The Hospitality Doctors

2011-12-09T11:23:00.000+11:00

Trends for 2012

Aristotle Onassis once said "The secret of business is to know something before your competition knows it.”

Imagine if someone offered you the opportunity to go to the races on Saturday when you had ‘Sunday’s Newspaper’ - which has the Saturday race results in it!

In this article I want to give you that ‘Sunday Newspaper.’ I want to share my research with you that tells of trends around Australia and trends around the world. This can put you ahead of your competition.

During 2011, whilst in Amsterdam, I Interviewed Charles van Goch about European Hospitality Tends. Charley is the Managing Director of the Maastricht based Hospitality Staff Training and Recruitment Bureau - Mise en Place. Each year he organises major major hospitality industry conferences. You may remember I wrote a complete article about these trends. I want to remind you of a just one piece of the article.

The Sheconomy

In the video above you will see and hear Charley talking about the Sheconomy and feminization. He tells about women being the principal buyers on the Interent. It appears that within five years 85% of all the purchases on the Internet will be made by women. Hence our web sites and web marketing need be pitched at women. He talks about a hotel in Copenhagen built only for women. He talks about how the colours of menus need appeal to women. He talks about how current menus feature 80% meat and 20% vegetables. The trends indicate, by 2015, these percentages will reverse. Ummmmmmmmm

Trends in Hotel Food

The Good Food Guide indicated the following trends:
Using local produce and telling about it on your menu
Taco/Mexican is a hot idea
Tapas tasting plates
Breadboard are becoming very trendy and popular
* Although the idea horrifies me my research indicates BIG serves are going to be big in 2012. Check Out http://www.hospitalitydoctor.com//docs/ATT00046.jpg
Appealing to kids with XBox Stations and Play Stations. Colouring in sheets and coloured pencils are popular as are kids playgrounds. (Check out the kids area Les Pullos has at the award winning Samford Valley Hotel.)
Coffee...but I mean ‘good coffee’. (Check out Richard Bowley’s Cafe Infereno at the Southern Hotel in Toowoomba. You will find another outstanding coffee operation at The Olive Tree Hotel, Sunbury, Melbourne.)
Unfortunately, the cook your own Bar-B-Q star is fading

In an article written by Rieva Lesonsky, on the Small Business Trends web site at:
http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/12/10-food-trends-2012.html I found the 10 Food Business Trends to watch for in 2012. Below are the first four:

* Artisanal everything: Not new, but still going strong, ‘artisanal’ originally referred to handcrafted foods but is now springing up everywhere. The term has even trickled down to quick-service restaurants, with major chains like Jack in the Box touting “artisanal” breads as a selling point. One product that’s not quite so mainstream: artisanal marshmallows.
* So cool it’s hot: Ice cream (especially, you guessed it, artisanal ice cream) shows no signs of slowing down. (And why should it—who doesn’t love ice cream?) Next up, restaurant consulting firm Andrew Freeman & Co. predicts “snow ice”–a dessert with the flavor and creaminess of ice cream but that has a light, airy texture.
* One potato, two potato: They may have been banned from school lunchroom menus, but they’re showing up everywhere else. Andrew Freeman & Co. says the big trend will be “have-it-your-way” potatoes, such as make-your-own mashed potatoes with customized mix-ins, fries where you can choose the cut, degree of crispness and dipping sauce; and chips with custom “dustings” and dips. If plain old potatoes sound too unhealthy for your customers, try offering sweet potato fries and dishes.
* Breakfast anytime: Customers want what they want when they want it—and for many, what they want is breakfast. Restaurants are happy to oblige, since breakfast food ingredients are typically cheaper than other meals. Some are serving breakfast menus all day long; others are reinterpreting breakfast foods for dinner with items like sandwiches made of waffles, egg dishes or French toast bread puddings.

Best Five Dishes

At www.goodfoodguide.com.au I found the best five dishes in NSW were:
*Delicious sorbet and gelato "cake" with sliced fruit coated in toffee at the Oriental Hotel, 112 Macquarie Road, Springwood.
*All the steaks at the Willow Tree Inn, New England Highway, Willow Tree.
Crumbed pigs' tail at the Four in Hand, 105 Sutherland Street, Paddington.
* Shredded confit duck salad, Northies Cronulla Hotel, corner of Kingsway and Elouera Road, Cronulla.
* Duck and olive pie at the Epping Hotel, 58 Beecroft Road, Epping.

Terry Brock is an Internet guru from Florida, USA. He taught me to always be ready, with a video camera, for opportunities. So, recognising the opportunity, I had my trusty video camera with me when we had lunch together when he was recently in Australia. I asked him about the latest Internet trends in America. Click on the video below to 'meet' Terry.

Final thought: American entertainer Dick Clark once said, “I don't set trends. I just find out what they are and exploit them.”

++++++++++

Max Hitchins is known around the world as the Hospitality Doctor specialising in Internet Marketing for the Hospitality Industry. QHA members are invited to register at www.HospitalityDoctor.com to receive his regular e-mails with Secrets, Tips and Tonics to fill your Bars, Bistro’s and Beds.

