It's all about Customer Loyality!

Five Ways to Engage and Reward Loyal Customers

When devising new business growth strategies, consider the "80/20" rule. Often, 80 percent of revenue comes from just 20 percent of a business's customers.
As well as being extremely valuable right now, your most loyal customers are also the future of your business - so engaging them and keeping them loyal is crucial.
Here are five ways to do it.

 

1. Create a loyalty program

Reward customers for renewing contracts, purchasing products and referring new customers. Consider a program that provides free products and services as a reward for repeat business, or allows customers to accumulate redeemable points.

2. Foster a sense of ownership

Are you launching a new service or developing a new product? Invite your most loyal customers to become beta users, and solicit their feedback. This will give your best customers a sense of being a stakeholder in your brand, as well as helping you create a tested offering.

3. Offer premium services

If a small proportion of customers are responsible for most of your revenue, provide them with premium-level customer service. This could be anything from waiving fees and shipping costs, to offering service outside normal business hours.

4. Make them feel special

Exclusive perks let customers know how much you value their business. Let them preview and purchase new offerings before they're available to the public. Host exclusive events for top customers outside of the office. For a more cost-effective option, profile your best customers in your email marketing campaigns or with social media shout-outs.

5. Reward referrals

Reward customers who recommend your business to friends and business associates with discounts and other rewards. Customer referrals are a powerful tool in new business development, so let current customers know how much you value their recommendations.

By using the tactics outlined above, you can nurture relationships with the most valued segment of your customer base for continued long-lasting growth and success.

For more on this article, please see Hotelier.com

What Keeps Guests Happy?

Forget about Hotel Amenities, Bring on the Experiences

 

By Nancy Trejos

 

Hotels used to try to keep guests indoors at their bars, restaurants and spas.

 

Now they're dragging them outside.

 

Hotels are taking their concierge role to a new level, offering tailored experiences that expose guests to the history, foods and attractions of the community surrounding them. The experiences are often exclusive. Sometimes they're free, but most often, they're not.

 

The more expensive they are, the more elaborate they become, such as the $10,000 "Bucket List" experience offered by The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte which is available to one guest at a time. The experience changes once it is sold. In April, it will include four floor seats to an NBA Charlotte Bobcats game, a player meet and greet, two nights in a suite, and a few meals. The full amount goes to a local charity.

 

Chekitan Dev, an associate professor of marketing and branding at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and author of Hospitality Branding, says it is an extension of the pre-recession amenity wars. Now that the economy is getting better, hotel guests value experiences more than they do "stuff."

 

"Travelers faced a dizzying array of amenities on the bathroom vanity," he says. "Housekeepers had to keep the items stocked, and hotel owners faced bigger bills ... Research that suggests people value experiences more than they value stuff has led many brands to rework their amenities that's less about stuff and more about high value unique experiences coupled with exclusive access."

Some examples:

• At the Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel in New York, young guests can get the "Super Sophie Experience" based on Kelly Florio Kasouf's children's book series, The Super Adventures of Sophie and The City. Children get loaner iPad minis to follow Sophie's virtual tour of favorite spots such as Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building, and more. It's included as part of a package starting at $835 that includes a stay for two and gifts such as an Oscar de la Renta children's dress inspired by the books.
• At the Hotel Indigo Long Island-East End, guests can take wine and spirits tours through the "North Fork Uncorked Tour Package." In addition to an overnight stay for two, they get tastings at three vineyards or distilleries, breakfast and snacks. The price: $270 on weekdays and $329 on weekends per person, plus tax.
• At the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., the concierge arranges a behind the scenes tour of the U.S. Capitol, during which guests can step out onto the balconies overlooking the National Mall. Exclusive tours of the Bureau of Printing and Engraving are available as well. Prices vary depending on timing and number of people. Another D.C. establishment, The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. is offering two tickets to the new Newseum exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. It is part of a stay for two starting at $489 a night.

Guests with more limited budgets can still experience unique activities.

