With 76% of operators saying their average food costs were higher in 2023, Casinos are increasingly leveraging food and beverage offerings to reduce those costs and attract new customers. In this pursuit, having a reliable Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) and procurement partner becomes paramount.

Enter Source1, the leading data and technology company specializing in hospitality procurement. By joining Source1, you can access high-quality food and beverage products, as well as all the operating supplies and equipment you need, at the lowest prices possible.

What Is a GPO?

A Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) in hospitality is a strategic procurement partner that leverages the collective buying power of its members—such as hotels, restaurants, casinos, and resorts—to negotiate discounted prices and value-added benefits from suppliers. By pooling their purchasing volume, hospitality businesses can access cost-effective solutions for essential products and services while maintaining quality standards.

GPOs streamline procurement processes, provide access to a diverse supplier network, and offer ongoing support to help businesses optimize their purchasing strategies and drive profitability.

How Does a GPO Benefit a Casino?

A GPO offers several benefits to casinos, including:

• Cost Savings: GPOs leverage the collective buying power of their members to negotiate discounted prices and favorable terms with suppliers. This allows casinos to access high-quality products and services at lower costs than if they were to negotiate individually.

 

• Access to Quality Products: GPOs often have established relationships with reputable suppliers, ensuring that casinos have access to a wide range of quality products and services for their operations.

 

• Streamlined Procurement: GPOs simplify the procurement process by providing a centralized platform for purchasing, invoicing, and tracking orders. This streamlines administrative tasks and saves time for casino staff.

 

• Transparency and Compliance: GPOs provide transparency in pricing and contracts, helping casinos ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

 

• Ongoing Support: GPOs often provide dedicated account management and customer support to help casinos navigate procurement challenges and optimize their purchasing strategies.

 

• Data and Analytics: Many GPOs offer data and analytics tools that allow casinos to track spending, identify cost-saving opportunities, and make more informed purchasing decisions.

 

Overall, partnering with a GPO can help casinos reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and enhance their overall competitiveness in the market.

 

Why Choose Source1?

Source1 is the leading data and technology company specializing in hospitality procurement. Our members get access to a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of casinos.  

Access to Quality Products at Competitive Prices

• As a Source1 member, you have access to a wide array of high-quality products at competitive prices. With our negotiated contracts, casinos can secure essential supplies and services without compromising on quality, thereby enhancing guest experiences while optimizing costs.

Transparency in Managed Procurement Network

• Managing procurement across multiple casino locations can be complex. Source1 simplifies this process by offering a managed procurement network that provides transparency in pricing, contracts, and supplier relationships. This transparency ensures consistency in quality and pricing across all casino locations, promoting operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Fast and Easy Integration with No Fees or Minimums

• Integrating new procurement solutions shouldn’t be a hassle. Source1 offers a seamless integration process with no fees or minimums, allowing casinos to start benefiting from its services without unnecessary barriers. This streamlined approach minimizes disruption to casino operations and maximizes time and cost savings.

Actionable Analytics for Informed Decision-Making

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount. Source1 equips casinos with actionable analytics tools that provide insights into spending patterns, supplier performance, and cost-saving opportunities. By leveraging these analytics, casinos can make informed purchasing decisions that drive consistency and profitability across their operations.

Ongoing Account Support

• We understand that every casino has unique needs and challenges. That’s why we provide dedicated account management and ongoing support to our members. Our team of experts is committed to helping casinos navigate procurement challenges, optimize purchasing strategies, and maximize savings—all while saving time and resources.

 

Contact us today to unlock unparalleled savings, streamline your procurement processes, and enhance guest experiences with high-quality products at competitive prices.

Fill out the form below let Source1 be your trusted procurement partner. 

Using high-quality products to maximize your hotel breakfast offerings at your operation can be a huge revenue generator. Cooking with name brand ingredients your customers know and love can keep your loyal guests returning and new customers choosing your location over others.

Hotel breakfasts can either be the best start to your guests’ day or an underwhelming experience that leaves them wishing they ate at the breakfast diner around the corner. This includes both room service and dine-in.

There is increasing pressure on hotel operators to provide high-quality service and offer more than just free pastries at breakfast. With guests returning to travel and seeking luxury properties to stay at, stand out from other businesses by including premium breakfast options with their stay.