2011-11-17T10:07:00.000+11:00

Marketing lesson from the Berlin Wall

Recently, when I was in Berlin, I stayed at The Westin Hotel. (What a great hotel...excellent staff...and perhaps the best buffet breakfast I have ever experienced).

But what really attracted my attention was the huge slab of concrete near the entrance to the hotel. It was a part of the infamous Berlin Wall that divided East and West Germany from 1961 to 1989.

And it prompted me to think about the possibilities of having something of an historical nature at front of Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs or Motels as a way to stand out from the herd. Wherever you are in the world there is always some interesting history or story that would interest tourists and visitors. Ummmmmm. What do you think? Anything come to mind that would work in your place or a business near you? Love to hear your thoughts.

Sincerely

Max Hitchins - The Hospitality Doctor - with Secrets, Tips, Tonics and Remedies to fill your Rooms, Restaurants and Bars max@hitchins.com.au International Telephone: + 61 419 53 63 73 (Within Australia): 0419 53 63 73 Max Hitchins - The Hospitality Doctor - with Secrets, Tips, Tonics and Remedies to fill your Rooms, Restaurants and Bars max@hitchins.com.au International Telephone: + 61 419 53 63 73 (Within Australia): 0419 53 63 73.

PS. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" (Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, speech at the Brandenburg Gate, 1987)

'Listen' for Opportunities in 2012

2011-11-13T08:14:00.001+11:00

Article for Queensland Hotels Association December 2012 magazine

Title:   Listen for opportunities in 2012

Throughout 2012 there will be a heap of opportunities to create business in our pubs. Most of these opportunities are created for us and can be like money dropping from heaven into our tills. But we have to make sure our cash registers are open to catch the money.

Think about it. If we create a new event (say Trivia on Tuesdays) it costs us time, money and effort to advertise and market to the masses to let them know Trivia is on at our Pub. We may choose to advertise on radio, in the newspapers, with flyers around town and on telephone poles and, hopefully, word of mouth from social media and our database. We might spend from $500 up to $5000 in this marketing effort. Our ‘message,’ about this special night, might reach from 5000 to 50000 people. And if we got 50 to 100 people there on the night, as a result of the marketing effort, we probably would be satisfied.

Now compare that with the Melbourne Cup, as an example. It has been promoted by the Victorian Racing Club for the last 151 years. If you guessed that the average spend on advertising and marketing for the Melbourne Cup, for the last thirty years, was $1,000,000 per year that gives a total outlay of $30,000,000 promoting the event. And the ‘message’ has gotten through to the entire Australian population of 22,000,000 people.

So, when someone has already spent a fortune promoting an event for you, why not capitalise on it? There is an old adage that tells “Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly. So, better listen carefully.” The opportunities listed below opportunity are not knocking softly...they are screaming out at us!

Let’s look at them month by month:

January

16th to 29th Australia Open Tennis - Grand Slam.
26th January (Thursday) Australia Day.

February
14th of February is St Valentines Day. It falls on a Tuesday.
25th of February (Saturday) Opening weekend of the Super XV Rugby Queensland Red play the NSW Waratahs - for all fixtures see http://www.superxv.com/fixtures/

March

1 - 5th March NRL     season open with Parramatta v Brisbane Bronco’s
See all details at: http://www.nrl.com/2012-telstra-premiership-draw/tabid/10874/newsid/65393/default.aspx
17th is St Patrick’s Day
24th (Saturday) Opening round of the AFL
31st (Saturday) Brisbane Lions first match agains Melbourne at MCG
Download the fixture chart after searching Google for - AFL Fixtures 2012

April
6th to 9th of April (Friday to Monday) is Easter
25th April (Wednesday) is Anzac Day

May
13th of May (Sunday) is Mother’s Day
28th May to 10th June. French Open - Grand Slam

June
5th of June (Tuesday) Wallabies v Scotland in Newcastle
9th of June (Saturday) Wallabies v Wales in Brisbane
16th of June (Saturday) Wallabies v Wales in Melbourne
23rd of June (Saturday( Wallabies v Wales in Sydney
25th June to 8th July. Wimbledon Tennis - Grand Slam

July
27th July (Friday) to 12th August (Sunday) London Olympic Games
For all details and a schedule of events search Google for: Olympic Games 2012

August
26th August (Sunday) to 9th September (Sunday) US Open Tennis Grand Slam

September
2nd of September (Sunday) is Father’s Day
29th of September. AFL Grand Final is traditionally on the last Saturday in September
30th September (Sunday) NRL Grand Final

October
1st of October (Sunday). The NRL Grand Final is usually one week after the AFL on the long weekend in October.
20th of October (Saturday) is Caulfield Cup Day
31st of October (Wednesday) is Halloween. An American tradition that is steadily taking off in pubs in Australia.

November
6th of November (Tuesday) is Melbourne Cup Day.

