Essays

Karen Henry - 2006
The Rooms Management Tactics for Profitability Course which was held at Cornell University during the period June 26th to 28th 2006 was very intense and extremely comprehensive. The main topics covered were as follows; Profitability, forecasting, Marketing, Inventory Management, Perishables, Decision Making and Productivity. I will endeavor to give a brief overview on the topics covered in the course.

Profitability:
Profitability was described as monetary surplus left after all expenses of a hotel or resort have been met. It was also stated that for hotels to be profitable all departments must work hand in hand in offering highest quality of service. Products and amenities must be exceptional and of good quality on a consistent basis.

Forecasting:
This tells you in advance what is likely to happen. Proper forecasting helps Management and Financial Comptrollers to identify and keep a handle on an organization's revenue and expenses.

Marketing:
Marketing is considered to be one the the most important functions in any company's business. The hotel industry is no exception. If a hotel or resort wants to be profitable and maintains a high occupancy all year round, proper marketing strategies must be employed. The marketing department must be knowledgeable of the property, should know when to lower their rates, when you offer package deals and other incentives. It should also be noted and be borne in mind that our guests help to market our property by telling friends and families as well as others about their experiences. So we should endeavor to ensure total guest satisfaction at all times.

Inventory Management:
If this is not carefully executed it can result in embarrassing situations. Accurate inventory assessment should be frequently carried out at all times as failure to do so, could result in shortage of critical amenities necessary to enhance guests experience.

Perishables:
It was said that rooms not sold are considered perishables. It is not always possible to get premium price ofr rooms, consequently it is critical to monitor inventory closely, so that yield management could be employed in ensuring that rooms are sold at a lower rate, rather than rooms ending up being unsold or vacant.

Decision Making:
Proper decision making can be the key to high occupancy in any resort. Managers should know what guests expectations are, what room categories are in high demand and what your competitors are doing. Poor decision making can seriously affect guest experience and it could also result in serious revenue lost for your company. It is therefore critical that proper decision making is carried out at all times.

Productivity:
Productivity is always a key component for any operation to do well. Lack of productivity could adversely affect a company's profitability. It is therefore very important for organizations to monitor their employees output on a constant basis.

Course Effect:
The Scholarship which I was awarded, has presented an avenue for me to further advance my career in the hospitality Industry. It afforded me the opportunity to meet people from different cultural backgrounds, improve my organizational skills, broaden my horizon, and by expanding my knowledge of the industry through learning about new subject areas like Profitability, Forecasting, Marketing and Inventory Management.

Application of Course details:
Since completing this course I have had the opportunity to discuss the skills I have acquired with other employees in my hotel plant. I have made a conscious effort to ensure that the knowledge gained is shared with my co-workers with whom I work with directly. This was done through the sharing of course materials and departmental discussion sessions.

Conclusions:
I must express my heartfelt gratitude in being awarded this scholarship. I am motivated to continuously pursue higher learning. The knowledge gained has given me a a sense of awareness of what is necessary provide the highest level of service to ensure total guest satisfaction every day that I am on the job. It has also presented me with a check list of what my company needs to do consistently for profitability to be maintained. I look forward to a future mutually beneficial working relationship with both AHTA and CHF.

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