Let’s look at some food and beverage solutions that increase your profits and keep guests returning to your property.

That First Morning Cup of Joe Counts

Nothing says “good morning, it’s going to be a good day” like that first sip of your morning coffee. It’s important to offer high-quality coffee options to your guests. It can set the mood for the rest of their stay. These days, guests have high expectations around freshness and the availability of flavor options.

Don’t be an average Joe hotel operation. Offer premium coffee that will caffeinate and rejuvenate your guests. For that boldly crafted timeless taste, 1850 by Folgers delivers a smooth lineup of fire roasted delight for the distinguished coffee consumer. Deja vue? More like Deja-brew! 1850’s carefully crafted steel-cut size results in more consistent brewing experiences. Give the gift of a brew-tiful day with 1850 by Folgers.

Not Your Basic Sausage and Eggs: Turnkey Breakfast Solutions

According to Conagra, 60% of hotel operators expect food and beverage revenue to grow over the next 3-5 years. That means it’s time to offer more than just the breakfast basics.

These labor saving solutions cut prep time, are cost effective and be used to create innovative menu offerings.

No need for extra cooler space. Idahoan Hash Browns are fully cooked so you can go from shelf to grill in 10 minutes flat. Simply brown or crisp on one side and heat through before serving crispy side up – in less than half the time of frozen or refrigerated. With unbeatable flavor and perfect texture, Idahoan Hash Browns are real potatoes that are real fast and real efficient.

“Protein” mentions on menus have risen nearly 77% over the last four years. Capitalize on the surge in protein mentions and say goodbye to the cooking and hassle of egg prep. With Sunny Fresh egg products, your kitchen staff can focus on innovative new ways to using eggs. Sunny Fresh egg products eliminate cracking, cooking and heavy clean-up, making them just right for your operation. Expand the appeal of your breakfast menu with dishes such as omelets, scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos or even grab-n-go sandwiches.

Don’t Forget Meatless Eaters

One-third of Americans are actively reducing their meat consumption. Help your plant-based eaters rise and shine with meatless breakfast options. Having a plant-based menu available for your meatless guests is imperative these days because your guests want it and your competitors are probably offering it.

Beyond Breakfast Sausage has arrived. These hearty patties are easy-to-cook, deliciously juicy, season to perfection and packed with 100% plant-based protein. You can power the day for your flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan guests by offering so many different breakfast items using Beyond Breakfast Sausage such as breakfast sandwiches, frittata’s, and other breakfast staples.

Source1 Solutions

Not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, it is also an important amenity when staying at a hotel. A good breakfast brings many benefits to guests that accommodation providers may not realize. A satisfying breakfast can add comfort to a guest’s stay, making it a far more pleasant experience overall.

As a member of Source1 Purchasing, hotel operators get exclusive access to savings and discounts on all the products and solutions mentioned above and more!

Contact us today so we can get your hotel operation on its way to cutting food cost and labor.

 

Looking for ways to decrease hotel operational costs without decreasing the quality of service?

Hotel operators focus on occupancy rates, average daily rates, and revenue per available room, which are three metrics used to determine success. In today’s current environment, where these three benchmarks have been drastically reduced, hoteliers are looking to increase each guest’s spend while reducing costs.

Think of technology as its own employee. Someone who can work 24/7 without you having to pay overtime. You don’t need to hire more staff – you just need the right tools. With things like data processing, extensive manufacturer and distributor relationships, compliance analysis, line item matching, billing and allocation, technology can be a solution to assist with the complex work of running a business.

From reducing food and beverage costs and saving money on linens and chemicals, to contract management and data cleaning, there are many areas in a hotel operation where technology can be utilized to help you find substantial savings and decrease hotel operational costs.

Use Technology to Decrease Hotel Operational Costs

The use of technology has many benefits and can help you increase efficiency, save time, reduce labor costs, and identify areas of savings. When you have so much time and money invested into something you love, such as your business, it’s hard to hand off responsibilities or lean on solutions such as technology. You want to be hands on in every aspect that goes into running your operation. Unfortunately, there is only one of you – and you only have two hands.