December

25th of December (Tuesday)
31st of December (Monday)

This is not a complete record of all the event and opportunities that lay ahead of us in 2012. But you might want to cut this article out and paste it up on your office wall and let it inspire and help you with your planning. And, can I suggest, put another blank sheet along side of it, so you can add the other opportunities that will present themselves in 2012.

All around Australia there are top operators who, each year, capitalise on these evens and plan head to do something in their pubs. Are you one of those top operators? Or are you sitting back and asking what is the QHA doing for you? I guess you are not because you are reading this article.

Like you I am always pressed for time. But, when the QHA magazine arrives, I immediately read the feature article, the Chief Executive’s article and Richard Bowley’s article. Then, over the next week, I read at least one article per day and look at the advertisements until I have read the whole magazine.   This format enables me to stay up with all that is happening in the Industry in Queensland.
I commend this format to you.

Final thought: “Even when opportunity knocks you still have to get off your backside to do something about it.”

How To Pick The Winner Of The 2011 Melbourne Cup

2011-10-17T09:19:00.000+11:00

I think I am doing some interesting marketing to sell my annual Melbourne Cup eBook. I wanted to share the strategy with you, as I believe you could possibly adapt the idea to suit your business, your products.

For non Aussies, the Melbourne Cup is a horse race that the entire country will stop for on the 1st of November. Most Aussies have a bet on this horse race. (Ummmmm...I know it sounds wacky...but it happens!)

Each year I write an annual eBook titled How To Pick The Winner of The Melbourne Cup. I have had an amazing run of successes and I invite you to click here to check out the details at www.PickTheCupWinner.com.au

One of my strategies this year is to offer all Aussie Hotels, Pubs, Restaurants and Clubs copies of the eBook as an incentive to give to customers who book tables of 10 people or more in THEIR Restaurant or Bistro on Cup Day. I will also send Melbourne Cup trivia to use on the day. All they have to do to qualify, to receive the eBooks, is to send out an email to their databases inviting their customers to visit my web site www.PickTheCupWinner.com.au. I have even offered to draft the email to the databases.

If you would like your Pub, Club, Hotel or Restaurant to participate in this promotion simply reply to this email. I am also doing some interesting social media marketing of this eBook too. I will tell you more about that next week.

Sincerely

Max Hitchins - The Hospitality Doctor - with Secrets, Tips, Tonics and Remedies to fill your Rooms, Restaurants and Bars max@hitchins.com.au International Telephone: + 61 419 53 63 73 (Within Australia): 0419 53 63 73 Max Hitchins - The Hospitality Doctor - with Secrets, Tips, Tonics and Remedies to fill your Rooms, Restaurants and Bars max@hitchins.com.au International Telephone: + 61 419 53 63 73 (Within Australia): 0419 53 63 73.

PS. Nothing happens until somebody sells something. Tom Watson - Founder of IBM.
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E-mail:max@hitchins.com.au

Listening to your customers

2010-05-30T14:52:00.003+10:00

Martin Grunstein (see www.martingrunstein.com.au) is an outstanding Australian speaker and his focus is customer service. I recently listened to a radio interview with Martin. He told of the importance of **listening** to your customers so you can do something different for them. And, Martin told, it is this **something different** they will remember and talk about forever!

He gave a great example of how one of his clients - **Lexus - in Pursuit of Perfection** - adapts this listening lesson. He told how one Lexus salesmen listened intently to a woman while taking her for a test drive. During the conversation she told how **Buddy Holly** was her favourite entertainer.

Can you imagine how surprised the same woman was when she took delivery of her new Lexus and there was a case full of Buddy Holly CD’s on the seat of the car with a thank you note from the salesman. WOW! That is goooooooooood!

We will talk again soon.

Jaguar Mail

2010-05-05T17:24:00.002+10:00

TWO big hurdles to Craig Williams winning the 150th Melbourne Cup on star Japanese stayer Jaguar Mail are weight and quarantine.

Connections said the Cup was Jaguar Mail's target after Williams won Japan's premier staying race, Sunday's Tenno Sho, on the horse.

But owner Katsumi Yoshida said the weight Jaguar Mail received for the Cup could decide whether he made the trip.

And even if Yoshida approves of the weight Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter allocates - perhaps 57 to 57.5kg - strict quarantine protocols, still in place as a result of Equine Influenza - could thwart the trip.

Japanese trainers have told Racing Victoria that any Cup plans will be abandoned if quarantine requirements are not settled this month.

Carpenter said Jaguar Mail was a better performed horse than Pop Rock and similar to Delta Blues, the Yoshida-owned pair that ran the 2006 Melbourne Cup quinella. Japanese horses have not run since.

Delta Blues carried 56kg - 3kg more than Pop Rock. The minimum that year was 46kg. It was 50kg last year.

Chief executive Dale Monteith said the Victorian Racing Club wanted a special 150th Cup and Japanese horses would bring much to the race.

Williams, who has ridden three winners in Japan since taking up a three-month contract last week, said Jaguar Mail would be a big Cup chance.

