Services to SMEs hoteliers

Hospitality is about serving the guests to provide them with feel good effect. The guest is treated with utmost warmth and respect and is provided the best services. The accommodation / lodging business is a very unique industry. The uniqueness includes service as its product, which is intangible and cannot be stored; it is labour intensive, it emphasizes consistency of service and high productivity.

The challenges that Small and medium hotels face are:

  • Changes in distribution channels
  • Shortage of skills for the new business environment
  • Low productivity and quality output
  • Lack of marketing expertise
  • Limited access to finance and capital
  • Lack of customer centricity

 

Apricot Consulting Ltd has a portfolio of services that can support SMEs Hoteliers and Villa owners to overcome the intensified competition.

The services that we provide to manufacturers include:

  • Accreditation based on global best practices
  • Certified training
  • Consulting on business operation and marketing

 

Accreditation of Hotels and Villas

What we do

We  improve hotels΄ and villas΄ competitiveness, occupancy rates, recommendations on the one hand and on the other decrease uncertainty in terms of safety & security, quality, risk management etc by following an industry accreditation program specifically shaped for SMEs in the hospitality sector.

The accreditation based on standards that are formalized by experts in their fields and taking into account the best practices in the industry. The process can be endorsed by the Association of Hoteliers or the Federation of Entrepreneurs of Tourism Enterprises or any public and private partnership (e.g. between the Municipality of an island and the Association of Hoteliers in the island).

Under the accreditation scheme, hotels and villas are recognized as being compliant to the minimum standards for the operation of tourism enterprises on a sustainable way. Besides,

Benefits of Accreditation

The accreditation process can have the following benefits for tourism enterprises

  • Enhance Customer satisfaction
  • Helps to retain existing customers
  • Generates positive word of mouth
  • Improve the outlook of the company at the eyes of Tour operators, tourists and the public in general
  • Increase profitability and turnover
  • Maximize the selling proposition of each tourism enterprise

Certified training

Why training is necessary in the tourism sector

One of the most important aspects in contemporary hotel industry is getting to know the new methods and techniques that are necessary to work effectively. Due to technological changes, especially in information technology, that has shifted power from distributors of tourism products and services to tourists, and to a constantly increasing competition, hoteliers need to constantly revise their offering.

However, in the global environment that hotels are operating, knowledge and skills are the sole sources of competitive advantage. Therefore, training should not be considered a waste of resources but rather the tool to achieve hotel’s objectives. Moreover, employee training is of vital importance since employee performance and productivity are directly related to their skills, competencies as well as attitude.

The impact that training would have at hotel’s associates would be

  • Increase of motivation
  • Increase of the effectiveness and productivity
  • Reduction of operational costs
  • Mitigation of risk of no compliance with national and international standards

What we do

Our team work together with experts in employer led skills in the hospitality sector in  the UK and internationally to deliver high quality training in areas like

  • Responsible tourism
  • Waste management
  • Tourism marketing
  • Visitor’s Philoxenia (hospitality)
  • Visitor psychology
  • Visitor centricity and service

 

Consulting of business operation and marketing

What we do

The heart and soul of the visitor experience in every country is hosted by the thousands of SMEs enterprises which quietly and unnoted provide services and experiences for visitors to a destination.

By their own nature, SMEs in tourism they don’t have the time and resources to manage all functions related to their operation. Therefore, they find difficulties or even impossible to make time for business improvement, compliance with regulations or develop the business and use marketing as a strategic tool.

At Apricot, we are committed to work with hoteliers including microenterprises with five or fewer employees to the following critical areas

  • Market access and development
  • Marketing research and access to information
  • Access to financial services
  • Optimization of procurement
  • Standardization of operating processes