AccomNews Australia - Autumn 2019

Issue 67 | Autumn 2019 | AUD $16.50 incl GST | accomnews.com.au

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The essential industry guide

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Inside our Autumn issue Front Desk Editor’s Note: All change in the world of accom..

Industry

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EDITOR Kate Jackson, editor@accomnews.com.au STAFF WRITERS Mandy Clarke and Trish Riley PRODUCTION Richard McGill, production@accomnews.com.au ADVERTISING Tim Svenson, t.svenson@accomnews.com.au Trish Riley, t.riley@accomnews.com.au SERVICE Gavin Bill, service@accomnews.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Bradley Woods, Brendon Granger, Connie Rheams, David Lund, Doug Kennedy, Judy Senn, Laura Younger, Margy Osmond, Matthew Goss, Richard Munro, Stephen Ferguson and Stuart Lamont

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Supplier information or content Suppliers share their views in one-off, topical pieces General editorial. Case studies and features may cite or quote suppliers, please be aware that we have a strict ‘no commercial content’ guideline for all magazine editorial, so this is not part of any commercially funded advertorial but may be included as relevant opinion. Happy reading!

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

AAoA Report: Proud of our achievements but there’s more to do

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CIAA Report: New RV report first of its kind

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ATHOC Report: Busting myths about timeshares

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TAA Report: Co-existing with short stay platforms and rentals

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TAA Report: Selling the message of exciting, dynamic, rewarding careers

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TFF Report: What Australians want...

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Management What happens when the growth stops?

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Personalisation: What it is, and what it is not

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What’s Hot

18

Technology

30

See the whole picture with next-generation TVs

20

5G: What does it mean for wifi?

24

Are we destined for a robotic hotel workforce?

25

Marketing What are the positives of franchising?

26

Guest Facilities How barbeques fire up a national passion

30

Safety & Security Safe, secure, seamless: Does door lock technology deliver?

32

Refurbishment

40

Inside story: the design trends of 2019

38

Stamford Plaza Adelaide’s all-embracing $5m refurbishment

40

Why accessibility is key to accom’s future

46

Does your property need a refresh?

The importance of regular renovations

48

Energy & Resources Turning bleak mid-winters into sunny times

49

Housekeeping

KEY Commercially funded supplier profile or supplier case study

05

60 FRONT DESK

Using amenities to tell your story

50

Accom beds: The new generation helping guests sleep easy

54

Will this cleaning experiment change the world?

58

Human Resources How to combat turnover

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Preferred Supplier Directory

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NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

The winds of change are blowing through accom this autumn.

Of course, few believe the US booking giants controlling 84 percent of our online listings will just hand over their competitive advantage with a smile and a wave.

Six long months after I urged readers to ‘watch this space’, confident Dick Smith’s social media tirade against online travel agents would prompt a speedy ban on rate parity clauses, finally not one but two breakthroughs came along.

Labor’s announcement last month that, if elected, it would ban the clauses imposed by OTAs on their Aussie partner properties was a watershed moment. Then came an equally stunning announcement from Expedia that it would abandon the clauses for all its Australian listings ahead of the imminent conclusion of an ACCC investigation into OTA practices. That investigation seems to have moved at snail’s pace, but those ‘in the know’ believe the consumer watchdog will move to enforce a parity ban within months, forcing Booking.

EDITOR’S NOTE

All change in the world of accom..

Kate Jackson, Editor, AccomNews editor@accomnews.com.au

com to toe the line alongside Expedia even if Labor manages to lose the unlosable election.

Of course, few believe the US booking giants controlling 84 percent of our online listings will just hand over their competitive advantage with a smile and a wave. New threats are emerging - Booking.basic among them - which a cynical industry suspects will undermine operators’ attempts to wrest back control of their own bookings.

One of those we have relied on to fight our corner when it comes to OTA dominance is Accommodation Association of Australia’s outgoing CEO Richard Munro. He, and Tourism Accommodation Australia’s recently departed chief executive Carol Giuseppi, have lobbied and advocated on behalf of the sector for almost a decade and their input will be missed.

Munro, for example, vowed to keep a “watching brief” that property rankings on Expedia will not fall for operators who decide to advertise rates on their own websites lower than

those they offer through the commission-charging OTA. Let’s hope his successor is equally vigilant on accom’s behalf.

As those winds of change continue to blow this autumn, now could be the perfect time for operators with ageing or underpowered property management systems to consider an upgrade. Our comprehensive lift-out this quarter can help guide you through selecting the perfect PMS - it could just be the breath of fresh air your business needs.

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hotelinteriors.com.au • 1300 876 055 FRONT DESK

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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AAoA Report

Proud of our achievements

but there’s more to do The Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA) is very proud to have led the way on aiding the government, the cross benchers and the opposition on understanding the predicament that Australian businesses are in under the yolk of the duopoly of Priceline and Expedia.

Labor were the first to move on a very considered policy to ban rate parity in Australia. MPs, such as Bob Katter, absolutely support Australian businesses like ours that are providing a prime product for our customers, only to be held to ransom by these giants. Our many conversations with the government indicate that they would not oppose the rate parity ban and may endorse the very same policy – we await their response, stay tuned.

Industrial relations has reared its head during the election and the ambit claims by the Sally McManus of the ACTU to take the minimum wage up 6 percent next year and up 5.5 percent the following are reckless statements that feed hope to award wage earners and fear into business,

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

work we are undertaking, the benefits and services we provide to our members.

In the last year we have added the following important advisory boards to the one national board, representing the accommodation industry:

Richard Munro, CEO, Accommodation Association of Australia

causing a wedge which suits the union ambition. Our industry has sustained two successive increases to the minimum wages of over 3 percent and adding another circa 12 percent (6 + 5.5 percent compounded) will be enough for our industry to start shedding jobs. Ms McManus’s ambition to bestow these meteoritic unsustainable increases onto our industry will be fought. Both major parties cannot, and will not, support such an industry wrecking wage claim if they want continued prosperity for all Australians.

We are very proud of how the industry has embraced the Accommodation Association, and our exceptional growth in membership and corporate partners is testimony to the

•

NSW State Advisory Board – chaired by Mr Pat Lonergan

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QLD State Advisory Board – chaired by Mr Mark Hodge

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VIC State Advisory Board – chaired by Mr Adrian Williams

•

National Advisory Board of Employment – chaired

by Mr David Mansfield

•

Distribution Advisory Board – chaired by Mr Matt Rubie

•

Energy Procurement Committee – chaired

by Mr Bill Harris

These groups represent the majority of rooms in Australia, with over seventy men and women serving on these various boards and committees giving their own time and expertise to ensure our industry has the best possible outcomes for our members.

I am also very proud of the AAoA team that backs up these

INDUSTRY

leaders, with our staff across the country who run events, deliver industry insight, professional advice and benefits that save our members expenses or help grow their business.

The latest report Toward 2030 handed down from the steering committee and chaired by Ms Kerrie Mather represents a body of work as the next iteration of the Tourism 2020 project.

The report looks at the future of tourism in this country and paints a healthy pipeline of visitor numbers as well as recommendations to accelerate our tourism industry. Of particular interest to our members is the forecast growth of accommodation rooms and the focus on dispersal of tourism to regional areas, an advocacy position taken

by AAoA that was part of our submission to the review.

Our various boards are advocating for many important issues and as far as I know this is the first time regional dispersal has been included in a federal recommendation. The majority of our industry is made up of motels in regional areas and this one recommendation must be given serious support by whichever party wins the election in 2019.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

CIAA Report

New RV report first of its kind Caravan Industry Association of Australia, in partnership with our State Association members, is excited to announce the release of our latest research report - RV Consumer 2018.

The inaugural 2018 RV Consumer Report is the most comprehensive consumer study of its kind in Australia to examine recreational vehicle purchasing and usage preferences among current vehicle owners, former owners, potential new market entrants and consumers who have limited preference for buying into the RV lifestyle.

Throughout the report, the research demonstrates core themes that are influencing RV ownership and purchasing patterns.

There is a high demand for RV ownership in Australia, however there are also numerous challenges.

RV consumers, with 80 percent of respondents saying the cost of the RV was the most important factor influencing their purchase.

Stuart Lamont, CEO, Caravan Industry Association of Australia

When it comes to current RV owners, the typical person is aged 33 years old with 71 percent purchasing second hand. 55 percent plan to upgrade, and the most common reasons for not yet having upgraded is financial ability and waiting to find the right RV. Two out of five owners have children aged under 15 at home, with the average household income being between $48,000 to $72,000 per annum. Having financial ability to buy into and remain in the RV lifestyle was the most significant factor across all

Another significant trend was the importance of children. Many consumers reported waiting for children to leave home before purchasing an RV, while others were wanting to start a family before purchasing or upgrading their RV. The research also found consumers are significantly more likely to purchase an RV if they had camped as a child.

When it comes to functionality and aesthetics, RV consumers weighted practicality over niceties, with 40 percent of consumers saying road handling was the most important feature they looked for in an RV. When considering a purchase, female consumers placed a higher importance on more RV features and amenities than males did. Societal changes are also

impacting RV ownership patterns, with 69 percent of current owners stating that time constraints such as work and personal commitments prevent them from using their RV more. Increased urbanisation is also leading to more people moving into smaller homes, where they have limited parking options for their RVs. As this is the first year of the new reporting series, which will be carried out every five years, the study sets the benchmarks required to examine the Australian population to understand shifts in consumer preferences, lifestyle choices, buying and selling trends, purchase intention, RV features and amenities preferences, rental and peer-to-peer usage, as well as travel and leisure patterns. The research is guided by a similar study undertaken by University of Michigan in partnership with RVIA, which also allows for benchmarks and comparisons between the Australian and US markets.

For more information about the report, contact jessicab@caravanindustry.com.au.

ATHOC Report

Busting myths about timeshares Close to one million Australians have an interest in timeshare and it remains one the most popular holiday options. The industry generates around $620 million annually and employs some 2,000 people. Here are some truths around timeshare.

Around 100 properties make up Australia’s timeshare industry and they enjoy an 85 percent annual occupancy rate - a rate many would give their right arm for! However, at ATHOC we often come across misconceptions and generalisations about the industry which fail to paint a true picture of timeshare in Australia. I thought I’d explode a few myths about the industry for AccomNews readers: Myth: Timeshare owners are mostly from an older generation.

Truth: 67 percent of timeshare owners are between the ages of 18 and 54.

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

level of transparency with no obligation and consumers are free to walk away at any time.

Myth: Timeshare owners believe the sales process is high pressure.

Truth: More than seven out of ten recent purchasers (71 percent) found their buying experience to be either excellent or good.

Laura Younger, CEO, Australian Timeshare Holiday Ownership Council

Unlike other tourism products timeshare is classed as a financial product and is strictly regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Contrary to popular belief, timeshare staff don’t provide investment advice - they’re not allowed to.

Rather their advice must only relate to timeshare and how consumers can achieve their holiday goals. When buying into timeshare there is a high

Despite claims from certain quarters, there’s no smoke and mirrors at sales presentations and no obligation on anyone who attends a presentation to purchase a timeshare product.

Attendees are furnished with a comprehensive Product Disclosure Statement which they are encouraged to read before they commit to purchase. And there is the obligatory cooling-off period after consumers signup to a timeshare product. It’s clearly explained to consumers that timeshare is not an investment for financial gain.

The industry is very clear here that if a consumer isn’t sure

INDUSTRY

about buying into timeshare, then they shouldn’t sign up.

Myth: Timeshare owners are from a lower income bracket.

Truth: Owners’ mean household income is approximately $93,000 and median income is $81,000.

Myth: Most timeshare owners want to get out of their contract.

Truth: 70 percent of owners would recommend timeshare ownership and nearly 75 percent would recommend their home resorts to others, based on their experiences.

Some of the world’s largest and most respected hotel companies including Accor Vacation Club, Marriott Vacation Club, Wyndham Vacation Clubs Asia Pacific, and Classic Holidays operate timeshare in Australia. And many other large hotel brands have timeshare including Hilton, Starwood and Disneyland. These are reputable brands with quality timeshare products that are enjoyed by many people.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

When Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia visited Australia in 2017, he was reported as saying: “When we go city by city, country by country, the majority of our hosts; our owners are simply renting out their spare bedroom.”

Gebbia also went on to say Airbnb “loves paying taxes” and “believes in regulation”.

is its willingness to also list residential accommodation that is not approved, registered or designed for short stay use.

This is what makes the current model totally unacceptable and the ability to operate in this manner is only made possible by a lack of regulation and an absence of enforcement.

Bradley Woods, Acting National Executive Director, Tourism Accommodation Australia

If this was the case, the Australian licensed accommodation industry should have little cause for concern. However, these comments are hard to accept.

(AHA) recognise hosted home sharing has always existed, however we know that those types of listings are now comprehensively dominated by entire homes or apartments.

Gebbia did make one statement during his visit that is believable.

He said: “Airbnb is not going away. The genie is out of the bottle and it’s not going back in.”

It is the unhosted and unlicensed properties that are the cause of most concerns associated with unregulated short stay accommodation.

Thus the key question for the Australian short stay licensed accommodation sector is how does it co-exist with short stay platforms?

TAA and AHA are strongly advocating on behalf of the licensed accommodation industry across Australia to ensure a level playing field for those small, medium and large businesses which comply with the regulations, rules and requirements set for them versus those that don’t.

The accommodation industry can co-exist with genuine home sharing, where the host is present and able to provide an authentic experience to guests.

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) and the Australian Hotels Association

Airbnb could be another global online travel agent.

What currently sets it apart

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Jurisdictions around the world are moving to regulate online platforms and the short stay sector for a variety of different reasons, all of which are applicable to different parts of Australia.

There has been a collective understanding by regulators, policy makers, industry and the community that home sharing platforms are no longer just selling spare bedrooms.

Airbnb did not become a $38 billion multinational giant by renting out air mattresses in a spare room, which is how the company began in late 2007.

Across Australia’s states and territories there are a number of ways that short stay accommodation properties can register and be compliant with the law. Requiring short stay platforms to sell only compliant accommodation should not be an unrealistic demand.

Nor should enforcement be a burdensome task.

INDUSTRY

Looking at approaches to regulation around the world, a mandatory registration scheme is now understood to be a baseline requirement if regulation and enforcement is to be effective.

To date, Australia has adopted a very soft approach to regulating Airbnb. In jurisdictions that have adopted lax regulations we are already seeing policy makers go back to the drawing board to impose more effective and stringent measures.

