January 2020
Irish Hospitality InstituteÂ
Samuel Becket Bridge, Dublin
Be Progressive - Be Entertained - Be Recognised - Be Part of Us
In this Issue
2
Note from the President
3
IHI Events
5
Industry News
7
Industry Events
15
CPD Courses
Be Progressive - Be Entertained - Be Recognised - Be Part of Us
NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
January 2020 Welcome to our first edition of our Hospitality Network News for 2020! As I write Storm Brendan is raging across the country and I hope that the storm did not cause you your families or your business too much damage. It marks the first storm of 2020 and definitely confirms the arrival of the New Year! January is always a time of new resolutions and the Board of the IHI along with the Executive team @IHI are no different. We made lots of resolutions at our Board meeting in December 2019 which was generously hosted by Stephen Hanna and his team at the Camden Court Hotel. Our resolutions this year include: To continue to be very relevant for all our Members, Fellows, Associates and Students. To continue to develop our membership. To ensure that the events we run, provide the opportunity for continuing learning for all our members and for peer networking. To continue as an Institute to play a strong role in the Tourism and Hospitality Careers Oversight Group which is chaired by Paul Hayden, Head of Tourism Careers at FĂĄilte Ireland. To nurture and recognise the talent within our industry is key to what we do here at IHI and we hope to develop this further in 2020. Develop a greater presence on social media Our first event of the year will take place in Thomond Park, Limerick on Thursday February 27th 2020. To keep on track of that event and all other events in IHI 2020 we ‘d love you to become followers or fans of the Institute on our social media accounts : @IHI_Ireland
@ihi.ie
@ihi_ireland
Irish Hospitality Institute
As President of your Institute I look forward to meeting and working alongside all of you in 2020. In the meantime, I wish you all a safe & healthy start to the year 2020. Best,
Oonagh Oonagh Cremins FIHI IHI President 2
IHI EVENTS FOR THE DIARY
Thursday, 27th February Breakfast Seminar 7.30 am Thomond Park, Limerick
Sunday, 1st March & Monday 2nd March IHI National Hospitality Business Management Game The Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport "Frame, Build, Develop Pursuing a Path to a Career in Hospitality & Tourism" Monday, 2nd March
Wednesday, 11th March Breakfast Seminar "Leading Your HR Strategy in the Hospitality Industry in Challenging Times" with guest speaker Caroline McEnery The Mayson, Dublin
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Ennis, Ireland: 8th January 2020 – Tierney’s Office Automation Ltd., a leading independent provider of IT Solutions within the Hospitality and SME sector across Ireland and the UK have today announced that they have achieved ISO 27001:2013 Certification from Certification Europe Ltd.By attaining the ISO standard, Tierney’s has proved to an independent third-party that it has developed and implemented a best in class information security management system (ISMS) to include IT Managed Services, IT Security, Cloud Services and Hospitality Solutions to its clients from its offices in Ennis, Co.Clare, including remote staff in Ireland and the UK.The procedure to become ISO certified involves extensive preparation, evaluation and documentation of processes across all departments within the company. This certificate confirms Tierney’s continuous search for excellence as it delivers its trusted and reputable range of IT Solutions, Support and Consultancy Services to the International Hotel, Restaurant, Leisure and SME Industries across the UK and Ireland.Andy Tierney, Managing Director at Tierney’s explains: ‘’As a provider of computer management and IT solutions that are delivered as service (SaaS), this certification is an important demonstration of our commitment to the highest standards of internal
security, not only does the ISO certification recognise our high security standards, but it lets our customers, partners and prospects know that we take the protection of their data extremely seriously and brings a further peace of mind to their organisations operation. We are very proud that our high standards of Information security management have been recognised and rewarded with ISO 27001:2013 certification and it will remain an ongoing process that requires day-to-day commitment and expertise from the entire Tierney’s team’’.The ISO 27001:13 certification provides organisations with an internally recognised, independent verification that the company is able to securely manage information security, retaining confidentiality, integrity and availability of all data. Tierney’s have proven that it has in place the appropriate processes to properly secure its data and the data of its customer base in Ireland and the UK.