"Connections have said they'd think strongly about coming if he got a reasonable weight," he said. "If he was to run in a Melbourne Cup he'd run very, very well."

2010-01-20T19:49:00.008+11:00

Hello

Thanks for taking the time to read my hopefully humourous (or humorous if you are American) health issue story. As stated, for my own therapeutic reasons, I decided to write a short story about the experience to share with friends. I titled it:

How open heart surgery tickled my funny bone

For better or worse I guess I’ve always had a Pollyanna personalty. I think I’ve always tried to look for the good bits (or the funny bits) in any situation. “Do the best with the cards you are dealt” my Dad used to say.

But I have to admit I found it challenging to do this when, ten days before Christmas 2009, I was diagnosed as needing open heart surgery. It was tempting to think “Why me. Life’s not fair!” Four of the major arteries feeding my heart were showing up to a 90% blockage in them. “You need a quadruple by-pass” the surgeon said. “And you need it sooner rather than later.”

“Now that you know that” said the surgeon “one alternative is to go away, think about it and come back in January. The second alternative is I can schedule an extra operating day and operate on you the day after tomorrow.”

Why would I want to go away and think about it....was the first thought that flooded my brain. I was a walking time bomb. One good sneeze and I could blow myself off the earth! “Let’s do it ASAP - today - NOW” I said to my new best friend - my caring cardiologist.

“I have to discuss two other things with you” said my new best friend. “Firstly the risks involved in this kind of surgery and, secondly, my fee structure.”

Ahhhh this is my kind of guy. Cut to the chase. What’s it going to cost and what are the chances of success? My only problem was I was being thrust into a fee negotiation where I did not know the rules and had little time for research or comparative shopping.

Years ago, one of my business mentors, Mike Schoettler, taught me an invaluable negotiating tactic when you are ‘out of your depth‘ in negotiating on products with which you have little knowledge. Mike recommends, when you are quoted a price, you simply ask the question “Is that your best price?” You will be amazed at the number of times, when you try this, the quoted price begins to tumble...and tumble!

But, in these ‘fee structure discussions’ with my new best friend, who was going to save my life, it really did not seem a smart thing to ask “Is that your best price?” when he told me his fees. After all, how do you value another 20/30 years of life? And, how would ever know the going price for a a six hour heart operation? And you can’t do comparative shopping for this at a Supermarket! I’ve made made a mental note to ask Mike Schoettler what he thought might happen if my caring cardiologist had gotten half way into the operation and remembered “Ummmmm... this is the guy who screwed me on my fees!” :)

Ahhhh...but assessing odds and a game of chance has always interested me. I guess it is because I come from a gambling background. My father was a hotelier/bookmaker in the Australian NSW country town of Moree. I have followed in his footsteps. I’ve worked in and owned and operated pubs all my life. And, as for gambling, each year I publish an annual e-book “How to pick the winner of the Melbourne Cup” at www.PickTheCupWinner.com.au

When my caring cardiologist advised the chances of me departing the mortal coil were only around 2% it seemed like a good bet. But then...doubt crept in.

My research indicated my caring cardiologist was amongst the best in the business. I was told he had never lost a patient. I pondered “Does that mean the odds are in my favour or are they against me.”

Compare the odds to a roulette wheel. If the wheel is spun a thousand times, at the end of session about 50% of the winning numbers will be black and about 50% will be red. 50% will be odd numbers and 50% will be even numbers, 50% will be high numbers (19-36) and 50% will be low numbers (1-18). These are the odds. These are the rules. But accepting 2% odds when my CC has a perfect record...ummmmmm....was I betting with the odds or against the odds?

But then, a variation to change the odds raised its head. You see, at the hospital I shared a room with an Irish Priest who was having a similar operation. Now, religiously, I was brought up as a Catholic. But years ago I developed doubts and confusion in my mind as to wether there is ‘something beyond’ or not. And if a Supreme Being does exist should I be doffing my hat and addressing him (or her) as Allah, Mohammed, Buddah or just Big G.

“If it happens to be ‘Big G’ I could be in a bit of trouble” I thought. “If Big G had to cash in the chips of someone on the operating table today,” I pondered, “would it be the good holy Irish Priest or the beer swilling, Melbourne Cup betting publican?” Ummm....what do YOU think? My odds were not looking good!

But enough of my waffling. I need to get to the end of the story. I wrote this article in my hospital bed on Christmas Day 2009. Currently my chest looks like like I have been used for bayonet practice by troops headed for Afghanistan. My legs and arms look like I have walked the Amazon Jungle in shorts and thongs.

And, twelve months ago I embarrassed my 12 yr old grand daughter, while shopping with her, when I asked a shop assistant if she thought I looked like Hugh Jackman. She, joining the joke, said she could see the likeness. Unfortunately the scarring will now prevent Hugh and I from ever being confused again!

