The hospitality industry must keep abreast of changes in the culture. A new approach to doing business in the corporate community offers opportunities for boutique hotels and hotel chains to gain a larger market share of the traveling public: young professionals. The management style of these modern executives is far different than was once the norm; they dress casually, eat healthy food, take care of their bodies, and try to instill an attitude of fun into their businesses. Some of these company executives or their meeting planners may have unique demands when they are looking for a location for an event, or traveling to a city for a business meeting.
A fresh, new approach to design, individual services, and healthy menu options can make your hotel the right destination. Many young executives in the technology or green industries are interested in staying in a hotel that is concerned with environmental issues. A flexible approach that can cater to a variety of individual demands can lead to a high level of loyalty to your hotel brand. These young professionals make sure that others know when they have a good experience; their blogs, Facebook postings and tweets influence thousands – or even tens of thousands – of followers.
These young executives may look casual, and although they no longer are dressed in a cashmere coat and a hat, or arrive in a limousine with a secretary or bejeweled wife, they could easily control hundreds of staff as well as millions of dollars. You can no longer assume that one casually dressed person arriving at your hotel is “just another guest” – they may be an industry leader. When hotel staff manage each guest’s requests as if they are a VIP, they are wise. That young man in a t-shirt, jeans, and flip flops may be a major industry leader, and could open the door to greater success for your property when he receives exceptional, friendly service.
Bentley Price Associates, Inc., a premier hospitality executive search firm, is alert to the evolution in the hospitality industry. Our hotel recruiters have fast access to executives that can engage in the right actions to take advantage of the changing market in the U.S.