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The latest device trends from Net Affinity As we hurtle into 2020, so to does technology, its capabilities, and the way we use it to spend our money. Last time we looked into our device trends to see who was browsing and spending where, we saw that for the first time ever, mobile revenue overtook desktop revenue. This was exciting, yet hardly surprising, given the global context. With an estimated 10 billion mobile connected devices currently in use, the ‘rise in mobile’ has been talked about for so long, alongside endless arguments for why you need to put mobile first. In line with what we’ve been seeing over the last decade, the latest numbers from Q4 2019 show yet another increase in mobile revenue (2% increase, bringing it up to 47%). What’s more, 1 in 2 transactions are now done through mobile!
Wolfgang Digital’s KPI report for 2020 further proves mobile’s progression and strength when it comes to revenue and, more obviously, traffic. Data they’ve pulled shows mobile revenue for hotels coming in at 25%, while their mobile traffic comes in at 56%. Good to see how high our mobile revenue stats are coming in with this bit of context! Desktop is far from dead however, as we saw it gain 2% in revenue this quarter, bringing it up to 46% (note, it’s still behind mobile). Although mobile revenue is steadily increasing, the bigger purchases are still more likely to be done on desktop. Average transaction value on mobile is 19% lower than desktop. Also corresponding to what we have seen in recent years, the tablet has continued its fall, and for the first time ever, has actually fallen below the 10% mark in regards to revenue and transactions (both are down at 7%). Both mobile and desktop have reaped the benefits of this fall! Here are the latest results in full: For the first time ever, tablet revenue and transaction % fell below the 10% mark, with revenue share down 4% to 7%, and transaction share down 3% to 7% Mobile Website Traffic (Visits) increased by 1% to 67%, with gains from tablet Desktop Website Traffic (Visits) increased by 1% to 27%, also gained from tablet Mobile Revenue picked up 2% in Q4, coming in at 47%. Desktop also gained 2% and is now up to 46% Mobile transactions are at 52% for Q4, which means we have exceeded the 50% mark for the first time ever Average Transaction Value on mobile remains lower than on desktop, at a variance of 19% So, we’ve said it plenty of times… but we’ll say it again for luck! It is hugely important for your property to have a website that’s fully optimised for mobile in 2020 and beyond. Your booking engine needs to be fully optimised for mobile too! 2020 won’t be the year to overlook desktop, but putting as much thought into mobile is no longer a maybe – it will continue to be a necessity. 6
Reviews – How Important Are They To Your Property? Every property wants feedback into how their guests enjoyed their stay. But how important do you think reviews really are to potential guests when choosing a destination? According to research done by TripAdvisor: Over 96% of guests consider reading reviews important when planning trips or booking a property. 79% will read between 6 and 12 reviews before making a purchase decision. 85% of users agree that a thoughtful response to a bad review will improve their impression of the hotel. Here are a few helpful tips that we have come across in our experience in the hospitality sector that can help grow your number of reviews and your customer engagement. Remind your guests how easy it is to leave a review First thing to mention on this point is, don’t come across too pushy when you are encouraging your guests to leave a review. You want them to do it because they feel they have to share their fantastic experience with the world. You can nudge people in the right direction by making it as easy as possible for them to leave a review. Some of the most common ways people do this is by; Handing out review cards on check out. Follow Up emails once check out is complete, thanking guests for their custom. When emailing the guests final check out bill to them, have links to both TripAdvisor and your own website for the guest to leave reviews. 7
Use your reviews as social media content. As you can see from the above stats presented by TripAdvisor, reviews are so important to people when it comes to the time of booking. And link that with how prevalent social media is now a days for both business and personal use. If you promote your reviews on your social media platform, you are not only thanking the guest who left the review publicly, but you are also showcasing your popularity to your future guests. Respond to reviews, the good bad and ugly As mentioned above, a high percentage of potential customers will have a more positive impression of a property after reading a negative review if they see the property responding to it. It is more important to respond to the negative reviews but a thank you for your custom and kind words, for good reviews you receive, can go a long way. This shows that you are not just acting in a defensive manner. You are truly committed to engaging with all your customers. And turning a negative comment into a positive returning guest is a skill that will bring you and your property a long way in the hospitality sector.
