News & Stories
Wiesbaden. Outsourcing of housekeeping services is now a widespread feature of the hotel industry. Nevertheless, hotels relying too heavily on external service providers may be in for some nasty surprises. Minimum wages and police raids are currently exerting increased pressure in Germany. Qualitative improvements must and can be steered from the hotel. The situation in Austria is similar. Two head housekeeping consultants, one from Germany and one from Austria, give their opinion on the matter. They also provide consulting services and offer further training through courses and the "housekeeper's diploma".
Frankfurt/M. Despite the economic crisis, progros Einkaufsgesellschaft still records growth. The company, whose services are used by about 600 German hotels for professional purchasing, managed to increase total sales by another 15 percent in fiscal 2008. For the current year, the company expects similar positive development as demand for purchasing solutions aimed at cost improvement is on the rise. In addition, the company has founded the progros Akademie for teaching know-how in purchasing.
Munich. Hotel project planning rarely runs according to an efficiency-oriented, integrative plan. Compared to a relay race, the "batons" are not perfectly handed on within the added value chain, says Michael W. Hartmann, Senior Vice President Market Management Hospitality at Siemens. "The individual protagonists don't work together anymore. From investors to general contractors, on to consultants, developers and individual suppliers as well as operators, all parties involved usually talk at cross purposes. This results in friction and drives up costs." This is why Siemens has designed a matrix making it easier to recognise the intersections between the parties involved. In a guest article for hospitalityInside.com in two parts, Michael Hartmann explains the problems and provides investors, developers and hoteliers with concrete hints on sources of errors as well as possible approaches to rectifying them.
Berlin. Germany, Austria and Switzerland intend to pool their efforts to develop a mutual set of criteria for hotel classification by 2011. The move is intended not only to harmonise classification but also to increase synergies between the three countries. Trade associations from the three countries have now placed their strategic partnership on a formal footing at a meeting in Berlin.
Frankfurt. With a sales plus of 2.6 percent on 2007 and strategic decisions already in place for a possible slump, German NH Hoteles has already laid the foundation for a solid 2009. Jan Hein Simons, Managing Director of NH Hoteles Deutschland GmbH is confident that the group will successfully navigate through the economic and financial crisis and gives concrete examples of how the group will do exactly that.