• At IHG's Holiday Inn Resort Los Cabos in Mexico guests can take a bike tour, free with a stay, through the adjacent estuary, a natural preserve that is home to more than 350 different species of fauna. The tour also takes them through downtown San Jose del Cabo and seasonal attractions such as the local rodeo.
• The Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexico's Riviera Maya has recently started to offer to all hotel guests complimentary sea kayaking close to the Mesoamerican Reef, the largest in the Americas.

"Our guests are ... interested in going 'off the guidebook pages' at times, and we look to develop activities, oftentimes with our neighbors and partners, that give them that extra insight or an experience that they haven't had before," says Mike Taylor, a Fairmont spokesman.

Radha Arora, president of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, says he believes offering guests unique experiences sets Rosewood hotels apart from the competition.

"Rosewood has always strived to offer unique, personalized experiences which acquaint our guests with the destination and provide them with access they may not otherwise have," Arora says.

 

Experiences equal loyalty?

Maryam Wehe, senior vice president at Applied Predictive Technologies, which does hotel consulting, says hotel guests might rate a hotel stay higher because of a unique experience,

 

"Leisure travelers who have chosen a hotel for a destination stay are looking to the hotel to create unique memories," she says. "'What was memorable? What stood out during this vacation?' are becoming benchmarks for rating hotel stays. In response to this challenge, hotels are looking to go beyond the pool and palm trees to create 'Do you remember when...' experiences."

 

But, she says, the strategy doesn't necessarily work at all hotels.

 

"The question that hotels need to ask is which types of locations and with which guest segments (do) these ideas really work, and where they do not work?," she says.

Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and U.S. leader of Deloitte's travel, hospitality and leisure sector, says that offering experiences "could potentially build loyalty if they are interesting offerings to the guests."

But he considers them more "ways to attract leisure customers on weekends to hotels, which are full during the week for business travelers."

"I think this has always been the challenge for hotels," he says. "They are just now coming up with more creative ideas."

For more article like this one, please see Hotelier.com

What is the Secret to Great Customer Service? Happy Employees!

Employees are Your First Customers - Happy Employees

By Noelle E. Ifshin

 

All too often, restaurant owners take their employees’ job satisfaction for granted. They focus all their energy on achieving financial results, acquiring new customers, launching new marketing ideas, and driving guest satisfaction, but they forget about the people who actually turn all those HR action verbs into real-life actions. Treating employees as internal customers is the first step in providing a productive, positive environment, which reinforces your company’s hospitality and service culture.
Here are 4 reasons you should consider employees your customers:

Happy Employees = Happy Guests – Front-line employees are the key connection between your restaurant and your guests. As a result, if your employees aren’t happy, your guests won’t be happy with their experience in your restaurant and your restaurant won’t be happy with the business results. A rude, surly or unhappy server does not provide the best possible experience for your guests and can often turn guests off. In today’s economic environment, poor service will not be tolerated and can drive you out of business.

Happy Employees Are Engaged - Engaged employees care about the end results and the quality of work that they do. They want to perform their job well and provide great service to their customers. They enjoy coming to work, interacting with their co-workers and making their customers happy. They tend not to cut corners; approach jobs with energy—which enhances productivity—and come up with creative service improvements, which enhance the customer experience. Unengaged employees do not care about co-workers or customers, need constant supervision and lose interest in what is best for the team, which increases operating costs.

Happy Employees Exceed Expectations - Happy employees are more likely to help out without
being asked, are willing to pitch in when needed, and will not say the dreaded “that’s not my job”. When employees come in on short notice to cover a shift, stay late for the good of the team, and/or clean without being asked, it makes it easier to manage and run the business.
Also, by going above and beyond for your guests, happy employees deliver an enormous payoff: creating passionate, loyal patrons who spend more money, stay longer, return often, and tell their friends; all of which generates sustainable growth.

Happy Employees Become Brand Ambassadors – Happy employees will speak positively of your restaurant and unhappy employees will speak negatively of your restaurant. In social situations, often the first question asked is “What do you do?” or “Where do you work?” Such moments can add or take away value to current and future customer experiences; increase or decrease loyalty; and leave positive or negative impressions. All employees, not just management, can build or detract from your restaurant’s brand.

