Categories
People Profiles

The Value of a Swiss Army Knife Manager

ErinMarreroSavoie

Erin Marrero-Savoie is a New Orleans native who studied Economics at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After graduation, Erin returned back to the area and joined the Holiday Inn New Orleans Westbank team as a Sales Coordinator in December of 2013.

She quickly made her presence felt by aiding in the development and maintenance of the hotel’s social media strategy. Always quick to volunteer for special projects and new initiatives, Erin was identified as a key employee and began training for future growth opportunities. She currently oversees the F&B operation as well as the Front Office in her role as Hotel Operations Manager. Hotel General Manager, Dustin Floyd, describes Erin as a “swiss army knife manager – lots of tools at her disposal and can aid in most any department”.

Erin’s greatest strengths are her work ethic and persistence. Although she puts in many hours at the hotel, she still finds time to mentor area youth, volunteer for multiple organizations, and serve as a board member for her Alumni Association. The old quote goes “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success” and Erin is certainly the posterchild for this mindset.

Categories
Success Stories

Leading Birmingham’s Downtown Renaissance

The Tutwiler - Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham AL - Downtown

Problem:
Integral Hospitality President Bill Murray knew that downtown Birmingham was a prime place for a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel. He set out in the summer of 2005 to identify the best spot, but sites to build on were hard to find. Working with the local economic development agency and scouring Google Earth maps of the city, Murray ruled out spot after spot.

Then on the local Chamber of Commerce Big Trip to Nashville to study the successes of the Tennessee capital, Murray got a phone call that The Tutwiler Hotel was for sale. Murray had financials faxed over and and on behalf of a current client made the offer to buy the hotel within minutes with the intention to make it a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel after renovation.

Solution:
Murray quickly realized that the hotel was a prime candidate for restoration and repositioning. The property was enjoying decent occupancy, but lagging well below what it should be doing in rate. Nothing a total renovation couldn’t fix. Sounds easy.

Results:
Murray and his team quickly set about performing the all important task of due diligence using a carefully prepared checklist. Working closely with the hotel team and a team of professionals, Integral identified all the challenges and developed solutions to overcome them.

Using a multi-pronged approach that included public relations, team building, interior design, architecture and construction, Integral developed a plan that added multiple amenities, reduced expenses, increased other income and positioned the hotel for a 50% increase in realized room rates. Crafting a business plan that told the story of how the hotel would be restored, repositioned, and rebranded, Integral took the story of the new Tutwiler to the capital markets.

Receiving seventeen term sheets told them that they struck a chord with the lending community. But that was really confirmed when the appraisal came back considerably higher than was expected. Over the six years that Integral managed the hotel until it was sold in May 2012, the value of the 149 room property increased from its original all-in after renovation cost of $12 million to over $18.5 million!

The Tutwiler is a key story in the revitalization of the Birmingham downtown, and Integral Hospitality is proud to be the driving force behind the story. Let the team at Integral identify a similar diamond in the rough for you, polish it carefully and deliver the success level you desire from your potential investment.

Categories
Tools

The Constant Pursuit of Perfection

Perfect Badge

Project Perfection is Integral’s proprietary quality assurance tool that allows team members to easily communicate issues they uncover, then prioritize solutions based on urgency and capital budgets.

There are literally thousands of things in a hotel that can break or be dirty when that guest arrives at your hotel. Our goal is to make every guest feel like they are the only guest that ever stayed in their room. No trace of a previous guest is the standard. Doing that means constant cleaning and repair, as well as monitoring for replacement.

Balancing the need for replacement against budgeted capital reserves for the hotel is a critical component of the financial equation.

Project perfection helps Integral Corporate team members as well as hotel General Managers and their teams to SYSTEMATICALLY check those thousands of items so that no stone goes unturned.

As a result, everyone can keep a handle on the condition and cleanliness of each and every area of the hotel.

All this leads to increased guest scores and reviews, higher revenues, happy team members and contented owners!

Categories
Success Stories

What Goes Around Comes Around, and Up!

Website Story Photo RSNLA

The fourth call that Integral Founder Bill Murray got when he started the company in 2003 was from Hilton. The owners of the Hampton Inn Ruston, Louisiana were experiencing difficulties with the PIP on their newly acquired Hampton Inn. The Integral Team went in, got things organized and on track and found a great General Manager for the ownership group. After Integral’s two year assignment was completed, the partnership enjoyed great success with the GM that Integral had found for them.

Nearly eight years later, the opportunity presented itself for one of Integral’s clients, Mercury Investment, to acquire the asset. The hotel was under performing the market, especially in average daily rate, but the renovation that would be required for Hilton would help improve performance in all areas. A brainstorming session revealed a series of amenities that could be added in order to provide value. The required Perfect Mix Lobby, which had not been installed as of yet, was gotten underway. The implementation of a focused sales effort was put in place. These things would allow the hotel to improve its market share.

The Integral Team designed an exciting new lobby that still incorporated some of the attractive design elements of the existing lobby. This resulted in economical savings that offset the cost of the new offerings. The required corridor renovations were done, giving the hotel a fresh new look. A hopping manager’s reception was added with local craft beer. All new furnishings were installed in the outdoor patio area, as well as the addition of a firepit and BBQ grill. Unused office space was transformed into a new Treats Shop allowing inefficient vending areas to be converted into small hospitality rooms.

The seasoned staff was re-energized and their skills honed, while a leadership focused General Manager was brought in. A go-getter of a sales person, Brandon Sutherland started building relationships with local companies and the two universities.

