The primary role of a hotel consulting firm is to provide professional advice to investors and individuals interested in entering the hotel industry, or, more generally, to assist independent hotels or resorts that are already in operation.
The most important aspect of good hotel consulting is having years of experience in both hotel operations and the retail industry in general. International experience is particularly valuable in this regard. Likewise, a broad academic background is essential if we want to hire the best experts to help us succeed through efficient decision-making within reasonable timeframes.
Hiring a consulting firm that specializes in hotels or resorts should not be viewed as an unnecessary expense or as a last resort when the situation becomes critical. An experienced and well-trained consultant is an excellent investment when it comes to achieving the desired results for your business.
It’s true that it’s not always easy to reach out to a stranger, but sometimes all that’s missing for a decent hotel business to become an excellent one is the willingness to change—and an outside consultant can help us with that.
Why can it be beneficial to have an external hotel consulting firm?
Here are some general reasons why using the services of a hotel consulting firm can be beneficial for your business:
- Even after being in the market for some time, some hotels still struggle to clearly define their business and their goals. One opportunity after another arises; they overlap, become a nuisance, and leave no room for what the company truly excels at. An external hotel consulting firm that understands the hotel industry and the market—and, if necessary, has the right contacts—can identify the hotel’s strengths, link them to potential opportunities, and help ensure that resources are utilized in the most effective way possible.
- The Importance of Details. Sometimes we can’t understand why we fall short compared to our competitors. The secret to success, however, lies in the small details—those that come from real-world experience, an experience that the consultant brings to your hotel or resort at every stage of the process.
- New Opportunities. A consultant has worked with many companies (especially those operating in different countries) and has numerous contacts across a wide range of market segments. This can be a great way to generate new opportunities and contacts for this independent hotel or resort.
- Proven solutions. It often seems as though every problem that arises in a hotel or resort is new and unique, and that finding a solution takes a long time. Given this situation, it is very likely that an experienced consulting firm has already dealt with similar problems and can resolve them with an effective and quick solution that has worked in the past.
- A mediator. Unfortunately, there are quite a few situations—especially in family-run hotels—where deep-rooted personal conflicts exist that hinder the company’s success. These conflicts rarely resolve themselves without the intervention of an outside party whose opinion is respected because they do not take sides in the disputes.
The two most common scenarios in which a hotel consulting firm applies its expertise are as follows, depending on the stage the business or hotel is in.
Scenario A: Individuals or companies considering entering the hotel sector.
In this case, a professional consulting firm can advise them on the following, among other things:
- Predicting the Project’s Profitability
- Defining the right hotel concept
- Developing solutions for every scenario
- Setting an Appropriate Goal
- Developing Business Strategies
- Executing the project in the best possible way
Scenario B: Hotel facilities that are already in operation
In this case, the professional services of a hotel consulting firm provide the necessary tools to improve operating results and adapt to current demand. At the same time, the goal of increasing the company’s profitability levels in the short, medium, and long term is never lost sight of. This is achieved through:
- The development and implementation of marketing and sales programs. This also includes fostering a culture of revenue management.
- The hotel’s operational management. This includes improvements in service quality.
- Improving the image and reputation of the hotel or resort.
- Continuing education and training.
In this scenario, hotel consultants help hotels that are already in operation achieve their goals by:
- Consulting, advisory services, and the design of programs to bridge the gap between the current and desired situations.
- Coaching, leadership, and training (at various levels).
- Development of leadership skills, oversight, and expertise.
- Defining the company, its mission, and its goals.
- Analysis of the current situation.
- Identifying training and operational needs.
- Improving organizational communication.
- Improving work performance.
- Increasing employee motivation.
- Increasing the organization’s performance levels.
- Achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Expanding the company’s customer base and market segment.
The Role of External Hotel Consulting
The consultant is responsible for “taking the pulse” of the situation and making a preliminary assessment during his first meeting with the hotel manager. In doing so, he always acts with integrity and in the client’s best interest.
Before speaking with a client, a consultant should always first assess whether he or she has the appropriate tools and experience to solve the problem, implement changes, and make necessary improvements—or whether he or she needs the help of a specialist.
On this point, the consultant must be honest with the client and offer an assessment of the effectiveness of a general customer service meeting. In doing so, the consultant explains the need to address the root cause of the problem before providing proper training sessions for front-line employees.
Here, the consultant acts as a true advisor and is more than just the “mediator” the client intended to hire. A good consultant should first clarify the objectives, identify the root causes of the problem, and help correct them. In this way, he helps align both management and employees with the desired results for the hotel or resort.
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