Running areas of your hotel operation such as the kitchen and managing inventory are time consuming and require paying attention to details such as price trends, counting supplies and placing orders. Taking advantage of tools such as a food cost management software can be the second pair of eyes and arms you need to take some of the burden off you and your team. You can automate processes and free up employees to do other things needed to keep your operation running.

With the use of technology and automation, comes a whole lot of data. Data is generated from so many different places such as manufacturers, distributors and vendors that it can be messy and hard to organize. Your purchasing department alone generates a tremendous amount of data. Having access to technology such as spend management tools can help you track spend in real-time and provides customized reporting to help you make quicker more accurate business decisions.

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone – Join a GPO!

A tremendous opportunity to decrease hotel costs lies in working with a group purchasing organization (GPO). While the basic principle, leveraging the collective buying power of its members, holds true for all GPOs, the purchasing power varies. The purchasing power of Source1 Purchasing is $20 billion, making it one of the largest GPOs serving the hospitality sector.

This means when you become a member, your buying power has drastically increased, leading to better pricing and bigger rebates. Smaller hotel chains and independent operators can then compete with the big brands in terms of purchasing power. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Start saving today!

Remember the days when “customer service” was the keyword in the hospitality industry? Hotels, casinos, and restaurants spent days training staff on the many intricacies involved in ensuring their brand and business was noted for going the extra mile. Now, that same staff is learning the intricacies of hygiene. Making small changes such as replacing air dryers with paper hand towel solutions can make a big difference.

The Seattle Times reported the sad statistic that, at the end of 2020, U.S. hotels neared 1 billion in unsold rooms. That number accounts for approximately $46 billion in lost revenue. As COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing measures begin lifting, hotels and casinos are left to determine how they can attract the consumers that are slowly emerging from lockdown.

Increasing Sanitation Practices

A recent survey revealed that improvement in the sanitation practices at hotels would have a considerable impact on their customers’ comfort level. These practices included face coverings for employees, suspending daily housekeeping, using technology to reduce contact, adding transparent barriers, and signage for washing hands.

In an attempt to increase sanitation practices, some hotels have replaced paper towels with air dryers. Unfortunately, this misguided, though good-intention act, is not recommended by scientists nor appreciated by guests. Did you know that *33% of hospitality users surveyed in North America feel unsafe when entering a restroom with air dryers and *70% of hospitality respondents surveyed agree with the statement “I wish more facilities offered paper hand towels as an alternative to air dryers”.

Let’s look at what the latest reports tell us.

Studies Promote Paper Hand Towels

A study reported in Harvard Health Publishing found that hand dryers in public restrooms draw in bacteria from the air that then falls onto the hands of guests using the dryers.

When Petri dishes were set in bathrooms without the use of hand dryers, one colony of bacteria, at the most, grew on the dishes. When Petri dishes were exposed to air from a hand dryer, up to 254 colonies emerged.

The report concluded that the most hygienic way to wash your hands is using paper hand towels.

Scientific data also reports that jet air dryers can spread up to 10 times more germs in the environment. A study conducted by U.K.-based researchers revealed that paper hand towels were more effective than hand air dryers for removing viruses left behind after hands are washed.

Bacteriophages, a virus that kills bacteria, were applied to participants’ hands before being dried by paper towels or a jet air dryer. Not only did more remain on the hands that used air dryers, but the participant’s clothing also held five times more virus and surfaces carried ten times more. This means that not only can the virus be transferred by the person’s hands, but the jet air dry also increases contamination by blowing the virus around. The researchers’ conclusion, “Paper towels should be the preferred way to dry hands after washing and so reduce the risk of contamination and spread.”

One of the keys to the importance of using paper towels lies in the increased risk of transmitting bacteria when hands are not dried entirely before leaving a restroom. One study found that wet hands can spread up to 1000 times more bacteria than dry hands. Unfortunately, *62% of air dry users say they stop using the device before their hands are completely dry because it takes too long to complete.

Yet another study sprayed participants’ hands with a harmless strain of E.coli. After washing and then drying with either an air dryer or paper towels, researchers determined that dryers removed only 23% of the bacteria while paper towels wiped out *71%. They concluded that the friction caused by drying with paper towels dislodged bacteria from the skin’s surface.