Finally, the little bad news is takes approximately six weeks to fully recover. (So they tell me) The good news is, with unrestricted blood flowing through my veins, I will soon be better, fitter, stronger and more active than ever. And even better....I have friends like you. Thank you. Let's make 2010 a FANTASTIC year for both of us.

Sincerely

Max Hitchins
max@hitchins.com.au
www.HospitalityDoctor.com

PS. If you really ‘must know’ what a by pass operation looks like I found one on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWSUJlzo3zo. I watched it a few days before the operation. Ummmm....not sure that was such a good idea. :) The bit where they use an electric saw to cut through your chest bone to prise it open to get at your heart (so they can pull it out and put on the operating table) is definitely daunting! Ahhhhhhhh

Thinking outside the box

2008-01-13T10:04:00.000+11:00

Thinking outside the box

Hotels throughout the world continually address the problem of how to get house guests to eat ‘in-house’ rather than eating in restaurants out side the hotel.

Recently Bernard Rodriguez, the General Manager of The Charter House Hotel in Hong Kong wrote to me with an interesting idea he has reduced into his Hotel. It’s called Pizza Express.

““Max, In your travels," wrote Bernard "I’m sure you have noted most room service menus and promotional flyers in guest rooms are rarely noticed. As we are always looking for a way to increase our room service sales we decided to try this novel idea in our guest rooms."

"We decided to place an empty Pizza box on the writing table in each guestroom. We believed as people are inherently curious, they would open the Pizza box. Inside our box we placed a mouth watering Pizza menu. Thought you would like to know this simple idea has trebled our room service sales."

Well done Bernard - and thanks for sharing.

Keeping it simple with decor

2007-11-12T07:18:00.000+11:00

Recently I stayed at a hotel in Milan, Italy. It was not a large five star hotel. However the way they 'used' the available space and the simplicity of the decor was quite stunning. Simple, effective and quietly stunning. These pictures are taken in the breakfast room. I was impressed with the lighting, the flowers, the table cloths, the murals, the table cloths, the overlays and the pot plants on the wall. Check it out for yourself.

Innovative idea in Italy

2007-09-30T12:32:00.000+10:00

Italians certainly are innovative and creative. I am in Italy at the moment and yesterday I saw a great example of thinking outside the square... and I wanted to share it with you.

It was in the Sandi Hotel in Milan. As you probably know many hotel rooms throughout Europe are space challenged. In other words - small. This hotel was no different. In fact I would have to say the bathroom was quite tiny.

But some clever Italian came up with an innovative way to distract the your attention from the smallness of the bathroom.

On the wall facing you, as you walk into this most important room, it looks like the painters have spilt a tin of paint down one wall. And instead of focussing on how small the bathroom was I found myself asking "I wonder if that is a mistake or is it intentional?"

Creative mural in Montpellier, France

2007-02-21T16:20:00.000+11:00

I imagine the end walls of these two buildings would have been fairly drab and uninteresting. That is, until the owners obviously decided to call in an company who specialises in wall murals. (see www.madart.fr)..... and this is the result...WOW! (click on the pictures to enlarge and have a closer look).

Tony Roma's 2007 Singapore Managers Conference

2007-01-18T21:50:00.000+11:00

Seven Seas Mariner

2006-12-03T22:50:00.000+11:00

Seven Seas Mariner Job Description

2006-12-03T22:43:00.000+11:00

Innovative Chefs on the Seven Seas Mariner

2006-12-03T22:22:00.000+11:00

href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5234/467/1600/451820/Food_.jpg">

1. Water melon carving was featured each morning.

2. The presentation of shrimp (prawns) I thought was really outstanding.
I particularly liked the squiggly red garnish. It is so simple yet so effective.

3. The simplicity of this preparation of Calamari entrée really took my attention. And it wasn’t the calamari sitting on the mash. It was the chocolate coloured ‘half moon’ garnishing that I found so impressive.

4. This presentation of Pork Medallions also was delightfully different. The small sprig of greenery standing in the potato was a nice touch. But I thought the green ‘dot style’ garnish around the plate was an incredibly simple yet effective idea.

2006-10-15T13:34:00.000+10:00

Gordon Rhodes, from South Tweed Sports, tells of his innovative idea to 'look after' his best customers by using Max's annual e-book "A Mug's Guide for the Melbourne Cup."

Note: To see this video you need to have the latest version of Adobe Flash. Go to http://www.adobe.com and click on 'Get Adobe Flash Player'. It is free software and only takes a few moments to install. Then you'll be able to see not only this video but thousands of others around the Internet.

This video is best suited to broadband users. If the video stops during play - just allow it to continue to download completely and then press the play button again.

Steve Irwin

2006-09-26T20:55:00.000+10:00

The passion and purpose of Steve Irwin

2006-09-26T17:53:00.000+10:00

Billie Bridger tells of Steve Irwin Day at her school

Suzanne White - AHA Tasmanian Conference

2006-09-20T08:01:00.000+10:00

Suzanne White, from the Hotel Cecil in Zeehan, tells how pleased she was to get database marketing ideas from the session at AHA Tasmania's annual conference

**NOTE:** To see this video you need to have the latest version of Adobe Flash. Go to http://www.adobe.com and click on 'Get Adobe Flash Player'. It is free software and only takes a few moments to install. Then you'll be able to see not only this video but thousands of others around the Internet.