Thank you to our clients, partners, staff and friends in the industry for all of the lovely messages posted on our LinkedIn page.
ARAMARK CELEBRATES VEGANUARY 2020 WITH LAUNCH OF TEMPTING NEW DISHES Aramark Northern Europe, the award-winning food service provider, has revealed that it has added new plant-forward options to its menus to celebrate Veganuary. The new range, created in collaboration with Paul Gayler MBE, will provide even greater variety, choice and access to healthier menu options in workplaces, hospital cafés and college and university dining halls across Ireland and the UK. In response to the growing demand for plant-forward menus, the company recently launched its first dedicated plantforward dining concept, Plant Market. Providing proof that eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Plant Market’s plant-forward menu aims to put a healthy spin on popular dishes while emphasising vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The new mouth-watering menu options include ‘Bad Boy Bondas, Bombay pickle, beet raita’; ‘Mac n Cheeseburger, truffle aioli, wild mushrooms, parmesan seasoned crinkle cut fries’; ‘Syrian eggplant wrap (Sabich Wrap)’; ‘Zhug relish to accompany a sabich sandwich wrap’; ‘Hot and sour aubergine and mushroom clay pot with basil and jasmine rice’; and ‘North African spiced cauliflower, sweet potato and kale pie with lentil dirty rice pilau.’
Bad boy bondas beet raita
Vegan and vegetarian options are seeing incredible growth, and it’s really exciting to see how this is shaping consumer demand. Our Plant Market offering has been a huge hit with customers, and Veganuary offers us the perfect opportunity to expand it even further.” Shane Flynn, Managing Director, Food Services and Facilities Management, Ireland explained “As part of our broad and ongoing commitment to health, wellness and sustainability, we continue to work towards offering more plant-forward menu options and alternate protein sources, which provide important health benefits to consumers, while minimising our environmental impact.” "We continually strive to offer diverse menus that appeal to everyone, no matter their lifestyle or dietary preferences. With a focus on quality, health, convenience and personalisation, the new menu options that we are introducing offer something for everyone” continued Shane.
Derek Reilly, Culinary Director at Aramark Northern Europe, “As consumers continue to embrace plant-forward eating, we’ve stepped up to the plate and expanded our menu selections, in collaboration with Paul Gayler MBE. We want to ensure we’re consistently providing choices that meet individual lifestyle and dietary preferences. Our Culinary teams have worked tirelessly to design menu options that are not only on-trend, but full of variety and complementary flavours.”
Paul Gayler MBE agrees, “Demand for plant-forward options continues to grow and the increased participation in initiatives like Veganuary really highlights how consumer demand is evolving.
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North African spiced cauliflower sweet potato and kale pie lentil dirty rice pilau
TOP TIPS TO MAXIMISE A PROFITABLE F&B RETURN THIS CONFIRMATION AND COMMUNION SEASON As we near the end of January, the peak festive season for
reason, for returning guests, make sure you have the right
wedding enquiries starts to wind down. As per our top tips
provider and tools in place to effectively market to this
for dealing with wedding enquiries over the festive season
audience, convert the booking and to upsell. By making
(here), we know you’ve had a busy few weeks capturing
sure your client database is up to date, you’ll have instant
couples data, acting upon and capitalising on this influx of
access to information at the touch of a button. Maybe
enquiries and have hopefully increased revenues into 2020
incentivise them with a complimentary bottle of wine to
and beyond.
enjoy when they next dine with you?
You might think you’re in for a breather….
We’ve said it before, they may be a wedding or communion client today, but they could become a lifelong friend of the
However, with Valentine’s Day around the corner (cue set
property bringing leisure, more family and even corporate
menus and rose petal gifts) followed by the beginning of
business with them. Get to know them, log their
F&B’s seasonal high with communion and confirmation
preferences and use your PMS and partner tools to
bookings (cue family entertainers and kid-friendly menus),
personalise their experience.
here’s Guestline’s top tips to drive total revenue and maximise a profitable F&B return throughout this busy
3.
Be Prepared…
season.