Customers Request Paper Towels

Science has spoken, but what about your guests and their comfort level? According to an international study conducted by United Minds in cooperation with CINT, *70% of respondents wished more facilities offered paper hand towels as an alternative to air dryers, and 75% use these same paper towels to avoid touching other surfaces in the restroom. Surprisingly, *33% said they felt unsafe entering a restroom equipped with air dryers.

The most notable statistic was this: *41% of respondents said they were less likely to go to places that did not offer paper hand towels as a drying alternative. This means that over one-third of consumers may not return if a business does not offer paper towels for hand drying.

Some brands note the increased difficulty in maintaining clean facilities when using paper towels, or the ongoing need to keep them stocked. Checking and refilling put extra pressure and demands on busy staff.

The answer to this issue is the Tork PeakServe^® continuous hand towel dispenser. This high-capacity, touch-free hand towel solution is fast and easy to refill and top up, freeing up staff for other activities. Watch this video to see how simple it is to refill.

It’s clear that the pandemic has brought hygiene to the forefront of consumers’ minds. It’s also clear that switching from air dryers to paper towels should be a part of your hygiene procedures. This one simple act can help your guests feel safer and reduce the risk of germ spread.

Hand Towel Solutions

Thankfully, there’s an easy solution. Help your guests feel safer by using Tork PeakServe® Continuous hand towel systems. It’s a hygienic, fast-dispensing, touch-free system that uses 50% compressed bundles to offer the highest capacity on the market, ensuring that hand towels are always available to your guests.

Learn how you can save on safe paper hand towel solutions when you become a Source1 Purchasing member! Contact us today!

 

2020 April Survey conducted by United Minds in cooperation with CINT using web-panels. The survey covered the US, with a total of 1012 respondents

Looking to lower hotel food costs?

Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) started in the healthcare industry and quickly spread to education, electronics, manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality. While their services have expanded since their birth in 1910, most operate under one important premise—the diffused purchasing power of a group of businesses, when combined and leveraged, produces a powerful collective buying power. As Aristotle said over 2,300 years ago, “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

Hotels leverage this buying power to lower food costs, increase quality, and manage their inventory and supplies. Let’s take a look at just how a GPO can lower hotel food costs.

Imagine that you’re the operator or owner of a large-scale hotel with thousands of locations. Think Marriott International with over 7,000 properties in 131 countries. You can be assured that when you contact a supplier, you’re going to get the best possible price. The competitive advantage is palpable.

At Source1 Purchasing, we have 60,000 locations, more than 350 manufacturer contracts, 165,000 rebated line items, and $12 billion in purchasing power.

Not bad. Now imagine that we’ve become a part of your team, finding the right suppliers for your needs and ensuring you’re receiving the best possible price. Move over Marriott.

At Source1 Purchasing, we specialize in hospitality and food service.

This means that we do more than simply lower food costs. We’ll also take a look at your menu, plating costs, and inventory controls to look for potential savings. In today’s environment, it’s important to search for every business-building and cost-saving strategy.

Even though room revenue is considered the heart of hotel profitability, food and beverage sales can impact direct sales as well as occupancy rate. If guests are staying in a specific area, and they have a choice of one hotel that offers stand-out food and cocktails at reasonable rates, or another that puts little attention into their food and beverage program, which one will they choose?

Success is measured by the ability to maximize revenues while containing costs in all departments.

It’s not uncommon for hotels to leave the responsibility of purchasing, costing, inventory control, and menu design in the hands of the chef or food and beverage manager. These responsibilities, along with scheduling, food preparation, and ensuring guest satisfaction can leave little in the way for supply assessment.

For this reason, many in the hotel industry simply go along with their favorite suppliers year after year. Chefs may talk with their distributors if there’s a menu change, ask about specials, or simply establish a regular delivery schedule that rarely deviates.

Working with a GPO changes all of that.

At Source1 Purchasing, we work with both broadline distributors and specialty suppliers. This ensures a reliable, cost-effective supply chain. We’ll find the highest quality and best costs for each product and ensure contracts are up-to-date. Now, the hotel is working with one supplier that provides all-inclusive inventory and cost management solutions. Group Purchasing, that’s personal!

Chefs and operators get to do what they do best—create memorable meals and guest experiences that keep clients coming back for more and telling their friends.