This video is best suited to broadband users. If the video stops during play - just allow it to continue to download completely and then press the play button again.

Susan Haywood - Tassie AHA Conference

2006-09-19T23:01:00.000+10:00

Susan tells what she got from the session at Tassmanian AHA Conference

**NOTE:** To see this video you need to have the latest version of Adobe Flash. Go to http://www.adobe.com and click on 'Get Adobe Flash Player'. It is free software and only takes a few moments to install. Then you'll be able to see not only this video but thousands of others around the Internet.

This video is best suited to broadband users. If the video stops during play - just allow it to continue to download completely and then press the play button again.

2006-09-19T22:31:00.000+10:00

John reveals a story that indicates the need for Staff Manuals.

2006-09-15T07:30:00.000+10:00

Gordon talks about how they are recognising the staff who have given 'long service' to South Tweed Sports Club

2006-09-11T16:41:00.000+10:00

Di Falloon, from Meadowlake Lodge - Milton NSW, made these comments after hearing Max Hitchins' presentation at the B&B Farmstay 2006 Conference in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Check out Di's place at: www.meadowbanklodge.com.au

2006-09-11T16:39:00.000+10:00

Malcolm Westcott from "Kadina" B&B at Parkes, attended the B&B 2006 Conference in the Hunter Valley. He tells what he enjoyed about Max's presentation.

2006-09-05T21:49:00.000+10:00

Murray Dean tells how they 'cater for kids' at the Gladesville Hotel, Sydney. Check how they do it at: http://www.GladesvilleHotel.com.au

Spot the two intentional mistakes - win a prize

2006-08-25T21:11:00.000+10:00

Click on the image to increase the size and make it easier to see the intentional mistakes. Then send an e-mail to max@hitchins.com.au describing the mistakes and you'll receive a free gift.

What makes an outstanding leader?

2006-08-20T09:00:00.000+10:00

What makes an outstanding leader?

Early in 2006 I wrote this in my weekly e-mails:

Last time I wrote to you I said I expected to learn a lot during the week, as I had been booked to speak on the Seven Seas Voyager World Cruise. (see http://www.rssc.com/) And learn a lot I did! But I really didn’t expect to experience such an incredible leader!

I have made a study of great leaders. People like Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi to name a few. But I’ve never read about or experienced the loyalty I found aboard the Seven Seas Voyager. The loyalty was directed towards the Ship’s Captain. Had I, at any stage, chosen to make a derogatory remark about the Captain to any passenger or crew member I believe I would have been keelhauled or challenged to a duel at dawn! WOW!

“How did the Captain weave this kind of magic?” was the question on my mind. “Does it have anything to do with being on a ship?” I wondered “Why have I never experienced this ‘magic’ on land?” I pondered.

I believe I know some of the best Hotel General Managers in the world and I’ve introduced you to some of them in my e-mails to you...but I’ve never seen customer loyalty like this before. So I sought (and had) a meeting with the Captain to discover his secret.

Unfortunately, I need a lot of space to tell you about Captain Dvergastein. Far more that I allow in these weekly ‘compressed message’ e-mails. But, I am writing an article about him. I’ll advise when it’s ready and where you can read it on the Net before it gets published.

+++++++++++++++++

In 2007 my latest book "Heading North" will be released. I've been commissioned to write the book for the Orion Hotel Group of Schools (see http://www.orionhotelschools.com/) around the world. I have included the story of Captain Dvergastein in the book. Here it is:

This Captain cast a spell

Dag Dvergastein is the Captain on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager Cruise Ship. I was invited to be a guest lecturer aboard his ship. I had never spoken on a ship before. And, when I was booked to speak in the ship I remember being told “This ship is ‘6 star’ and this is as good as it gets. Any other ship you may speak on in the future will be down hill from here!”

As you know a lecturer is there to speak, to educate to entertain and dispense knowledge. By the audience participation and acclamation I knew I had done that when I had completed my assignment.

But the ‘real learning’ was yet to take place. For I had observed something on this ship I had never ever witnessed before. The entire ship’s population of seven hundred guests and four hundred crew absolutely worshipped the Captain. And, even though, I had but only seen him from afar, I felt the same way. “Why?” I thought. “What was this aura this man had?”

I have witnessed hotels and other businesses where staff would ‘lay down their lives’ for the General Manager or the owner. But Captain Dag had taken this to a new level. Not only did the crew feel this way. He had cast this same spell over the passengers (the customers). WOW!....and more importantly HOW? I had to discover his ‘secrets’.

The first 'secret' I noted on the first 'formal' night on the ship. On these evenings all the passengers were invited to **cocktails in the passage ways** prior to the eveming commencing.

