; in-and-out is being replaced by not even in. Millions of people will be ordering food to go via their cellphones. A harbinger: A flock of fast feeders are taking text-message orders that are paid for via the same web-enabled devices, promising the have orders ready when you arrive. About a third of cellphone orders already come from people in their cars.
Table service restaurants and supermarkets are getting into the act, packing up your orders and delivering them to you curbside – so you can show up looking like a slob. And if you’re sitting down, restaurants want you out faster, so they’ll be swiping your credit card tableside and you’ll get your bill just the way you do at Hertz or Avis – while waiters watch how you calculate their tips.
Dining with colleagues at your desks? -- about 50% of office workers do this every day! A web-based startup will take everyone’s meal choices from their individual computers, consolidate them and shoot a single order to a restaurant that you collectively select, along with pre-payment. No more frantic secretaries juggling which sandwich gets the mayo and which the horseradish.
2. EXPLOITING THE NICHES: We call them “slivers” – food outlets with highly focused menus that explore interesting niches in the market (the explosion of coffee bars is a recent example). Hotels with dull lobbies should especially take note of this!
We’re seeing ceviche bars that specialize in the raw seafood dishes of Peru. Steakhouses are sprouting charcuterie bars. Chocolaterias all over the country are pushing hot chocolate spiked with chiles and pink peppercorns, chocolate coated corn and parmesan cheese, chocolate martinis with glasses rimmed in hot fudge – all of them betting that the publicity about bitter chocolate being good for your health (damn the fat and calories) will keep customers coming.
Then there’s the cupcake phenomenon, proving that people will line up for mediocre food if there’s enough press support. In Colorado, a two-unit company specializing in variations of melted cheese sandwiches is trying to colonize the rest of America. In New York, a couple of players hope to make it big serving nothing the macaroni and cheese.
There’s a mozzarella bar in California, mimicking an idea that’s hot in Rome. Falafel joints in the US, Holland and Australia are trying to sell franchises. Several outfits selling breakfast cereals appear to be thriving, especially in college towns. Rice pudding shops just won’t go away.
We’re watching new kebab/yakitori/satay specialists, leading us to believe there’s a live-fire wave coming.
Finally, a couple of Korean upstarts (and now lots of imitators) have taken frozen yogurt back to its roots -- as an acidic treat rather than something sweetly masquerading as ice cream. They’re boasting of no additives, nothing artificial and no high-fructose corn syrup. It began in California but has spread so quickly that the big frozen yogurt chains are changing their merchandising.
3. GASTRO-BARTENDERS: The folks concocting drinks at your favorite bar have gotten titular promotions: They’ve been elevated to “mixologists” as they search for ever more enticing ways of getting you looped. This coming year, they’ll be especially concerned about your health, of all things. Trendy bars, restaurants and clubs will formulate cocktails from organic fruit juices, vegetable purées, and vitamin-filled sports drinks instead of gooey syrups on the dubious premise that if you’re drinking anyway, you may as well also get your antioxidants.
Cocktails are being “enhanced” with herbs like rosemary, basil and lavender, and bartenders are playing with bergamot oil (think Earl Grey tea) and even saffron.
Superfruits – pomegranate, acai, goji berries – that last year were hot in health food stores are now so mainstream that they’re appearing in alcoholic cocktails.
Bartenders also are creating desserts, in tandem with pastry chefs, so you’ll be able to eat your cocktail. Some loopy scientists have discovered that adding alcohol to strawberries and blackberries increases their antioxidant capacity. So watch for them, and other highly colored elixirs (like watermelon juice) to subliminally lure customers into thinking that the latest Cosmo variation is good for their health.
Of course, all this nonsense may encourage more drinking, but none of it addresses tomorrow’s hangover.
4. NUTRITIONAL SCORING: With health and diet concerns at the top of every consumer trend lists, watch for a flock of competing and overlapping systems for rating the good-for-you-ness of food products. There’s a 1-100 scoring system coming from the Yale Prevention Research Center that deals with both good and bad stuff; another system being pushed by food manufacturers that somehow seems less disinterested; plus individual companies are emblazoning their own packages with arbitrary names that have little or no comparative meaning. Once again, consumers will get confused because the government won’t do the work. But all these claims will put pressure on restaurant and hotel businesses – consumer will start asking why, if they can get scoring systems in supermarkets, they can’t get any information on menus.
5 INNARDS AND ODD PARTS: Consumers have discovered that their wonderful steaks and chops come from animals that have heads and tails as well … and now there’s a growing fascination with the odd parts that people used to reject. In part this stems from TV hoopla of “extreme eating” shows, but it also indicates that people are increasingly willing to eat food that comes far away from their zip codes. You can see this across the US as more and more people shop in ethnic markets.
