LODGING LEADERS
111 | Profit from Guest Intelligence with RJ Friedlander
LODGING LEADERS
RJ Friedlander is the Founder & CEO of ReviewPro, the world leader in Guest Intelligence for the hotel industry. He recently negotiated the sale of ReviewPro to Shiji Group, a publicly traded company that is 15% owned by Alibaba and one of the largest hospitality technology companies in the world. Prior to ReviewPro, Friedlander worked extensively in the Internet and technology sector in Europe, US and Asia and spent 10 years at Grupo Planeta where he was the CEO of the Group’s Digital Media Division.
RJ is an advisor and investor in a number of technology companies, widely recognized as one of the top experts in hotel technology & online reputation management, and is on the advisory board of The Hotel School at Cornell University.
In This Episode, RJ Reveals:
- The various places a hotelier needs to look to manage their online reputation, and how that can differ depending on your location, product and market segment.
- The affects that TripAdvisor, Yelp and other social review sites have on hotels, including studies that suggest that if hotels can raise their average rating 1 star out of a 5 star rating system, they’ll be able to raise their prices by up to 11% without giving up any market share.
- How hotel guest feedback has changed over the years, and how hoteliers should be adapting to this change.
- Some action steps listeners can take to improve guest satisfaction and their online reputation.
Resources & Links
RJ Friedlander
- Email: rfriedlander@reviewpro.com
ReviewPro
LODGING LEADERS
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329 | Ruff and Ready: ADA gives hotels a short leash when accommodating guests with service animals
Many hotels these days have made room for guests with disabilities. Hotel managers and staff should also know what the Americans with Disabilities Act says about accommodating guests with pets. During the pandemic lockdowns, a lot of people added a pet to their household and now they’re bringing Fido along on vacation. Hotel employees need to know how to cater to both consumers who are pet owners as well as guests who travel with a trained service animal. Episode 329 of Lodging Leaders podcast reports on how the ADA defines a service animal and how a hotel is legally obligated to serve a guest who comes with a dog or any other animal.
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328 | Curb Appeal: Hotels’ refreshed images designed to attract road trippers
Nearly 48 million Americans plan to travel over the Fourth of July weekend, predicts AAA. Most of them will drive and many of them plan to stay in hotels. What makes a travel consumer choose your hotel? Price can be a factor but so can the story the property tells through its online photos and its real-life curb appeal. First impressions of a hotel set the tone for the guest’s entire stay. Its roadside image is more important than ever as the lodging industry this summer hangs its hopes on a comeback driven by domestic travelers. Lodging Leaders podcast explores the importance of a hotel’s curb appeal as hoteliers think of ways to attract travelers seeking safety and assurance as the nation emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.