A SELF-SERVING ARGUMENT… YET, ONE WORTH CONSIDERING

I’d like to address the issue of “conventional thinking” as it relates to the industry we operate in – the service business of evaluating hotel operations and specific functions of a hotel’s operation.

As one would logically expect, our industry is dominated by persons that have led careers in the hospitality industry – hoteliers; it’s a natural transition, or career progression, if you will. The BIA owners and managers are not hoteliers, however, nor have we ever led careers with hotels. In fact, I “fell into” this specialized field quite by chance in 2004, assisting a dear friend who was the Operations Manager for a well-known Dead Sea resort, because of my considerable involvement in market research (I was educated to be, and have worked as a marketing professional).

We were taught the basic skills of evaluating hotel operations from the guest’s point-of-view by this friend for a particular reason and – because we did a decent job – we were subsequently contacted by other hotel managers in Jordan to perform the same type of assessment. So, we were gradually schooled by our clients in the evermore intricate aspects of this specific service by the hoteliers at Marriott, Moevenpick, the Four Seasons and other remarkable hotel management companies that we have been proud to serve – and to learn from, over the past twelve years. When we saw the opportunity that existed in this very specialized field, we took it and dedicated ourselves to becoming the best at it in the Middle East; learning not only from our clients, but also from our mistakes along the way. The end result seems to have been a positive one, though:

“We have retained BIA for product and service quality at all five Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in Jordan, since 2008. BIA has consistently enhanced their audit techniques and the reporting format. We value their integrity, the pro-active approach, their passionate commitment and their reliability. Thumbs up for BIA.”

Bruno Huber - Former Regional Manager Jordan Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Currently Mövenpick V.P. Operations - Asia

Today – having managed the service audits and cash transaction procedures of hotels and resorts well over 700 times to date, in five countries across the Middle East – we can claim to be experts in our particular field. We are not hoteliers, but will certainly “hold our own” - and impress, if it comes to discussing the evaluation of a hotel’s front-of-house operation with any 20+ year veteran hotel executive, or if we are asked to design a cash integrity audit program to achieve specific objectives for a hotel director of finance. In fact, we have “opened a few eyes” on more than one occasion at such meetings…

So, with all due respect to our hotelier colleagues, we say: "one doesn't necessarily have to come from a hoteliering background to perform hotel operations audits, evaluations and assessments". And we welcome any and all comments on this issue.

For more information on the 7 hotel mystery shopper based services BIA provides to hotels and resorts, please visit http://ynlqndr.wix.com/hotel-mystery-shop