We seeing tails, shanks, flaps, bellies and cheeks cropping up on middlebrow menus. Ravioli and cabbage leaves are being stuffed with all sort of unmentionable parts of animals. Increasing numbers of people are flocking to “testicle festivals” held in otherwise obscure hamlets, all in search of gastronomic thrills. Is tongue the next lamb shank?
6. THIS TREND MAY GO NOWHERE -- DESSERT RESTAURANTS OPENED BY PASTRY CHEFS: Celebrity dessert chefs, no longer content to see their names just at the bottoms of some menus, are opening their own restaurants – largely, but not entirely, featuring pastry. They’re popping up in New York, California, Japan, the UK, Barcelona, and as far away as Singapore. The trouble is: These chefs are straining for show-off dishes that leave typical restaurant-goers scratching their heads. Foie gras with bitter chocolate?; peanut butter and pears ?; mackerel with avocado, watermelon, black olives?; smoked trout caviar with rosemary biscuit and corn-crème fraiche ice cream?; pink peppercorn ice cream in red wine sauce?. Call us old fogies, but we don’t think these will fly very far.
7. WACKY ICE CREAMS: Maybe this one has more legs than the bizarre stuff above … for oddball ice creams are showing up in unlikely combinations, some of them rather intriguing. Tuna tartare with wasabi ice cream almost makes sense. Cantaloupe sorbet with lavender-cured pork also might in the hands of a genius chef. Foie gras terrine with foie
gras ice cream probably shouldn’t be attempted outside a laboratory, but sweet corn ice cream with a grilled chocolate sandwich starts to sound yummy – even if it never makes the Baskin-Robbins hit parade. There’s valid history behind these ice creams, since Italians have been consuming parmesan ice cream for ages, and no one laughed when Escoffier dabbled with asparagus ice cream.
Here’s one to take seriously if you’re near a Mexican enclave: Paletas are Mexican ice pops in such awesome flavors as mango-and-chile, sweet corn, strawberry-rice, and spicy cucumber-mango-jicama-orange – usually with chunks for fruit and spaces; ole, we say!
8. GASTRONOMY FOR CHILDREN: Food for children is the next gastronomic frontier. There’s a raft of cookbooks for young people, including Kids Cook 1-2-3, a big hit in the US, England and Germany, whose author, Rozanne Gold, coined the term “gastro-pups.”
Also very hot: Kids cooking classes are erupting in restaurants and hotels across the country as chefs seek out ways to connect to entire families – and to fill their restaurants during off-hours.
At the same time, parents are rebelling against so-called kids menus – the ones with fried chicken fingers, greasy fish sticks, and gummy spaghetti. Because more and more kids are joining parents at restaurant dining tables, they – and their parents – want real food. That means child-size portions of regular menu items.
Other startups are franchising cooking academies for young people, and websites are devoted to kids and their food. There’s a store in New York selling only kids’ food, and an interesting new venture is selling pre-packed breakfasts, sandwiches and snacks to parents who only have time to shove ready-made components into a lunch bag. Several supermarket chains are selling kid-oriented dinners-in-a-bag as part of their prepared foods offerings.
Watch as beverage companies they try selling their “enhanced” high-priced waters to your children. Crayola – along with a clutch of cartoon characters -- has licensed its name for flashy-colored vitamin waters; Honest Tea is pushing pouches of fruit-flavored teas (called Honest Kids) for children; and some companies are packing waters in bottles that can be reused as toys, doing everything possible to make simple tap water appear uncool.
9. HAMBURGERS GO OVER THE TOP: They’re becoming fancy and fanciful – and therefore very exciting – transforming a mundane, generic item into a luxury special. It began, probably, with Daniel Boulud’s extravaganza burger with braised short ribs and foie gras. Jars and bottles are now out: Chefs are pickling their own vegetables, making their own sauces, grinding their known meat. Lamb is a strong alternate to beef, and there are suckling pig burgers mixed with chorizo. Chefs are making fanciful combinations of chuck and short ribs, brisket and flap meat, all adding succulence.
And there are more Kobe beef burgers sold today than there are Kobe cattle. We’ve even seen this combination platter: Kobeburger, fries … and a foie gras milk shake! Who eats these things? High-rollers in gambling joints, guests in luxury hotels, and Wall Streeters impressing their buddies.
But the concept is trickling down. Wendy’s made the newspapers with its Baconator Burger, McDonald’s joined the fray with its 13-pounder, and Hardee’s plopped a Philadelphia Cheese Steak atop its hamburger. Several build-your-own-burger chains are expanding, one claiming 300,000 possible variations, including one with bacon, cheese, a slice of pineapple topped with a fried egg … don’t ask!
