T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E C A L I F O R N I A H O T E L & L O D G I N G A S S O C I A T I O N C A L I F O R N I A MARCH/APRIL 2023 LODGINGNEWS Marketing and Technology Updates
Robots are popping up more frequently at trade shows.
2 Message from the President & CEO 4 Visit California 6 This Spring, California Accessibility Reform is in the Air 8 Making Payroll More Flexible for the New Workforce 10 Tips for Getting Those 5 Star Reviews 12 InnSpire Conference Marketplace 14 T ransforming Your Hospitality Business with Marketing and Technology 16 Diving Into Digital 18 SAFE Conference 20 CHLA Marketplace 27 CHLA Partners OUR MISSION CHLA is the indispensable resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry, for providing educational training and cost-saving programs for all segments of the industry, and for supporting strategic alliances to promote the value of California tourism and travel. 14 8 4 LODGING NEWS TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER RobotLAB Group showed off their robots at the InnSpire Conference & Marketplace
2 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS 414 29th Street Sacramento, CA 95816 916.444.5780 www.calodging.com EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Hee-Won Lim-Grosvenor Pacific Palms Hotel VICE CHAIR Dhruv Patel Ridgemont Hospitality IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Tom Patton, CHA Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara SECRETARY/TREASURER Cormac O’Modhrain Sunstone Hotel Investors GOVERNMENT & LEGAL RELATIONS CHAIR Javier Cano JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE AUDIT & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Laurenne Douglas Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc. 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristi Allen Ensemble Real Estate Solutions & Investments Laura Lee Blake AAHOA Justin Boutwell Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Javier Cano JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE Vipul Dayal Days Inn San Francisco Airport West Laurenne Douglas Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc. Ross Gimpel Encore Terri Haack Lowe Enterprises Investors Jon Handlery, CHA Handlery Union Square Hotel Niles Harris InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Nic Hockman Disney’s Grand Californian Matt Humphreys Hyatt Regency San Francisco Daniel Kuperschmid Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Mark LeBlanc Aimbridge Hospitality Franck Legrand Cornell Hotel De France Michelle Millar University of San Francisco Michael Pace InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel Bijal Patel, CHA Coast Redwood Hospitality Bimal Patel, CHA Hotel Zico Perry Patel Radiate Hospitality Pragna Patel-Mueller Samata Management Joe Piantedosi Park Hotels & Resorts Chip Rogers American Hotel & Lodging Association John Spear Hotel Drisco Jeffrey Thurrell Fisher Phillips Wes Tyler, CHA Chancellor Hotel on Union Square Mike Tweeten Ace Parking Management Bobby Walia Marriott International Corporation ADVERTISING & DESIGN LLM Publications 503.445.2220 | 800.647.1511 www.llmpubs.com Design & Layout Sales Representative Katie Jo Stewart Grandt Mansfield grandt@llmpubs.com Copyright © 2023. Al l Rights Reserved THIS YEAR MARKS THE 130TH ANNIVERSARY of the founding of the California Hotel & Lodging Association. In a tribute to both our past and our future, throughout our special anniversary logo, you will find photographs of our members and leadership in decades past, when a few hoteliers from the region around the small but growing town of Los Angeles allied themselves to promote their common interests. You’ll also find more recent photographs that represent the vibrant and diverse people and properties that today make up our association in every part of California. This logo will identify our brand throughout the year as we work on behalf of our members to reinforce the importance of our industry. In a state where tourism remains an economic powerhouse that supports nearly a million jobs—and generates nearly $10 billion in state and local taxes—we are a vital force in California. As a vital industry, we will be working in Sacramento as well as with county and city governments to build and maintain a favorable environment for operating our businesses successfully. We will be active in helping to create and support legislation that will support our growth, enable us to address the continuing labor shortage, and deal with broader societal problems that affect us and our guests such as the issue of urban homelessness. These aren’t easy undertakings. The issues are complex, the path sometimes tortuous, and the opponents often numerous. We can overcome these hurdles in part through communicating the role our industry plays in the state’s overall success, and in part through being good corporate citizens and contributing to the betterment of the communities where we operate. Like any community, though, we will succeed and be our best when we’re all working for one another. Just as our anniversary logo is strong because it is built from the mosaic of our people, past and present, our association and our state will be stronger if we all work together to support CHLA’s legislative and other government affairs efforts in the coming year. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Lynn Mohrfeld CHLA President & CEO take a closer look on the next page 130 Years Strong
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 3
4 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com welcomes the meeting and events industry to “Meet What’s Possible’’ in the Golden State Visit California CONVENTIONS AND PROFESSIONAL meetings have long been a mainstay of the hospitality business throughout much of California. While that revenue source was severely curtailed during the pandemic, it has begun to return in recent months. Visit California is supporting this recovery with a series of initiatives, including new brand advertising, in-market road shows, and trade shows designed to highlight the state as the nation’s No. 1 tourism destination and drive more meetings and events business to the state. These initiatives are designed to align with the changing needs of meeting planners in the post-pandemic era. As the meeting and events industry recovers, planners have adapted and further defined their priorities when considering a destination. Key decision-making factors include health and safety protocols and finding locations for their events that are both desirable and technologically savvy. This addresses the demands of meeting attendees who are more thoughtful about travel and want the opportunity for unique experiences at destinations that cater to health and wellness and are welcoming to all. The “Meet What’s Possible” platform and “The Birthplace” campaign were designed by Visit California to support those changed priorities and send a welcoming message to meeting planners and their