by Steve Short | Mar 15, 2022 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
In 2006, Samantha Irwin bought the Historic Balch Hotel in the small town of Dufur, Oregon, an 18-room property devoid of furniture which had not been open consistently since the 1940’s. Over the next ten years, the former middle school teacher built a stellar reputation for the boutique property by training her staff to provide their guests with a phenomenal service experience.
Now, as the owner of Kaizen Business Coaching and Consulting, Samantha leverages her unique educational and entrepreneurial background to help small business owners train their staff to enhance the service experiences of their customers. Her high-energy, passionate approach and insightful suggestions for lodging professionals looking to improve their guest service offering makes this interview worth the listen!
We are very thankful to Samantha for sharing her insights with us. You can learn more about Kaizen Business Coaching and Consulting at kaizen.zone.
by Steve Short | Feb 23, 2022 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast #43, Nathan Mayfield, Vice President of ResNexus, speaks about his company’s extensive offerings for the lodging sector, how ResNexus helped property owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more.
ResNexus offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, which include a reservation/booking engine, property management system (PMS), website creation/hosting, digital marketing, payment processing, and a whole lot more.
During the initial stages of the COVID pandemic, the company went all-out to help its customers to update their cancellation policies and has since developed its Worry-Free Bookings™ voucher program in response to guest and property needs.
ResNexus is a customer-driven organization that provides a myriad of services to lodging professionals to help them ensure long-term success.
We are very thankful to Nathan for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about ResNexus here.
by Steve Short | Jan 17, 2022 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #42 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Mark Reichle, CEO of Select Registry, about his organization’s 50th Anniversary Conference and Gala in Baltimore, immediately preceding the 2022 ALP Conference and Marketplace.
For half of a century, Select Registry has created a network of properties that offer outstanding accommodations and one-of-a-kind experiences for lodging guests. For property owners, achieving the Select Registry “Distinguished Inn of North America” designation comes with many marketing and revenue-growth opportunities.
On February 5th and 6th, Select Registry is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an exclusive membership conference and gala celebration dinner right before the 2022 ALP Conference and Marketplace in Baltimore. The event will offer a wide-range of educational and networking opportunities, as well as an awards program and a chance to connect with Select Registry board members.
For Select Registry members, this event will further align and advance their connection to this special organization.
We are very thankful to Mark for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about Select Registry here.
by Steve Short | Jan 10, 2022 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #41 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Tim Wilson, Director of Sales at bnbfinder, about how the company is aiming to be the largest online platform for direct and commission-free bookings for professionally operating inns, B&Bs and small boutique lodging.
In the lodging arena, it is common for Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) to charge between 15 to 20 percent on each guest booking. While this may be palatable for larger hoteliers, smaller properties can greatly benefit from a solution that provides direct and commission-free bookings.
This is where bnbfinder comes into play. The company has evolved into one of the largest online B&B directories for travelers, with over 10,000 B&Bs and inns. Guests can book their stays directly through bnbfinder with properties paying no commissions, making it an ideal and cost-effective channel for enhancing overall bookings.
We are very thankful to Tim for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about bnbfinder here.
by Steve Short | Dec 13, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #40 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Kris Ullmer, CEO of the Association of Lodging Professionals (ALP); and Erik Spence, Conference Planner and Trade Show Coordinator at ALP, about the upcoming 2022 ALP Conference & Marketplace in Baltimore, taking place from Saturday, February 5, through Wednesday, February 9.
For lodging professionals of all kinds, the ALP Conference & Marketplace is the go-to event of the year for educational opportunities for everything from sales, finance, marketing, operations to technology, and much more.
This year, ALP has expanded the aspiring innkeeper portion of the conference to three days, and all attendees have the option to attend the main conference and marketplace. In addition, the event offers a wide range of networking opportunities and social gatherings – culminating with three hours of entertainment, fun, open bar, and a Taste of Baltimore at the nearby American Visionary Arts Museum.
We are very thankful to Kris Ullmer and Erik Spence for sharing their insights with us. You can learn more about the 2022 ALP Conference & Marketplace here.
by Steve Short | Dec 7, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #39 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Randy Bangs, the owner of Get Heads in Beds, a marketing and consulting firm for lodging professionals, about the value of marketing and branding for properties.