As with all businesses, no two are usually ever quite alike. The same is true for GPOs. At Source1 Purchasing, we pride ourselves on becoming members of our client’s team. We’re committed to helping our customers increase their bottom line while providing their guests with high-quality products and exceptional service.

To this end, we take a deep dive into analytics. This data provides us with the information we need to ensure you are buying from the right suppliers, have the right contracts in place, experience the benefits of a solid supply chain, and have instituted the proper inventory controls.

Our supply-chain experts and their individual attention to a savings analysis of each product ensure you’re getting the best price for top quality.

In addition to food and beverage supplies, we procure everyday operating supplies and products. In fact, we work with some of the top manufacturers in the hotel industry, including American Hotel Register Company, World Amenities, and Chef Works, to name a few.

Like a cog in a wheel, while seemingly insignificant, it is vital to the momentum. One broken cog, and the wheel simply stops. A hotel has many moving parts and each part plays into the success of the business. At Source1 Purchasing, we’re here to help you keep your wheel turning toward maximum profitability.

As the hotel industry slowly climbs out of the cavernous vacancies left by the pandemic, “breakeven” has become the operator’s current goal, a means of hanging on until some sense of normalcy returns. Like most other businesses, hospitality has been hard hit with occupancy rates ranging anywhere from 48% to 50% from mid-July through October. While these rates typically decline into the new year, the second week of December saw rates drop to 37.8%, a tough decline given the present climate. According to Hotstats, just to breakeven, a hotel requires an average occupancy rate just over 37%. With the current state of the industry, hoteliers are looking to maximize hotel convenience store sales from every guest. One of the revenue streams that may need some revision in order to compete is the hotel convenience store.

With restaurants opening their doors only to close again as COVID-19 cases surge, hotel guests are looking for convenient grab-and-go snacks that will sustain them throughout the day. Guests are already comfortable with the level of hygiene that the hotel demands, as well as expects, and they – and you – will benefit from having them spend more of their time on the property and less visiting local retail locations.

Keep in mind that the current guest looks for more than soda and chips. Today’s conscientious consumer is searching out healthy, unusual, sustainable, and locally sourced products, and they’re willing to pay for it.

Half of all Millennials surveyed, those born between 1981 and 1996, reported they would pay more for food that offered added benefits.

The Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) reported on the 10 key trends in food, nutrition, and health for 2020. The major drivers for the food and beverage industry was sustainability and naturally functional. Functional foods refer to products that supply additional health benefits. Naturally functional means that the added benefits are derived from nature and do not come from processed additives.

Superfoods or food as medicine fall into this latter group and include foods rich in immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory antioxidants, and other healthy compounds. Common products in this category include berries, nuts, seeds, herbs, dark chocolate, dried fruit, and various teas and natural beverages.

Consumers are also turning to plant-based, whole grain, high protein, energy-producing snacks. Instead of chips and crackers, these guests are looking for nuts, dried fruit, and other wholesome snacks.

Additional trends include locally grown and authenticity. How does food become authentic? Usually, a story goes along with the product. This may be as simple as one of the ingredients with a rich history or how the founders came up with the recipe.

So, just how does a hotelier supply their guests with the latest food trends in a sometimes-small convenience store? Fortunately, packaged whole foods continue to expand providing operators some interesting options.

In addition to providing your guests with well-thought-out grab and go products, it’s important to consider how these items will be displayed. Prominent arrangements sharing the story behind a product, the producer’s sustainable practices, or the healthy, all-natural ingredients it contains are sure to catch your guest’s eye.

Here is a great example from Conagra showing how operators can display their grab and go items in their convenience store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consider the following companies that have created unique healthy natural foods with great stories behind the product.