groups that California is open for business. The campaigns reinforce California’s identity as a world-class meetings destination with unique and exciting host destinations and meeting experiences. “The Birthplace” campaign positions California as the birthplace of innovation, sustainability, inclusivity. The campaign targets planners through placement in highly reputable and trusted print and digital publications to drive awareness of the limitless opportunities in California while also offering planners insights into the unique, meeting-focused attributes of the state’s many destinations: • The groundbreaking tech achievements in Silicon Valley and San Francisco as well as Southern California, including the booming biotech and life science industry in San Diego. We also highlight the growing demand for high tech-conferences in Palm Springs, Long Beach, and Los Angeles. These examples demonstrate how California’s forward-thinking culture creates a magnet for innovation and technology. • Eco-friendly practices and sustainable initiatives are the new norm for meetings and events in cities such as Santa Barbara, Monterey, Palm Springs, and Lake Tahoe. These cities are supporting their meeting planners in these green meeting initiatives. • Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are top priorities, and Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Greater Palm Springs, and San Diego are among the cities showcasing these values. Being located in one of the most diverse states in the U.S., cities throughout California have implemented initiatives and programs to ensure all feel welcome in their cities and at their group events. • California’s crowd-pleasing climate and outdoor lifestyles create exceptional and memorable events for attendees. Venues in cities all throughout the state, including Napa, Anaheim, Santa Monica, and Huntington Beach, offer rooftop event venues and other outdoor experiences that will wow visitors. The “Taste of California” road shows provide a platform for California cities to join efforts and present a unified message: California is open for business and ready to welcome all meetings. Under the Visit California brand, these in-market events allow California destination representatives to meet clients in cities throughout the U.S. Typically, these are evenings of bites, entertainment, education and heavy networking. Our California partners have found great success on these road shows in connecting with clients in an array of major cities in the east, midwest, and south, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Dallas, Austin, Minneapolis, and Chicago. We’re also working on adding to other metro areas—Denver and Seattle. Trade shows also are back and booming, with Visit California a strong presence. To support California destinations and build in-person awareness of California as a top-tier meetings destination, Visit California has developed partnerships with industry influencers IMEX, Professional Convention Management Association, Northstar Meetings Group, Cvent, Meeting Professionals International, Prestige Global Meeting Source, American Society of Association Executives and many more. These relationships provide California partners the opportunity to meet with a diverse collection of meeting planners, whether in a one-on-one meeting, through a networking event, or on the trade show floor. When meeting planners “Meet What’s Possible” in California, they find endless opportunities and a diversity of products and experiences. This Visit California initiative will continue to support all California destinations in their efforts to keep the state top of mind for meetings and events. By arranging connections with industry professionals across the U.S. through marketing, road shows, and trade shows, Visit California amplifies the messaging and attributes of the nation’s top destination and assists its California meetings and events partners in their business recovery and expansion.
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 5
6 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com A S MANY OF OUR MEMBERS KNOW, the California Unruh Act prohibits arbitrary discrimination in business establishments on the basis of various personal characteristics such as race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. However, the act is sometimes abused when businesses or individuals use it as a basis for frivolous lawsuits or make false claims of discrimination without sufficient evidence and in an attempt to obtain settlement payouts, rather than to solve a genuine issue. This can create a burden on the court system and potentially harm the reputation and operational capabilities of innocent businesses. In order to prevent abuse of the Unruh Act, CHLA partnered with a lawyer specializing in defending against these claims and established a member-exclusive ADA Protection Program which provides flatrate legal defenses to abusive litigants. Now, CHLA is unveiling a new piece of legislation designed to mitigate abuse of the California Unruh Act and is working with a State Legislator to make meaningful change and prevent abuse of CA accessibility law. Under this bill, statutory damages would be reduced, disrupting the current monetary incentives to abuse the Unruh Act and making it far less profitable for bad actors to profit from their actions. Further, this act prevents bad actors from claiming injury multiple times for the same alleged violations and clarifies that, if there is a genuine issue, they are entitled to recover once—not as many times as they drove past the parking lot. Even more, this bill would disrupt the current assembly line structure of abusive plaintiff’s firms by forcing them to give the appropriate amount of time and effort to each case that legitimate clients deserve. To be clear, CHLA and the hospitality community strongly support the provision of accessible facilities—indeed, we’re peoplepeople and moreover, they are our guests. However, the small group of bad actors who abuse the system are blatantly evading the This Spring, California Accessibility Reform is in the Air—Join the Movement Today! intent of the law to extort millions of dollars annually in settlement agreements at the expense of small businesses, particularly those owned by people of color, and CHLA can stand by no longer. To be clear, though well intended, this bill will face staunch opposition from groups interested in maintaining the status quo— despite the reputational damage accessibility abuse causes to the disabled community and the real operational impacts felt by aspiring entrepreneurs across the state. Over the coming year, we will need your voice more than ever to help make California better. If you have been affected by abusive accessibility litigation, we’re asking for your help. If you know someone who has been affected, we’re asking for your voice and their voice. If you have a story to tell, we want to hear it. To contact the team and see how you can help, click here.
