Are relationships important in the hospitality industry?

Absolutely. The hospitality industry and the careers of the many great people that work within it, have been enhanced by relationships. It could be argued that relationships are important in every industry, but it is especially true in the hospitality industry as we all need to work together to achieve a common goal…a successful meeting or event.

Due to the nature of our industry, we often spend long hours working with our core team. During our time together, we create stories and memories that will last a lifetime. I recently reunited with some friends that I worked with over 15 years ago. We were laughing so hard sharing stories from our past that we were literally in tears (we all agreed that a book is in our future).

Let me share an example of the importance of relationships. Our industry continues to have many disruptors; GDRP, sharing economy, technology enhancements, commission changes and consolidation to name a few. Many of the large companies that are consolidating are moving away from relationships and relying more on call centers, technology, pooling people and services for multiple properties and less staff at the hotels. Although this may create efficiencies and savings, it does reduce the amount of time for interaction which helps create strong relationships. Without these strong relationships, we will miss the opportunity to engage in some of our core functions:

• Working together to ensure a successful event
• Helping destinations and hotels in need (hurricanes, fires, financial downturn)
• Getting contracts signed in a timely manner (month end, quarter end, year-end)
• Working through challenges (date changes, attrition, cancellation)
• Assisting in getting key customers to partner events to ensure their success

The meetings business is all about bringing people together and building relationships. Great things happen when we meet face-to-face and we need to work together in both good and challenging times. As a full-service meeting planning company, relationships with our customers and with the partners we work with are paramount to our success.

If you still believe in relationships being the key to success in the hospitality industry and your organization does not see their importance, perhaps now is the time to consider a change. Look at joining an organization that still believes in the value of partnerships and relationships.