• Sahale Snacks—After a hike on the challenging trails of Mount Rainier, founders of Sahale Snacks, Josh Schroeter and Edmond Sanctis, realized the basic trail mix blend they’d taken with them replenished their energy, but did little to satisfy their taste buds.Sahale Snacks was the answer—a nutritious and tasty snack. Today, the brand consists of 17 varieties of grab and go snack mixes. Glazed mixes include a blend of tangerine, vanilla, cashew, and macadamia, while a tasty trail mix might consist of berries, macaroons, and almonds.
• Angie’s Boomchickapop – What started in Angie and Dan Bastian’s Mankato, Minnesota garage as a way to teach their kids about healthy snack options, turned into Angie’s Boomchickapop, a healthy snack company centered around ready-to-eat and microwave popcorn. Products are whole grain, non-GMO, and gluten-free, and come in unique flavors such as Pumpkin Spice Drizzled Kettle Corn with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
• IBC Root Beer – This tasty soda makes a perfect accompaniment to delicious grab and go snacks and is made with all-natural ingredients like real cane sugar.
• Motts Juices – Samuel R. Mott started growing and packaging apples in 1842. Today, the company purchases more apples from New York farms than any other business. Their unsweetened single-serving applesauce packages and 100% non-GMO, no sugar added juices appeal to the health-conscious consumer.

Soure1 Purchasing, the largest Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) for the hospitality industry, offers a “one-stop shop” for locally sourced products as well as 1,000-plus suppliers that provide more than 9,000 high-quality products. With more than $12 billion in purchasing power, Source1 Purchasing members obtain direct access to suppliers, contracts, products, and detailed analytics. We reduce costs and streamline the procurement process. Contact us to find out more about our suppliers and the many benefits associated with a no-fee membership.

If you are in the hospitality industry, then you know how important it is to offer the right amenities to your guests. Not only are complementary services important, but the types of services and amenities that you offer can make the difference between standing out from the competition and being just another chain hotel.

In today’s post, we’ll take a look at the top 10 things that every hotel must offer if they want to get a competitive edge over other businesses in the hospitality industry. To increase your buying power, make sure to contact Source1 Purchasing and learn what we can do for your business. Our group purchasing organization has what it takes to push your business to the next level. Keep reading to discover how to impress your guests!

1. Visible Boss

No matter what you call your hotel manager — general manager or resident manager — it’s important that they are not only on the premises, but also accessible and available for guests. A manager who spends the day in an office is not going to have the positive impact that you want to make on guests. Make sure that your hotel manager knows that part of their job is to be on the floor greeting guests, creating a “face” for the hotel, and generally finding ways to emphasize the hotel’s commitment to a fabulous experience for guests.

2. Genuine Personality

Your staff needs to be more than just courteous. While good manners and a service-oriented attitude are important, they won’t do much as far as establishing your hotel’s brand. If your goal is to create a persona for your hotel that is friendly, open, and genuinely caring, then it’s important that you communicate this with your entire staff. The more that your staff displays empathy and genuine interest in their interactions with your guests, the more that your hotel will set itself apart from the competition.

3. Easy Check-in and Check-out

Whether your guests have been traveling for the past week on business or are arriving after a tiring day of driving, you want to make sure that the check-in and check-out processes are as streamlined and efficient as possible. The less time that your tired guests spend at the desk, the quicker they will be able to get to their room and unwind. Train your staff to display welcoming body language, smiles, and friendly words. Try to avoid vague greetings such as asking how someone is. Rather, a more specific phrase such as, “It’s nice to have you with us,” will make a deeper impact.

4. Discretion

While most of your guests will probably not be celebrities, that doesn’t mean that they don’t appreciate your attention to their privacy and security. Make sure that your front-desk staff understand the value of using a guest’s name discreetly. Hotel staff should never broadcast a name or room number as this is not only a breach of privacy, but is also a potential security issue.

5. Avoid Assumptions

Sometimes, finding the balance between being proactive and making assumptions can be difficult to find. It’s important that your hotel guests never feel that decisions are being made for them. This is especially important with regular guests as it can be easier to assume that you know what they want. Make sure that guests are always presented with options and allowed to make their own decision.

6. Details

Everyone knows that the details can make or break almost anything, which is why it’s important that you make sure the accents in your hotel are distinctive, tasteful, and when possible, local. The more time and attention you put into the details in your hotel, the more your guests will appreciate spending time in their rooms, the lobby, or the guest lounge during their stay with you.

The more that you can offer detailed services and gifts, the more you set your hotel apart. The best things to keep in mind is that the more refined and local your offerings are, the better. Here are just a few examples of items that show true attention to detail:

• Delicious local truffles
• A fruit bowl with beautiful and edible fruit
• Fresh pet treats for those traveling with a pet
• Fresh floral arrangements made from local flowers and plants

7. Local Knowledge

Room service used to be one of the most important hotel requirements during any guest’s stay. These days, however, your guests are just as likely to expect you to have extensive local knowledge. If they are looking for a community-rich experience, then it’s important that you can share some of the best places and locations for them to visit, as well as dining experiences that are affordably priced.