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 7 RECONNECT WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS MARCH 21, 2023 SAC RAME N TO Join us in Sacramento to meet with elected oicials and address the most significant topics aecting California’s lodging industry.
8 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED a lot of things in the hospitality industry, from bookings to electronic room keys to guests paying with their phone. It’s also beginning to change how hospitality workers are paid, offering them more flexibility about when and how they collect their earnings. One of the most recent developments is a payroll version of the money transfer apps that are increasingly popular for sending money between individuals. Instead of having to wait for the next regular pay period, employees can opt to get some or all of their earnings sooner, sometimes within a day or two. Hilton is one of the hospitality brands that has been introducing this technology to its managed properties and continues to roll it out more broadly. “We started looking into this a couple of years ago in response to feedback from team members who wanted to be paid more frequently than weekly or bi-weekly,” said J.D. Barnes, Vice President, Global Workforce Innovation & Optimization for Hilton. “We’re constantly looking at what we offer team members and how to make adjustments to meet their needs.” The request for more flexible and rapid pay often comes from the younger employees who are being recruited into an industry that’s been experiencing a labor shortage. Those employees have grown up with technology as well as the idea of things happening immediately—including things financial. While the company could have simply adjusted pay periods to be more frequent— albeit at a cost—that wouldn’t have addressed the other expectation of those employees for flexibility. That led Hilton to look for an outside vendor that could handle that sort of need. “What if one person wants to be paid more often and one doesn’t?,” Barnes said. “So while we knew we could do things faster, we also thought that it wasn’t something we’d do by ourselves, but rather find an expert.” Hilton issued an RFP and after some robust competition chose a company called DailyPay, one of the many “fintech” companies that has sprung up in the last decade. The company, which has been in business since Making Payroll More Flexible For the New Workforce 2015, specializes in what’s known as “ondemand pay” or “earned wage access.” Hilton liked DailyPay for a number of reasons, including “super easy, very straightforward” implementation, as well as scalability and security. For employees at a managed Hilton property that uses the service, they now have several options for being paid. There’s instantaneous access, where people can draw on their pay as soon as they earn it, transferring it to their bank account after paying a service fee to DailyPay, similar to how many consumer money transfer services work. If the employee waits 24 hours, they can choose to send their earnings to any account they choose without the fee. Finally, they can choose to have their pay loaded onto a debit card from DailyPay, which also carries no fee and is especially useful for those who don’t have traditional bank accounts, Barnes said. Offering this kind of pay flexibility can be a compelling benefit for attracting and keeping talent. In today’s tight labor market, “visibility and transparency of pay is a big motivator,” Barnes said. With DailyPay, hourly employees can use an app to see their earnings in real
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 9 time—one of the most widely used features of the technology—and make choices about how to be paid. “Team members enrolled in DailyPay have attritted four times less than others, and in terms of job postings, we get 2.5 times more applicants to positions where DailyPay is offered,” Barnes said, although he noted it’s not possible to know if there are other factors at work as well. The technology also helps keep Hilton competitive for some positions in the midst of the gig economy, where people are accustomed to being paid right away. Hilton brought the technology on in phases, starting with a single-region pilot and gathering feedback before rolling out to another 50 properties, then 100 more over the course of six or seven months. Right now, DailyPay is available at all Hilton’s managed hotels in the U.S., making it an option for about 34,000 workers. The next step will be encouraging franchisees to look into offering the service, and then a potential global rollout, Barnes said. “This is the continuous innovation that we ideate on, and in the current workforce it’s all about flexibility,” he said. “We see that in other parts of the team member experience, where people value greater choice, control and autonomy.”