Placing fair and reasonable regulations on hosts and platforms is not only in the interests of regulated accommodation providers – it is in the public interest.

The problems associated with unregulated short stay accommodation are numerous and significant. Left unaddressed, we will see an exacerbation of problems such as employment opportunities being undermined, community amenity being damaged, further pressure on housing costs and guest safety being compromised.

Policy makers can’t be daunted by online platforms. Everyone must play by the rules lest we run the risk of undermining the rule of law and trashing a concept that Aussies hold dear - a fair go for all.

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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TAA Report

Co-existing with short stay platforms and rentals

AHA Report

Selling the message of exciting, dynamic, rewarding careers Across the hotel industry we are hearing many stories of businesses concerned about where their future workforce will come from.

TAA and AHA routinely hear about staff shortages in both pubs and hotels, particularly when it comes to filling skilled and managerial positions.

It is even more concerning for our regional members.

Australia’s $55.3 billion tourism industry is in an unprecedented period of growth and has rightly been identified as a supergrowth sector of Australia’s transitioning economy. We continue to break records when it comes to international visitors and expenditure, and domestic visitation is also on the rise.

Yet despite the positive outlook for the industry, it is not attracting workers at a viable pace, with the Australian Tourism Labour Force Report (2015-16) highlighting a need for 123,000 skilled and unskilled workers by 2020 to meet rising demand.

The accommodation sector, one of the major employers in the industry, has also identified the need for a skilled workforce. More than $8 billion is being invested in the sector, and there are over 40,000 rooms in the development pipeline across Australia.

Therefore, it is vital that we are supported by a skilled and productive workforce, one that will allow Australia to remain competitive on the global stage as a desirable tourism location and as an attractive option for holiday makers.

Retaining and encouraging a workforce of Australians is hugely important. These are the people who can provide the unique sense of community and culture that only Australian hotels can offer to travellers.

Industry and government data shows there are not enough workers to support the industry’s growth. Sadly, many

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

Stephen Ferguson, CEO, Australian Hotels Association

businesses just can’t attract qualified chefs for example, with five of our seven states and territories reporting shortages.

We are also competing for labour with other growth areas, such as aged care.

The AHA and TAA work hard to ensure that our members and their interests are represented and protected, from small mum-and-dad operations to large accommodation providers in capital cities.

With an upcoming Federal Election, there is shared anticipation about what our major parties will do to develop policy that supports these labour and skills shortages. We are keen to see more on what ideas they have to stimulate the workforce to meet the projected growth of our industry and the new skills that will be needed in the coming years.

One significant challenge is attracting young workers. Young people perceive hospitality as a short-term option that’s a bit of fun, a chance to work with people and make a few mates, but not necessarily an industry in which to build a career.

We are a vibrant and peopleoriented industry, but we are also much more. There are a multitude of different paths you can take in hospitality.

Your career can take you from the local pub to world class sporting venues, from a small bed-and-breakfast to a luxury resort, and even overseas.

There are streams beyond food and beverage, and careers can be forged in marketing,

events, finance, IT, engineering, accommodation management, sales and communications.

There is an opportunity to better communicate to Australians that hospitality jobs can lead to serious careers that span a lifetime. This can be facilitated by improved coordination between government and industry, something the AHA and TAA have been

INDUSTRY

advocating to government and opposition and are already pursuing through initiatives with members.

We are ready for the workforce of the future, and we know that there are Australians out there hungry for a career that is exciting, dynamic, and most of all, immensely rewarding.

We look forward to welcoming them to our industry.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

On Friday March 8 TTF hosted our Federal Leadership Summit for 2019, and what a great success it was.

economy, while 57 percent believe that the government needs to invest more money to promote Australia overseas.

65 percent of participants felt that it is time for the government to focus more on the tourism sector and 69 percent believe there needs to be more taxpayers’ dollars spent promoting regional tourism.

From the feedback we have had to date, I am sure we all took something away from some of the thought-provoking panel discussions, debates and speeches that were delivered.

Speakers at the event included Senator Marise Payne, Chris Bowen MP, Senator Janet Rice, Anthony Albanese MP, Senator Janet Rice, candidates for Warringah, Tony Abbott MP, Dean Harris, Kristyn Glanville, Susan Moylan Coombs and Zali Stegall.

The panellists were also joined

by Mark Textor, Sam Dastryari, Sky News political reporter David Speers, journalist Joe Hildebrand, News Corp Australia’s Lanai Scarr and Chanel Ten political reporter Phoebe Bowden.

The program assembled for Leadership 2019 was particularly diverse and delegates were treated to innovative and informed commentary by our

decision-makers, leaders, media commentators, but also a touch of controversy courtesy of the Warringah candidates’ debate.

And interestingly 79 percent of Australians are unaware that every person leaving Australia pays a compulsory $60 passenger movement charge (PMC) and that over half of the $1.2b raised each year goes into the government ‘piggy bank’.

To coincide with the summit, we also released some data which focused on ‘what Australians want’ when it comes to the tourism and transport sector.

In the field of transport, we saw that 76 percent believe that public transport in their capital city is average or better, which is a great result.

Our poll conducted by Nielsen found that Aussies think kindly of international tourists and believe they make Australia’s economy stronger.

84 percent believe that the Government should invest more in innovation in transport infrastructure and services and 64 percent of Aussies surveyed are ready to embrace the future where people and goods are transported by autonomous drones.

Margy Osmond, CEO, Tourism and Transport Forum

78 percent of those surveyed believe tourism bolsters the

Where the industry meets each year - NoVacancy Last July, more than 3,000 hotel and accommodation owners and operators hit Sydney for Australia’s largest industry tradeshow and conference, NoVacancy.

They came from accommodation properties large and small, making the trip from around the country to spend two days finding inspiration and ideas that can drive better business results.

We caught up with Brad Langton, NoVacancy Event Director, to understand what’s new and in store at this year’s event:

Q. Last year there were a mix of seminars, is this the same in 2019?

Q. What can visitors expect to see at NoVacancy?

A. Our team spends 12 months curating hundreds of quality suppliers across many categories; from software for PMS, revenue management and marketing to decoration, art and furniture that enhance your guest experience, energy and cost saving solutions, food & beverage products, virtual reality, robots and everything in between. It’s everything you’d expect and more importantly, amazing things you’ve not thought about that can help you be more profitable.

Get your FREE ticket @ NoVacancy.com.au with code: PAN19

A. We’re launching seven education summits to run across this year’s event, each speaking to different job functions. They include the Hotel Leaders’ Summit, Small Hotelier Summit, Restaurant Reinvented Summit, Hotel Engineering & Maintenance Summit, Hotel Marketing Summit, Revenue & Distribution Summit and Design Summit that cover a variety of practical and tactical learnings.

Q. Is the event still free, and if so, how and why?

A. Yes, NoVacancy is completely free for professionals working in the accommodation industry.

Suppliers fund the production of the event by participating in the expo; it gives them a platform to showcase the products and services you may already

INDUSTRY

The survey results are important, they make it crystal clear that Australians understand the value of the tourism and transport industries to our nation.

The industry and voters seem the be in sync about what is important.

In our recent federal budget submission, TTF put the following issues at the top of a government “to do” list: Further investment into Australia’s destination marketing agency, Tourism Australia A review of the Passenger Movement Charge and the level of over- collection Additional and improved visitor infrastructure, and Further investment in airport to city rail connectivity and regional rail networks.

TTF is committed to ensure that our ties with both sides of politics is strong, and that we deliver results. We strive to continually to highlight the importance of tourism, aviation and transport to all Australians. purchase or others that can make a difference in your business.

It’s equally as beneficial for readers to see everything under one roof across two days.

NoVacancy Expo is the mustattend annual hotel and accommodation industry event.

Put it in your calendar and come visit the AcommNews team at the expo.

The details: What:

NoVacancy Hotel + Hospitality Business Expo

When:

Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 July, 2019

Where:

ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour

Details: NoVacancy.com.au Offer:

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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TFF Report

What Australians want...

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There is no escaping the fact that technology is inspiring the new hotel operations.

The biggest technology changes in the hotel industry happen in the background, working to help the hotel streamline its operations.

According to Hotel Trend 2020, 93% of hoteliers surveyed agreed that “highly trained staff backed up by technology will be key to delivering personalized service & experiences”.

In a world where technology has only led to increased screen time, how does a hotel make sure that technology supports more face-up rather than face-down interactions?

Check-ins are a breeze Take the scenario of a guest arriving at a hotel and wanting an early check-in. The usual process is quite manual involving a lot of back and forth communication, from assigning the room to a housekeeper to confirming that the room is ready, and can be complicated.

With FCS Solutions, the process isn’t shortened by technology, but the time taken to complete the process is. A couple of clicks and the room is automatically prioritized on the assigned housekeeper’s FCS Housekeeping mobile app. Once the room is cleaned and supervised, it will be returned to the inventory; ready for guest occupancy. All done on-the-go-on a mobile app that is integrated seamlessly with the hotel’s PMS. No running around; no scraps of messages; no looking though schedules to find an available housekeeper. And the best part, instead of spending time getting the task done, the front desk staff can spend time with the guest with a more affable interaction.

93% of hoteliers surveyed agree “highly trained staff backed up by technology will be key to delivering personalized service & experiences”.

Guest requests fulfilled easily A hotel has many departments – housekeeping, front desk, engineering, concierge, laundry, etc – and most times, it is imperative that the departments communicate with one another.

FCS Solutions help to make sure that all the departments are on the same platform and can interact with each other seamlessly.

When a guest calls the front desk requesting additional bottles of water in the room, a job request is created and automatically dispatched to the first available runner. Once the bottles have

been delivered, the runner updates the app and the front desk is aware that the request has been fulfilled. When the guest informs the runner in the room that the lights are not working in the bathroom, the runner creates a request on his mobile app to the engineering team, and the first available engineer is dispatched to fix the light bulbs in the guest’s room. The guest is happy as they don’t have to chase the hotel to fix the problem. As the famous saying goes, ‘hit two birds with one stone.’

Happy staff means happy guests Technology helps staff do their jobs in a more efficient and effective way. Staff who are happier are friendlier with guests, and guests leave the hotel knowing that they were treated with the best hospitality; thereby increasing guest loyalty. FCS Solutions help hoteliers build that loyal bond with guests.

As the famous saying goes, ‘hit two birds with one stone.’

Things can get even easier for hotel staff and guests, as FCS Solutions can be integrated with most PMS, third-party and IoT solutions to provide a truly unforgettable experience to the guests.

At FCS, we enable hotels to deliver the best guest experience. With over three decades of global experience, FCS is a leading hospitality technology platform provider with an extensive portfolio of integrated products used by more than 5,000 hotels, with over 8,000 installations in 32 countries. FCS’ integrated platform for hotel operations enhances the guest experience with web- and mobile-based applications by automating and streamlining processes, empowering staff and providing hotel management with real-time information.

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Trusted by over 5,000 hotels worldwide, FCS is a leading platform for hotel operations optimization that enhances the guest experience by empowering staff, automating processes and providing hotel management with real-time information. With FCS’ Hospitality Operations Management platform, hoteliers have access to a complete suite that can be integrated with most PMS solution and third party tools.

For more information, contact us at fcs.sales@planet1world.com

What happens when the growth stops?

For almost ten years our industry has been a rocket ship of top line growth driven almost exclusively by big gains in revPAR driven by solid increases in occupancy and rate.

You also can’t go too far inside the online world without finding articles that speak to when and if this growth will stop. We all know it will and it’s never been a question of if it will stop, the question is when it will stop.

Knowing this growth inevitably will stop and being cognizant that when it does stop it will go backwards, what can you do?

History always repeats itself.

When the growth stops and revenues year over year shrink what will hotels do to minimise losses and maximise profit retention? For most of us we remember the major negative historical economic events of the past 25+ years and the results to the hotel business that followed. For me my memory going backwards is this: the 2007- 2009 debt crisis, SARS (I’m Canadian), 9-11 and the Gulf War. All of these had

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David Lund, The Hotel Financial Coach

a major impact on the hotels I worked in and we scrambled to throw anything and everything off the sinking ship.

I painfully remember: hiring and wage freezes, layoffs, mandatory vacations, amenity reductions, outlet closures, corporate training program suspensions, mandatory productivity targets and FF&E (furniture, fittings and electrical) contribution freezes.

I also remember pre-emptive contingency plans that targeted a 10-15 percent decrease in revenues that dictated reductions in: fixed staffing, linen pars, china glass and silver pars, fresh

flowers, service audits, uniform purchases, suspension of conferences, relocation freezes, VIP gift eliminations, departmental restructurings, management incentive plan cuts, live music expenses curtailment, aggressive food and beverage cost targets, elimination of administrative assistants, employee opinion survey cancellations, health and safety program reductions, moratoriums on seasonal parties and sports teams, a halt to the company newsletter and travel bans.

I took part in planning and communicating: in-house meal and entertainment stoppage, the temporary addition of energy surcharges, elimination of hotel executive auto leases, combining like positions, grandfathering personal device purchases, curtailing of cell phone reimbursement, direct in dial telephone line termination, fax number consolidations, pool attendant layoffs, security department day/time/hour reductions, crisis and communications training moratoriums, sales incentive plan restructuring, familiarisation trip reductions,

MANAGEMENT

guest floor shutdowns, and the elimination of supervisors on the front desk and in housekeeping.

I vividly recall how painful it was when we: eliminated turn down service; mandated business centre staffing cutbacks; eliminated onetime seasonal decoration expenses; trimmed dry cleaning privileges; downsized duty meals; we combined stores and receiving positions; we outsourced payroll services; we made cutbacks to in-house IT staff; we completed sales coordinator right sizing; we exercised reservation department closures; attempted Sunday lounge service moderation; delivered on banquet captain consolidations; completed valet parking outsourcing; started charging for parking; then the up-sell program pruning; and worst of all for me was the requirement to show all of these changes and adjustments in the subsequent detailed forecast for the balance of the year.

This is where the rubber hit the road. I recall how impossible it was to execute the reductions,

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in many cases, because the departmental managers did not know what was really in their budget/forecasts to begin with. Sure, they had dollars for their expenses and hours and dollars for their payroll, but it was not defined in detail.

There were no zero-based expenses where we could really look at the current shopping list and eliminate or adjust real things. The same with payroll, there was no fixed staffing guide and no formula for variable payroll. We just took our expenses from last year and added five percent when doing the budget and the same with payroll; wages were forecast to increase three percent, so we added three percent. We did cost per cover and cost per room occupied so we would simply extrapolate that and create the budget. Things would come together because they always do until they didn’t any longer.

