| Nuvo Hotel Suites has been operating as a boutique | | | | those who are far away are attracted.' Lau [13:16] |
| hotel in downtown Calgary for just about 10 months | | | | Keeping a good reputation locally is a vital part of |
| now, and if you had asked me 11 months ago what | | | | building a prosperous business, and marketing yourself |
| lessons I thought would prepare me for working in | | | | as a destination is a great way to attract travellers. |
| the hotel industry, Confucian principles would not | | | | But you can't forsake one for the other and expect |
| have been high on my list. However, I recently came | | | | to succeed. For example, while we normally do quite |
| across a paper on Confucian doctrine I wrote for a | | | | well with the travelling business crowd, this past |
| University course some time ago and I realised that a | | | | holiday season we managed to fill up the Nuvo with |
| lot of Confucius' teachings can, and should, be applied | | | | local guests who were going out to paint the town |
| to running a hotel. | | | | red on New Year's Eve. |
| Master replied: "How about 'shu' [reciprocity]: never | | | | 'Claims made immodestly are difficult to live up to.' |
| impose on others what you would not choose for | | | | Lau [14:20] |
| yourself?" Analects XV.24 | | | | Make sure that your marketing accurately reflects |
| When you're viewing your own hotel rooms and | | | | what your hotel has to offer. If your website says |
| procedures, remember to ask yourself "If I were a | | | | you're a luxury hotel, you'd better have room service |
| guest, would I want this?". If the answer is "No", | | | | and Jacuzzi's. |
| then take the appropriate action. | | | | "To know your faults and be able to change is the |
| 'He who gives no thought to difficulties in the future | | | | greatest virtue" |
| is sure to be beset by worries much closer at hand.' | | | | It's often harder for a hotel to discover its faults |
| Lau [15:12] | | | | then it is for a hotel to change. Talk to your guests; |
| The message here is simply to plan ahead. But, | | | | ask your regulars what changes they would like to |
| there's more to it than that. If you can keep your | | | | see, e-mail out some surveys to your guests after |
| long-term plans organised, it'll make it that much | | | | they check out. If you don't ask questions you'll |
| easier to deal with unforeseen problems as they | | | | never know the answers, and in this case that |
| occur because you can fully focus on solving them. | | | | means you'll never improve. |
| 'Ensure that those who are near are pleased and | | | | |