Hotel Customer Service is Free
Monday, March 8th, 2010 | Hospitality Industry | No Comments
Customer service is free.
Here are some things other hotels are already doing to offer premium customer service to their guests:
Leave personal notes from the GM in guestrooms (or at least for repeat guests)
Have employees make eye contact with guests when they’re within 15 feet and personally address them when within five feet
In severe weather, give guests free in-room movies
Pretend each guest has VIP status.
We asked a few frequent travelers – guests who book upwards of 75 nights per year – about some of their best customer service experiences, and here’s what they had to say
“Once when I was staying at a hotel in Chicago, I checked in and was sick from traveling so much. Later that night when I got back to the hotel they had brought me a box of Theraflu.”
-Brian Silengo, director of digital sales, Questex
“I remember checking in to a hotel and mentioning that I to run. Later I found a local jogging map in my room. I had a similar experience when a concierge saw me in jogging clothes and stopped to hand me a map. Paying attention goes a long way.”
-Andrea Bitz, director of national sales, USA Today
The Oprah Winfrey Show & Progressive Insurance Company – No Phone Zone
Thursday, March 4th, 2010 | Personal Insurance | No Comments
Many of us are guilty of using our cell phones while driving at one time or another. The Oprah Winfrey Show together with Progressive Insurance Company is campaigning to increase awareness and education regarding avoidable traffic accidents. Click on the link and join 40,000 others pledging not to use cell phones while driving to make our daily excursions safer for all.
Do Health Savings Accounts Really Save Money?
Friday, February 19th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
A lot of people wonder if they actually can save money using a Health Savings Account. Understanding what this account is and how they work will help you realize if they can really help you reduce your health costs.
Health Saving Accounts
HSAs are special savings accounts that are set up with a financial institution (i.e. Bank, Credit Union) to help pay for medical expenses. These accounts are not taxed and must be accompanied by a high deductible health plan. Employees can easily set up an HSA, but individuals and those who are self-employed can also participate. Money that is put into a Health Savings Account is not viewed as income and thus can be deducted during taxation. The money is used to pay for any medical cost that is not covered by insurance. Unused amounts continue to accumulate and can be withdrawn after the age of 65. To qualify for HSA in 2010; an individual needs a plan that has a minimum of $1200 deductible, while a family must get a plan with $2400 minimum deductible. The U.S. Treasury and the IRS have issued the new guidelines for the maximum contributions to Health Savings Accounts for 2010:
Individuals may contribute an annual maximum of $3,050
Families, covering two or more individuals, may contribute up to $6,150
A catch-up contribution of $1000 can be made for individuals who are 55 years of age or older and not on Medicare
How An HSA Can Save You Money
A health plan with a high deductible will cost less and will require cheaper premiums. However, the plan may not cover all your medical contingencies. By putting money into your HSA account, you will be able to pay for any medical expenses that your insurance does not cover. A number of healthy people use up just a little part of their HSA each year. This leaves them with excess funds that continue to pile up and gain interest. This amount will be able to pay for any medical emergencies in the future leaving you adequately covered while you still enjoy paying relatively low premiums on your health insurance. The main advantage of having a HSA account is that it saves up the money you do not use up for medical bills and unused HSA funds roll over year to year. Unlike insurance where you cannot access unused accumulated premiums, excess money in an HSA can be withdrawn for any reason after you retire (you will have to pay tax when withdrawing your funds like an IRA).
Due to the nature of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts, they are often better suited for individuals/couples/families who are healthier with little medical needs. People with conditions that may require frequent or expensive medical care may use up all the funds in their HSA. It is recommended that you speak with an insurance agent to be sure that a a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan coupled with an HSA is right for you.
For further information, or to obtain a Group/Employer-Sponsored or Individual Health Insurance quote, please go to the Northwest Insurance Life and Health Section of our web site at: A lot of people wonder if they actually can save money using a Health Savings Account. Understanding what this account is and how they work will help you realize if they can really help you reduce your health costs.