10 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com One aspect of online technology that has had an enormous impact on the hospitality business is the online review. Services like Trip Advisor and Yelp! offer every guest the potential to comment on their experience and rate a property—and those ratings can be a major influence on guests looking to book a stay or meeting planners setting up an event. At the same time, getting guests to write those reviews can seem impossible—unless it’s a one-star rant that can really damage a property’s reputation. Tips For Getting Those 5 Star Reviews
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 11 But it is possible not only to get guests to review your property, but to help ensure the raves vastly outnumber the bombs. That’s what the Magic Castle Hotel in Los Angeles has been able to do over the years—so well, in fact, that its Trip Advisor reviews are its main form of marketing. To date, the hotel has garnered nearly 3,600 reviews—one of the largest number for hospitality properties in LA—with some 2,700 of them earning a five-circle rating. More amazing is that a mere 35—under one percent—carry just one circle. Lodging News asked Darren Ross, CEO of Service Freak Hospitality, which operates Magic Castle Hotel, to share his six top tips for building and maintaining that level of online goodwill with guests. 1. Great reviews start with great service. “Over the years, the way we’ve gotten guests to go onto Trip Advisor is by giving them an extraordinary experience,” he says. The goal is to provide guests with unexpected and unique services that “compel them to want to go and tell people about their experience at Magic Castle Hotel without us asking them to do it.” 2. Encourage your fans to become reviewers. When you hear a guest talking about the great experience they’re having, it’s an ideal time to be the catalyst to a great review. Take the time to engage them about their stay and after even a short conversation “it’s then very natural to ask them to write a review.” Try to appeal to them on a human level, too—“We let them know how important it is to us, especially as a small business,” Ross says. Much of the time, guests will happily post a glowing review based on this personal ask. 3. Don’t squander guest time on comment cards and surveys. It can seem tempting to find every possible way to get guests to tell you about their stay, with lengthy comment cards in the room, online surveys and other tools. That can wind up being counterproductive, Ross says. “Every company is asking you to review their product or service, and I’m sensitive to people having only so much time,” he says. The hotel’s comment cards have only two questions, because in his view, the best thing a guest can do with that time is “tell the world about their experience” in a review. 4. Resist the temptation to open the floodgates. Ross pointedly does not advertise Trip Advisor or any other rating service on the property—no stickers or cards and no automatic requests via email. The reason? Opening the floodgates like that is much more likely to give unhappy guests the encouragement to leave a negative review than it is to get the average guest to post one. And while negative reviews can be tough on a brand, good reviews over time beget other reviews. People who discover a property via online reviews are much more likely to do a review themselves, and if the service lives up to expectations, they will be great ratings that will overwhelm the negatives that inevitably show up. “The more reviews we get, the more visitors we get, and the more reviews we get from them. It’s self-fulfilling.” 5. Respond to your reviews—and be genuine. When you get a great review—especially from a guest you’ve approached personally—posting a thoughtful and genuine response helps to amplify that review with readers. “Try to pick out one or two specific points from their post, to show that you’ve read it.” Most importantly, though, is to see your response less as a conversation with that individual guest and more as a message to the future guests who will read it. And don’t just respond to the glowing reviews—respond in the same way to negative posts and admit it if you dropped the ball. “It is a balancing act; you don’t want to be walked on, but you always want to be accountable and own up when you’ve messed up.” Good or bad, avoid canned or generic responses at all costs, Ross said. “Replying is a kind of an art form,” he says. “If you’re tempted to do a standard reply, it’s better to do nothing.” 6. Trust your reviewers to be your allies. It’s easy to be upset over a negative review, especially if the guest got it wrong. Rather than composing a long and angry response, though, Ross suggests letting your fans do most of the sorting out. Take aim at the falsehood and once you’ve put things into context, let readers draw their own conclusions, relying on the power of social media to self-correct. “Readers are smart. They can see through the bull and see through angry guests and those with an agenda,” he says. “I’ve talked to a lot of guests over 20 years about our reviews and people remember certain ones and they’ll respond for us.”
12 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com ON JANUARY 28TH, CABBI held its annual InnSpire Conference & Marketplace. This event was held for the first time at the Marriott Walnut Creek centrally located in the Bay Area. The event opened with keynote speaker Christine Trippi, The Wise Pineapple, who was not only engaging and full of energy but gave our attendees customer service tips and tricks and empowered them to “Say Yes.” The next two days were filled with more education, the marketplace, and lots of networking. Monday night everyone was shuttled downtown to different restaurants to experience Walnut Creek then came back to the property for a nightcap and more networking. The marketplace was filled with over 30 vendors that included everything from insurance, credit card processing, PMS systems, to robots. On Tuesday, the day was packed full of education starting with a demonstration breakfast by Chef Mark Berkner and his wife Tracey Berkner, who own Rest, a boutique inn, Volcano Union Inn & Pub, and Taste Restaurant and Wine Bar. Tuesday closed with CHLA’s President + CEO Lynn Mohrfeld giving a legislative and legal update. He then sat down and had a frank discussion with Renee Ruble-Dotts, the owner of Paper Moon Creative, and discussed guest amenities and how to wow your guest with first impressions. Ruble-Dotts, who writes the CABBI Travel blog, has visited over 150 inns throughout California. The conference was a success and we are all looking forward to next year! Chef Mark Berkner preparing for his demonstration breakfast. The InnSpire Marketplace always has the latest products and services; such as the hospitality robot on the cover, from RobotLAB Group.
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 13 CABBI thanks all of this year’s InnSpire Sponsors. Your support is appreciated. CHLA’s President + CEO Lynn Mohrfeld presented a Legislative Update. Connecting with your peers and networking are some of the top reasons why innkeepers and hoteliers attend InnSpire. There were a lot of educational sessions this year. Lisa Kolb from Acorn Marketing presented How to Win with Google Travel.