We didn’t know what was in the middle of our statement so when someone said reduce something it’s like, OK we will make that change but it’s not a

When the growth stops and revenues year over year shrink what will hotels do to minimise losses and maximise profit retention?”

defined result because we were starting without a list, without a real starting point.

Here is a domestic example of what I mean. If I send you to the grocery store with $200 and tell you to go buy some groceries you will come back with $200 worth of stuff. On the other hand, if I send you to the store with a list and the corresponding costs for each item you will come back with exactly what was on the list. Now this is where it gets good. I now send you to the store with the same list, but I

only give you $175 to spend. I inform you that we must make some reductions this month.

I now tell you to eliminate, reduce or forgo what you can to equal the new cash I gave you. This way you know what you’re starting with and what your changes result in.

The same applies to payroll.

You need a concrete fixed staffing list that’s approved annually with your budget and meticulously maintained through the year and a detailed staffing formula for every

variable payroll category in your entire hotel – not a guide of payroll cost percentage by department or an hour per room or covers formula.

These are useless when it comes time to trim, reduce and curtail. They do not work when reductions are necessary. They just confuse the executives and frustrate the department managers.

The next big thing as I see it is, we learn from our past mistakes. We take the appropriate actions to ensure our operating department managers all know what’s in the middle of their statements, down to how many of each item and at what cost that makes up every line of their expenses. We also need to go down to a monthly payroll forecast that is detailed by position and contains the exact number of hours wage rate. This way when it’s time once again to cut costs we will have a real starting point.

Or, we can just hold our breath like I did and hope that it will all get better soon.

Once upon a time...

protel Services Marketplace Next-generation, vendor neutral, online marketplace that simplifies hotel technology integration, reduces cost, and enables hotel freedom of choice.

Imagine a world where you can go online, browse an online marketplace just as you do with your smartphone App-Store, see all the leading systems and latest available, get reviews on the myriad of systems from an independent authority (HotelTechReport), and then, simply click-to-install to integrate any one of these systems with your property management system.

Let’s go one better. Stop imagining! It’s here, and it’s called protel Services Marketplace.

Visit store.protel.io. Technology imagined. Technology delivered.

Last year we wrote an article here about building an online enterprise hospitality framework (EHF) that seamlessly integrates many property management

business risk. Will it work with existing hardware? With software from other vendors? Will it grow with demand? How good is the support? And can it be switched out again, if it doesn’t deliver?

systems with as many other systems in the cloud, any, all.

Back then we were well underway building the EHF. Now it’s a reality and even in use by many hotels around the world.

Not only does this remove what was previously high cost barriers and reliance on different vendors and lead-time, but it’s now so evolved that we can now say “click, click, done”. Let’s explain.

When a hotel buys software today, it’s mostly not easy, it’s not fun, and piled high with real

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A key component of protel’s Hospitality Platform is this Services Marketplace - an easy to use App-Store for hotels. Our online store for browsing and integrating new hotel apps as easily as on a smartphone! Apps are preconfigured to integrate with each other, removing all traditional integration barriers. And with oneclick-install simplicity, exciting new apps can even be managed and deployed on its own or centrally across multiple properties.

This ground-breaking concept is now reality and quickly gathering momentum in the industry. But its way more than just a collection of 3rd-party software. Working closely with AWS, protel engineers guarantee system reliability, security and performance going forward, even for the largest of customers and tech-stacks. Its why one of the world’s largest

MANAGEMENT

hotel chains have already signed up.

The Developer Toolkit empowers all vendors to take advantage of HTNG real-time messaging to keep critical hotel-data synchronised between apps, on the fly, and as standard. If you are a vendor wanting to be a part of it, simply signup and start integrating.

Visit developer.protel.io and join the community. To ensure speedy and consistent industry-wide delivery of only the best hotel technology, the protel Services Marketplace fully embraces collaborative, vendor-neutral businesses, to provide transparent and switched-on thinking to all connected hotels, at the point of need.

Hotels can finally have peace of mind, choosing their own bestof-breed system, with no strings attached. Click. Click. Done.

For further details contact: Craig Chait (Managing Director) (03) 9525 0525 or Email cchait@xnprotel.com AccomNews - Autumn 2019

15

Personalisation: What it is, and what it is not There’s nothing that makes a stay feel less personalised than poor attempts at personalisation.

Being in the field of hospitality training, it grabs my attention when I see the word “personalisation” in a headline or the title of a conference session.

Lately this seems to be a more popular buzzword than ever.

However, when I read the post or attend presentations, it seems the recommended solutions always seem to centre around data collection and then some tech solution.

Being on the road for around 140 days each year, I am also on the receiving end of the hospitality industry’s attempts to deliver personalisation.

From my perspective, there is a huge disconnect between what too many leaders believe personalisation is all about and the reality of what it feels like when one experiences it. As a result, I put together this list:

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Using a scripted, impassive welcome statement saying “Thank you for your loyalty”

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Being ‘Mr. Kennedyed’ to death by a server who uses my name in every sentence

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Having a room service server who, when I open the door, greets me with: “May I enter your room?” because of brand standards and rating services instead of a personalised “Good evening, Mr. Kennedy, dinner is served.”

Doug Kennedy, President, Kennedy Training Network

Guest personalisation is not: •

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Sending a generic text message saying: “Welcome to the hotel.

How is your room?”

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Using an email template listing “local area attractions”

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Making an intrusive phone call while I am busy unpacking to ask “How is your room sir, good?”

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Knowing if I like foam or feather pillows

Using a scripted welcome message to be read verbatim, for example when checking in very late and asking about a ride to the airport at 5am then I am told: “OK, sir, now breakfast starts at 6:30am.”

Being asked: “What brings you to the hotel today?” only to hear about the spa (which has hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) after replying that I’m there for an all-day meeting

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When my name appears as I revisit a website as it doesn’t win long-term loyalty

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Forcing me to use a smart TV to order room service because it takes longer and it’s less forgiving when forgetting to order something extra.

Attempts at personalisation such as these generate about as many ‘warm fuzzies’ as the Happy Birthday texts and emails I get from my doctor, dentist and auto dealership.

arrival. “By the way Mr. Kennedy, since you are leaving at 5 a.m.—before breakfast opens—we do sell to-go snacks in our lobby marketplace.”

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An authentic statement that welcomes me back specifically

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When someone sincerely asks: “How was your trip in today?” and listens attentively when I share my travel dramas

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A personalised room assignment, such as returning to the same room from a previous visit

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The feeling I get when walking down a long hallway and hotelier looks me in the eye, smiles and says: “Good morning!”

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A sincere compliment such as “Nice tie you have on today, sir”

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Personalised recommendations of authentic local restaurants and attractions

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When I ask to reconfirm travel times or for driving directions and someone suggests a shortcut or better routing than Google Maps

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An easy-to-find local phone number when I really need to call the front desk for a quick question

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Pronouncing a difficult-tosay last name (when guests call to book or reconfirm, smart hoteliers enter the phonetic pronunciations into ‘guest comments’ field)

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When someone returns a call about a lost-and-found item and says: “Yes, we found it” or “regretfully we did not locate it” to give a sense of closure

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Offering to store personal items that are hard to travel with and costly to check for guests who return frequently multiple times a month. ■

Guest personalisation is: •

•

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A personalised text from the same front-desk colleague who checked me in saying “Greetings Mr. Kennedy, this is John from the front desk, just checking to make sure your stay is off to a good start…”

A front-desk colleague who proactively volunteers relevant information upon

MANAGEMENT

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LAST ONE OUT OF THE CLOSET Inevitably, the wardrobe as we know it, is headed to the bonfire of the vanities. Trend forecasters at Weatherdon & Co have introduced the Compass ironing board and caddy with a metal hook, created specifically to be on show, fit into tight spots or hung without competing for cupboard space. Changes in how guests use a room also makes housekeepers happier with less crannies to clean and no drawers for leave behinds. There’s more focus on functionality and comfort and less on clutter. Weatherdon’s top team of designers and manufacturers specify standards to meet the unique demands of the hospitality sector.

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See the whole picture with next-generation TVs

By Kate Jackson, Editor

In the Smart TV world, technology is moving at break-neck speed.

Functionality considered cutting edge even a year ago is becoming defunct as our viewing habits change and evolve.

The meteoric rise of streaming technology means consumers have quickly adapted to a personalised viewing and listening experience that embraces what they like and delivers it on demand.

Netflix says nearly 14 million Australians now have access to some form of subscription TV, up 11.8 percent on this time last year.

Manufacturers have responded by creating new commercial media packages which include built-in streaming adaptors (such as Chromecast) for instant and secure casting, as well as full access to the operating systems and app stores that guests use every day at home.

This improved performance, customisation and flexibility ensures hoteliers can provide

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

their guests with the very latest infotainment experience.

The built-in functionality offers a straightforward connection between in-room TVs and any compatible device, with no login or app download required.

This allows full access to the content on guests’ own devices, cast onto their hotel room TV, plus access through Google

Play Store, for example, to thousands of apps including YouTube and Spotify.

A suite of new developments is also providing a quantum leap in connectivity and personalisation for accommodation management staff.

Content, channel and app options can be combined into

TECHNOLOGY

a home screen - operated by a simple remote control - which can be custom-designed and branded according to the provider’s specifications.

Management platforms such as Philips’ CMND allow properties to create content, push it live across all screens and update it with ease. Managers can schedule individually tailored

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

With these systems, hotel managers can deliver customised welcome messages, promotional offers and local attraction information to specific rooms.

content - such as language spoken or business function details - to create personalised in-room communications across one or 100 rooms. And they can install, delete and manage apps on individually selected TVs, or across an entire TV network.

They even allow accom properties to offer an on-screen customer satisfaction survey for instant guest feedback - in time for any grievances to be addressed before negative reviews appear on TripAdvisor.

Analytics provided through the system, meanwhile, provides data which helps properties to customise their advertising and viewing options in differing situations and locations.

Remote management We asked Greg Bassine, director of Streamvision, to explain more about the advantages of remote management of TVs. He said: “Within a connected world, it is important that management teams of accommodation properties have access to key systems which can have a dramatic and immediate effect on their revenue and performance.

“Most systems within the hospitality market are built on cloud, or web based and hosted internally.

That means a manager of a property can easily access the system through a web browser.

Whether they can connect to the system remotely often depends on their IT policies.

“The advantage of being able to connect wherever they are is they can enact marketing opportunities or information bulletins as and when needed.

“This allows their go-to-market time to reduce and can bring amazing results in both revenue and customer service.”

BYO While there are many ways for a guest to BYOC (bring your own content) to a guestroom, the latest are far less cumbersome and damaging than their predecessors.

Greg says: “The obvious ones are plugging a USB device into the TV or having a playable device such as Blu Ray player or other device and connecting it to the in-room TV via HDMI. “While these methods are still often used, they are

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not practical for the guest or property. “Guests do not want to carry more devices than they already do, and unfortunately there are a lot of damaged TVs out there from guests plugging devices in and roughly taking them out.

“The technology coming to market now gives the guest the ability to ‘cast’ their own content from their personal mobile devices, including devices from Apple, Android and PC. “There are two accepted practices for this.

“There is screen mirroring, where a guest’s mobile device screen is replicated onto an in-room TV through various protocols, or the more practical method where a guest can ‘cast’ their content from an app, and this app speaks to the TV to receive the content from the original source.

“The guest’s mobile device is simply directing the TV to stream content from the content provider vs. sending it from the guest device to the TV. “This allows the guest to use their mobile device whilst still enjoying the content they want to watch.”

TECHNOLOGY

Payment plans Whatever your requirements in terms of screen sizes and numbers, manufacturers allow for a shortage of running capital across hospitality businesses and understand the importance of maintaining a current inventory of TVs. Lease options are offered by the major players which cover installation, maintenance and design options for properties ranging from country town motels to large resort and hotel groups.

Options include quarterly payments over set term periods and can be negotiated direct with the company.

Sizes and styling According to Greg, TV sizes and styles change as rapidly as the technology they employ.

“The current sizing for TVs in the hospitality market are 32, 40, 49, 55 and 65 inch, but these sizes often change year by year,” he said.

“When it comes to design, the trend always seems to be towards smaller bezels, making the screen immersive with its surroundings.” ■ AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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SIGN

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WIFI

24/7

CAST

What does it mean for wifi?

5G is the next evolution in mobile network technology. As with 4G before it, 5G is focused on mobile data. 5G will offer faster speeds with the capability of download speeds as fast as 20Gbps.

The vast improvement will be in mobile video streaming which, given its massive growth, will keep many people happy.

Realistically, individual users should see a minimum of 100Mbps download depending on the network and number of devices on the network at any particular time.

With the faster 5G speeds you can burn through your data quicker with the ability to stream at up to 8K resolution. You will be doing more on your phone, therefore requiring a larger plan (possibly more expensive).

5G will succeed 4G, but it will not replace it. 4G and 5G networks will exist simultaneously, and Australian telcos intend to keep 3G networks around until at least 2020. 5G phone plans don’t appear to have any significant price increases (at this stage) and will be part of your current plan when 5G goes live. In fact, plans may become cheaper.

Some telcos will offer unlimited monthly data on mobile plans and a promise of speeds of 50Mbps at a minimum. There

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

Judy Senn, Director, Time Out Internet

is talk of these plans becoming more of an NBN alternative to users than a wifi alternative.

To get the benefit of 5G services you will need to purchase new 5G phones.

It appears that major capital cities and some regional areas may have access throughout 2019 but that doesn’t mean you will immediately have access to 5G. There is a lot of work involved in rolling out new technologies with new transmission equipment required and it will probably be limited to places such as city centres and large metro areas. It will take a few years to rollout 5G networks and that may not be to everywhere.

So why do you still need to offer wifi to your guests at your complex if this superfast new technology will be available to everyone?

As the frequency used for 5G signal is higher, which means

signal range shortens from kilometres to hundreds of metres, transmission towers will need to be closer together to get sufficient external coverage. To get sufficient coverage, towers may need to be as close as 500 metres apart depending on the density of buildings in the area.

The higher frequencies used in 5G applications have difficulty penetrating solid objects such as buildings, walls and windows.

5G will be more dependent on line of sight between the transmission towers and your device than 4G. 5G signal is more easily blocked by obstacles.

Without transmission towers close together the signal penetration into buildings will be poor, often requiring receivers on the outside of buildings cabled to access points inside the buildings and on every floor or every unit, particularly if your doors and walls are fire rated.