Health Saving Accounts
HSAs are special savings accounts that are set up with a financial institution (i.e. Bank, Credit Union) to help pay for medical expenses. These accounts are not taxed and must be accompanied by a high deductible health plan. Employees can easily set up an HSA, but individuals and those who are self-employed can also participate. Money that is put into a Health Savings Account is not viewed as income and thus can be deducted during taxation. The money is used to pay for any medical cost that is not covered by insurance. Unused amounts continue to accumulate and can be withdrawn after the age of 65. To qualify for HSA in 2010; an individual needs a plan that has a minimum of $1200 deductible, while a family must get a plan with $2400 minimum deductible. The U.S. Treasury and the IRS have issued the new guidelines for the maximum contributions to Health Savings Accounts for 2010:
Individuals may contribute an annual maximum of $3,050
Families, covering two or more individuals, may contribute up to $6,150
A catch-up contribution of $1000 can be made for individuals who are 55 years of age or older and not on Medicare
How An HSA Can Save You Money
A health plan with a high deductible will cost less and will require cheaper premiums. However, the plan may not cover all your medical contingencies. By putting money into your HSA account, you will be able to pay for any medical expenses that your insurance does not cover. A number of healthy people use up just a little part of their HSA each year. This leaves them with excess funds that continue to pile up and gain interest. This amount will be able to pay for any medical emergencies in the future leaving you adequately covered while you still enjoy paying relatively low premiums on your health insurance. The main advantage of having a HSA account is that it saves up the money you do not use up for medical bills and unused HSA funds roll over year to year. Unlike insurance where you cannot access unused accumulated premiums, excess money in an HSA can be withdrawn for any reason after you retire (you will have to pay tax when withdrawing your funds like an IRA).
Due to the nature of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts, they are often better suited for individuals/couples/families who are healthier with little medical needs. People with conditions that may require frequent or expensive medical care may use up all the funds in their HSA. It is recommended that you speak with an insurance agent to be sure that a a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan coupled with an HSA is right for you.
For further information, or to obtain a Group/Employer-Sponsored or Individual Health Insurance quote, please go to the Northwest Insurance Life and Health Section of our web site at:
Discounts drawing lower end visitors to 5 Star hotels
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | Hospitality Industry | No Comments
With top-end hotels having to slash rates to endure the continuing downturn, many are attracting a new clientele — guests who might never have stayed at a five-star property before. Andy Cosslett, CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group, said that downtown hotels in places like New York or San Francisco, which previously had slower weekends than weekdays, now are busier on the weekends and lobbies are filled with families taking advantage of rates that in some cases have been discounted by as much as 50%…
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article7029663.ece
Americans Really Are Buying Life Insurance
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
December 28th, 2009 by Melissa Webb
As 2009 draws to an end, all of our thoughts will inevitably turn to the economy. Without a doubt, this has been one of the most chaotic years in US economic history- a veritable roller coaster – and if you’re still in the game as an insurance agent, then you’re one tough cookie! As I speak to insurance agents on the phone every day, one question will stubbornly come up every now and then: is anyone out there actually buying insurance, or are they just rate shopping? I could tell you the answer is a resounding YES to the former, even offer up the testimonies of agents that I work with that purchase leads and say that this year, leads have helped them to make this their best year yet… but don’t take my word for it…
According to a new survey released by the nonprofit LIFE Foundation, 56% of Americans believe that it is more important to have life insurance now than it was a just year ago (you can read the article here). Even though there were 33% of Americans that have lost coverage this year – due to a job loss or a job change, an even higher 39% increased their existing coverage and 28% of consumers went out and bought life insurance for the very first time. So what are these numbers saying? To me, they’re saying that even during times of economic crisis or hardship, or perhaps even because of it, people value security for their family. People are still buying and maintaining insurance coverage.
Again though, don’t take my word for it. According to Insurance Networking News, New York Life Insurance Co. sponsored another survey that shows that 83% of Americans age 30 and older agree that economic hardship has increased their desire to provide financial protection for their family. So the silver lining in the storm cloud of economic woes is that consumers aren’t just shopping; they’re purchasing.
Holiday Inn Popular New Biz Branding
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 | Hospitality Industry | No Comments
A global initiative by Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express was designed to help business travelers rediscover the brand as an attractive option on a tight budget. “Nobody ever gets fired for staying at Holiday Inn,” said Kevin Kowalski, senior vice president of global brand management for the chain. “There is no preconceived notion of extravagance attached to our brand.” Changes focus on four components: first impression (a sense of arrival at check-in), the experience, the room and the service. The chainwide upgrade started in April 2008 and is set to conclude at the end of this year. It’s the largest relaunch ever in the hotel industry, experts say, based on the total number of rooms involved (427,102 worldwide) and total cost ($1 billion), which is being financed by individual hotel owners.