Employers need to take care of their employees first, in order for their employees to provide the best experience for guests. Employees with high job satisfaction remain with their employers longer, reducing turnover. This in turn, lowers the cost of constantly having to recruit, hire and train new staff and provides stability to grow your business.

For more on this article and on the author, please see Hotelier.com

Learn the 'What not to do"

Four 'Bad Leader Behaviors' That Affect Productivity, Profits

What can business leaders and managers learn from watching the earnings of publicly traded companies?

"Plenty," says Kathleen Brush, a 25-year veteran of international business and author of "The Power of One: You're the Boss," (www.kathleenbrush.com), a guide to developing the skills necessary to become an effective, respected leader.

"When looking at the corporations reporting lower-than-expected earnings, you need to read between the lines. They are not going to admit that the reason is a failure of leadership, but 99 times out of 100 that's what it is."

She cites Oracle, the business hardware and software giant, which recently reported a quarterly revenue shortfall based on a decline in new software licenses and cloud subscriptions.

The company is "not at all pleased with our revenue growth this quarter," Oracle co-president Safra Catz told analysts. "What we really saw was a lack of urgency that we sometimes see in the sales force ..."

They are pointing the finger at the employees, but they are really admitting a failure of leadership, Brush says.

"Do you know how simple it is for managers to motivate sales people? If indeed the lack of sales urgency is the problem. There are dozens of bad leader behaviors that can cause sales to decline," she explains.
In her work for companies around the country, from restructuring operations to improving profitability, Brush says she sees an epidemic of bad leader behaviors.

"When I point them out, most leaders downplay, or refuse to acknowledge, the impact their behaviors are having on their bottom line. But, in companies where leaders change these behaviors, employees become engaged and motivated. It is really that simple to increase productivity, innovation, and the bottom line," she says.

"If you're a boss examining your own lower-than-expected performance, instead of wasting time searching for scapegoats, look in the mirror. Most bosses unwittingly exhibit bad leader behaviors daily that cause their businesses to suffer."

Here are four increasingly prevalent and damaging behaviors:

• The unethical boss: This is a category that doesn't just annoy employees, it appalls them. As such, it's a powerful demotivater. When a boss breaks or fudges the rules, cheats, lies or indulges in behaviors that reveal a lack of moral principles, he or she loses employees' respect. Without their respect, a boss cannot lead. In addition, when a leader indulges in unethical practices, he gives his employees permission to do the same. Padding mileage reports, splurging on business travel expenses, failing to take responsibility for mistakes - they all become endorsed activities by the boss - the role model.
• The unfair boss: Our current societal efforts to treat people equally - think gay marriage, health care reform, the children of undocumented immigrants - have led to confusion among some leaders about "equality" versus "fairness" in the workplace. "I talked to a manager who gave all his employees the same pay raise because ‘he wanted to be fair,' " Brush recalls. He then seemed mystified that the productivity of his best employees declined to that of an average worker. "Rewards can be powerful tools of motivation, but they must be administered fairly."
• The buddy boss: Bosses can never be buddies with their employees. Ever. Friendships neutralize the boss's authority and power. They can also cloud a leader's objectivity and hinder her ability to correct behaviors, to delegate, and to hold employees accountable. When friendships compromise output, it's the boss who will be accountable. "Be friendly to employees, but do not cross the line that muddies the relationship between boss and friend. It could cost you your job." Brush says.
• The disorganized boss: Workplaces are filled with employees who lack direction because disorganized leaders don't deliver and manage plans and strategies to guide their teams. What's the chance of an unguided team maximizing its productivity to create competitively superior innovative widgets? "What's the chance of employees being inspired by a leader who leads like a doormat or by random thoughts?" says Brush.

"As a manager, you wield a tremendous amount of power," she says. "You can be an incredibly negative power or a positive one who's looked up to by both peers and employees."
"For the latter, bosses have to purge the bad behaviors."

Source: Hotel News Resource

Are you ready for Vancouver's Sun Run?