As an example, if I want to replace my NBN connection at home with a 5G connection, to ensure that I get the speed and signal to penetrate inside my house I may have to pay for extra receivers and access points on top of my monthly 5G plan; similarly to how you distribute your wifi around larger houses and complexes now.

There are many areas around Australia that are not going to allow these transmission towers on the tops of buildings every

TECHNOLOGY

500 metres. There may need to be small 5G transmitter cells on nearly every lamp post.

What about 4G? Telcos are still developing 4G and in 2017 Telstra revealed it planned to support 1 gigabit per second downloads over its 4G network.

It appears there will be a lot of new features coming for 4G. Its future is promising right into the mid 2020s and it will still be the backbone of most networks.

In summary, 5G could be an NBN alternative but is unlikely to replace other broadband plans and options. It will offer faster speeds for mobile phones, tablets and other devices such as Internet of Things (IOT) devices. Although it may offer faster speeds than NBN, the coverage will be limited in comparison due to network infrastructure required.

4G will still be available until at least the mid 2020s.

Wifi to guests is as important as ever. 5G could be an NBN alternative for your internet connection to your complex; however, you still need the wifi equipment inside the complex and a management system to offer secure, unlimited data with the best signal coverage and fastest speeds available to your guests.

Wifi isn’t going anywhere.

These technologies can and will all work together. ■

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

Are we destined for a robotic hotel workforce?

The robotic revolution in the hospitality industry just seems to have taken a step back.

This could involve a machine that roves around the hotel answering guest questions in their native language. It’s hard to deny the perks of such a service.

This January, the famously quirky Henn-Na Hotel in Japan fired half of its 243 robot staff. The robotic workforce reportedly irritated guests and frequently broke down.

In addition, the hotel also removed ‘Churi’ a dollshaped artificial intelligence assistant placed in each room. Churi frequently struggled to answer basic guest questions, such as providing the opening times of the nearby theme park.

Automation is a hot topic right now, but have the laboursaving merits of a robotic workforce been overstated? In the following post, we’ll explore how hotels may, or may not, choose to balance a team of human and robot employees.

The role of robots in hotels Certain roles in hospitality are already being given to robots.

Savioke’s ‘Relay’ robots deliver food and amenities to guest rooms, eliminating a time-consuming human task and (apparently) delighting guests in the process.

Relay is already being used by numerous hotel brands, such as Aloft, Crowne Plaza, Hyatt Place, Sheraton and Westin.

they can never replace genuine human interaction.

Brendon Granger, Managing Director, Technology 4 Hotels

Last year, Las Vegas casino employees threatened to strike in response to increasing levels of automation. As the concerns of robots taking jobs gather momentum, it’s worth putting things into some context.

Are we destined for a robotic hotel workforce?

From an economic perspective, replacing humans with robots seems to make sense. A Mckinsey study revealed how over the past 30 years, the average robot price has fallen by half in real terms, while labour costs have more than doubled. Hoteliers seem fearful of a robotic future, and the general sentiment seems to be that

A 2017 study of robots in hotels in China also found that many hoteliers are not convinced that robots can deliver meaningful costsaving benefits (although hotel guest satisfaction levels with robots was high). Rather than fullscale adoption, the utility of robots surely lies in their capacity to carry out behind-the-scenes labour, such as carrying guest luggage to rooms, cleaning, and low-skilled maintenance. However, there’s reason to believe robots may also assist guest-facing employees.

Right now, three US hotels are trialling a new Google Assistant Interpreter Mode that acts as a real-time translator between guests and staff.

It’s easy to imagine how translation technology like this will eventually be integrated into a humanoid ‘translation bot’.

Balancing robots with humans It’s worth remembering that no matter how advanced robotic workers become, the human touch will always be crucial to hospitality.

As we’ve seen at the Henn-Na Hotel, robots with technical glitches can quickly wreak havoc, hindering hotel operations and frustrating guests in the process.

If technical glitches are overcome and hotels begin installing more robotic workers, will there be mass strikes by human employees?

It’s also important to consider customer preferences. If greater automation is an inevitability (which it seems to be), will guests start paying a premium to stay at tech-free hotels boasting ‘humanonly’ interaction?

Finally, if machines are eventually able to display a convincing range of human emotions, would knowing that these emotions were effectively being simulated rather than ‘felt’ make these interactions feel more creepy than engaging?

Questions such as these no longer belong to hypothetical debates. The explosion in automation now demands they’re given genuine consideration.

More recently, Chinese ecommerce firm Alibaba unveiled a robot porter of hotels called ‘Space Egg’, which integrates with the company’s AI assistant ‘AliGenie’. Not only can Space Egg take voice commands from guests, it’s able to interpret touch and hand gestures too.

As for the near future? It’s more than conceivable that driverless concierge services will replace the human valet, and that robots such as Flippy (the world’s first burger-flipping droid) are deployed in hotel kitchens.

In the coming years, more and more hotels will find themselves discussing the merits and pitfalls of relying on increasingly sophisticated robot workers. In the world of hospitality where the human touch plays a very important role, it’s more likely that certain tasks will become automated, freeing up hotel staff to provide unforgettable guest experiences. ■

Fears of an automated workforce are being taken seriously.

Henn-Na Hotel, robots with technical glitches can quickly wreak havoc

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This could involve a machine that roves around the hotel answering guest questions in their native language. It’s hard to deny the perks of such a service.

TECHNOLOGY

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

25

What are the positives of franchising?

By Kate Jackson, Editor

Many people come into accom management from completely different careers: entrepreneurial and resourceful, yes, but green when it comes to industry e xperience.

Learning the ropes as you go can be an intimidating and costly undertaking, but not when you’re backed by a model which offers in-house training, ongoing support and access to cool heads with a wealth of industry knowledge to provide “been there, done that” reassurance.

be underestimated. Sharing experience, garnering tips or just venting to someone who understands are all very human needs which can help ease the path for accom managers.

The loyalty benefits are also clear - as part of a network, a franchise often offers access to benefits exclusive to guests of the brand, but also to a much wider community of other businesses.

Independent thinking As a mum-and-dad operator in a regional or rural area, trying

to get your product noticed in a world dominated by online travel agency platforms and highlytailored social media marketing is daunting. And it’s particularly hard if you’re an independent who is not operating in the high-end luxury sphere.

Those choosing to join a franchise often do so because it provides greater access to marketing and booking networks with an extensive reach.

While a franchise must align with what a property has to offer and franchisees should always research carefully before making a switch, there are several

Franchises are welloiled machines that, in many cases, have been operating accommodation in Australia for decades.

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

Franchise networks frequently boast some sort of loyalty network or scheme. This incentivises guests to stick with a brand and creates repeat business across the group.

Loyalty is key when it comes to attracting business guests - it is almost a prerequisite for any property looking to attract those travelling for work.

Accruing points means those business travellers are far more likely to rebook directly and return with their families.

And lastly there’s the flow-on effect of fellow franchisees create such a memorable experience for guests that it convinces them to book just because properties share the same brand umbrella.

Being part of a franchise means operators have a network of other operators they can connect with - and those connections cannot

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Teamwork makes the dream work

Franchises will also tend to come with a property management system which facilitates the creation and cross-sell of marketing campaigns across all platforms, encouraging guests to book with any of their franchisees.

The management tiers that come with big franchise chains provide a support system for issues from OTA interactions to run-ins with guests or specific property problems.

models out there which makes matching a property with a likefocussed franchise an easier task.

MARKETING

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

The cross-pollination of guests is especially helpful for those in competitive markets, where guests are likely to ‘go with what they know’.

OTA commissions While the direct booking movement is gaining some momentum, Booking.com and Expedia retain their stranglehold on internet bookings Australiawide. All the signs are that those OTA monoliths will fight hard to maintain their market dominance. Having said that, it doesn’t take much to realise that losing the business of a company with 100+ hotels is going to matter more to an OTA than the loss of a small boutique hotel. It makes sense that franchises often have power to negotiate lower commissions on behalf of their franchisees.

Another benefit relating to bookings is that larger accommodation brands often have successful strategies in place for increasing direct

bookings. They also tend to have the available resources to experiment with different advertising campaigns and techniques. While guests might not think to check the website of a niche property to see if there are any benefits to booking direct, most people tend to know that big brands offer free wifi or complimentary items to whoever books direct. The hurdles are greater when you are going it alone because social media savvy and marketing ingenuity are not things that can always be grown organically, they cost money.

Reputation Reputation is everything in a world where everyone from Uber drivers to coffee cart owners seems to live and die by their customer ratings. Putting positive feedback in the bank counts - it accrues interest over time.

Where independent properties have to start from scratch when it comes to reputation,

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franchisees benefit immediately from the reputation of a parent franchise. And they are required to adhere to a predetermined set of quality standards, so there’s never a doubt about what’s expected when it comes to benchmarks.

Expectations Which brings me to expectations.

With a franchising agreement, guest expectations are preordained and pre-managed.

The very specific standards franchisees sign up to ensure those guest expectations should always be met. Of course, anything an accommodation provider does to go above and beyond those expectations will merely enhance their reputation with customers.

Typical guest expectations for a franchised property will involve good mattress quality, free wifi, in-room food options, strong amenity offerings, etc. Some of these are things that can be more difficult for independent

MARKETING

properties to provide off their own bat. Franchisors will often support expectations that are difficult for members to deliver - helping with arrangements for free wifi delivery, for example.

Expectations are not, though, merely about what customers want. While franchisees can reasonably expect that a franchising agreement will deliver greater marketing opportunities and access to networks enabling them to better deliver their product, they are not for everybody.

Certainly, brands expect prospective franchisees to sign up to a lengthy selection process and are careful about the properties they welcome into the fold. Reputation cuts both ways - franchisees can benefit from the reputation of a brand, but that brand need to protect its standing and ensure any new addition will be a positive addition. ■

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Quest: A new standard in apartment hotels Just over a year ago, Adam French quit a high-flying job to become the franchise owner for Quest Ipswich alongside his wife, Alison.

AccomNews spoke to the father of three about making such a bold career change, and life as a fledgling franchisee.

Why did you decide to become a Quest franchisee?

Having spent eight years in a role with Travelex that required significant time away from the family, we decided that it was time to make a change. We started looking for a business that we could call our own, allow for a better work/life/family balance that would ultimately allow us to become masters of our own destiny. Through this journey we discovered Quest and after a number of conversations with various people (from within and outside Quest), we felt it was the right fit for what we were looking to achieve.

How did you find the process of purchasing the franchise?

The process is quite detailed and structured, which gave us a level of confidence that the rigour was there to ensure the right people make it into the network.

Quest don’t try to steer you or

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influence you in a direction.

But once you’re committed to becoming a franchisee, they then support you through buying that business and running the Quest. They prepare you to get in there and run it in the best shape possible.

How has your experience been since joining the brand?

We are now a little over 12 months in the business and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience with not an ounce of regret. We feel there is a really nice balance of support from corporate office, coupled with being given the space and encouragement to make the business ours through our own entrepreneurial drive.

Quest have a set of standards that they expect you to meet to ensure consistency, but they allow you to run the business. They don’t set our room rates, for example, we set our own room rates and drive our own revenue strategies. They don’t micromanage you but there’s support there when you need it, whether you are new franchisees like Alison and I, or more seasoned franchisees. It’s not a ‘one-size-fitsall’, they do a good job of setting you up and giving you the tools and then letting you go and execute within the boundaries of that.

central office perspective and the key relationships they have with the big national accounts helps most Quests get business from those accounts.

Do you find yourself interacting with other franchisees?

I do, regularly. There are certain forums which bring franchisees together which Quest encourages you to attend and that makes all the difference in the world, because you get lots of networking opportunities to speak to other franchisees about some of the challenges you are having or things that aren’t working so well.

You just get to learn from a whole lot of people that are actually doing what you are doing. It’s very rare that you’d be the first person to experience a particular challenge. You come across a good handful of franchisees who are prepared to share experiences that help you not to have to try and ‘reinvent the wheel’.

Do you have any recommendations for other potential franchisees in the industry?

Don’t let the fear of ‘not knowing’ deter you from making a lifechanging decision. Quest will support you and empower you to make every post a winner.

How does the big brand name help?

What’s the biggest challenge you face in the industry at the moment?

The name really helps around the sales side of things. The team that Quest has from a

As a business owner or manager, you are constantly challenged by your people. This can be MARKETING

testing however we welcome this challenge and really enjoy developing, growing and investing in our team. It gives us a lot of personal pleasure seeing the end outcome, knowing that we have made a difference.

How has your move into the sector affected family life?

We’re really enjoying it. I’ve got three kids, a 15-year-old daughter, a 14-year-old son and a 12-yearold daughter so it was a big move from Sydney to Brisbane at that time in their lives. But they’ve really enjoyed it and settled in much easier than we could have hoped. As parents you wonder how they’re going to take it, but kids just get on with it.

My wife and I actually met in the hospitality industry and then we worked together for quite a number of years. When we had kids, Alison stayed focusing on them and I went out and worked in the corporate world. We knew that we’d been able to work together in the past and we really enjoyed it, and we knew that at some stage we’d go back to that. It’s been great, and great for Alison, too. This has given her something to really get stuck into.

Get in touch with Quest Apartment Hotels if you’d like to know more about their franchise business opportunities on 03 8699 1500, email franchising@questapartments.com.au or visit questfranchise.com.au.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

BE PART OF THE SUCCESS STORY QUEST FRANCHISES NOW AVAILABLE With 170 locations, Quest is Australasia’s leading apartment hotel operator. Due to significant growth, Quest now has several franchise opportunities across Australia. Become part of the success story and manage your own hotel business following Quest’s proven format, a robust model developed and honed over the last 30 years.

Find out if being a Quest Franchisee is your next step at questfranchise.com.au

Visit questfranchise.com.au

How barbeques fire up

a national passion Since our earliest people first used fire, Australians have gathered in their outdoor kitchens to celebrate life, love and food.

There’s something buried deep within the national psyche which speaks to us about the wholesomeness of produce barbecued in the open air.

A 2017 Caravan Industry Association of Australia report attests to that connection, finding 75 percent of campers rate ‘cooking outdoors’ as their favourite holiday activity.

Facilities may have evolved through time, but Aussies’ love for outdoor cooking and eating has not, which is why barbecues

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

should be a part of every holiday accommodation experience.

Barbeques are the number one facility guaranteed to undergo heavy and sustained battering by guests, while also enduring heavy and sustained battering by Australia’s unforgiving climate.

So, it’s essential for accommodation providers to invest in commercial barbeques capable of standing up to everything thrown at them - and still deliver a perfectly-cooked rib eye.

