As society slowly returns to normal and more people start traveling, those in the hospitality industry will need to hit the ground running. Many hotel chains and independent innkeepers will be making up for lost time, much of which was peak travel season. Hoteliers are hungry for ways to streamline operations and drum up business as much as possible before the summer draws to a close.
The pressure to power through these unprecedented times has many hoteliers turning to outside consultants for help. The following represent various ways hotels benefit from consulting services:
Hotel Management
The most common type of outside consultant is one that helps businesses improve operations. Consulting services hired by hotels are no exception, with many brought on board to identify ways to adjust the existing business model can for a higher return on investment. Insights gained by these independent consultants are especially valuable, given the fluctuation of demand seen by most hospitality businesses. The ability to more accurately and effectively respond to dips and surges leads to a better bottom line in service industries across the board.
Supply Chain Management
Lodging operations rely heavily on a constant stream of supplies, such as groceries for the kitchen, cleaning products for housekeeping, and toiletries for the rooms. The need for reliable deliveries makes it hard for hotels to get good deals on shipments while shifting demand makes it challenging to throttle inventory efficiently. An experienced shipping consultant helps hotels get better rates with carrier services. What’s more, a consultant will detect ways to manage inventory better to limit wasteful spending.
Waste Management
Since waste processing is a huge part of hotel operations, hoteliers are always looking for ways to reduce reliance on disposal services. The one-time cost of bringing in a consultant can eliminate recurring expenses unnecessarily incurred during the waste management process. Over months and years, these savings will add up considerably.
IT Solutions
Most modern consulting services help businesses make the most of the latest software and other relevant technology. Whether it’s hotel management software, customer relationship management software, or one of the other number of applications commonly used in the hospitality industry, outside consultants can guide hoteliers towards the best tools for the job relative to their specific needs.
Expansion Planning
Whether it’s an existing hotel chain, independent operation, or a combination of the two in terms of branding, the decision to open new locations is nothing to take lightly. Independent consultants often work with hotels big and small to plan expansion efforts. Their insights and resources frequently prove critical in building a road map towards growth.
The hospitality industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but now they’re gearing up for a return to normalcy. To reduce the negative impact of the past few months, hoteliers need to focus on cost-savings and long-term investments to improve efficiency. In many cases, this calls for the help of an outside consultant. The reality is there are plenty of areas where existing hotel operations can cut costs without compromising on customer service. It sometimes takes an outside perspective to point them out, and a team effort to do better.