Service scores soared and so did revenues. Occupancy jumped 37% and the average rate increased 22%. The value of the hotel increased over $3 million! The final piece of the puzzle was an exterior renovation to meet the new Hampton Inn Forever Young requirements. This resulted in an extension of the license agreement to fifteen years.

Categories
Success Stories

New Home2 Owners Turn to Integral

HT_hotelexterior01_642x333_FitToBoxSmallDimension_Center

When Houston hotel owner Atish Gandhi embarked on a journey to build a new 92 room edition of the fresh Home2 by Hilton in the highly competitive Katy, Texas market, he faced it with a combination of excitement and anxiety. His family had lots of experience running hotels, but the new concept that targets savvy extended stay guests was a new game for them.

Atish turned to peers and family members for advice. One of them recommended he call Amer Salman at Integral Hospitality Solutions. Amer and President Bill Murray went to Houston to visit Atish and his family in July 2013. Everyone hit it off immediately and the partnership was off and running.

Integral put together the team and handled all of the pre-opening tasks, including developing a comprehensive marketing plan. On August 6, 2014, the beautiful hotel opened and customers beat a path to the door. Here are some impressive statistics:

  • Successfully ramped up and pulled 105% of marketshare from RevPAR standpoint in 7 months.

  • Closed the 2015 calendar year with 105.5% RevPAR index.

  • Grew RevPAR index 46.7% over first year.

  • 2015 Extended Stay Occupancy 46.9%

  • Finished in Top Half of brand in 2015 for Overall Service.

  • Finished in Top Half of brand in 2015 for Guest-room Cleanliness.

Integral and the Gandhis are looking forward to a tremendous 2016!

Categories
Uncategorized

Sales and Marketing Consulting

Sales

Arguably one of the most important tools offered by Integral is the Hotel Marketing Plan. This proactive, dynamic document allows IHS to ensure that effective marketing programs are ongoing at all times and to evaluate their effectiveness. This combined with weekly sales reporting allows for constant monitoring of marketing activities.

Quality activities lead to positive results, which can be measured in increased market share and revenue.

– Included in Turnkey Management
– Available as a stand alone service with Market Evaluation and Consultation
– Sales Blitz coordination

Categories
Tools

A Game Plan for Success: Organization

Game Plan

Being successful at anything requires having a plan. Integral believes that plan revolves around an organized philosophy that ensures success.

GamePlan is Integral’s proprietary time management tool for corporate office team members and general managers down to each line level employee. This unique planning system allows the user to integrate all of the important objectives, goals, and tasks required on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis for a successful hotel. This tool helps keep the user accountable for the most precious resource they have – their time.

– Day Planner Specifically Designed for Hotel General Managers
– Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly Checklists
– Focuses On Organization
– Includes Schedule Planner
– Section for Managing Tasks
– Section for Recording & Monitoring Goals
– Facilitates Reporting to ILink
– Sales Activity Reporting
– Comprehensive Contact Management

Categories
Uncategorized

Revenue Management

iStock_000076124351_Small crop

Integral’s Revenue Management Support ensures that each Hotel takes full advantage of all opportunities available through brand tools, like Hampton Inn’s REVMAX, IHG’s Revenue Management for Hire, and Best Available Rate programs. Integral’s Director of Revenue Management and E-Commerce will also assist with important tasks such as maintaining property information in major hotel database systems.

Property information is maintained in Brand Reservations Systems and the Global Distribution Systems, as well as responding to RFPs.

– Weekly monitoring of reports
– Weekly recommendations to General Managers
– Support in maintaining hotel information in databases
– RFP assistance

Categories
Tools

Focusing on What is Important

Key Indicators

IntegralLink is Integral’s innovative information management tool. This password protected database allows Integral Team Members and owners to monitor information from managed hotels on a minute by minute basis. Critical daily statistics and pace reports are available for viewing immediately on a dashboard. Revenue is tracked against budget and previous periods. Evidence of critical daily functions is uploaded. Forecasts are updated in real time.

Marketing plans and budgets (operating and capital) are updated in real time and available to be viewed, along with property operations reports and scored evaluations. Financial reports, including profit and loss statements, general ledgers, guest and advance deposit ledgers and accounts payable/receivable reports are maintained. Inventories can be viewed online. Other important revenue management and sales reports are also available.

Integral’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI) is generated from information from IntegralLink database. This report card, of sorts, for each hotel indicates the graded performance of each property. Not only is information included pertaining to revenue, it also covers other pieces of the puzzle such as quality assurance, guest satisfaction, deadline compliance, and even team member satisfaction. Each aspect is weighted as to its importance to the hotel’s performance score and a quick glance at the Overall KPI Scorecard Gauge immediately shows which hotels are in that all important acceptable and outstanding range, and which ones need to strive to move the needle higher.

All of this information helps owners and management company leaders know that the hotels they lead are taking care of business.

Categories
Uncategorized

Accounting Services

Accounting crop

Integral uses the state-of-the-art M3 accounting system, which allows Owners and General Managers up to the minute access to financial data via the Internet. Revenue information and invoices are entered at the property every day. Financial statements and reports will be available to owners by email each month.

Financial information is critical to the operation of any business. Integral Hospitality sends reports by email instantly to owners in a timely manner each month. Each report is sent in Microsoft Word format for maximum compatibility. The layout of IHS’ statements provides detailed information to help the management team an downers dissect performance. This data is compared against the road map of the annual budget.

– State-of-the-art M3 accounting system
– Internet based
– Up to the minute financials
– Performance monitoring against budget and previous year