14 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com IF YOU MANAGE an independent hotel, B&B, or inn, you have a lot of marketing and technology challenges today, and keeping up with the latest trends can be a full-time job. On top of that, the market is very competitive; guests have a lot of information at their fingertips when it comes to making travel choices. To succeed in this market and earn the business of savvy travelers, it’s a must to put marketing and technology together. As you walk through each stage of the guest journey, there are many ways in which this can be done. The Search. As you read this, imagine your next potential guest is on a phone or computer planning details of their next trip. After a few conversations with family and friends, they’ve jumped into Google where their search for “Places to stay in [your location]” begins. As they investigate their options, they see that your website booking engine page offers a lower rate than the other OTA listings they looked at. Your property is off to a good start. So how did your property accomplish this? With Google Hotel Free Booking Links and Hotel Ads. When you leverage this exposure on the world’s largest search engine, you can acquire more direct bookings straight from Google Search and funnel travelers immediately into your brand’s booking engine. This means they can skip the detour through non-branded and non-bookable website pages (like they would on OTAs) and finalize their purchase without delay. You win! To enable this scenario, you need to complete some preliminary steps. First, your onsite reservation software and booking engine must be connected to Google Hotels platform through their integration. Then you need to be approved by Google before being listed in Google’s general search and on Google Maps. The First Impression. Of course, not every traveler will book through Google. Many will need to gain some trust beforehand, and a stop at your website is their next step. The most successful businesses have a website that’s fully optimized for the search terms their ideal travelers will be using. Modern websites for today's travelers are simple, mobile-first, and offer dynamic opportunities for travelers to book direct. Savvy hoteliers understand that their booking engine is the backbone of the online reservation process. They know their website should incorporate solutions like embedded calendar widgets, individual unit calendars, ADA accessible search filters, multiple rates, and a variety of custom fields to collect guest insights that will assist staff in personalizing the guest experience. A key time saver here is to work with a vendor whose property management system updates the booking engine, OTAs, and your brand website with room rates, descriptions, and photos all at once. Also, consider adding exit intent technology and booking engine abandonment tools to stay close to those travelers who are shopping around. Accommodating Their Stay. So, you’ve gained the trust of the traveler and earned their business. Now is where you set yourself apart from the property next door. Once you’ve captured the reservation from your online booking engine you should be showering your guest with love via email and SMS text messages. Send them early registration cards, offer room upgrades, and invite them to join From Good to Great: Transforming Your Hospitality Business with Marketing and Technology By Lyles Armour Jr., Marketing Director, www.rezStream
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 15 your loyalty program to earn additional perks and rewards. And don’t worry, all of this can be automated through your property management software and various triggers you set to enhance the guest stay. Also, allow your marketing team to be creative in their promotional offer leading up to the stay. And after your guests leave, express gratitude for their stay and get them on the hook again with an offer and social media post to encourage them to follow you! The Missing Link. What is often overlooked in the discussion above is the staff and resources that go into making all this possible. Never overlook the value of partnering with the right vendor that can act as an extension of your staff, not just deliver a piece of software. A vendor that specializes in servicing hotels, B&Bs, and inns will understand the whole guest journey, from the beginning of online searches to maximizing on post-stay communication. They should also take advantage of associations like the California Association of Boutique & Breakfast Inns (CABBI) and the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) to connect with their peers and meet with lodging operators face-to-face. In turn, hoteliers should test these vendors, talk to them about their solutions, and demo and measure their products and services. As an independent lodging operator, ensure yourself that you have the best combination of marketing and technology to grow your business and simplify operations. Achieving success in the hospitality industry today requires hoteliers stay aware of the many key elements of marketing and technology. We have only uncovered a few of them in this article, but if we have piqued your interest, contact us at www.rezstream. com for a deeper conversation. We love to share our knowledge. By understanding your target audience, utilizing data, and continuously innovating, you can build a strong foundation for success and ensure your property remains competitive in today's challenging environment. Good luck!