We grilled industry expert Rod O’Keeffe, national sales manager for Grillex, about choosing the right BBQ for your property.

What are the most important factors to consider when purchasing a commercial electric BBQ? Cooking performance. Choose an electric BBQ that has even and consistent heat across the entire surface of the hotplate. A hot-plate unit with copper-backing and superior heat-retention design features will guarantee perfectly cooked food every time.

It’s also advisable to ensure that your electric BBQ has an easily adjustable cooking temperature and cooking time.

If the electronic controller has a timer switch that

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limits usage between set times, you’ll eliminate the risk of unauthorised use and vandalism.

Easy operation. Users want a BBQ that is easy to use - single push of a button with audible alerts and LED lights to indicate that the hot-plate is ready to cook.

An audible buzzer alert to indicate that the BBQ has turned off and a red LED light are also very useful features. A single, vandalproof, waterproof stainlesssteel push-button operation ensures that ease of use.

Smart and easy installation.

Purchase a fully assembled BBQ with full ‘plug & play’ capability.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

Look for a BBQ that can be easily installed and with a lightweight in-bench hot-plate unit that can be easily removed in the event of fire or floods.

Safety. Local requirements for many installations require the use of a child lock. Make sure your BBQ has this feature.

Maintenance and cleaning.

You’ll want to purchase an electric BBQ that has a hotplate stamped from a single sheet of marine-grade 316 stainless-steel. If the hot-plate has undergone an electropolishing process it’ll be easy to clean and have greatly increased corrosion resistance.

The electro-polishing process removes iron from the

surface and enhances the chromium nickel content ensuring a smoother and easy to clean surface.

What can operators expect in terms of longevity?

•

No fire risk

•

A child lock

•

A lockable cabinet

If you are prepared to pay a little more for a premium quality electric BBQ, you can expect to get ten years or more from the original hot-plate unit.

•

A timer switch to prevent unauthorised use outside set times

Can you outline important safety features and requirements?

The important safety features found in quality electric barbecues include:

What are the most important attributes when it comes to user friendliness?

One-button operation with buzzer alerts and LED indicator lights help make the barbecuing experience easier for guests, while fast heating and even heat distribution provided by

commercial electric models give a superior cooking performance. Easy-to-clean surfaces are another important user-friendly feature.

What commercial warranties should operators look for?

There should be a lifetime structural warranty on the cabinet and a two-year in-bench unit warranty. Quality manufacturers offer a 20-year money-back or replacement guarantee if you’re not 100 percent satisfied with their barbeques. ■

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Safe, secure, seamless: Does door lock technology deliver?

Keeping up with customer demands for a seamless accom experience is a constant challenge, particularly when it comes to door locks.

The days of the metal key are truly numbered, despite it having prevailed for more than two thousand years.

The technology surrounding keys and keycards is rapidly evolving, with manufacturers striving to develop solutions tailored to the desires of customers and operators.

Aside from keeping up with demands for speedy and hasslefree access, latest technology must deliver on the age-old basics of safety and reliability.

After all, the humble and utilitarian door lock not only provides physical security for belongings and people but creates emotional reassurance - and can help create a sense of belonging - for those who may be outside of their comfort zone and a long way from home.

Considerations According to Mark Samuelson, director of Codelocks, there are three ways to access a door; what you have (key, card or phone), what you know (code), or you (your fingerprint or eye).

“The lock industry is moving very quickly with regards to door security within the accommodation space,” says Samuelson.

“There are many things that need to be considered, including the type of guests, the churn of guests, the size of the property, the owner of the property and type of management of the letting business at the property.

“What suits a small regional motel/hotel owner will be very different to the expectations of a large international hotel chain.

“There will be those in management rights of larger buildings where a third party like the body corporate or the unit owners will dictate which locks to put on the doors.”

So how do operators decide which door locking solution works best for them?

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SAFETY & SECURITY

Samuelson says the decision is subject to a range of factors, including “the consideration for budgets to purchase, setup, train, install and the ongoing maintenance and the time required to project manage the process.” Whichever solution you choose, he says, it is important to ensure the system complies with Australian Standards.

Latest technology The latest advancement in door locking allows guests to use their mobile phones to access rooms using Bluetooth low energy technology. This functionality can be added to existing electronic door locks to run alongside keycard access.

We asked Michael Benikos, managing director of ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions Australia, to explain.

“Bluetooth low energy (BLE) is a technology that is able to prevent the large consumption of power that typically takes place during wireless communication between devices,” he said.

“With BLE functionality now present on the vast majority of today’s devices, hoteliers are able to offer functionalities such as mobile access technology without quickly draining guest batteries.

“From issuing and delivering digital key information to a guest’s device, to a guest presenting their device to a lock reader in order to gain access, BLE ensures minimal power consumption by transmitting minimal amounts of data at low speeds and by keeping radio transmission in a powered down mode a majority of the time.

“This allows hoteliers to provide guests with enhanced conveniences such as the ability to go directly to their guestrooms without the need to check in at the front desk, and importantly without having to make any sacrifice regarding the longevity of device batteries.”

While BLE facilitates mobile door access, keycards with near-field communication (NFC) and radio frequency identification (RFID) capabilities are an option favoured by many accom operators.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

CONNECT AND CONTROL Get smarter with Codelocks standalone smart locks.

keep track on who, when and which locks were accessed by downloading and viewing the lock audit trail data.

The CL4500 and CL5500 locks combine smart technology with traditional access control features suitable for a wide range of applications, from building managers to home rental owners.

Codelocks Smart Locks provide flexibility and convenience by offering a range of access methods, allowing you to choose the most suitable for your application. Allow clients access via a simple code input, allocate and register a MIRFARE® compatible card or send an invitation via the cloud to a smartphone App. Operate and manage locks directly via the keypad or via any Bluetooth compatible smartphone by downloading the free K3 Connect App*.

Program locks via your smartphone, generate and send codes for easy access, issue smart cards for alternative entry,

CODE

100 Client User Codes

Codelocks Smart Locks utilise Codelocks NetCode Technology.

Generate and send time-sensitive codes to end users using the free K3 Connect App* or NetCode portal. Set codes for a specific start date and time, that will automatically expire after your set duration. Send codes to the end user via SMS or email from wherever you are.

Codelocks NetCode offers flexible access and flexible control. The lock does not require Wi-Fi connection for NetCode operation.

This significantly increases its potential for use in areas where Wi-Fi is unavailable or intermittent, adding to the benefits of this innovative product line.

The locks allow free access at set times of day by setting the lock into Code Free mode removing the hassle of unlocking doors for free access periods.

Reduce the administration burden of manually putting locks into Code Free mode.

Create up to 10 different Code Free periods that automatically enable only when scheduled.

Code Free mode is used in many different situations – office hours only, cleaning staff, school environment (set Code Free periods for break times).

Lock models include the CL4510 and CL5510 Mortice Latch, used in conjunction with Codelocks Smart Fire Kits, these locks are fire rated for 30- or 60-minute fire doors**.

The CL4520 and CL5520 Mortice Lock models are also available featuring a euro profile mortice sash lock with deadbolt and latchbolt safety function.

Codelocks Smart Locks are a real asset for building management control. Managing and operating locks has never been easier.

innovative, standalone keyless door, locker and cabinet locks for organisations that need to control access within their buildings.

The product range includes stylish push-button mechanical locks, digital electronic and wireless ‘smart’ locks that are easy to manage. Convenience is at the heart of all of Codelocks’ products. *The App is available on the Apple App Store for Apple devices or Google Play™ for Android™ devices. Apple, the Apple logo and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android, Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc. ** Codelocks Smart Fire Kits are compatible with Codelocks smart lock models CL4510 and CL5510.

Tested in accordance with: Appendix B11 of AS 1530.4:2014.

www.codelocks.com.au/getsmart About Codelocks Codelocks designs and manufactures a wide range of

Get in touch with one of our knowledgeable consultants about your next project on (02) 9882 1009 or email mark.samuelson@codelocks.com

FREE Smartphone Management App*

No Wi-Fi Required!

CARD

150 Client Smart Cards

PHONE

100 Phone Clients

NETCODE Generate date and time

sales@codelocks.com.au

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+61 2 9882 1009 © 2019 Codelocks Ltd. All rights reserved.

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

33

According to Benikos, NFC and RFID keycards provide hotels and guests with advanced encryption technology that eliminates the risk of unauthorised keycard cloning.

“When linked to an online access management system, such keycards can also be remotely deactivated should one become lost, stolen or otherwise suspected of being used in an unauthorized manner,” he said.

“Enhanced security aside, RFID and NFC keys are also able to come in virtually all shapes and sizes due to the small size of the microchip that is used.

Properties can therefore issue guests with keys that come in the form of wristbands, key fobs and even stickers if desired.”

Security The security of such check-in systems has been called into question, with mobile access understandably seen by some as susceptible to data theft . But latest mobile access solutions include a series of built in safeguards designed to eliminate the possibility of hacking.

The lock industry is moving very quickly with regards to door security within the accommodation space.

Another benefit of NFC and RFID, says Benikos, is the ability to serve as a multifunction technology. For example, hotels can provide guests with a single key that can provide access to multiple areas in addition to guestrooms, such as gyms or swimming pool areas.

“This not only enhances guest convenience but also provides hoteliers with the

ability to save significantly from key production costs.”

When linked to a guest’s profile within a hotel’s property management system, RFID keys can also be used as a form of on-site payment, allowing guests to leave wallets behind in guestrooms and enhancing the potential for additional hotel revenue.

They ensure data is first encrypted using the industry’s latest protocols, and then transmitted to guest devices using a secure communications channel. Once received by a device, the data is then stored within a secure vault located on a hotel’s app. A secure channel is again used to deliver encrypted digital key information from a guest’s device to the appropriate door lock once in proximity.

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

SAFETY & SECURITY

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

“These safeguards eliminate the possibility of sensitive data being obtained by unauthorised users at any stage of the process,” says Benikos.

of their rooms with individual or group remote access i.e that is not necessarily controlled by their traditional standard local hotel soft ware.

Flexibility

“Access can be sent to guests by either mobile app with Bluetooth access, pin codes for keypad locks and keypad access control readers either sent by email or SMS text, access can also be granted to guest’s currentlyowned cards and fobs.

We asked Joshua Heslin, product manager for KAS - Keyless Access Security, about the flexibility provided by modern locking systems.

He said: “Cloud-based web console systems allows you to control your locks from anywhere in the world by using any online web browser. You can issue access, withdraw access, set time, provide live feedback and audit history of each premises, including status functionality checks (e.g remaining battery power) of each lock.

“This ideally suits B&B, shortterm accommodation rooms, homes, offices, hotels and/or apartment blocks that like the option to choose a percentage

Retrofitting What about retrofitting locks with the latest upgrades? Josh said: “The same lock hardware and access readers can easily be reprogrammed between the traditional local hotel soft ware systems to their own stand-alone web cloud console, allowing the administrative owner of each lock the flexibility of assigning managers to control their guests’ access in addition to sending out their own online access entry.”

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35

Hotel Door Locking and Guest Room Management Systems Since the birth of the hospitality battery operated lock, over 30 years ago, there has always been some frustration within the property with the management of the system and how the locks can get updated.

These concerns have all been based around the fact that there is no communication between the lock and the property systems other than the actual cards being used by the staff and guests, or a service device. If a guest ever wished to change their stay details after checking in, they would be forced to have a new card made at reception with the correct access details, requiring another trip too the reception queue.

If staff needed to interrogate a lock for any reason, to check battery status, or download an audit trail for example, they would need to take a specific card or device to the lock and download the information locally.

Even worse to cancel access rights for a lost card or stolen staff card, every lock needed to be visited and individually updated, wasting time and until the process was completed there were security implications for the property.

In recent years the industry leading locking vendors have all released online functionality for their range of locks allowing all of the lock functions to be updated from a central location. However due to the characteristics of a battery operated lock and battery life needing to remain over 18 months

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

between changes, the wireless communication protocol used needs to be very low energy. Unlike normal WiFi and Bluetooth, a new protocol was adopted “Zigbee”, Zigbee has very low energy characteristics as well as being very secure and has now become the industry standard, across the three major locking vendors.

Unfortunately to translate the Lock Zigbee signal onto the properties network, an additional full Zigbee network infrastructure needed to be implemented at the property.

This ZigBee infrastructure includes Zigbee hubs, cables, POE switches and backbone support.

There are also restrictions around the number of locks that can communicate with a single Zigbee hub, so the qty of network equipment was considerably higher than would be expected with a normal WiFi infrastructure.

All this Zigbee equipment is in addition to the properties guest WiFi infrastructure already in place, effectively doubling the network equipment and costs for any property.

There has been some work on “dongles” or “ZigBee to WiFi convertors” to try and reduce this network requirement, but once again the right WiFi equipment needs to be already in place and these additional equipment costs are excessive and not very practical as they have their own limitations. Alongside the locks “online” functionality requirements, operators and properties are now starting to appreciate the huge energy efficiencies and cost savings of implementing a dedicated guest room management solution (GRMS) that monitors guest occupancy. A well thought out and implemented

GRMS removes the requirement for the guest to actively wake up the room when they enter, as this is all managed by logic.

Removing the guests involvement with waking the room up and leaving it to properties customisable logic, the guest isn’t inconvenienced, energy isn’t wasted and the room is managed to how the property want it managed when a guest or member of staff is in the room or out of the room. This is done by the GRMS communicating directly with the lock to monitor whom has entered the room, a guest or a member of staff, as read from the card when presented to the lock.

Once the lock as notified the GRMS that the door has closed, a motion sensor then verifies someone is in the room and allows the room to operate within the parameters for a guest or staff as set by the operator. If no motion is detected after a period of time the room reverts to an unoccupied state.

Once motion has been detected in the room subsequent to the door being closed, there is no requirement for motion to be continually monitored, as the base logic works on the fact that there is no other exit from the room other than through the bedroom door and so the room is occupied.

Only when the guest or staff subsequently exit the room and no motion detected, again notified directly from the lock, does the system revert back to an unoccupied configuration, effectively turning off any services in the room not required.

To maximise the room efficiencies the GRMS needs to be on the hotel network and interfaced

SAFETY & SECURITY

with the PMS and even the BMS if required. Choosing a GRMS system that can utilise either LAN or WiFi allows the room to come “on-line” without the need for any additional network infrastructure..