The purpose of this evening was for the passengers to meet their near neighbours. It was a wonderful idea and cocktails lasted for about thirty minutes. But, lo and behold the Captain came strolling though our passage way on his way to dinner. I was impressed as he was meeting and greeting all his passengers as he passed through. I thought "Wow aren't we lucky to be in the passage way that the Captain walked through on his way to dinner." And I later found out he made a point of walking through every passage way on the ship...on his way to dinner! I had to find out more about this innovative leader.

So I sought an interview with the Captain. Within hours I found myself in the wheelhouse (almost steering the ship!) with Captain Dag. His welcome was warm as he shook my hand and told he was really pleased to meet me. “I’ve heard so many good things about your sessions from my passengers” he said. “Tell me about yourself.”

And again I thought WOW…look at what he has just done. He’s was the ‘star’. I was there to interview him. Yet, he has immediately turned the spotlight back on me and made me feel ‘super’ important.

But I was there to learn about him. I did not want to waste a minute talking about myself. What other tricks did this magician have? How do I regain the position of ‘being in charge’ of this interview?

“Captain” I said “May I give you a copy of one of my books. When you get a moment you can read all about me. But I’m here to talk about you. I really want to know how you achieve the total loyalty from your crew and your passengers I have observed.”

With a broad smile this tall, tanned sailor told how he was born in the small Norwegian fishing village of Nevlunghavn where his family has lived since 1500. He told of his passion for the sea. He told how proud he was to be the Commander for this new flagship for Regent Seven Sea Cruises.

On board were four hundred and forty five crew from thirty six countries. He told how every single one of them is important to him and to the efficient running of the ship. If any one of them has a problem they can’t solve or handle they know his door is always open.

“OK” I said. “I can understand how this access to the Captain can create incredible loyalty. But how do you achieve this with the passengers?” (Remember this was a very expensive and luxurious Cruise Ship. Many of the passengers were super wealthy people. I’m quite sure quite a few could buy the ship out of ‘petty cash’.)

“Max” he said as he smiled broadly. “Naturally my door is also always open to our passengers. And, for them, I try to do things a little bit differently. And, in doing this, I’m aware that sometimes I might bend the rules a little. But I’ve always thought I would rather ask for forgivness than permission.”

“For example, I sometime stop fishing boats and offer to buy their day’s catch so we can have it for dinner that night. Over the public address system I tell everyone what we are doing. They all come up on deck to watch the negotiations between the Chef, the Purchasing Officer and the fisherman.”

"I tell them to put on a good show. They will look at some of the catch and throw some of them back into the water. For we only want the best for our passengers. I describe what is happening over the public address system as it is happening. Recently we bought lobsters. That night absolutely everyone onboard dined out on lobsters. The passengers, in turn, talk about it to their friends and create great word of mouth publicity for the company.”

“Another time, on the high seas, we spotted a yacht in the distance with a couple aboard sharing an idyllic time. I sent one of our boats to surprise and greet them. Can you imaging their surprise when our boat pulled up along side with a waiter carrying a bottle of French champagne for them with the compliments from all on board our ship.”

“And, of course, while all of this was going on I was explaining what was happening to the passengers. And again they were all up on deck and were delighted to wave to the couple as we passed by.”

"This was an incredible man I was interviewing" I thought. Yet everything he was doing was simple. It was something that can be copied. He loved the sea. He loved his ship. He showed deep respect and caring for his crew and he realised the value of ‘entertaining’ his passengers.

Each morning over the PA system he would give his position report. This segment was written about in the daily ships news sheet. They referred to it as Captain Dag’s Words of Wisdom. Or as the Captain pronounced it Vords of Visdom. And all I can say is WOW, what a man, what a leader!

2006-07-27T20:43:00.000+10:00

Rosie McElhone welcomes visitors and customers to www.SuperLiquorMan.com

Gihan talk about personalised wine

2006-07-12T07:13:00.000+10:00

Web designer Gihan Perera tells how he 'stands out from the herd' by using personalised wine as a gift for his clients. Check out his web site at: www.firststep.com.au

2006-07-06T11:30:00.000+10:00

Craig Rispin is a futurist. In this clip he tells only four types of pubs will be successful in the future.

2006-06-19T22:08:00.000+10:00

Chelton Crow, from the Mansfield Hotel at Mansfield, tells why he continues to attend Max's Marketing Sessions.

2006-06-19T22:04:00.000+10:00

Attendees at the conclusion of an AHA VIC 'Marketing with Max' session for the High Country of Victoria Hoteliers. It was held at the at the Mansfield Hotel, Mansfield VIC.

Mansfield Hotel Victoria

2006-06-18T18:43:00.000+10:00

Recently I gave a marketing seminar for the Victorian Hotels Association at the Mansfield Hotel, Mansfield in the High Country of Victoria. The hotel is run by Sue Crow and her son Chelton. It is an outstanding operation. Yet, a number of previous operators had ‘gone bust’ in the same hotel.