16 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com FINDING HERSELF IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY was a “happy accident” for communications and marketing expert Sara Beth Ashbaugh. Finding herself becoming immersed in the complexities of the world of digital, though, was no accident. “I started my career wanting to go fully in the PR direction, focusing on media relations, but I found my way into digital marketing because I had no choice,” said Ashbaugh, director of brand, communications and marketing for Woodside Hospitality Group. “There’s no way to do excellent work for a client today without working in the digital space.” Digital communications, whether it’s a website, a Facebook page, or one of the newer video-focused social media platforms, has become an essential tool for hospitality. Knowing how to use it effectively is indispensable for players in an industry that are not just competing with one another for guests, but often just trying to break through the noise of a digital world. “I think we’re all constantly fighting for the attention of the same audiences,” she said. “You compete against retail, food and beverage, and every other kind of service.” Ashbaugh got her start doing traditional PR and ad agency work, as well as stints with Fairmont and Rosewood Hotels. While working for larger brands, she kept herself focused on staying current on emerging trends in communications and doing “a lot of independent learning.” She leans on both her background and her penchant for evolving her knowledge to lead her company’s digital efforts, with the help of some specialists on her team. That’s important because most of the properties in the Woodside portfolio are boutique and aren’t likely to have digital marketing teams on the property level. In fact, the hospitality industry tends to lag most others in the degree to which it embraces social media and digital marketing. “Hotels aren’t always at the front of innovation,” she said. The best places for companies or properties to look for inspiration may not be a competitor; instead look at “a brand you admire and use it as a real-world example. If you see a strong retail brand jump into a strategy, pay attention, because if it’s not a trend you’re seeing widely now, it will be in time.” At the same time, she cautions against jumping onto every new trend or developing a presence on every new social network. What’s more important than being new and hip is “staying true to your brand, relevant to your audience and genuine,” she notes. And don’t forget that many new digital platforms are more fads than long term prospects and can “fade before they start.” For the seven boutique properties in the Woodside Collection, her goal is to keep their online presence just as individual as the properties. “The Woodside Collection represents seven hotels and seven very unique brands, so I like to assign a personality to each hotel to make brands feel more human,” she said. It could be an actual employee, or an invented personality that fits the property’s look and feel, a formal concierge for one or “a pool attendant in a Hawaiian shirt” at another—a personification that connects with guests and potential customers. Being aware of that persona can help avoid finding yourself on DIVING INTO DIGITAL
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 17 a platform that doesn’t fit well: “If you know your sweet spot is guests ages 50 and up, it probably doesn’t make sense to pour resources into a platform like TikTok,” where short, edgy videos appeal to younger users. At the same time, there are ways to stay true to a more old school and formal brand yet get creative with digital marketing. If a property is trying to drive a lot of weddings and considering diving into TikTok, Ashbaugh recommends a marketer “be present on TikTok yourself, using your own personal account” to see examples of content that might work for your brand. In general, Ashbaugh advises her team to focus on mainstream and more popular apps— and to be aware of how fast things change and the kinds of controversies that can affect platforms. TikTok is being banned on some college campuses and there have been calls by lawmakers to ban it altogether. Twitter has been controversial since Elon Musk purchased the company, and many aspects of how the platform works have changed as well. Other platforms like Facebook change their algorithms for what people see all the time, so “as soon as you become familiar and comfortable with your marketing strategy for that platform, a new algorithm rolls out” that forces you to change. One platform that Ashbaugh uses widely for now is Instagram, and Pinterest is undergoing a sort of resurgence. Yet it’s important to stay up to date, follow the news, and “always be ready to pivot your strategy.” Three other things she recommends to help make the best use of social platforms for brands: Be prepared to keep your content current— with at least 2–3 posts per week, mapped out and ready a month in advance. Don’t try to be too polished or “salesy.” And take advantage of user-generated content: Guests typically love it when they post about their stay on their own channels and a hotel reaches out to ask to repost it. “We’re going back to a space of authenticity online, even with digital marketing,” she said. “On social channels, you don’t have to post professional photographs, just a short video shot on your phone with some music behind it will perform well. I think it’s a positive shift where people have gotten tired of seeing perfection on their social channels.” As complex and constantly changing as digital is, Ashbaugh sees the alignment between the new digital platforms and the old-school core of hospitality: Building relationships. “I love it,” she said. “because the root of it all is social connection.”
18 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com Jeff Thurrell, Regional Managing Partner, Fisher Phillips presented a Legislative & Legal Update to start the day off. One of the most popular sessions of the day were the round tables—there were six mini-education session to choose from.
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 19 Hotel Security Best Practice Panel Moderator Arthur Dennis (right), Senior Regional Manager, Global Safety & Security, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, led the discussion on common every day hotel security issues with panelist Mike Nagyhazy (middle right), Director of Security & Safety, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego; Ben Choeson (middle left), Security Manager, Anaheim Marriott; and Sargent Armando Pardo (left), Anaheim Police Department. Captain Eric Trapp, Anaheim Police Department welcomed everyone to Anaheim and emphasized how important is it to work with your local law enforcement agency. CHLA was excited to bring back a full-day security conference, the first one since 2019.