With the right GRMS as supplied

by Vintech Systems, the lock is locally communicating via Zigbee with the GRMS and the GRMS locally communicating with the hotel WiFi or LAN. Effectively with zero additional network costs, the lock is brought online through the GRMS. The correct GRMS selection not only brings the operation maximum energy efficiencies with no network implications it also brings the locking vendor on-line effectively free of charge, other than any costs associated with any lock modifications for ZigBee communications.

With a fully integrated lock and GRMS, security is further enhanced for the guests, staff as the door status is continually monitored and any suspicious activity centrally notified. With the GRMS system available from Vintech Systems, due to iBeacon technology inherent within the GRMS, both staff and assets can also be tracked effectively over the WiFi network, as iBeacon, Zigbee, Wifi, LAN are all available through a single GRMS room controller, even further enhancing efficiencies and security and reducing costs.

For further information on any of the above technologies and options available and how your property can benefit from reduced energy costs, better guest experiences and more staff efficiencies, please contact Daryl Brett at Vintech Systems via daryl@vintech.com.au

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SAFETY & SECURITY

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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Inside story: the design trends of 2019

By Kate Jackson, Editor

A wave of colour and individuality is sweeping through the world of accom design, washing away any vestiges of bland and uniform.

natural and health-giving. The concept of ‘slow life’ - living more consciously, saving space, and giving priority to timeless, sustainable materials - is translating from homes to hotels and driving the trend towards the careful curation of individual pieces.

Properties from luxury hotels to indy guesthouses are combining quirky touches and a renaissance in colour with a focus on all things

And as work spaces become increasingly flexible thanks to roll-up walls, reconfigurable furniture and power outlets built into floors, designers are

focussing more than they have ever done on the appeal of accom’s collaborative spaces.

We spoke to FF&E specialists Move-in about the latest trends, and how an interior designer can help achieve the optimum balance between style and practicality.

Interior designer Sarah Olukhale said: “I think people are looking for a more unique or boutique experience in accommodation over a generic ‘brand’ now.

“We are in such a visual age with social media platforms and booking sites front and centre, people are becoming more design conscious.

“Injecting a sense of place is also an important design feature, particularly in city hotels.”

Asked how statement furniture and artwork help create an ambience in public spaces, she said: “Well designed public spaces are inviting. Beautiful statement furniture always plays a role in creating visual interest in a space, but it should also be comfortable and functional.

“As a designer, I like to select pieces within a space that perhaps encourage social interaction and others that allow for peaceful solitude.

“Selecting the right artwork for a space is critical, it grounds the overall design, provides a focal point and good artwork

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invites conversation. The same elements that make your home warm and inviting also apply to social spaces.”

According to fellow interior designer Stephanie Siladi, the trend is moving away from retro 90s pastels towards “rich, warm autumnal colours, including deep red, mustard and emerald green while being juxtaposed against lucid blues, yellows and terracotta”.

While interior designers are obviously formally trained in looking creatively at a space, they also have a network of supplier connections and some ingenious solutions to individual situations which can help keep costs down.

Another member of the Move-in design team, Melissa Molnar, says: “Engaging the services of a designer can actually save you from expensive mistakes and design the space to incorporate some existing items.

“That can include refinishing pieces to work with a new colour scheme such as dipping a piece of metal to be gold instead of black, changing the loft of a sofa cushion and reupholstering in a way to make it mid-century modern instead of arts & craft style.

“I’ve even reframed a client’s abstract artwork with fillets and coloured core to coordinate with the new style of home after a renovation.

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“Usually interior designers have built relationships with suppliers so with that experience they can push the design boundaries and deliver a scheme totally customised to a client’s needs.”

So what are the main considerations when it comes to placing soft furnishings, artwork, fabrics and window treatments in different areas around a property?

According to Melissa, it’s about working to budget and the specifics of each individual job and balancing visual appeal with practical considerations.

“Furnishings for an outdoor area have to be suitable for allweather conditions such as with reticulated foams & mild/mildew resistant fabric, in the same way that bedroom drapery will have a room darkening capability versus a light diffusing effect in a day room,” she said.

“For window treatments, we tend to specify layers to

give flexibility because some locations might look out to a narrow laneway, so letting in light is important, but you don’t want your neighbours to get an eye full; a ‘top down bottom up’ blind would be fabulous for this application. If this was in a bedroom you could even add a set of curtains for more light control, colour and to soften the edges of the window.

Beautiful statement furniture always plays a role in creating visual interest in a space, but it should also be comfortable and functional.

“When it comes to artwork it can be quite personal – everyone has an opinion. In a corporate situation I try to guide my client to think of art as an extension of the ambience they are creating.

If it’s too personal, it can end up feeling separate to the furnishings. It should complement the scheme in terms of composition, colour and framing. Scale is also important and I like a group of three…a focal point over a sofa to balance with the height of a floor lamp will have more effect than just a print alone.”

Experts in FF&E design & delivery for Hotels & Serviced Apartments – Australia wide.

TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR NEXT PROJECT!

WWW.MOVE-IN.COM.AU ENQUIRIES@MOVE-IN.COM.AU 1300-657-687 Get your FREE ticket @ NoVacancy.com.au with code: PAN19

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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Stamford Plaza Adelaide’s all-embracing $5m refurbishment

By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter

The Stamford Hotels & Resorts group invested in a three-year, $5 million refurbishment of its Stamford Plaza Adelaide hotel to ensure that it remains competitive in Adelaide’s booming hotel market.

Valuable corporate and leisure customers were at the forefront of the group’s decision-making

process and Stamford has succeeded in meeting their expectations, leaving guests delighted with the exhaustive renovation and refurbishment.

Located within prime CBD real estate at 150 North Terrace, Adelaide, the hotel is situated within the heart of the revitalised Adelaide Riverbank Precinct and is directly adjacent the world-class Adelaide Convention Centre, Festival Centre, SkyCity Adelaide Casino and major rail and road transport infrastructure.

The room refurbishment project began in 2015 with two thirds of the hotel completing a comprehensive refurbishment. The remaining 96 rooms commenced an upgrade in July 2018 that was completed in November 2018, well within the anticipated five-month project timeframe.

Stamford Plaza Adelaide’s general manager, David Donald, told AccomNews: “We were very excited to launch the final 96 immaculately-refurbished rooms at Stamford Plaza

Adelaide. As one of Adelaide’s largest corporate and leisure hotels, it is vitally important that we offer our guests the very best in comfort, technology and food and beverage outlets.”

The launch of the 96 new deluxe accommodation rooms into the Adelaide hotel market was a milestone marking the completion of all 335 Stamford Plaza Adelaide accommodation rooms. The modern, deluxe rooms all offer king beds with either city or park views located within the 14th to 19th floors.

Stamford Plaza Adelaide + Workspace Commercial Furniture = successful refurb!

Workspace Commercial Furniture is proud to be involved with Stamford Hotels for this prestigious refurbishment project.

After prototyping and room reviews the designs were

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accepted, and we rapidly implemented the furniture into production at our 12,000sqmt manufacturing facility located in Adelaide.

The product mix was loose and fixed joinery, upholstered headboards and bathroom joinery cabinets and in

conjunction with our partner International Design Solutions that coordinated the full turnkey renovation works.

The project was carried out with 3 levels per time which worked well with all trades involved and with our in-house installations and

REFURBISHMENT

delivery teams starting very early during the process with limited disruption to guests.

All timelines were met and was a great success with all parties involved with the process in the delivery of these well-appointed refurbished rooms.

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These rooms are the last to be refurbished and bring the total refurbished rooms to 317.

However, an additional 18 suites are soon to be refurbished and Stamford Plaza Adelaide’s most deluxe accommodation offering, formerly the Presidential Suite, has undergone a major $150,000 refurbishment and was launched back into the market on the 22nd March.

This luxury suite has been renamed The Stamford Suite.

David told us: “It is imperative to adhere to industry standards, where room refurbishments are important to undertake every seven years to meet market expectations.

With the newest rooms, wellestablished service excellence and attractive dining options, the Stamford Plaza Adelaide will remain as one of Adelaide’s preferred city-based hotels.”

In terms of design, Stamford Plaza Adelaide maintains a distinct corporate colour palette, with sophisticated

décor that appeals to both its business and leisure travellers. Warm colours were chosen for the final 96 rooms with chocolate, red, tan and grey all featuring in the new colour scheme.

Who was involved in managing this project?

The artwork is in a bold red shade and is reflective of the Stamford Brand.

At a local level, the hotels’ general manager, Mr David Donald and hotel chief engineer, Mr Paul Diaz De Rivera were the project leads.

The overall finish is simple and stylish but also evoking a warm homely feel, while providing quality furnishings and upto-the-minute technology.

“As an owner-operator hotel chain, the Stamford Hotels & Resorts owners and management of SPA were involved with this project.

Also, various local and external suppliers were engaged to complete the project.”

Stamford Plaza Adelaide promotes healthy sleep AH Beard have been the exclusive supplier of beds to Stamford Hotels and Resorts since 2017, after Stamford embarked on a tender selection process to identify the best option for supply of their bedding.

Stamford properties use a signature model, specifically created for Stamford Hotels, called the Stamford Good Knight Duo, and Stamford Plaza Adelaide is their latest property to replace some of their existing beds with the Stamford Good Knight Duo. This model uses a pocket coil support system, the type of support chosen by the world’s leading hotel brands, due to its superior comfort and durability. High quality, Australian-made foams provide luxurious comfort and support so that Stamford guests enjoy a restful, healthy sleep.

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The Good Knight Duo also provides the added option of having two different feels in the same mattress. One side features a deep, luxurious pillow top design, whilst the other is a firmer, cushion top design. This allows the property the flexibility to change the feel of the bed to suit individual guests if required, making it almost the Goldilocks mattress for many guests. Not too firm, not too plush, just right!

With an extensive network of manufacturing facilities across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, AH Beard are perfectly placed to respond quickly to Stamford’s bedding needs, whether they are for a full hotel refurbishment, or that emergency replacement for when a guest gets a little enthusiastic with their in-room entertainment.

AH Beard are preferred suppliers

REFURBISHMENT

to leading hotel brands, both globally and across our region, so why shouldn’t you talk to the industry leader when planning your bed refurbishment?

To arrange a no obligation assessment of your current beds, or expert advice for your refurbishment needs from one of our specialist National Commercial Sales team, you can contact AH Beard at commercial@ahbeard.com

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

It is imperative to adhere to industry standards, where room refurbishments are important to undertake every seven years to meet market expectations.

Deluxe City King Bathroom

What went well? “The fact that the project was completed on time and within budget was testament that the project went well and there were no unexpected challenges. Seasoned with this type of project, SPA has drawn on almost 25 years in the hotel industry to ensure everything from selecting suppliers to transforming the physical space – was as seamless as possible.�

What has been the reaction from staff and guests to the project? “Guests and corporate partners have welcomed the newly refurbished rooms and anecdotal feedback is consistent in that guests think that they have been tastefully styled and most importantly feel new, clean and comfortable. These 96 new rooms offer everything you need and nothing you don’t.�

Deluxe Park View King Bathroom

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FUR NI T UR E | JO IN E R Y | U P H O L S TE R Y

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NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

Stamford Plaza Adelaide installs ASSA ABLOY Security Systems Why? Because “ASSA ABLOY is a trusted supplier to Stamford group, having installed security systems into many of their properties around Australia.

“The hotel upgraded the existing locks and chose to stay with VingCard locks and Elsafe safes because of their reliability and the support of the product at the hotel over the past 20 years,” Michael Benikos from ASSA ABLOY Hospitality told AccomNews.

“VingCard VISIONLINE is a highly innovative electronic locking solution with a unique, flexible design and more features than ever before.

“With Visionline installed, the property can easily change the door operation from serviced apartment mode to

With Visionline installed, the property can easily change the door operation from serviced apartment mode to residential mode and back again if required. residential mode and back again if required. “The system is installed on perimeter doors so only residents and guests can access the property while lifts readers are configured so cards are only able to access the floor they are programmed to access.

“The system also provides the ability for front desk staff to monitor all room access attempts and allows users to deactivate any key suspected of being stolen or used in an unauthorized manner.

“Classic RFID locks were installed on guest rooms due to their simplistic design and functionality at a cost-effective price.

“ASSA ABLOY Hospitality leads the way in mobile technology allowing guests at the hotel guests to skip the front desk and access their guestrooms by using their smartphone or watch as a secure digital key. This feature has been installed in all locks at the property to enable Stamford Adelaide to activate the functionality in the future.”

For more information about ASSA ABLOY Hospitality and its comprehensive line of electronic in-room safes and locking solutions, please visit www.assaabloyhospitality.com

ASSA ABLOY Hospitality

The world leader in hotel security.

Mobile Access

Your property security is no place to fall behind. That’s why ASSA ABLOY Hospitality has been leading the industry in security technology innovation for over 40 years, since introducing the world’s first electronic lock. Today, millions of guests around the globe are secured by our advanced solutions, including VingCard locks, Elsafe in-room safes, mobile access and integrated software platforms. With worldwide service and support in more than 166 countries, ASSA ABLOY Hospitality helps you put security out front and keep it out front.

VingCard Essence Lock

VingCard Allure Lock

Elsafe Safes 1 300 796 233 www.assaabloyhospitality.com australia.hospitality@assaabloy.com

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REFURBISHMENT

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

45

Why accessibility is key to accom’s future

By Kate Jackson, Editor

Accessible travel is “perhaps the industry’s greatest untapped opportunity” according to MyTravelResearch.com. $8 billion is spent by travellers with a disability each year in Australia, yet the accommodation industry has so far abjectly failed to rise to the challenge of making properties accessible to everyone.

Tim Knowles, sales manager of Pressalit for Australia and New Zealand, says: “I think the biggest obstacle for people with a disability when we think about hotels, is a lack of choice.

“Most new Australian hotels and the architects that design them, as well as the operators that run them, stick to a very old script that hasn’t changed in decades.

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“In Europe for example, many new hotels are pretty creative in the options they give people with a disability, which in turn makes that more attractive over their competitors.”

Approximately 20 percent of the Australian population has a disability and 520,000 have a mobility disability, 480,000 are blind or vision impaired, and one million are deaf or hearing impaired. Globally there are over 600 million people with disabilities - that’s ten percent of the entire human race.

As our population continues to age, catering for guests with disabilities will become ever more important not just for humanity’s wellbeing, but for the health of our businesses.

As Bill Forrester from Travelability says: “Accessible tourism is no longer about building ramps and

accessible bathrooms. It is about building products and services for a large and rapidly growing market.

“This is no longer a niche, but rather, a segment that is approaching 25 percent of the total tourism spend.”

The right approach When looking to create an accessible environment for guests, physical facilities are just one part of the puzzle.

