Q&A with Tom Kelley, President of AccessPoint Group Restaurant & Hotel Food & Beverage Consulting

The face of business has changed drastically in the past months, and none more obviously than the travel and hospitality industry.

Beyond the obvious changes that include panic button legislation, and hyper-vigilant cleaning and disinfecting protocols, many face the stressful challenge of smaller and potentially inexperienced staff. In some cases, there’s the added stress of hiring, vetting, and training entirely new staff. And while the summer season is off to a great start, hotel, resort, and golf club operators will be faced with operating a location with brand new rules that might even change daily.

To help us figure out what the future of active work might look like for hotel and golf operators, we asked Tom Kelley, President of AccessPoint Group Restaurant & Hotel Food & Beverage Consulting for some input as to what’s next in the hospitality industry.

The hospitality industry is changing. “Changes have led to a better appreciation of the importance of a solid and motivated workforce, especially in high-end and luxury properties,” Kelley said. He added that “Challenges of bringing employees back to work are less when team members feel emotionally connected and appreciated by the company.” In case you’re wondering, that’s something that should never change. Kelley offered the example of the Las Vegas Sands/Venetian where they continued to pay their employees during the pandemic.

The biggest change in the industry. In case you’re wondering what the the most enduring changes will be industrywide, it might not be what you anticipated.

• Sanitation overhaul: “There has been and is a change in sanitation – for the better.” Kelley said. Along with that comes more emphasis on less touching of items. Kelley said “Restaurant runners will continue using gloves.” They’ll also realize that they will need to change them often, especially after picking up used plates).
• More reliance on reservations: If you’re a last-minute play it by ear type, you’re out of luck. Moving forward, restaurants in hotels will rely more heavily and more consistently on reservations. They’ll also probably pad clean up time to keep things as sanitized as possible.
• More outside dining: Kelley predicts that restaurant companies are going to ready themselves for concept models built around all outside dining. While this will be more obvious in temperate climates, cities like NYC have already created heated outdoor dining that is probably here to stay. And it won’t be limited to restaurants, Kelley says there will be more outside everything.

The evolution of panic button legislation. When asked about personal safety devices, Kelley said it might be hard to legislate in every state immediately. “ It is evolving and may take some time.  Employee unions are leading, but, now more than ever, costs are a bigger factor.” He added that most hotels and resorts will probably “look for an innovative solution from an industry vendor in the coming year.”

At Relay, we’re proud to offer that innovative solution. Our devices connect hotel and resort staff and empower them through the use of a panic button and a completely connected cellular network. Contact us to find out how to empower your staff and clientele through connectivity with a device that alerts anyone to potential danger.

Accommodate your guests. Kelley said the biggest mistake hotels and golf resorts are making right now is “trying to force guests into situations guests may find uncomfortable.” Your goal in the hospitality industry is to make your guests always feel welcome. To that end, Kelley said “If your guests want to sit outside, find a way to accommodate. If they want more spacing or a table apart from others, accommodate that.”

Don’t rush things. While we’re all excited to get back to normal, we have to all ease our way back in. Kelley cautioned that “operators that are trying to instantly go back to packed dining rooms will only drive a good number of guests away – those who are not quite ready to go back to the old normal.

Don’t slack off. In case you think you can get away with providing a less than optimum experience, you can’t. Kelley said “Those operators who slack off on visible protocols around sanitation won’t win any guest loyalty – it will just be seen as not being conscious of a better way of doing things and a new normal.” And that doesn’t give you free reign to slack off on the things guests can’t see. With millions of active social media profiles that last thing you want is for a guest to broadcast your sanitation shortcuts to the world.

Be transparent about your dining protocols.  This is not the time to be wishy washy or coy about the way you do things at your hotel. “Hospitality establishments, especially restaurants, need to clearly state safe dining protocols on their websites and in-store,” Kelley said. Every guest will be coming to you with different needs and requirements. Make it clear before they book their stay that you can meet their needs. “Guest comfort levels are all over the place and restaurants need to continue to cater to that entire spectrum,” Kelley said. “Operators trying to recoup and cram people in, or use less staff, or visibly clean less won’t win any fans.” You won’t win any fans or repeat guests by cutting corners. “ Just do it the new right way and guests will notice operators have their/guest interest at heart and are not just chasing a quick buck.”

The Relay difference:

If you’re ready to set up your own network of panic buttons, look no further than Relay. Our products are affordable and efficient. Relay is an easy to deploy, flexible panic button. Best yet, it’s also an elevated communications solution, so you’re combining two critical line items into one (with better value). With Relay, you save money, setup is nonexistent, and our products offer hotel staff a practical, easy solution.