20 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com Marketplace CHLA ACCESSIBILITY/ ADA COMPLIANCE ADA Compliance Consultants, Inc........................ 916-608-0961 ACCOUNTING SERVICES Nimble Accounting Inc.........866-964-6253 ACOUSTICAL CONTROL/ SOUND MASKING Sound Solution Group........... 916-256-4207 ADVERTISING/MARKETING/ PUBLIC RELATIONS Sojern..............................................402-650-3807 AMENITIES/ROOM & HOTEL AMENITIES AM-PM Doc.............................888-AM PM Doc Chadsworth & Haig.................843-675-8250 Marietta Corporation.............800-950-7772 APPRAISERS HVS.................................................... 415-268-0351 ASSOCIATIONS Hotel Council of San Francisco..............................415-391-5197 Visit California Caroline Beteta 916-444-0410 cbeteta@visitcalifornia.com www.visitcalifornia.com Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. AUDIO/VISUAL Encore Ross Gimpel 530-559-0700 ross.gimpel@encoreglobal.com www.encoreglobal.com Encore is a leading provider in the global event technology services industry delivering creative production, advanced technology, and staging to help customers deliver more dynamic experiences. BANKS/BANKING SERVICES TMC Financing........................... 415-989-8855 BANQUET SEATING/ TABLES & EQUIPMENT Southern Aluminum...............870-234-8660 BARTERING/TRADING IMS Barter...................... 800-287-3874 x1730 BATHROOM ACCESSORIES & SERVICES Samson Shower Systems LLC. ..............................817-228-0619 VersaTraction Inc..................... 714-973-4589 BEDS/MATTRESSES Ortho Mattress......................... 310-844-4860 BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Hotel Effectiveness Solutions........................................ 678-325-1150 CARPET & FLOORING SALES & SERVICE Embassy Carpets.................... 800-366-7847 CLEAN TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTORS Panasonic Life Solutions.... 510-203-3630 HD Supply Hospitality.......... 800-431-3000 Renegade Brands USA, Inc......................................... 216-789-0535 COMPUTER HARDWARE Dell.....................................................512-723-6063
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 21 CHLA MARKETPLACE CONSULTING & TRAINING Accurate Ergonomics........... 707-894-4544 Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST)................ 206-905-6843 Filigree Training Solutions, LLC............................ 646-233-7769 Hogan Hospitality......................415-331-1061 Hotel Financial Coach............ 949-791-2739 KML Hospitality.......................... 925-212-0701 Petra Risk Solutions...............800-466-8951 Singer Associates, Inc...........831-227-5984 STR................................................... 615-824-8664 Wallace Hospitality Solutions......................................800-450-0082 CREDIT CARD SERVICES Casablanca Payments...........203-253-7259 CASHDROP Ben Vear 253-987-6787 ben@cashdrop.biz https://cashdrop.biz Get all the premium features of ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Square with none of the monthly subscription costs and zero seller fees. CASHDROP is the easiest way for retailers, restaurants, and event organizers to start selling online through a custom link or in-person with a QR code. Chase..............................................800-288-9295 Heartland Payment Systems.........................................530-415-6850 Soar Payments LLC................888-225-9405 DIRECT TV PROVIDER Commercial Connect Television Inc............................... 877-789-7995 MTV Inc...........................................818-772-4200 ECO-FRIENDLY Evolve Charging Corp USA...................................... 604-314-6022 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS California State University - Long Beach. ................................562-985-4485 San Diego State University...................................... 619-594-4964 University of San Francisco..............................415-422-2581 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS/ BENEFITS Petra Risk Solutions...............800-466-8951 Staff Pro Workforce Solutions........................................800-315-2219 ZipRecruiter, Inc......................... 877-252-1062 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Franklin Energy.......................... 312-940-9552 ENERGY MANAGEMENT Vector Energy Group............ 818-600-4348 ENTERTAINMENT Union Square Business Improvement District............. 415-781-7880 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING APTIM.............................................. 720-234-2093 EVENT PLANNING & SERVICES COJ Events...................................310-795-7305 FINANCING/FINANCIAL PLANNING Hallmark Funding Corporation.................................. 916-784-2614 Hospitality Funding. ............... 650-740-9875 Pinnacle Bank............................ 408-637-6030 Ygrene Energy Fund.................415-261-7578 FLOOR COVERINGS/ EQUIPMENT Durkan—Mohawk Group Hospitality Brad Olnhausen 706-483-8121 Brad_olnhausen@mohawkind.com Mohawk Group’s Durkan Hospitality approaches flooring with lasting impressions in mind. From running line Luxury Vinyl Tile to custom design carpets, Durkan offers a wide range of flooring solutions for guestrooms, corridors, meeting spaces, and restaurants. FOOD SUPPLIERS/ DISTRIBUTORS BruxMix. .........................................714-803-9060 Just ‘N’ Case Essentials Inc.............................866-636-8225 Single Serve Solutions......... 707-532-0884 FRANCHISING Choice Hotels International................................301-593-5600 InterContinental Hotels Group...............................770-604-8149 Red Roof Franchising............. 713-576-7459 FURNITURE/FIXTURES & EQUIPMENT (FF&E) Case Goods Refinishing.......757-617-4459 ERS Hospitality............................415-863-7191 Hospitality Designs................ 604-248-1806 Interia. .............................................619-205-4489 GUEST SERVICE SOLUTIONS Akia.................................................. 650-644-8073 HEATING Pro Star Mechanical Services...........................................714-999-1177 HOTEL BROKERAGE New Gen Advisory - The Bowman Post Group......818-667-0627