Marketing is a key differentiator in the lodging industry, and the true driver to securing new guest reservations. Though having the internal resources to manage every aspect of marketing can be challenging.
Get Heads in Beds is a marketing and consulting firm that fills in these gaps for lodging professionals. As the name suggests, the firm is all about helping properties to drive up overall revenue through increased bookings. Unlike traditional marketing firms, Get Heads in Beds charges nothing up front, and is only compensated when new revenue comes in the door.
We are very thankful to Randy Bangs for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about Get Heads in Beds here. Randy is also the owner/innkeeper of the Stewart Inn.
by Steve Short | Nov 22, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #38 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Jim Snediker, Co-Founder and CEO of Stock Mfg Co., who discusses how lodging professionals can differentiate their offering through the use of branded workwear.
Lodging professionals can differentiate their offerings by the use of branded workwear to project an ideal brand image, reinforce a consistent guest experience, and bolster overall employee morale. Jim Snedicker and his team at Stock Mfg Co. are experts at the aesthetics of clothing for the hospitality industry.
Since 2012, Stock has designed and manufactured custom workwear for some of the best bars, restaurants, and hotels in the world. With roots in the fashion industry, the company offers a wide-range of stylish branded uniforms, including shirts, blazers, light jackets, aprons, and baseball caps.
We are very thankful to Jim Snediker for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about Stock Mfg Co. here.
by Steve Short | Nov 1, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #37 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Richard Aday, Founder, CEO & Principal Engineer at ThinkReservations, about his company’s origin story, and how listening to customers has driven the evolution of the company’s solutions that help property owners to streamline operations, while also enhancing revenue growth.
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Sometimes company origin stories can be the most inspirational, especially when an entrepreneur’s love for travel translates into the creation of a next-generation property management and booking system.
When Richard Aday was working as a computer engineer at Amazon in 2012, he went on vacation to Puerto Rico, and on the fly, he pitched the idea of a next-generation reservation system to the hotel manager, which would ultimately become ThinkReservations.
From there, Richard and his twin brother, Alfred Aday, focused all of their energy on building a product exclusively based on listening to what customers want, which has been the key to their success. Today, the company’s lodging reservation software is used by more than 1,600 properties in 48 states – serving over two million guests each year.
For lodging professionals, these insights reinforce how solutions like ThinkReservations are designed with them in mind, and how the company’s solutions can help drive revenue growth.
We are very thankful to Richard Aday for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about ThinkReservations thinkreservations.com.
by Steve Short | Oct 1, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #36 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Paul Wegert, Chief Executive Officer and Jenifer Neptune, Chief Investment Officer, and both Co-Founders at Boutique Hotel Professionals, a management company specializing in boutique properties and unique, curated guest experiences.
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When it comes to creating a truly unique boutique property, it’s vital to provide a one-of-a-kind luxury experience that is individualized, and offers local market flare for sophisticated travelers.
Boutique Hotel Professionals helps boutique properties to gain this level of differentiation through its disciplined property management capabilities – which spans from experience curation to property development and management. The company’s flagship property is The Inn at St. Johns, a AAA four-diamond resort and conference center located in Plymouth, Michigan.
There are many insights from this podcast that are certain to help lodging professionals develop curated guest experiences at their properties.
We are very thankful to Paul Wegert and Jenifer Neptune for sharing their insights with us. You can learn more about Boutique Hotel Professionals here.
by Steve Short | Aug 13, 2021 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For episode #35 of the Frictionless Innkeeper podcast series, we speak with Karen Thorne, Owner of the Bed and Breakfast Academy, which offers training and ongoing support for aspiring and existing bed and breakfast owners.
The secrets to successfully running a bed and breakfast can often be elusive, especially for aspiring innkeepers. Fortunately, Karen Thorne, the owner of the UK-based Bed and Breakfast Academy, provides a wide-range of tools, trainings and courses to enhance marketing, operations, and increase overall bookings for any innkeeper.
As an innkeeper for 17 years, Karen brings knowledge and insights that help innkeepers succeed, and she now offers online courses in today’s COVID-19 environment.
We are very thankful to Karen Thorne for sharing her insights with us. You can learn more about the Bed and Breakfast Academy here.