It’s also important to get the marketing right.

Accessibility travellers do a vast amount of research online and properties need to provide detailed, easy-to-find information.

Details such as door widths (ideally 80cm externally and 75cm internally), audio announcements, signage options, bed height and side space, under-desk clearance, level or ramped accesses,

REFURBISHMENT

bathrooms fittings, and handle, switch and rail heights all count.

Customer service training also matters - being disability aware with the right attitude and confidence to serve all customers helps remove barriers and can make the guest experience far smoother for disabled clientele.

Accessibility training courses and workshops by specialist providers are a good place to start on this. The upcoming annual AHICE conference and exhibition held in Melbourne on 30 April, for example, features a workshop dedicated to inclusive tourism, with tickets to the session priced at $150 per person.

Checking in Step-free access, either level or ramped, and/or lift access to the main entrance are major advantages for most accessibility guests.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

According to Tourism Victoria, the following considerations are also important when welcoming check ins: •

•

Make sure entrance and reception areas are clearly marked and well lit. Is someone always on hand to meet, greet and show people around?

Provide clear instructions for people using the intercom.

Provide a mobile number for people who are deaf, hearing impaired or have a communication disability.

•

Provide seating close to reception or fast track people who can’t stand for long.

•

Provide a clipboard and large diameter pen for people checking in.

•

•

Be prepared to write down information or complete forms on people’s behalf.

Provide a magnifying glass for people with a vision impairment.

If you can’t lower the reception desk/table,

offer to check in guests in common areas, bedrooms or from their car.

•

Welcome visitors who use assistance dogs (this is required by law).

•

Use contrasting colours for door frames, skirting boards and edges of steps throughout the property.

•

Provide clear signage with large text and high contrast throughout.

Bathrooms When it comes to bathrooms, Tim Knowles advocates a fresh approach which puts flexibility and design at its core.

He points to a growing number of Australian hotels which have deviated from the chapter and verse stipulations of the regulatory AS1428.1 safety standard, while retaining its legitimate requirements.

“If you apply modern-day thinking, where much of what we interact with is adaptable and delivers an element of choice, then you are on the road to what an enlightened accessible ensuite bathroom

consists of,” Knowles says.

“Fixtures like grab rails and shower seats can be added or removed, adjusted in height and their location in a disabled bathroom.

“The bathroom can be quickly modified in a matter of minutes to remove fixtures that often give little practical advantage to able-bodied guests.”

Restaurants and bars Adapting social spaces for accessible travellers is about common sense, easy fixes.

Use pictogram signs, for example a knife and fork and a clock face showing meal times, to assist people with low literacy levels; and either read out or download menus onto an audio player for the sight-impaired.

Contrasting colours avoid the spectre of white crockery, white linen and clear glasses on a table setting (this also applies to coloured towels in white bathrooms).

And providing quieter, low background noise areas and well-lit area options, while being happy to move tables

around and provide seats with or without arms, all help accommodate guests’ needs.

Bedrooms When replacing old furniture, choose freestanding moveable pieces which can be easily repositioned for better room circulation.

And make additional visual and hearing aids available - such as large clock faces, talking alarm clocks, portable hearing loops and captioned TVs.

YOU ADD THE GUEST With flexible accessible hotel en-suite bathroom solutions from Pressalit, it’s possible to tailor the outcome that suits your preferences.

tkn@pressalit.com, T: 0415 425 461, www.pressalit.com Get your FREE ticket @ NoVacancy.com.au with code: PAN19

REFURBISHMENT

AccomNews - Autumn 2019

47

Does your property need a refresh?

The importance of regular renovations

By Kaitlyn Meehan, Cashflow It Group

The Australian accommodation landscape is forever changing to meet the needs and demands of consumers.

This evolution has meant that hoteliers are in a position where they are constantly trying to catch up and stay abreast of new consumer trends. In no regard is this truer than in room design and offerings, with a constant need to update equipment, decor, technology and even architecture.

With the shift towards online booking agents and accommodation comparison websites, properties are coming under more scrutiny than ever

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by consumers. Their desire to stay in properties which are modern, stylish and fitted with the latest technologies is driving the market, and there is no way for hoteliers to achieve this without a constant renovation and refurbishment cycle. Without a doubt, hoteliers face high ongoing costs as they invest in maintaining their facilities, both guest facing and internal, throughout the year. The pressure from the market to add to this expense with frequent refurbishments can often place financial stain on the owner’s capital levels.

Hotel refurbishment is often much more than updating furniture and mattresses, it includes redesigning rooms to suit the new guest experience and implementing technology solutions to match.

To many, making one small change such as moving from traditional to electronic door locks, may seem like a minor expense. However, the reality is that for large hotels, the sheer number of rooms that would need to be updated makes a simple task an expensive undertaking. Applying this same method, it is hard to imagine how hoteliers manage complete room overhauls or the redesign of shared spaces such as dining and conference rooms.

In addition to this, for the duration of a renovation a property will often experience a drop in revenue. Due to the potential closure of rooms, inaccessibility of facilities and noise disruption, the hotel may not be able to achieve their full occupancy. For this reason, hoteliers can find it

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difficult to pick the right time for a renovation, or may have to extend out the process to minimise the number of areas affected at one time.

Despite all the challenges that come along with a refurbishment, the outcome is worth the investment. Cashflow and capital issues can be easily managed through equipment and refurbishment finance, and bringing on board a skilled team will help ensure that refurbishments go smoothly and (hopefully) stick within the desired time frame. At the end of it all, refreshing your property is an opportunity to drive up occupancy rates and maintain relevance among consumers, it also gives the potential to increase room rates, almost like it pays for itself...

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

Turning bleak mid-winters into sunny times

By Kate Jackson, Editor

Why else would our most successful tourism advert feature Hoges offering to ‘slip another shrimp on the barbie’?

Safety switches are another essential feature. Propane gas heaters should have a tip-over safety switch for automatic shut-off if the gas is knocked over, while all heaters should have an internal safety switch that turns them off if they gets too hot and become a fire hazard.

But when winter comes around and a chill wind whips in off the Southern Ocean, that al fresco lifestyle comes under threat.

Cool-touch glass is standard on most commercial outdoor heaters so they are safe around children and animals.

Accommodation providers need a way to keep their guests snug and allow them to spend their days and nights relaxing in comfort beneath the Southern Cross.Those able to extend their outdoor season using costeffective heating solutions will reap the benefits of utilising valuable floor space all year round, so customers can enjoy beer gardens, terraces, courtyards and smoking areas in comfort.

Having an inviting courtyard to market can not only put bottoms on your rattan chairs, but dollars on your bottom line.

Safety approval certification, issued by either UL or CSA, ensures all safety requirements have been evaluated and met for each heater.

The outdoor lifestyle is as Australian as thongs and boardies.

Heating options for your outdoor space Wood-burners, gas, infrared and electric heaters come in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes. From slimline wall-mounted thermastrips to deluxe stainless steel flame models, there’s an outdoor heater to suit every space and budget. Where once an outdoor heater was considered an ugly necessity, now it can be an integral part of sleek exterior design. Most models claim a level of environmental friendliness - with green credentials boosted by a concerted effort by manufacturers to enhance efficiency and cut emissions for even the cheapest models.

The key when selecting a heater is to find what works best in terms of energy efficiency and effectiveness for your space.

Wood burners including Mexican chimeneas are attractive and inviting, but can prove smoky, are unsuitable for use around

young children and require a ready supply of logs.

Gas heaters are available in two types: propane and natural gas.

Propane heaters usually have a heavy base for the gas bottle and a mushroom-shaped cap to reflect the heat. They offer flexibility of positioning and should have piezo ignition which start them at the press of a button, but they require adequate ventilation as they release carbon monoxide.

A 9kg bottle for a propane gas heater will need replacing after about 10 hours of use.

Natural gas heaters are usually fixed into position on floors or walls and plumbed by a licensed gasfitter. The gas doesn’t run out and they cannot be tipped over.

Electric radiant heaters just need to be plugged into a regular electric socket. They produce a soft, ambient light as well as heat and are safe to mount on walls, and under shade sails, umbrellas and other fabric coverings. While more electric radiant heaters may be needed to heat the same area as gas heaters, the total running costs work out at about the same.

Safety considerations Ceiling height is important when considering which heating option is best for your space.

Outdoor spaces with ceilings up to four metres can use both gas-fired and electrically powered high intensity heaters, mounted on the walls or suspended from the ceiling. In spaces with low ceilings, mid-intensity electric heaters may be more suitable.

Level surfaces which can hold plenty of weight are essential when considering where to place outdoor heaters, while sheltered sites out of high wind areas are also important, with heaters kept a safe distance from low-hanging branches or other combustibles.

Efficiency controls Zone controls on heaters ensure only areas used by customers are heated, rather than large spaces which allowing for wasted energy.

Timers, remotes and switches allow for further control and better fuel efficiency.

Remotes and passive infrared switches can be triggered by movement detected by sensors.

These are best suited to units that provide instant heat, such as electric infrared heaters, to ensure equipment is operational only when required.

Infrared heaters provide a gentle warmth that can feel more comfortable than conventional radiant heat as they heat objects in a space rather than the air.

They provide a penetrating and even heat that does not dry out the air. They are more efficient than conventional electric heaters but generally more expensive and bulky.

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ENERGY & RESOURCES

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Using amenities to tell your story

By Kate Jackson, Editor

Matching guestroom amenities to your property can have a surprisingly profound impact.

As a former boutique property owner, I witnessed guests literally salivating over the handmade scented soaps in our country cottages (each bar did contain real honeycomb).

Many asked where they could buy them and would leave clutching freebies in their grateful hands on checkout.

For our clientele, it was a heady

The Wiru amenities range from HealthPak

city hotel or alpine ski chalet.

Hotels leading the charge in the upscale and luxury category realise the value in amenities, which goes far beyond the mere product itself. reminder of their escape to nature and a prompt to make them want to return. Four years after selling the business, and thousands of miles away, that one bathroom amenity evokes memories of our

Being able to choose the product ‘match’ for your accom is not as easy as it sounds. You have to really know your property; what makes it special, what makes it different, what makes it enticing.

rural idyll far more powerfully for me than any picture.

Of course, handmade honeycomb soap might smell sweet in a country cottage but be entirely on the nose in a sleek inner-

And, of course, what makes it memorable. There is an art to matching amenities to your brand, location and clientele demographic. Which is why we asked Jimi Kennedy-Grant, sales and marketing general manager at Healthpak, and Peter Weingartner, principal at Swisstrade, about how to tell a property’s story through its little bathroom extras.

Bogner range by Swisstrade

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HOUSEKEEPING

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

SPOIL YOU GUESTS with pure, organic cOCONUT OIL skin & Hair caRE.

Luxury amenities: What are the latest trends and brands?

Jimi says: We all know that guest hair and body care products have a disproportionate impact on overall guest experience. They may be understated in comparison to the size of a pool, oceanview decks or a well-renowned in-house chef, but they are also used by everyone who visits and will last long in the memory if thought through properly.

Guest expectations can be exceeded at all calibre of accommodation by choosing wisely.

Local and international visitors want an authentic, relevant experience, and what better way to do this than these little shampoo and soaps that guests hold in such high regard?

Luxury accommodation needs luxury formulations. They need relevant, local botanical ingredients and stylish sustainable packaging. Serving size is important, but more so is the size of the range on offer.

Facial cleansers, body scrubs and bath salts are all the little extras that high-end guests just love. In fact, it’s the unexpected extras that make the biggest impact on guests. Avocado seed body scrub is the best example of this, guests simply love it!

Peter says: The trend for luxury amenities is clearly back to true and original brands that are appreciated and trusted by local and global travellers.

Authentic global retail brands, that are recognised for their value and superior quality, are again becoming the preferred choice for hotel operators who understand how brands can elevate a bathroom experience and add a memorable touch-point for their

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The Ecostick range from Healthpak

guests. Hotels leading the charge in the upscale and luxury category realise the value in amenities, which goes far beyond the mere product itself. Hotel cosmetics can effectively build prestige and are a perfect opportunity for storytelling. Through a careful brand selection, properties can tie in guest amenities with one of the key elements of the hotel brand itself, such as a localised story, image, style, heritage or environmental commitment.

At Swisstrade we are seeing a strong interest in brands that underline and complement all these areas.

With the hotel market becoming increasingly competitive in this sector, operators are creating every point of difference they can, to enhance the guest experience - premium and luxury amenities and selecting reputable brands are the perfect way to do so.

Budget amenities: Is it possible to create eco-friendly and luxe on a budget?

Jimi says: Budget accommodation doesn’t need to be cheap and nasty. Budget is about meeting guest financial requirements but still providing hospitality.

Consequently, products like conditioning shampoo can provide a guest with a great locally-made experience for half

the price of separate shampoo and conditioner. Likewise, you can have some of the extras that guest might need, like shower caps, etc - just have them on request.

Peter says: One distinct trend is a move towards environmentally sustainable dispenser solutions that offer eco-certified or fair trade certified, premium formulations dispensed in a most cost-effective manner. Luxe brands such as Aveda and Eco-Boutique offer eco-friendly dispenser solutions that can assist hotels to create a more premium touch in guest bathrooms, while providing a level of cost saving over single-use bottles and tubes.

Custom-branded amenities: Are these on trend and do they say ‘quality’, or do guests prefer an amenity brand?

Peter says: Unless of unmistakable prestige and status, a hotel name on guest amenities does not convey the quality or formulation of the product itself. The packaging needs to say this in a more refined way, to conjure the thoughts and feelings desired to aligned with the hotels brand image and story.

Hotel bathrooms have the power to say everything about a hotel.

So, it’s not surprising that carefully selecting bathroom amenities, from soaps to lotions and bath salts to vanity kits, are taken

HOUSEKEEPING

seriously. Today, operators seek to create an impression on their guests, about what the hotel brand stands for and where it is going.

We know that brands and product lines in the retail market can create an immediate connection with guests as they will respond more favourably to products they know or aspire to buy themselves. A custom-branded amenity could never capture the same immediate image affiliation as these brands that have been years in the making.

Jimi offers a different take on custom branding. He says: Custom-branded amenities have evolved so far from the days of ‘insert hotel name’ shampoo. We work with our clients to develop them their own brands. This can be a change in the design of the packaging using one of our existing formulations to being a full bespoke formulation including their very own essential oil blend.

In terms of relevance, a product containing local botanical ingredients is so much more relevant than a ‘brand’ from overseas that, many times, a guest has never heard of. An example of a bespoke solution is the Wiru Indigenous Skincare developed for Voyages Ayres Rock Resort.