The Vancouver Sun Run is the World's 2nd Largest 10K Run!

We hope you've been training! The Vancouver Sun Run will take place on Sunday, April 21st at 9am.

If you have been training hard for the past few months, or want to enjoy seeing the community come together for a great event, this 10k is runners, walkers and family friendly. Put on your best racing outfit, and see what Vancouver is all about!

To register: Please click Here

For more race information including road closures, please click Here

History of The Vancouver Sun Run

The Vancouver Sun Run has been Canada's largest 10K road race since its inception in 1985.

Founded by former Canadian Olympians Dr. Doug and Diane Clement along with Dr. Jack Taunton, the run's purpose was to promote the benefits of running to improve health and fitness as well as support elite amateur athletics.

The first run attracted 3,200 participants.

Through the years the run captured the imagination and hearts of individuals wanting to improve their health and wellbeing. The event morphed into the phenomenon it is today with thousands upon thousands descending upon the streets of Vancouver each year in celebration of Sun Run Sunday!

The run is supported by its loyal host committee and an army of over 3,000 volunteers.

The Vancouver Sun Run is still Canada's largest 10K road race and is now the 2nd largest timed 10K in the world.

An incredible 48,904 registrants signed up for the 2012 Vancouver Sun Run event with participants taking in the beautiful Vancouver scenery under sunny skies.

The Vancouver Sun Run has truly become one of Vancouver's traditional rites of spring and is preparing for its 29th year running.
 

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

find out more at http://www.vancouversun.com/2013sunrun

Brazil is one of the hottest destinations!

Check out Conde Nast's article and find out why!


Brazil is at the top of its game: World Cup fever is ramping up, oil is fuelling a boom and the Olympics are on the way. Julian Evans goes on a hat-trick trip, tackling the classic star players from the new Copacabana Palace to the smartest Island striker.

Vast, immeasurable, an overspill of cultures, climates and radical identities, Brazil, the fifth largest nation on earth, feels more like an incomplete planet than a very big country. From Rio de Janeiro to Manaus, for example, is 2,700km; the same distance London is from Morocco or Greece. The best way to understand the most influential nation in Latin America is to think of it as a slideshow of ever-changing views.

Take Rio. Take the Copacabana Palace hotel, freshly refurbished to the tune of US$20million. Gone are the chintz and brocade, the swirly shagpile and the sense of stuffiness. The place has been given a lighter, more contemporary look and finally feels like what it is, a beach hotel, a fabulous glittering beach hotel. From my fifth-floor suite there is perhaps the world's most spectacular urban outlook: a beachfront highway, Burle Marx's four-kilometre snake of mosaic pavement, a scattering of kiosk cafes and palm trees, and the stupendous curling, vanishing length of Copacabana Beach, where the sand and the ocean are merely different sorts of light.

What is truly remarkable about Rio is that until recently such a roll-call of views would hardly have been possible to see with ease or pleasure. From the 1990s onwards, the city was on the dive. 'Underwhelming,' I was told. 'Not so much thecidade maravihosa [beautiful city] as thecidade durão [tough city].' The crime statistics - 17 murders a day - and the films ofJosé Padilha (Elite Squadand its sequel Elite Squad: The Enemy Within) about the drug wars and police corruption confirmed Rio's reputation. Above all, you never went anywhere near a favela unless invited. The favelas' historic atmosphere is caught on a flamboyant ceramic mural at the Escadarina Selarón in the Lapa district: 'Nobody robs, nobody hears, nothing is lost. Those who are wise obey those who give orders.'

Cariocas - Rio's law-abiding citizens - watched floodlights go up on the big beaches and despaired. Then, decisively, in 2008, the state government began sending the army and the BOPE special police force into the favelas. The drug lords were driven out, with remarkably few deaths (although my guide, Marcelo, hinted delicately that to kill with a knife is 'very quiet'). Marcelo took me to Roçinha, a favela which was pacified in December 2011: an extraordinary place of up-and-down alleys (population 70,000), a fumy potion of garbage, chickens and clove cigarettes, birds' nest of illegal cabling at every corner. But crime had plummeted, Marcelo said, and with the economy growing fast, unemployment, too. And something democratic has emerged at Roçinha, now that the fear is receding: in these low-rise brick-and-concrete labyrinths stacked up the hills, most residents have a million-dollar view.