It can be an emotional time for a family hosting a communion or confirmation. Gone are the days of touring
1.
Know your property…
relatives homes sipping tea, now there are greater financial
You know your property and what your USP’s are. Do you
demands to host a party, to dine out with a family dinner,
have a busy ground floor business? Is your restaurant a
alongside balloons, family entertainment, 3 tiered cakes
destination for a romantic Valentine’s meal? Are you well
and party bags, meaning there is added pressure on hotels
known for your family friendly atmosphere? Are you
to up their game and provide a guest experience that is
focused solely on weddings, or are you a large hotel with
second to none.
many C&B requirements? Whatever your offering, define, strengthen and capitalise on this.
Plan to attract families early on, reach out to schools, the parish and know the date of your local communion and
2.
Target your audience…
confirmation celebrations. Have you got a clever enquiry
You know your property and the clientele itattracts so
form that is populated into your Property Management
ensure that your F&B marketing is targeted and relevant.
System? Don’t view the enquiry form as simply a data entry
Remember, many clients who book events at your hotel
tool to capture enquirer’s name and phone number for a
are more than likely previous guests or lifetime customers;
call back. Use it to learn as much information as you can
did they get married at your property? Is there an emotional
about them so that you can tailor a personalised
link to it? Do they regularly host family get togethers there?
experience – are they local? How many people in their
Perhaps it’s where they had their first date or better still,
party? Do they have any special requests? Dietary
hosted their child’s christening and are now returning for
requirements? Have they stayed at the hotel before? etc…
said child’s communion or confirmation. Whatever the 10
With tailored set menus for the adults, creative children’s
Don’t forget to ensure your reputation management
menus required, a private space to host the entertainment
software is working hard for you. You want a guest to
and storage for all the gifts etc. (and that’s just one family!)
return so send them a follow up survey, a thank you email
you need to be prepared in order to ensure everything is in
or a reward off their next visit, they are likely to remember
hand. With Guestline’s Advanced C&B offering, there are
and appreciate the token.
many functions that make hotel life much easier and streamlined i.e. We can allocate spaces in your restaurant,
Remember, subtle changes can make a huge difference to
collate delegate lists and food choices, forecast revenue for
your overall revenue. By utilising your PMS and C&B
your events and create individual contracts and invoices
software to its full potential, you can instantly become more
per family. It also allows guests to pre-book, pre-order and
operationally efficient allowing you and your team to spend
pre-pay and even has a section to highlight special notes
more time with the guest.
i.e. Family X left a cake in the fridge, Table 20 requested a high-chair, Table 2 has a nut allergy etc. saving your team lots of time and manual admin. 4.
Create a sense of occasion…
We’ve all been there. Waiting on a booking to arrive and suddenly realise they are a no show. How did they book? Was it directly? Can you capitalise on any walk ins to substitute the revenue loss? For a big occasion night i.e. Valentine’s Day, you want to be sure that you have a strategy in place to eliminate no shows and guarantee revenue on the night. Whilst you are well within your rights to request pre-payment when accepting a booking, you might look at creating a sense of occasion, almost like a ticketed event – by utilising your PMS to sell pre-paid tables in advance (perhaps with the promise of a free romantic gift). This guarantees revenue for your restaurant, eliminates no shows and gives you time to focus on creating a clever upsell strategy. 5.
Add the finishing touches…
There are several finishing touches that will really add to the overall guest experience: One thing you can be sure of is that parents will take lots of pictures of their child on their big communion or confirmation day. Why not introduce some props with branding, perhaps a photobooth and a creative hashtag to drive social media engagement? Personal touches are important and there is guaranteed to be at least one mini disaster. Pop some little extras in the bathrooms i.e. a sewing kit for burst seams, deodorant for nervous Valentine’s dates or plasters for when the high heels become a bit too much – there will be at least one person at each event that will be thankful 11
for this.