The range is based on locally grown and processed botanical ingredients from the Northern Territory, and guests from around the world and Australia love it.

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

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Accom beds:

The new generation helping guests sleep easy

By Kate Jackson, Editor

Accom beds have always set the standard when it comes to sleep comfort.

OK, not the flea-bitten kind you’d find on an eighties road trip, but the cloud-like oases that define a luxury hotel stay.

These days, hotel beds are so craved by a generation with more disposable income than their parents that people are now buying top quality mattresses for their own homes.

With consumers stepping up their domestic sleeping game, it’s ever more vital that commercial accommodation can create a sleep experience which delivers on comfort and wellbeing.

According to Peter Deveny, group manager commercial for AH Beard, the trick is to buy local.

“A high-quality mattress should for a start be Australian made, using ONLY Australian made foams. We are fortunate enough to have a number of manufacturers in this

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Good manufacturers use the right materials in the right place to make sure that your guest will get the benefit of great comfort, but also a healthier sleep… country who lead the world in terms of both quality and innovation,” he said.

“Similarly, our foam manufacturing techniques and practices are some of the most advanced and ecologically sound on a global scale. Don’t be misled by terms like ‘designed in Australia’ or ‘assembled in Australia’, often these products will contain foams and other raw materials that are sourced from other countries who don’t have the same stringent controls around the addition of chemicals and other elements that are harmful to our health and in some

cases are known carcinogens.

“Aside from the health and environmental concerns, the durability and long-term performance of foreign made foams is often not as good as our local product, so not only could you be potentially exposing your guest to unhealthy beds, they will not last as a long as a locally made product.

“Make sure that all of the foams and fabrics are treated to resist mould, mildew, dust mites and other irritants that can aggravate conditions like asthma.

HOUSEKEEPING

“Again, always ensure that these treatments are recognised and approved for use here in Australasia.

Look for endorsements by bodies such as local asthma foundations or similar and if you are in doubt, ask your supplier to provide certification from a local testing body to verify that what you are buying is exactly what it should be.”

Asked about the benefits of latest mattress technology, Peter said: “Good quality mattresses are now designed and manufactured to make the most of the advanced comfort materials that are now available, so look for materials like Latex in particular which offers incredible comfort and durability, particularly when combined with an advanced spring system.

“A quick glance at any bedding showroom will tell you that mattresses have got much thicker over the past ten years or so, this makes the choice and construction of raw materials critical if the mattress is to have the right amount of ventilation and breathability.

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“Good manufacturers use the right materials in the right place to make sure that your guest will get the benefit of great comfort, but also a healthier sleep as the right ventilation helps to prevent the build-up of allergens that can aggravate respiratory conditions and just make you too hot to get a good night’s rest.”

Class-leading pocket coil spring technology is, says Peter, remarkably affordable.

“Pocket coil is widely regarded as the premier spring technology of the bedding industry and almost all of the world’s leading hotel chains, such as Hilton, IHG and Marriott , specify pocket coil support systems within their brand standards,” he said.

We asked Michael Anderson, national account manager for SleepMaker Commercial, about the demands placed on a commercial bed.

He said: “A commercial mattress is unique, as it has to meet the comfort and support requirements for a variety of

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

The commitment of leading commercial manufacturers to developing superior products has led to the innovation of continuous coil systems and foam technologies that work perfectly for the accommodation industry. different people. “Whether they suffer from back/sleep issues or sleep hot, the mattress needs to provide the perfect foundation for a good night’s sleep.

“It also needs to stand the test of time, and needs to provide durability. Durability is achieved when high quality materials are used as to sustain the life of the mattress. Especially in the case of commercial mattresses, as they need to be built with materials that are resilient.

“A good commercial mattress needs to find perfect harmony between superior comfort, quality, durability and guest satisfaction, but also be competitively priced.

“Bed care is also a major

factor, looking after your beds and ensuring you follow manufacturers care instructions will ensure maximum guest comfort, and the best value from your investment, increasing the life of the product.”

Of course, a hospitality bed faces some unique challenges: It needs to withstand the ravages of trampolining children and still retain the ability to support an eighteen stone All Blacks forward.

So how do manufacturers accommodate the vast range of guests’ bedding requirements? Michael said: “The accommodation industry caters to a variety of customers all with different

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requirements and finding a happy medium can be tricky.

“The commitment of leading commercial manufacturers to developing superior products has led to the innovation of continuous coil systems and foam technologies that work perfectly for the accommodation industry.

These innovative technologies meet the needs of customers and helps them obtain a good night’s rest.

“The range of continuous coil systems in quality commercial mattresses offer support where your body needs it most. SleepMaker’s Miracoil, for example, is a z-shaped continuous coil spring structure. This system covers

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

a larger surface area, which assists in distributing weight evenly providing greater support across the entire mattress and offering toe-to-toe, edge-toedge back support for everyone.

“New generation gel infusion foams provide a superior comfort layer that combines the pressure-relieving ability of our memory foam, with the

heat absorbing qualities of gel particles, giving guests the optimum balanced temperature whilst they rest.

“Those who suffer from allergies require a sleep environment that protects them from certain triggers. Quality manufacturers use Ultra-Fresh, an antimicrobial treatment that inhibits the growth of bacteria,

offering a fresher, cleaner and more hygienic sleep experience.

Laboratory tests show that foams, fibres and fabrics protected at the manufacturing stage provide effective control of house dust mites as well as the growth of destructive mould, mildew and fungi important triggers for allergic and asthmatic responses, particularly in children.”

When it comes to warranty, Michael advises: “A commercial mattress made with high quality superior materials should be able to withstand a variety of different guests and their requirements without faulting.

“Commercial mattresses can offer up to a ten-year warranty, depending on model.”

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

57

Will this cleaning experiment change the world?

By Kate Jackson, Editor

An oddball pairing of a global booking giant and a little-known hospitality union could spark a revolution in the treatment of accom cleaners worldwide.

With muted fanfare, Airbnb announced a partnership earlier this year with United Voice to promote cleaning companies championing fair pay and conditions.

The two, not generally considered natural bedfellows, are together promoting a socially responsible approach to cleaning which will be rolled out nationwide and could have international applications if its Canberra pilot proves successful.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr, an Airbnb tourism advisory board member, said the pilot was about ensuring good jobs and fair wages in a rejection of the idea that “technology and labour must be at loggerheads”.

“The fact is that innovation doesn’t need to come at the expense of workers or the fair go. This is what socially responsible, 21st Century companies do,” he said.

According to Jo-anne Schofield, United Voice national secretary, cleaning is an industry in which wage theft has become “the new normal”. Laws are not adequately enforced,

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

punishments are too light and worker exploitation has become a low-risk business decision, she argues.

It is a position mirrored in New Zealand by Unite Union Aotearoa’s Gerard Hehir, who says exploitation of workers is commonplace within hospitality.

A Newshub investigation in November found Wellington Company Internship NZ charged overseas students $6000 each for an internship, only for them to be underpaid, overworked and threatened with deportation if they failed to comply with employer demands.

Hehir argues workers often don’t speak out about the exploitation because they have paid thousands of dollars to immigrations consultants and fear being sent home.

“They can be organised on a very casual basis and there have become industries that have become structured on casualised low wage workers,” he told New Zealand’s AM Show.

“To be sent home, to be threatened with deportation, is such a personal, economic and social disaster for them and they simply can’t afford to do that.”

The Canberra pilot, while very small in the scale of the global cleaning industry, has the backing of a company which has just checked in its 500 millionth guest.

Airbnb’s explosive growth worldwide could see a

fundamental shift in the treatment of cleaning staff across the planet.

The company has, for now, committed to supporting a pilot fostering socially responsible home cleaning services that meet minimum labour standards - including a safe work environment, the protection of a collective agreement that provides for certification and training, and set workplace protections.

“We are thrilled to see Harmony Cleaning Company continue to develop as a for-purpose company with secure jobs and pay,” she said.

“Hosts who support the pilot will know that their cleaners are being paid the correct rate and that they are supporting an ethical cleaning collective.

The pilot program brings both dignity and a professional, properly paid workforce into rented properties.”

The four-month trial will see Airbnb promoting Harmony Cleaning - an enterprise owned by workers and dedicated to providing high-quality cleaning jobs for refugees and migrants - to its local hosts.

It also ties into a new industryled Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF) launched this month, which encourages cleaning companies, building owners and investors to sign up to ethical labour practices.

Harmony was created following a two-year legal battle by a group of S’gaw Karen refugees to win their entitlements from a school cleaning contractor.

As the scheme is implemented throughout Australia, Schofield hopes cleaners will see better conditions at work, cleaning contractors will benefit from responsible procurement practices, and owners and investors will benefit from reduced financial, legal and reputational risk.

The Federal Court judgement found the group’s employer had breached the Fair Work Act and that none of the cleaners were given the opportunity to work in accordance with their legal rights.

Bonded by their shared experiences in refugee camps and in fighting their underpayment case, the group decided there had to be a better way of continuing to work in the sector.

Ms Schofield says the pilot is about building sustainable jobs into the new economy.

HOUSEKEEPING

“What is so exciting about CAF is that it will reset the floor in a sector that for too long has been engaged in a race to the bottom,” says Schofield.

“Cleaners working in CAFcertified buildings will have respect and rights at work through decent work, fair pay, job security, safe working conditions, and very importantly, a voice at work for a hidden workforce.”

NoVacancy - The Accommodation Industry Expo @ ICC Sydney, 24-25 July 2019

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How to combat turnover

By Connie Rheams, Vice President, Beekeeper

Low employment rates have companies vying for talent across industries, and it’s a job seeker’s market.

The hospitality industry has always faced considerable challenges when it comes to employee engagement and retention, which are only amplified by this.

Many factors contribute to hotel labour issues including a hotel property’s proximity to metropolitan areas and the nature of surrounding businesses that may or may not be competing for employees.

According to a recent report, staffing is the number one challenge for hotels, with respondents citing the number of applicants at all-time low, a lack of response to job offers, and that employees quit for any reason without hesitation.

A key factor in all of this is attracting the right people - and having the best technological resources to keep them. As hoteliers look for innovative ways to keep their existing hospitality staff and be competitive in recruiting new employees, they should begin with taking the pulse of their frontline teams to assess, and improve, their internal communication strategy.

The number one pain point revealed in hotel employee satisfaction surveys Annual anonymous employee engagement surveys are common practice for most hotels and are done towards the end of the year. What’s the primary pain point that emerges from these employee satisfaction surveys? Gaps and issues with internal communication.

Workforce feedback analysis and next steps Rolling out an operational communication platform can serve as your strategy to address any communication challenges revealed via the survey. It’s also a virtual thank you gift that acknowledges your hotel staff ’s feedback, and cultivates assurance that more changes are coming.

This is what The Watergate Hotel did to boost their online travel site scores. After implementing a mobile solution, the hotel saw guest service scores improve dramatically. A mobile communication app assists The Watergate Hotel with providing exceptional guest experiences by connecting hotel departments in real time for more personalised service and to better anticipate guest needs. As a key part of the solution, announce survey results via the platform, and take the pulse of your hotel workforce more consistently throughout the year.

Announcing the results in this way creates transparency with your employees and helps establish trust, which is not always easily accomplished between leadership and front line employees.

In general, being transparent about their challenge makes employees feel heard and understood. If a hotel captures quarterly feedback related to a topic that scored low,

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it helps provide better visibility for leadership to make a change.

On the other hand, it can also validate that employees have in fact felt an improvement.

By the time you get to your next annual engagement survey, you are much more likely to improve results in this approach. This is why pulse surveys are increasing popularity amongst hoteliers.

Use mobile technology to conduct stay interviews When an employee leaves, an exit interview is often the last step in the off-boarding process.

An exit interview is designed to gather information from the team member who is leaving about their overall work experience.

According to the Work Institute 2018 Retention Report, approximately three in four employees who quit could have been retained by employers.

Instead of relying on the exit interview as the sole source of feedback at the point of departure (when it’s too late) hoteliers should consider implementing a stay interview process into their communication strategy.

Using a determined timeline, such as every three months or at the halfyear mark, schedule stay interviews.

Though you should start with your star players (the talent that would most impact the business if they left) it’s important to do so with those who seem disengaged as well.

•

Anything that would make the job better, such as educational opportunities, internal advancement, or changes to the work environment. 21% of people that quit do so because of the lack of career development opportunities.

Front line hotel employees are not often made aware of career development opportunities in the first place. Ensuring that opportunities are communicated to everyone is thus crucial. Not only does it show that you value growth from within, but if you retain as little as one employee by making your current team aware of an internal opportunity, it saves you about $4,100, the cost of losing one employee.

In a competitive market, it’s employers who think about these small details that have a higher likelihood of retaining more employees. Asking employees what they like about the company while they are still there is an essential proactive step towards improving employee retention for your hotel teams.

Connie Rheams, vice president of hospitality at Beekeeper, is a global business executive with a career marked by consulting hotel companies to align business priorities and information technology investment.

Craft questions that cover a range of topics relevant to their role and to their experience working at the hotel overall, including:

•

The effectiveness ofany existing employee engagement programs

•

Concerns specific to their job in addition to areas that are going well

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Control your aircon Costs! the then go on to the Preferred Supplier Database. Only Preferred Suppliers in this database have the opportunity to utilise the Preferred Supplier logo and make their contact details available to managers via the Preferred Supplier Directory, located in every issue of the A and online at accomnews.com.au.

Listed below are the stages of the process that ensure only the best industry suppliers can participate in the Preferred Supplier Programme:

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All nominations received are then qualified through a secondary questionnaire process to ensure nominated suppliers are able to provide the highest levels of service required and expected by managers.

Suppliers that still qualify are then asked to commit to the required levels of service for the next 12 months guaranteeing their commitment to the industry.

Subject to the satisfaction of these processes and commitments suppliers

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AccomNews - Autumn 2019

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Preferred suppliers have their status reviewed every 12 months to ensure they still qualify and that their commitment to the industry is being met.

With these criteria in place it means that you as a manager have access to a complete range of specialist suppliers who are actively seeking to improve their services to the accommodation industry.

For your own peace of mind when dealing with any supplier ask if they are a Preferred Supplier. This can be verified by viewing a Preferred Supplier logo – made available for use in any of their stationery or marketing material or more simply by locating them in the Preferred Supplier Directory. So when looking for products or services give yourself the peace of mind that you are dealing with a recognised industry specialist and support these suppliers who are committed to servicing your needs.

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