22 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com CHLA MARKETPLACE HOTEL MANAGEMENT Acme Hospitality...................... 805-456-4291 Apple Hospitality REIT. ..........804-344-8121 BRE Hotels & Resorts............. 718-921-8124 Concept Hotel Group............650-839-6274 Crescent Hotels & Resorts........................................703-279-7820 Davidson Hospitality Group...............................................678-349-0909 Destination Properties,LLC..........................760-250-0998 DiamondRock Hospitality Company.........................................240-744-1150 Edward Thomas Collection. ....................................310-859-9366 Ellis Hospitality............................415-775-8116 Ensemble Hotel Partners..... 562-257-1005 Extended Stay America Corporate Office...................... 864-573-1600 Four Sisters Inns.......... 831-649-0908 x114 G6 Hospitality LLC.................. 972-360-5916 Global Vision Hotels Inc....... 650-504-4119 Hotel Managers Group, LLC................................... 858-673-1534 Hyatt Hotels Corporation.................................301-380-3000 Interstate Hotels & Resorts................................. Johnson Hospitality............... 925-730-4930 K&K Hotel Group...................... 281-530-1500 Kirkwood Collection................ 424-532-1160 Loews...............................................212-521-2000 Noble House Hotels & Resorts........................................425-827-8737 OTO Development, LLC....... 949-246-9273 Pacifica Hotel Company......805-957-0095 Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc.......510-832-6868 Park Hotels & Resorts............ 571-302-5757 Radiate Hospitality.................. 650-424-1400 Reneson Hotel Group............415-883-4400 Ridgemont Hospitality..........510-569-4400 RLJ Lodging Trust....................301-280-7777 Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, LLC...........................310-228-5000 Service Properties Trust..... 617-964-8389 Sonesta Hotels.......................... 800-766-3782 Springboard Hospitality. .....818-905-8280 Stonebridge Companies..... 303-785-3100 Storey Hospitality....................650-880-1000 The Mayer Corporation.........949-759-8091 Xenia Hotels & Resorts..........407-317-6950 HOTEL/RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES Frank & Ron Hotel-Motel Supply, Inc.................................... 510-568-4072
www.calodging.com MARCH/APRIL 2023 23 CHLA MARKETPLACE HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES Heartland Payroll Rodney Biggs 858-886-9440 rodney.biggs@heartland.us www.heartland.us Balance your business’ time and attendance, human resources administration, tax reporting, and more in one online, integrated suite. Whether you’re looking for an easier way to pay employees or maintain compliance with your state’s HR laws, Heartland provides payroll services to businesses large and small with our customization solutions. Endorsed by CHLA. Hireology....................................... 844-337-0422 Hotel Employee Rate BV....................................31-062-787-8043 INFINITY HR.................................623-455-6234 Paychex..........................................661-476-7578 Seasonal Connect. ...................617-716-6491 SouthCoast Services Company, LLC............................ 858-242-5690 The Crew Inc................................630-780-0320 Workstream..................................801-472-3953 WOTC Planet...............................800-655-5281 ICE MAKERS Western Pacific–Manitowoc Ice Scott Haag 2953 E Hamilton Ave Fresno, CA 93721 559-266-9505 scott@teamwpd.com www.teamwpd.com Ice machines, water filtration, disinfection devices, refrigerators and freezers, cooking equipment, and more. Six locations in California and Nevada. INSURANCE SERVICES/ BROKERS DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance...................................... 831-537-0730 Heffernan Insurance Brokers...........................................650-842-5246 Petra Risk Solutions Ida Gonzalez 800-466-8951 idag@petrarisksolutions.com www.petrarisksolutions.com Petra Risk Solutions specializes in insurance, risk management, and employee benefit solutions for the hospitality industry. Petra is offering CHLA members exclusive discounts and access to their industry-leading Hospitality Risk Management Program, P3 Sandin Insurance Group......503-381-8583 Suitelife Underwriting Managers......................................877-409-8069 UnitedHealth Group Leslie Teague 763-361-6963 leslie_teague@uhg.com www.optum.com The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) is part of a strategic alliance program to help address the diverse needs of the hospitality industry. The Hospitality Associations Alliance, a strategic alliance platform created by UnitedHealth Group, offers exclusive discounts and solutions that benefit CHLA members and their employees. INTERNET SERVICES Cyberweb Hotels, LLC...........949-331-4925 KITCHEN HOOD/ EXHAUST CLEANING Action Duct Cleaning Company, Inc............................... 626-791-7870 LAUNDRY DESIGN & INSTALLATION Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution West..................... 323-490-1868 Bestway Laundry Solutions........................................951-734-9430 Taylor Houseman. ....................925-432-0323 Western State Design........... 800-633-7153 LAW FIRMS/LEGAL SERVICES Ballard Rosenberg, Golper & Savitt, LLP Richard S. Rosenberg 818-508-3700 rrosenberg@brgslaw.com When it comes to labor and employment law, smart employers turn to us. Berding and Weil...................... 800-838-2090 DCap Claims............................... 702-334-5705 DPA Attorneys at Law........... 760-273-0007 Fisher Phillips Jeffrey Thurrell 949-798-2158 jthurrell@fisherphillips.com www.fisherphillips.com Fisher Phillips is a national law firm specializing in labor and employment law and committed to providing practical business solutions for employers’ workplace legal problems. Fisher Phillips attorneys help clients avoid legal problems and are dedicated to providing exceptional client service. The firm has over 400 attorneys in 36 offices. Hirschfeld Kraemer. .................310-255-1821 Holland & Knight LLP.............214-964-9500 Miller Law Group.......................650-566-2290 Snell & Wilmer........................... 858-434-5003 Stokes Wagner, ALC............... 213-618-4124 LINENS/BEDDING/TEXTILES A1 American................................833-205-2200 Comphy Company.................. 323-225-8234 Cuddledown/Royal River Trading................................207-632-6831 H&I Hospitality & Institutional Supplies..............562-544-1942 Venus Group............................... 949-609-1299 Whyte Design, Inc.....................651-578-2929
calodging.comRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc3ODM=