Roy Flora, c.o.o. of US Franchise Systems, recalls how he once saw an associate at a competing hotel lean over the front desk and shout questions at a guest in a wheelchair who was trying to check in. After a few moments, the guest calmly said, "I may not be able to walk, but my hearing's just fine."

The majority of business travelers find a premium quality mattress and premium quality bed linen extremely or very important features when selecting a hotel, motel or resort for business travel.

When a refrigerator is kept in proper operating condition, the refrigeration system does not have to work as hard to remove heat from inside the unit, according to Randy Augustine, product manager–reach-ins, Hoshizaki America.

There are many decisions to make when selecting a vehicle for guest transportation needs. The process usually begins with a custom chassis, which is taken to an upfitter who adds the body—seats, doors, frame and accessories.

Washington–"Real clothes that real people wear" are what employees at Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites properties will be dressed in as part of the brand's new uniform standard.

While working in the laundry room might not be the most glamorous job at a hotel, that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable.

Build a community that will nurture and grow your company's culture Jun 18, 2007 By: Renie Cavallari

Communities are bigger and more powerful than functional teams. They serve a long-term purpose as the ?fertilizer? for company culture. Here are six pillars for strong community building.

Trainers are unique individuals in the hotel business. Often, they have put in their time in the trenches, starting out as hourly workers and moving up through the ranks as departmental trainers or human resources generalists to training managers of entire properties.

Hotel operators have become enlightened on the importance of bathroom lighting in the guestroom. Once among the top guest complaints, lighting in guest baths has become a highlight of hotel design.

National Report–In the race for guests, the hotel industry has added amenities and touted customer focus. Has the effort paid off in customer satisfaction?

Employee performance: Continuous, constructive feedback yields results Jun 18, 2007 By: Jeanne d'Orleans

The level of an associates' performance is directly related to the quality, timing and frequency of their manager's constructive communication with them. Find out how managers can improve their communication skills to motivate and retain valuable people.

There's a fascination in the hotel industry with a subject better suited for a math olympiad or the White House Cabinet Room: problem solving. Yes, we know the winning equation. Guest has problem, hotel associate solves problem and bingo, out pops a loyal guest. The obsession has grown to the point where operators have joked (we think!) that the secret to growing a customer base is to constantly create minor problems, and then fix them. Voila—instant loyalty.

Brands say scents make sense in the guest experience Jun 4, 2007 By: Harvey Chipkin

Executives from Westin, Marriott, Hyatt and Mandarin Oriental share their experience with creating and deploying signature brand scents.

Climate change affects commercial business environment Jun 4, 2007 By: Stuart Brodsky

Climate change has hit the big time. It's plastered on the front pages of our papers, in theatres, even on YouTube. And the message isn't passive: The recent cover of Newsweek exhorted readers to "Save the Planet—Or Else."

Many options exist for hotels looking to manage energy costs by controlling HVAC usage with sensor technology.

The landscape seems to be changing for union representation in the hotel industry. What this means remains unclear.

Q I've heard meteorologists predict that this year's hurricane season will be "very active." What can I do to prepare my property for a hurricane or any other type of natural disaster?

Joe Kaye was sitting in on his son and daughter's business strategic planning session two weeks ago. On the one hand, he was extremely proud of his successors because they responsibly planned for the company's future. On the other hand, he was unnerved by the huge amount of his cash being invested, and nowhere was his name mentioned in the plan. The following plans address two topics: one, building the family enterprise to last and grow, and two, life after family business.

Smoke-free hotel rooms are a trend in the industry, with Marriott leading the way, according to Matt Koloseike, Procter & Gamble Professional sales manager for the laundry and cleaning division. P&G has stepped up in this arena with its Febreze and Febreze Air Effects.

Whether at the chain or property level, hotel food-and-beverage directors need to deal with numerous issues. These involve vendor negotiations for quality and price, menu decisions based on regional variations and promotional initiatives to push the product on to the forks of guests.