I asked Chelton and Sue how they had created such a successful operation. (The hotel has won awards for being the Best Hotel in country Victoria without gaming). “There are three things,” said Chelton. (1) Creating a WOW factor with our Pizza Oven (2) Providing outstanding food and (3) and the most important factor - employing and working with staff who really enjoy working here.

Rest Room advertising

2006-06-09T21:19:00.000+10:00

If you are not using the space in your Rest Rooms for advertising you are missing a marketing opportunity to a captive market.

An interesting menu in Hawaii

2006-06-09T21:01:00.000+10:00

Recently I was in Hawaii and had dinner at Chucks Steakhouse at Sheraton Outrigger Hotel. They use a large bottle for a menu which I found interesting.

Long distance learning with Terry Brock - Internet marketing guru

2006-05-15T08:38:00.000+10:00

Terry Brock lives in Orlando Florida. I live in Sydney Australia. Recently when Terry was in Australia he explained his 'On Line Coaching' program. "Do you mean Terry that it is possible for you to give me 'one on one' coaching with you in Orlando and me Sydney. How do wo do that?"

"Firstly Max, we do it via Skype. That allows us to be in verbal contact over the Internet with no telephone costs." (That works for me!)

The Bearded Dragon is famous for...

2006-04-09T20:12:00.000+10:00

The Bearded Dragon Boutique Hotel is famous for wedding receptions. And they are famous because they will theme their wedding venue to please their guests. (see http://www.beardeddragon.com.au/)

Mary-Ellen Mifsud and Ben Keen, who recently had their reception at the Bearded Dragon, are reptile enthusiasts. They wanted a frog and reptile theme for their wedding. Enter Monique Gregory from ther Bearded Dragon. “Yes. We can do that." said Monique.

The three tiered wedding cake simulated a pond theme with frogs, water lilies and dragon flies. The Bearded Dragon offered their selection of reptiles for the couples special day including “Nasty” the crocodile, “Olly” the Olive Python and “Big Mama” a native eastern carpet Python. The reptile enthusiasts couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate their love of each other and their next greatest love.

Pepper grinder

2005-12-07T05:50:00.000+11:00

Have you ever seen a bigger pepper grinder than this?

Is this the world's biggest pepper grinder?

2005-12-06T10:50:00.000+11:00

2005-08-08T10:00:00.000+10:00

Your staff can be your greatest asset with customers. But it is YOUR job to help and train them in the skills of handling and dealing with people. On this clip Max Hitchins reveals the secret to training your staff to be "instantly likeable."

MP3 File

If they always do what they've always done...

2005-06-06T08:54:00.000+10:00

There is an old adage that say "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got!" When other people slavishly follow "the norm," I have found you can use this inertia to your own benefit.

**For example:** Have you noticed how advertising in the classified columns of newspapers almost always look the same in every paper throughout the world? I have found a way you can use this to your advantage. Let me explain.

**Question.** What do people usually do when they are looking through the classifieds columns? **Answer.** When they find what they are looking for, or find something interesting, they "circle" the ad. This makes it stand out and makes it easier to find again.

So I thought why not "circle" your ad before giving it to the advertising department of the newspaper?

Recently we advertised for a Contract Caterer to take over the food operation of our hotel in Newtown, Sydney. Below you will see how we used the **circle ad** idea. Note how your eyes immediately go to the 'circled' ad. Hence, it is like buying the full page for only a fraction of the price.

"Stand out" from the herd with a circle ad

2005-06-06T08:33:00.000+10:00

2005-05-23T18:01:00.000+10:00

Little Collin is a stuffed toy. Hear Max Hitchins tell how he has turned into a great marketing tool.And you can click on Little Colin 1 (on the left of this page) to see a picture of Little Colin.

Little Collin 1

2005-05-21T16:53:00.000+10:00

Badged Beer Glasses

2005-05-19T14:23:00.000+10:00

Matthew saves BIG on beer glasses

“Gee, that’s a great idea.” I said to Matthew Di Donna, the Manager of the Moree Golf Club when I called in to meet him recently. I was referring to the advertising for local businesses on the beer glasses used in the Club. “Can you tell me how that works, Matthew.” I asked.

“ Sure, Max. It really is very simple. And it saves us a lot of money. Local businesses pay to have their company logo/info printed on our beer glasses. These beer glasses are then supplied to our Club at no cost. The businesses get ongoing exposure (the glasses are used over a considerable period of time) and our Club gets free glasses. It’s a wonderful win-win scenario. And your good pal, John Humphreys, the Managing Director of Cummins and Wallace - Moree’s leading accountancy practice, has just ordered some badged glasses.”

The company that supplies these glasses , in Australia, is: IMAGE NATIONWIDE (Volnorm Pty Ltd), P.O. Box 638, Burleigh Heads, QLD 4220. Telephone 07 5520 1932. Fax: 07 5520 1908.

2005-05-19T11:03:00.000+10:00

Hear Shangri-La's CEO Mr Giovanni Angelini's two keys to success in the Hospitality Industry