Brazil's economy is booming almost everywhere you care to look, from the twinkling clusters of offshore drilling platforms you see as your plane descends, to the fashion for expensive orthodontic work that is one of the first things you notice after you touch down. Brazilians are fixing their smiles; many of them have a lot to smile about. In Rio, some things still don't work: if you want to use an ATM while you're here, make sure you tell your bank, otherwise the city's reputation for crime means they will block your card, assuming it has been cloned or stolen.

But the Copacabana Palace, with its proper 25-metre pool and weekend brunches of caviar blinis and perfect scrambled eggs on the terrace, obviously works. So do other things. You can now explore the beaches and centre by renting an orange Itaú bike (the name of the sponsoring bank) for five reais (£1.50) a day; across the road from the hotel, you can sit and drink água de coco straight from the coconut and admire its Art Deco façade for even less. Be prepared to find a careless, last-minute spirit to the city, as though it is always being remade. Despite Brazil hosting the next World Cup and Rio the next Olympics, there is little sign of preparations taking place for either yet.

For more on Brazil and other great destinations, please see here

Are you keeping up with times?

Which hospitality Trends are you following?

By BusinessForSale.com

If you want to ensure that you have a thriving hotel, then it's clear that you need to respond to the current economic climate. Businesses and families are under financial pressure, which means that there tends to be a stronger focus on whether individual spending decisions offer real value for money.

This is certainly true within the hotels sector and a failure to embrace change can, as a result, lead to a loss of bookings and income. It's likely that your guests will expect more for their money and you also need to be aware of the fact that they are likely to shop around for deals, prior to making a booking.

Despite this landscape, there's clearly still room for you to sell stays at your hotel on the basis of the quality experience that you offer. You need to be sure, however, that you aren't being seen as offering expensive stays, with little to differentiate your hotel from cheaper alternatives.


Pricing

With this in mind, you may want to think about your existing pricing strategy. If you are currently achieving high occupancy rates throughout the year, then you are in a particularly fortunate position and it's clear that you already have a sound strategy in place. Many hoteliers, however, aren't finding things quite so easy.

It's far more typical to see hotels with plenty of empty rooms during specific periods of the year, or even at particular times of the week. If this is familiar to your own situation, then it may make sense to offer a more flexible pricing policy.

Could it be feasible, for instance, to offer discounted rates at certain times, in order to increase the number of bookings that you are receiving during periods that are currently rather quiet? Don't forget that there may be opportunities to offer special packages and to actually add to levels of income, via your restaurant, bar and other facilities. As a result, discounting of this nature can often make sound financial sense.

You may also wish to think carefully about what you offer. If you currently attract a large proportion of business travellers, but see bookings fall at weekends, then could you look to do more to attract couples, families and others travelling for leisure purposes?

Although it's important that you don't lose the key elements that appeal to your current core market of guests, there could be scope to do more, in order to broaden the appeal of the hotel.


Technology

The rise of technology is also causing some dilemmas for many hoteliers. Should you, for instance, consider offering free Wifi to hotel guests? This is an interesting area, with some hotel owners still opting to charge for such a service.

There could be a feeling that installing and maintaining Wifi is expensive and that you should look to recoup the costs. Despite the logic behind this position, you do need to consider the approach that is being taken by competitors. If free Wifi is being offered elsewhere, then you may be losing customers as a result. By the same token, you may be able to gain a real competitive advantage by being the first hotel in the area to offer free Wifi to all guests.

As with all decisions that you make, it's critical to remember that there will be other implications. By offering free Wifi, for instance, you may be able to encourage some guests to stay within the confines of the hotel, where they could be tempted to spend money within the bar, restaurant or lounge.