Like most hospitality based industries, the hotel industry has changed drastically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. And as the travel industry picks up again, hotel managers are trying to figure out how to create a safer and better experience for guests and their frontline employees. Interestingly enough, while the hospitality industry overall relies on the personal touch, technology is going to play an even bigger part in the hotel industry than it does now.

Why hotel technology is changing right now:

Most of the country is easing out of lockdown and people eager to travel again. To keep up with increased demand for accommodations, amenities and food services, the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries are going through major changes, many technology-based or focused.

According to a survey last year on Statista, travel behavior all across the globe changed, particularly in terms of the level of comfort when staying in hotels. The study reported that 60 percent of respondents said “they would be more comfortable staying in hotels after the coronavirus pandemic if there is increased frequency of cleaning and disinfecting procedures.” Nine percent of respondents to that survey stated they “were in favor of temporarily suspending some hotel services such as spas, casinos, and restaurants.” What a difference a year makes. While last year people were still apprehensive about spa services or dining out, social media is filled with vows to enjoy both extensively.

Managing budgets while accommodating guests:

After a year of restrictions, people are no longer content to give up luxuries, especially when in hotels. In fact, after being mostly stuck home for 14+ months, people really want to enjoy the full experience that hotels and resorts can provide. A challenge for hotel operators right now is to figure out how to provide the safest possible and most seamless experience to all their guests, while taking advantage of the new and emerging technologies. An even greater challenge is prioritizing spending and figuring how what the most important tech investments should be right now.

At Relay, we’re proud that our devices connect workers and empower them through the use of a panic button connected to the cellular network. Contact us to find out how to empower your staff through connectivity with a device that alerts to potential danger.

Prioritizing your tech investments:

In March, we posted about Tech tools hotel operators need most. While researching that article we uncovered some interesting technology that hotels would be investing in over the next months. Our top picks included chatbots, venue sourcing software, and panic buttons, of course, which will soon be mandatory in all states. The question we received most often though, was how do you prioritize your hotel tech investments? We wondered the same thing as well.

To add a bit of perspective, you need to update your booking software before the summer rush, but is it wise to do any of this before you’ve updated your safety plan? And should you even be thinking of letting in new guests before you’ve fully trained your staff in the best ways to use their personal protective devices?

To help you figure out your tech and investment priorities, we created a checklist. Of course your hotel or chain is different than everyone else’s and as such has differing needs, but this should give you an idea of where to begin.

1. Technology driven disinfection systems: This one is a deal breaker. No matter how gorgeous your grounds or how high the threadcount is on your bedding, if guests don’t feel that you’re taking their health concerns seriously, they won’t stay with you.
2. Mobile keys: People no longer want to touch germy keys (well, we’re not sure they ever did!). If you’re apprehensive about a property-wide rollout, consider starting floor by floor until you iron out any potential issues.
3. Panic buttons and safety systems (and training): As you ease staff back in it’s time to pay attention to the new and emerging legislation in your state. There’s a good chance that your employees have never used personal panic buttons before and now is the time to train them and explain the process as well. Way before you host guests, you need to add that newest level of safety and protection.
4. Automated booking services: Once you’re sure that your space will be safe for both guests and staff, it’s time to make sure that your booking system is of the moment. This is also a great time to ask new hires their favorite platforms and why, and to train everyone in best practices. While you’re at it, pay special attention to internal glitches and solicit as much feedback as possible.
5. Chatbots, virtual reality tours and more: If you’re feeling adventurous, try setting up a few methods of keeping potential guests in touch before they’re in touch or during their stay. If you’ve never used any form of chatbot or alternate communication methods, you might want to start small with a focus group offering incentives for honest feedback.
6. Smart rooms: The reason we didn’t include this at the top of our list is because this will involve a major spend. Voice control, facial recognition and more can highly personalize the guest experience, but it can also go really, really wrong. Take as much time as possible to explore options before spending.

We also recommend considering a private app for your hotel to be shared by guests and one just for staff, as well as upgraded WiFi and an expanded social media presence.

The Relay difference:

If you’re ready to set up your own network of panic buttons, look no further than Relay. Our products are affordable and efficient. Relay is an easy to deploy, flexible panic button. Best yet, it’s also an elevated communications solution, so you’re combining two critical line items into one (with better value). With Relay, you save money, setup is nonexistent, and our products offer hotel staff a practical, easy solution.