Excel Recruitment is delighted to announce the opening of newest office in Naas, Co. Kildare Excel Recruitment entered the new decade in style, officially opening our 3rd location and our 7th office overall in our brand-new Kildare home. Our new base, conveniently located in Southern Link Business Park, will allow us to meet candidates on the ground in a central location at a time that suits them, speeding up the time to hire and streamlining the recruitment process for both our clients and candidates. A new location is not the only exciting expansion we’ve seen as our numbers have grown. Alongside our established team, led by senior recruiter Fiona Rigney, we are joined in our new Naas by two fantastic recruiters, Shannon Harris and Chelsea Callan. Shannon will be heading up our industrial recruitment division in Naas and is a hugely experienced recruiter with a wellearned reputation for meeting and exceeding her clients' needs. Chelsea Callan will work alongside Fiona Rigney, servicing our hospitality clients across Kildare and Leinster. To learn more about our Naas office or how Excel Recruitment can help you with your recruitment needs, get in touch with our Director Shane Mclave or 01-8717676 or email shane@excelrecruitment.com
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David Collins, co-founder and chief operating officer for The Great National Group, talks about the group’s newly launched yield/channel management tool which is transforming rooms revenue performance for independent hotels. “Designed to automate yielding and ultimately reduce third party commissions paid by hotels to OTAs, Great National’s Revanista Platform applies a granular approach to managing rate strategy; enables local demand and supply to be analysed; facilitates busy hotel owners with more informed pricing; and enables accelerated multi-channel rate and rooms distribution.”
“Looking at the sample 7 day period of 11 - 17 September 2019, Revanista deployed a total of 18,962 messages including rate changes, availability updates, channel opens, etc.. For the same period, the direct revenue – that is, revenue through the hotel’s website – increased by 6% and average booking values increased by 27%.”
“What we’ve done with Revanista – with the help of state investment from Enterprise Ireland - is effectively to digitize our own proven yielding processes, processes that we’ve been developing and successfully applying for independent hotels for the past 10 years.”
And the reason for this improved performance is quite simple. Not only are we dynamically managing price based on real intelligence but changes are being implemented simultaneously .. faster than any of the hotel’s comp set. Which in turn is driving improved engagement with bookers.”
“We’ve however now taken this to another level allowing users to spot and plan around underlying trends not obvious to the busy eye. With the best will in the world, a yield manager will only see so much. Revanista not only deploys rate decisions but also recommends revenue strategy.”
“And critically another consequence of deploying Revanista was a 50% reduction in labour required to handle these rate changes so we’re accelerating revenue whilst reducing handling costs.”
“Take the 62-bedroom 3-star Central Hotel in Tullamore.”
“Cloud-based, the Revanista Platform is both agile and secure, and in a nutshell, is ideal for independent hotels but suitable too for any accommodation providers wishing to improve the management of their room rate strategy, with greater transparency and increased effectiveness.” To find out more or to request on-line demonstration of the Revanista Platform at TTE 2020 in London (stand number T148, 26 – 27 February), please email David Collins at hello@revanista.com or visit ww.revanista.com
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2020 CPD COURSES
TU DUBLIN PART-TIME & CONTINUING EDUCATION 2019-2020 Higher Certificate in Hospitality Management Studies Overview: This programme is suitable for people currently working in the hospitality industry, now wishing to gain a formal recognised qualification. Aim: This two-year part-time programme gives graduates an in-depth knowledge and insight into all aspects necessary to manage and run a successful business or to develop a career in the sector. Completion of the programme provides participants with a strong foundation in current management practices, and trends. The programme will provide students with the knowledge, skills and competencies for operational, supervisory and management roles in the global hospitality sector. For more information, please click here
Continuing Professional Development – Undergraduate Semester Modules Starting the week of 27th January 2020, these modules will run one evening a week; for 12 weeks with assignments and exams as part of the module; these modules are 5 ECT credits. Communications and Customer Service Management Financial AccountingIntroduction to Marketing Introduction to Front Office / Rooms Division Management Introduction to Human Resources Management Cost accounting and Decision Making The Management of Food Safety for the Hospitality Sector Strategic Management: An applied Approach Financial Planning and Control For more information, please contact Mary Dineen mary.dineen@tuDublin.ie
Executive Education Modules Starting the week of 27th January 2020, these modules will run one day (3 hours) a week; for 12 weeks with assignments and exams as part of the module; these modules are 10 ECT credits. International Event Management Managing Finance and Entrepreneurship Emerging issues in Hospitality, Tourism and Event sector Strategic Revenue Management and Distribution International Tourism Trends, Markets and Products For more information, please contact Mary Dineen mary.dineen@tuDublin.ie
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2020 CPD COURSES
MSc (Business and Hospitality) College of Business, Public Policy, & Law, Shannon College of Hotel Management Course Code: MBH Course Overview: The M.Sc. in Business and Hospitality is designed for those with hospitality/business qualifications or experience who wish to develop their knowledge of hospitality systems, trends and business applications to an advanced level. The programme is designed as a specialist course which assists students in blending their existing talents with the advanced hospitality and business skills and knowledge needed to manage a modern hospitality organisation. Modules include Global Business and International HRM, Project Management, Information Technology for Hospitality and Performance and Revenue Management. The programme will be offered on a full-time basis over one academic year or on a part-time basis over two academic years. The programme will consist of lectures, seminars, industry exposure, experiential learning, in-company study, computer-based simulation, guest speakers and projects in the relevant subjects. For more information, please click here.
