As the president of Pinnacle Hotels USA, Bharat Lall guides a company that maintains a portfolio of branded full-service hotels in California and Texas. A committed member of the field, Bharat Lall pays keen attention to developments in the hospitality industry.As hospitality companies vie for the business of younger consumers in an increasingly crowded sphere, innovative loyalty programs may prove crucial to success. A recent report from Bond Brand Loyalty indicates that millennials and Gen Z consumers prefer brands whose loyalty programs utilize technology to provide personalized experiences rather than simply points. In a survey of younger consumers, more than 80 percent indicated they would be willing to trade certain aspects of their privacy in exchange for customized offers, while nearly 90 percent of respondents stated a preference for innovative perks attached to their loyalty cards such as special check-out lines and seamless Wi-Fi access.Hotel brands that have taken these findings to heart are succeeding. For example, Marriott Rewards offers special perks for members who use Twitter to post about their stay or post a picture on Instagram of their hotel room. Thanks to these kinds of innovations, the loyalty program was named the best of 2017 by industry publication Smarter Travel.
With an established career as a hospitality executive and hotel owner, Bharat Lall has become recognized as a leading investor in San Diego and around the nation. The president and chief executive officer of Pinnacle Hotels USA, Bharat Lall has been in the hotel acquisition business since 1989, and always with the goal of improving the revenue generation of underperforming hotels. An important factor in achieving a successful hotel operation is ensuring quality management. Effective quality management means consistently delivering service that matches the standards set by the company, is expected by hotel guests, and ultimately results in customer loyalty and referrals. Indeed, research shows that quality consistency is more effective at driving occupancy rates and profits than high-value amenities.Employees play a vital role in quality management as they are responsible for the quality of all services delivered. Inevitably, when employees underperform and don't meet the expectations of the hotel manager, service quality suffers. To ensure quality management, managers should provide regular reviews of employee performance and conduct continual customer-service appraisals to ensure the hotel team is working together to maintain and improve the quality of services provided.
Bharat Lall is a hotel-industry executive who guides Pinnacle Hotels USA as founder and operates properties in locations from Southern California to Texas. Maintaining a strong interest in industry trends, Bharat Lall has a core focus on creating a hotel experience that keeps guests returning. A recent article in Hospitality Net brought attention to the emerging hospitality landscape and what successful hotels will be like in 2020. Technology is at the forefront, with advanced in-room controls such as smart-entry systems that turn on lights and air conditioning and open curtains becoming more prevalent. More personalized experiences are set to become the norm, as customer preferences, such as room and shower temperature, are inputted and remembered. Another area of change is in the design of guest rooms, with larger bathrooms a priority at many establishments. This added space is enabled through innovations such as fold down tables and workstations, as well as open storage setups instead of closets. Naturally, the foundation of the customer experience in 2020 will remain personal interactions, which are even more valued as devices and automated solutions become more prevalent.
A longtime hospitality executive, Bharat Lall has expanded the Pinnacle Hotels USA portfolio since founding the company in 1998. With properties centered in Southern California and Texas, Bharat Lall maintains internationally recognized brands such as Marriott, Sheraton, and Hyatt Regency.As identified by the Hotel Show, the hospitality industry is seeing a number of trends that extend well beyond technology upgrades. One major development involves an expansion of offerings that target improved health and well-being. Focused on the quality of the customer experience, hotels are increasingly incorporating facilities such as spas, swimming pools, fitness centers, and even yoga spaces. In addition, some rooms and public areas are being outfitted with air purification systems and custom lighting, designed to energize. In tandem with the above, eco-friendly hotel practices are taking hold as never before. Eco-friendly features include lights and air conditioning that shut off automatically when the room is vacated and on-site solar panels that are used to power electricity systems and to heat water.
