Hotel operators who have cut costs to the bone and hunkered down to survive declining occupancies now have the rare luxury of time to strengthen relationships with their local communities. This investment in goodwill can yield future dividends in terms of attracting new employees, prompting referral bookings and polishing the property’s reputation.
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| Rich Roberts |
As a bonus, hotel managers who engage their staff members in community outreach efforts might find that the distraction from dismal business conditions boosts morale and the positive activity builds team spirit. Also, every initiative can be publicized through local newspapers and television and radio stations to leverage the goodwill benefit.
Here are six ideas that can be implemented at relatively low cost by upscale, midscale and economy hotels alike:
1) Local elementary school classes can be invited to visit hotels as a “field trip” featuring tours and presentations by the front desk, housekeeping, maintenance, reservations and food-and-beverage departments. By culminating the visit with a group snack and drawing contest, the enthusiastic children will be sure to tell their parents about their fun day at your hotel.
2) High school guidance counselors can be encouraged to sponsor a “career day” that includes a property tour, presentations by department heads and a chance to work side-by-side with hotel staff. Students who wish to pursue hospitality careers can be offered seasonal employment.
3) Hotels with meeting space can collaborate with local chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE, to host seminars and counseling sessions for aspiring entrepreneurs.
4) Hotel staff can participate in roadside cleanup efforts sponsored by local highway departments. Highway departments might honor the effort by posting a sign proclaiming that the section of road has been “adopted” by the hotel.
5) Hotels can ally with nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, local youth clubs, mentoring programs, daycare centers and adult literacy programs, each of which can be asked to facilitate structured volunteer participation by hotel staff.
6) Hotels can “adopt” local projects such as maintaining historical sites, painting bus shelters and cleaning up playgrounds.
Whenever the hotel engages in such an initiative, the general manager should call the local newspaper and radio and television station to request news coverage. Also, hotels with Web sites should promote their community-service efforts on their home pages with links to stories and photo albums that document their accomplishments.
To realize their full value, team-building activities should be celebrated and individual participants recognized by hotel management at special staff meetings or parties.
Rich Roberts is a director with Ferri & Partners, a full-service public relations agency that specializes in marketing luxury products and services in North America and enhancing the visibility of international companies with U.S. consumers.