10. SMALL IS STILL BIG, BUT FOR HOW LONG? The small plates phenomenon keeps on rolling – especially mini-desserts -- but tapas-style restaurants in a handful of cities have to reverted to conventional menus as customers discover they’re actually spending more and often getting less. Look for more menus trying to have it both ways -- with small- and large-size portions.
11. ETHICAL EATING AND GETTING THE JUNK OUT OF FOOD: The British government formally linked artificial colors and preservatives to hyperactivity in children this past September. Now food manufacturers and retailers in the UK and Europe are purging their products of everything that sounds like chemicals. Inevitably, we this will spill over to US retailers who will trumpet “junk-free” food.
As consumers here rebel against the “unnatural”, fast food and casual dining chains will be pressed to reformulate what they’re serving and what they say about it. Meanwhile fancier restaurants will increase talking the talk about buying locally-produced products, humane slaughter of cattle, sourcing fair trade coffee and chocolate, serving whole grains, reducing their energy footprints – all with higher menu prices.
So here’s the irony: As food companies scour the world for “natural” preservatives and flavor enhancers, avant-garde chefs who worship in the Temple of Molecular Gastronomy are adding more and more chemicals to their bizarre creations, hoping to teach old food new tricks.
And: There’s a potential backlash against bottled water, which comes in plastic containers that clog our landfills and that often are shipped half-way around the world for no particular reason. Watch for increasing numbers of restaurants to scrap bottled water and begin charging for filtering their local water.
BUZZWORDS FOR 2008:
“Gastro-travel” – more and more families are organizing vacations around food experiences. And they’re booking hotels based on what experiences are on offer – tours of local markets, cooking classes, interaction with local residents, chances to learn about history and geography.
Outrageously expensive look-at-me desserts and cocktails, $100 and up.
US government pushes for lower salt in prepared foods, meanwhile OKs pumping chickens full of salt water. Big attack on high-fructose corn syrup.
The battle for breakfast widens. Two years ago we predicted the war for breakfast as fast food chains geared up to steal Starbuck’s’ customers. Now big hotel companies are joining the fight, featuring extravaganza early-morning buffets. Their reasoning: It is the meal that most guests eat at a hotel, so that’s the best time to impress them. Eat enough and call it lunch.
Pressure on restaurant chains to buy more “ethically”.
Shochu – a lower alcohol vodka-like beverage, currently outsells sake in Japan and is gaining a big following here; new “superfruits” being discovered around the world, appearing as additives in beverages and desserts (and soaps and cosmetics); sparkling gin, vodka and rum for people too lazy to open separate bottles.
Rose wines from around the world.
Poached eggs appearing on more and more dishes – salads, Asian noodles, steaks and burgers.
Korean food – we’re just starting to get comfortable with this cuisine.
Latino food is on a roll – bolder flavors and brighter colors closer to home will begin to edge out Med-Rim. Look for increasing emphasis on cuisines from specific regions.
Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. creates high-profile restaurants around the world for hotels, restaurant companies, major museums and other consumer destinations. Their projects include the late Windows on the World, the Rainbow Room, the world’s first food courts, and five three-star restaurants in New York.
They also run trend seminars for large hotel and restaurant companies.
Putting Nova Scotian vino on the map
It took 25 years to build the industry and only 12 months for Gina Haverstock to turn a wine from the East into the toast of the town
BEPPI CROSARIOL
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
December 5, 2007 at 9:33 AM EST
It has taken a quarter century of pioneering vision and tenacity by a group of mavericks to forge a fledgling wine industry in Nova Scotia. It took one woman, Gina Haverstock, less than a year to put it on the map.
Ms. Haverstock, the new winemaker at Gaspereau Vineyards in the Annapolis Valley, has become something of a cause célèbre among local connoisseurs and grape growers since launching her first wine, a 2006 riesling, earlier this year. The tangy-sweet white not only invited comparisons to the archetypal style of Germany's Mosel Valley, it also quickly sold out at the brassy price of $18.99 for an undersized, 500-millilitre bottle.
More remarkably, it achieved something no other Nova Scotia wine had before, taking home a silver medal in a mainstream category at the All Canadian Wine Championships in Windsor in May, beating out highly regarded rivals from Ontario and British Columbia.
Pioneering producers such as Domaine de Grand Pré, Jost Vineyards and Blomidon Estate had made it into the medal rounds of the 27-year-old competition in the past, but with less-familiar grapes such as l'Acadie and cayuga, so-called hybrids bred to thrive in extreme weather. Ms. Haverstock's riesling, on the other hand, was made from a variety of vitis vinifera, the so-called noble European species from which virtually all the world's fine wine is made, including chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon.
"Riesling is known around the world, so it is obviously going to draw attention," said Ms. Haverstock, 30, from her home in the cottage-strewn Gaspereau Valley, an extension of the larger Annapolis Valley near the shores of the Bay of Fundy. "People are always asking for the riesling."