Executive Education Programme Certificate in Hospitality Leadership and Management 1. An interactive Hospitality Leadership and Management Programme designed exclusive for Hospitality Professionals led by Shannon College and Industry experts 2. An opportunity to take time out to equip yourself both personally and professionally with the skills required to progress in today’s changing and challenging business environment. 3. A programme that combines proven theory with real world applications. 4. A chance to build connections by facilitating peer-to-peer learning – a key to developing ideas and broadening your thinking. A 2-day residential programme, aimed at middle & senior management – dates as follows: March 2nd & 3rd 2020 Topics covered include: People Management - Managing your most challenging & valuable asset Finance for non-financial managers Revenue Management is not just for bedrooms Creating the right environment for customer engagement Getting the balance right – Mental Health Find out more For full details of the course, please visit the Course Website
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Business Hotel Management) 2 0 2 0 CStudies P D C O(International URSES College of Business, Public Policy, & Law, Shannon College of Hotel Management CAO Code: GY261 This programme is delivered at the Shannon College campus in Co Clare. In 2015 Shannon College of Hotel Management became a College of NUI Galway. The BBS in International Hotel Management at Shannon College of Hotel Management gives students the unique opportunity to combine professional practical training, language development, extensive business studies theory and hands on work experience in the international hotel industry. This combination of practical learning and theory creates a dynamic, confident graduate who is well equipped to begin their career in business management in the hotel industry or in a host of other industries. Students will gain international experience during their studies, making them highly sought after graduates. This has been reflected in the 100% employment record on graduation day since the college was founded. This is the perfect qualification for a student who is interested in a global profession that is varied, unpredictable, exciting and challenging, with boundless opportunities for career growth and progression.All applicants must attend a selection interview, for which up to 300 points may be awarded. Shannon College will contact all students directly by post after CAO closing dates to arrange their interview. Please notify Shannon College’s Admissions Office if you do not receive correspondence from the college shortly after the CAO closing dates. Interviews are normally held in April and also in July as the course is not restricted. Find out more For full details of the course, please visit the Course Website
Cork Institute of Technology Tourism & Hospitality Part-Time Courses Gourmet Culinary Techniques This hands-on course provides skills and knowledge in the areas of cooking, enabling them to produce safe, nutritious and wholesome foods. The student will learn different techniques and processes associated with culinary hot and cold dishes from both traditional Irish and International Cuisines. Pastry, Tarts and Gateaux This course provides skills and knowledge in the areas of modern pastries. This is a hands-on course where the student will gain practical experience in class. Revenue Management & Distribution The area of Revenue Management in the hospitality industry is of increasing importance in the overall strategic direction of the organisation. This course explores the rationale, theory and practice of Revenue Management and Distribution, which seeks to maximise the revenue and profit generated by the limited capacity associated with hospitality businesses. The Art of Mixology & Cocktail Making An introduction to the world of cocktails, establishing a practical base in the methods of cocktail preparation and service. For more information,on any of the part-time CIT courses above, please click here. 17
IHI PATRONS