Margie T Logarta, managing editor, Asia, Panacea Publishing Asia and Business Traveller magazine, has observed the travel and hospitality industry long enough to be constantly asked for her opinion on issues affecting service and burning industry concerns.
Here's her take on the world of business travel. She welcomes your comments, arguments and other musings.
INTERNET AND GUEST SATISFACTION
I always knew I was in good company. The ones, who, once they march into their guestroom, have only a single thing on their minds – getting connected.
Then, only after establishing links with our office servers are we able to breathe easily and even take in the view from our window of a fabulous skyline or brilliantly azure ocean or perhaps munch on a fruit or two from that welcome fruit platter.
In this digitally powered world, it isn’t really surprising that the findings of the J D Power and Associates 2010 North America Guest Satisfaction Index Survey show that wireless internet access ranked first as the most important hotel amenity for most market segments, followed by complimentary breakfast.
In the study, 77 percent of guests indicated they patronised the Wi-Fi service, compared with just 55 percent in 2007.
About 55 percent of hotel customers in this year’s study stayed with chains who advertised free internet connection for all guests.
The results, of course, may not be a compelling reason for hotel companies to change internet charging policies overnight (although we we wish they would) and offer these for free. But they are a signpost for the future, especially when more and more establishments ie McDonald's, Starbucks and the like are offering free Wi-Fi with their (paid) coffee and public spaces such as airports and trains have made it part of their service range.
With not a lot of hotel companies (only the Shangri-La group comes to mind) offering complimentary internet access their network, travellers still have no choice but to pay the charges, although more and more are not liking it. It will have to take a major global chain to do its sums, bite the bullet and lift all fees on this very desirable perk, thus breaking the pattern of paying to get connected.
Will anyone step up to the plate and make their guests deliriously happy?
Margie T Logarta
Managing Editor, Asia
PUT AWAY THAT PHONE – FOR A WHILE 01/09/2010
We all know that it’s not good manners to use a BlackBerry or iPhone at the table — full story »
DANGER IN KNOWING? 25/08/2010
So much has raced through my mind since I watched the tragic and unnecessary violent end to the hostage crisis in Manila throughout all of Monday — full story »
PRICE OF BEING CONNECTED 18/08/2010
News of the strike action by staff in UK airports being called off was certainly welcome news for travellers bound for the country or have to transit through it on their way to other places — full story »
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH 11/08/2010
He certainly knew how to make a statement — full story »
A BETTER LIFE 04/08/2010
The next time you read the cheery news that an airline is growing so rapidly, you can be sure that’s going to have an effect somehow, somewhere and on someone (if not, on many people) — full story »
PAIN IN THE NECK 28/07/2010
I knew I was going to pay for it sooner or later — full story »
NEW TRADING PARTNERS 21/07/2010
Who would have thought it, but your next business trip (or holiday) could be in Baghdad or Tehran — full story »
THE REAL WINNER 14/07/2010
Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup; Paul the Octopus won a legion of fans for his unmatched predictions — full story »
DELIVERING ON PROMISES 14/07/2010
It’s always with great jubilation that we greet anything that will get us to our destination/appointments faster and in better shape — full story »
IS THERE A MOUSE IN THIS KITCHEN? 07/07/2010
Now, if I am to believe the latest bulletin, issued by the US Food and Drug Administration, I’ll have to add another prayer intention: “Don’t let me get food poisoning — full story »
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