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.