Critics have been applauding, too. Craig Pinhey, a New Brunswick-based wine writer for the Telegraph-Journal, was impressed enough to call my attention to it. Adam Dial, a Lunenberg, N.S.-based managing editor of Appelation America, a wine media and marketing company that publishes online reviews from critics across North America, enthused about the Gaspereau riesling in a recent posting.
"A lean and racy Moselle-like structure with bracing acidity invigorates the palate," he wrote. "Over all, an impressive early showing for this noble variety in Nova Scotia and another validation of the Gaspereau Valley's potential."
That potential is built largely on thermal currents pulled in daily by the world's highest tides a few kilometres away. Warm air means not only better ripening during summer, but also milder year-round temperatures, so tender varieties like riesling are less susceptible to winter damage.
"More water runs in and out of the Bay of Fundy in a day than all of the world's rivers," said Hans Christian Jost, the proprietor of Gaspereau Vineyards as well as Jost on the Malagash Peninsula, the latter founded by his late father in 1983 as Nova Scotia's second estate winery, two weeks after Grand Pré.
Ms. Haverstock's precocious riesling is all the more noteworthy as it marked her maiden vintage as a winemaker.
A native of Port Hawkesbury on Cape Breton Island, she graduated in biochemistry from the University of New Brunswick in 2000 with designs on medical school. Fate intervened during the summer when she worked in the tasting bar at Jost Vineyards.
Wowed by the exotic flavours, which stood in contrast to her previous exposure to wine, which she describes as "Cold Duck at Christmas or New Year's," she immersed herself in grape literature. "To be honest, I didn't really open my [medical] books very much," she said.
Mr. Jost was taken aback during regular tutorials he held for new employees at the winery. "The best taste buds you can ever come across," he said of Ms. Haverstock. "I kiddingly told her, 'Why are you studying medicine? You should be in the wine business.' "
She took the advice seriously. Abandoning her med-school plans, she pursued a sommelier degree and, by June, 2005, had fast-tracked her way through the oenology and viticulture program at Brock University in Ontario thanks to her science background.
Brock also opened the door to training stints in other cool-climate regions, notably Germany, where she fell for the peach-like opulence and complexity of riesling at Weingut Georg Breuer in the Rhine Valley. She also did brief apprenticeships in Austria, New Zealand and Burgundy, France.
All along, the plan was to return to Nova Scotia and take advantage of Mr. Jost's standing offer of a job at either Gaspereau or Jost Vineyards.
There was just one condition. "She said, 'You can't get me to come to Nova Scotia and not give me my riesling back.' " Mr. Jost recalled.
As it happened, Mr. Jost had earlier planted riesling as an experiment in the Gaspereau Valley. The deal was sealed.
Now Ms. Haverstock is being cast as a poster woman for the future of the tiny but burgeoning Nova Scotia industry, which covers 320 acres and numbers eight producers.
"The great thing is we have Nova Scotia kids interested in the wine industry and interested in first-rate training and coming back," Mr. Dial said in an interview.
In another milestone for the industry, the fledgling Winery Association of Nova Scotia recently introduced an official seal for bottleneck capsules, akin to the VQA designation in Ontario and British Columbia, which guarantees a wine was sourced from local grapes and made to various quality standards. The logo? A lobster claw clasping a wine glass.
Even industry veterans are heading eastward, drawn by affordable land, the exciting promise of other vinifera varieties such as chardonnay and pinot noir, and the improving quality of the province's signature hybrid grapes, l'Acadie and New York muscat.
At least four new wineries are under construction and Mr. Jost believes vine acreage could more than double, to 1,000 acres, within several years.
"I wouldn't bother if I didn't have full intentions to produce incredible wines," said Bruce Ewert, owner of L'Acadie Vineyards in the Gaspereau Valley, who moved in 2004 from British Columbia after garnering top awards for Champagne-style sparkling wines at both Summerhill Pyramid Winery and the former Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards in the Okanagan. His plan: to produce premium bubblies as well as table and dessert wines out of l'Acadie off 10 acres. His first vintage is due next year.
Arguably the splashiest new project is Benjamin Bridge Vineyards, launched in 1999 by Gerry McConnell, chief executive officer of mining company Etruscan Resources Inc., and scheduled to open next year. Also behind the project is veteran Niagara consultant Peter Gamble, whom Mr. McConnell hired to help assess the potential of chardonnay and pinot noir, with which Mr. McConnell hopes to make Champagne-style sparkling wine.
"So, we could have a Nova Scotia sparkling wine to celebrate," Ms. Haverstock said of the two new projects. "It's beaming. Nova Scotia is beaming with promise."
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