Social hub

Do you currently actively encourage guests to work and socialize within the hotel? If not, this is another area that you should be considering. Increasingly, the most successful hotels are often being seen as hubs of activity, where a multitude of tasks can be carried out.

There has also been a strong move, in many cases, to provide more extensive conference and events facilities within hotels. Such events can often contribute a significant amount of income, allowing you to really reap the rewards. As your hotel becomes established as a conference venue, for example, you can expect word to spread and for an increasing amount of business to result.

When hosting any such events, remember that you have a real opportunity to impress individual delegates. Your aim should be to convince some of them to return at a later date.

The hospitality industry is changing at a rapid pace and it's important that you should embrace this situation. By doing so, you will be able to create a successful business.

To see this article and more click here

Hoping to become an Meeting Planner?

Top Five Convention Center Trends for Meeting Planners

Recently, Jeff Hurt participated in the Convention Sales Professional International's Annual Conference "Tool Box For Success 2013," moderating a panel called "Current And Future Trends" with five other industry insiders.

Here are the top five trends about convention centers that the panelists identified.

1. Convention sales professionals must be chameleons.
They have to be nimble, agile and easy to adapt to any circumstance that may come their way.

2. Meeting professionals are asking for more space for less money.
Meeting professionals are looking for ways to be more innovative and often that requires more space than they traditional have secured.

3. Selling venue space based on the old tradeshow model no longer works.
Convention sales professionals have to find new and innovative ways to sell space.

4. Buildings and bureaus have to partner together to win key contracts.
Meeting professionals are looking for convention centers and CVBs that work together to provide a great package for their event.

5. Technology continues to move forward at fast paces.
Meeting professionals are looking for better and more economical WiFi packages, if not free, to provide for their attendees. Their attendees are becoming increasingly sophisticated with technology and expect free WiFi or will go elsewhere to get it.

There's more… read a further four trends for meeting planners here!

Love to travel on a budget?

Who doesnt?

When people think about winning the lottery, one of the first things they would do is go travel!

Well what is stopping you from going? If it's your bank account, then take a look at Cande Nast's Favorite 30 Affordable Hotels. You might be susprised what you can get your dollar!

For other articles from Cande Nast, please click here

Is your company using Pintrest?

Here is a easy guide to follow!

Check out this arcticle from ehotelier.com

A Beginner's Guide to Pinterest for Restaurants and Hotels

By Martin Kubler
 

Pinterest, the online pin-board, turned out to be one of the rising stars of the 2012 social media landscape and is, perhaps, proof that - very often - the simple ideas are the best.
We all have pin-boards in our offices and homes, which we'll stick things on we'd like to remember or want to keep - Pinterest takes this concept online and lets you build ‘virtual' pin-boards. The advantages are obvious: You'll never run out of pins or pin-board space, and you can share your boards with friends.

In January 2012, Pinterest had 11.7 million users and became the fastest website in history to exceed the 10 million users mark. In August last year, Pinterest recorded just under 25 million monthly visitors and was said to refer more business to companies' websites than Facebook or Twitter.
Initially, Pinterest only offered accounts for individuals, but a little while ago, they started offering business accounts and suddenly things got a lot more interesting for companies.
Hotels and restaurants should be particularly interested in getting to know Pinterest better, because some of the website's most popular categories are closely related to our industries, such as food and drink, holidays, or travel.

So how do you get started on Pinterest? Begin by going to business.pinterest.com and setting up a new account or converting your existing account into a business account.

Make sure you'll link your account to your hotel's or restaurant's Twitter account, so you can share your pins on this popular service, too. Once you are all set up and your Pinterest business profile is fully completed, you can create your first boards.

I usually start off with a board about a hotel's rooms and suites or about its bars and restaurants. You can upload pictures directly to your Pinterest boards or you can enter the url of pictures you want to pin if they are already available online.

Pinterest allows you a generous 500 characters to describe each pin and you should make the most of this, because every time somebody shares your pin ("re-pinning"), the text you entered to describe the pin gets shared with it.

You can (and should!) include links in your descriptions, e.g. to your restaurant's Facebook page or your hotel's blog or website.