8. Impeccable Housekeeping

One of the best features of impeccable housekeeping is the ability to be invisible. If your guests are not disturbed by talking, radios, or TVs that are the result of housekeeping taking care of other rooms, then you have successfully overcome one of the biggest hurdles.

One of the cardinal sins that no housekeeper should ever commit is to move items that belong to a guest. While this may create a challenge when it comes to cleaning the room, it’s important that your guests feel that their space is respected. Additionally, it’s important that your staff know where to check when cleaning, and be willing to search beyond the obvious spots.

9. Plentiful Outlets

Depending on when your hotel was built, you may not have a lot of options when it comes to the number of electrical outlets that you can offer to your guests. One easy solution is to purchase charging strips that can plug into the few available outlets in each room. There are two benefits from doing this — electronics are protected from power surges, and you instantly create more outlets, which caters to your guests’ comfort and convenience.

10. Beautiful and Easy-to-Operate Showers 

While hotels can feature some of the most amazing showers, including indoor showers, outdoor showers, showers with multiple showerheads, rainfall showers, and more, they really don’t do any good unless they are easy to operate. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as stepping into a shower only to realize that you can’t figure out how to turn it on or adjust the settings to your comfort level. If your hotel provides showers with complicated features, then make sure to offer directions that are simple and easy to follow.

These are just a few hotel management tips from our team of hospitality professionals. When you choose Source1 Purchasing to be your group purchasing organization, we can provide the buying leverage that you need. Whether you need to source hotel essentials for your guest rooms, kitchen, or offices, we can help. Contact us today to get a free supply chain analysis.

Read about some precautions you can take to avoid allergic reactions in your restaurant while delighting your guests.

Source1 Purchasing is a proud supporter of the GO Fund, a non-profit organization that helps women and children throughout Africa.

LED lighting is one of the fastest-growing interior design trends in the hospitality industry. LED lights are long-lasting, economical, and can be used in a multitude of ways throughout your property. Most people are aware that LED bulbs are among the most eco-friendly lighting choices. However, there were several reasons why hotels were reluctant to adopt them into their design elements until now.

Continue reading today’s post to learn the benefits of LED lights for hotels, and contact Source1 Purchasing to learn more about how our group purchasing organization can provide the services you need. Call for your free supply-chain analysis.

First, the limited choices when it came to fixture designs made it difficult for hotels to find LED lights that worked for them. Further, the high cost of LED lighting fixtures was a huge deterrent to hotels that had to be mindful about their budget. Today, neither one of these issues are a concern. There are more styles of LED lights than ever before. Plus, with their popularity continuing to grow, they are substantially less expensive than they once were.

Benefits of LED Lighting

Lifespan

Unlike the incandescent bulbs of the past, LED lights will never burn out. Instead, they simply begin to slowly dim over a long period of time. In fact, they can last up to fifty times longer than an incandescent bulb depending on the fixture. This unique feature will help save both time and money for your maintenance department.

Energy Savings

Another benefit of LED lighting is that these bulbs are much more energy-efficient than fluorescent, incandescent, or halogen bulbs. It is estimated that this type of lighting uses about half the energy as the other lighting options, which can lead to significant savings on your energy bill over time.

Improved Safety

One of the advantages of LED lights is that they are typically made up of shatter-proof material. If they are dropped, there is little to no risk of shards of glass scattering throughout the area. What’s more, there are many options for fixtures that can operate on a backup power supply. This can create an added level of safety for lighting hallways and potentially hazardous areas in your hotel either at night or in the event of a power outage.

Flexibility

No matter what type of area you need to light, there is a fixture that is perfect for the job. Unlike some of the other lighting choices, LEDs provide pleasant lighting for any application. Whether you need bright lights for a guest’s bathroom or soft lighting for lounge areas, you can easily find the perfect LED fixture to match your hotel’s aesthetic.

At Source1 Purchasing, we are here to help you get the best prices on lighting and other design and maintenance supplies that you need in your hotel. Contact us today for a free cost-savings analysis.