For more on this acrticle please click here

Having a conflict at work?

Check out "10 Phases to Solve any Work Problem"
By Barry Moltz

Conflicts are an inevitable part of running a small business. In fact, effectively resolving conflicts within your company can actually build a strong and diverse team that will keep fresh ideas and creativity flowing. If everyone agrees with the boss's point of view, your company's direction and efforts will get stale fast. That being said, too much conflict isn't desirable either. To achieve the delicate balance, you need to have the skills to intervene when a healthy debate goes awry.
Here are 10 phrases that can be used to solve any problem you're having in your office:

1. "I didn't realize this was going on, so tell me more." Many times, pleading ignorance is a good place to start to diffuse any situation. Begin to listen and stop talking! This will project an empathy that every angry person wants to hear. Remember, this empathy should never be confused with agreement.

2. "I want to listen to your point of view, but I can't do it when you are yelling at me." This sets the ground rules and prevents the situation from getting out of control. No one who wants respect will sit there and be screamed at by an employee.

3. "I understand your point of view, but I see it differently." After listening to their viewpoint, it is acceptable now to firmly disagree and outline reasons for your opinion as the leader. Don't be bullied into agreeing in that moment and changing a decision.

4. "I will incorporate your thoughts going forward." This leaves open the possibility that their point of view will be incorporated in any action you take going forward. At the same time, it doesn't commit you to actually take any particular action.

5. "Both of us need to put more effort into this if it's going to work out." By including yourself, you take responsibility for resolving the conflict with the other person. It becomes something you can work on together and can start to foster teamwork.

6. "Why don't you agree with me?" This directly confronts the employee to find out what the core issue is. Sometimes exposing his or her real reason can assist in resolving the conflict more quickly.

7. "Since we can't seem to agree, can we continue talking about it another day so we can think of more solutions?" This unlocks the stalemate and encourages a new perspective. Many times a conflict can't be resolved in the initial discussion. Pushing to resolve a conflict in one meeting can be counterproductive.

8. "Let's see what we can do to make sure it doesn't happen again." You accept that the initial outcome was not satisfactory and shift the discussion to explore how this won't happen again.

9. "What can I do to improve communications so this does not happen again?" This focuses the conflict on the process and not the people, which is critical for resolution. When a conflict gets personal, it's much more difficult to solve.

10. "What can I do next time to make this less difficult for you?" This is a very smart tactic, where you as a leader do not change your point of view or outcome, but ask the employee what can be done to make it less painful for them. This makes "the medicine easier to swallow."

For similar articles, please see http://ehotelier.com/ 

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival!!!

The most beautiful time of year!

Take part in the various activities and events from April 4th-30th to celebrate the beauty and culture spring offers in Vancouver.

Click here for more details on the local events.



What is the Cherry Blossom Festival?

Canada's cherry blossom festival the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Society is a non-profit charitable society established in 2005 in the province of British Columbia. The City of Vancouver declared March and April the months to honor the more than 40,000 ornamental cherry trees generously gifted from Japan in the 1930's.

As the quintessential symbol of spring, the universal theme of the cherry tree inspires new poetry, art, music, film, design, crafts, photography, and cuisine while inspiring the artist in us all. Through a wide array of diverse programs from Cherry Jam Downtown, Haiku Invitational, Bike the Blossoms, Japan Fair, BC Blossom Watch Photo Contest, Cherry Scouts Program, Tree Talks and Walks and the Cherry Blossom Viewing Map the festival captures the exuberance of the blossoming with cultural programming for the whole community to enjoy.

We invite you to join in our joyous city-wide celebration and choose a spot in one of our splendid parks on our special edition 2010 Cherry Blossom Viewing Map for your party and don't forget your tarp! This engaging festival provides a happy occasion to bring people together in Vancouver's beautiful natural park settings to experience this miracle of nature. Inspired by the age old Sakura festivals of Japan, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival uplifts spirits in the city, while the ephemeral nature of the blossoms remind us all to take time now to celebrate life.

For more information, check out their website http://www.vcbf.ca/